THE FALLEN LEADER

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1926, Page 1

THE FALLEN LEADER

(By One Who Knows Him in a London paper.) A shortish, tubby man, with a pleasant round, red face, weather-beaten and wrinkled, with keen, twinkling eyes and the usual short beard of the Arab—such is Abdel Krim, the famous llilf loader, whose wonderful resistance to the arms of two great European Bowers has culminated in his dramatic surrender.

The Spaniards tell some unpleasant stories about Abdel Krim, but there is nothing in his appearance to suggest a barbarous disposition, or even ruthless severity. Bather does ho give an impression of alert intelligence, of quiet self-confidence. Raisultr, the outstanding leader of the insurgents in Morocco till Abdel Krim forced his. way to, the spotlight of the world’s stage, was merely a bandit on a great scale. It remained for Abdel Krim to lift the Biff problem into the sphere ol world politics. .

Abdel Krim, with the possible exception of Mustapha Kemal, is at once the ablest and most picturesque adventurer of his age.

Six years ago. though head of a leading family of the Beni Ouriagliel tribe, lie was a minor secretary in the employ of the Spanish Government, earning a few shillings a week. But his time was not wasted ; his shrewd, deepset little black eyes were watching the Spaniards in everything they did, observing their character, noting their military organisation, penetrating their weaknesses.

In 1921 lie saw liis opportunity. Deserting bis post at Ceuta be took to the mountains at the head of a handful of Berbers, and the world rang with the news that an army of 15,000 Spaniards had been decisively defeated. Electrified by this triumph the Biff tribes rallied round Abdel Krim, and with nearly half a million subjects and an army of first-class fighting men behind him he became almost in a night a real menace to the African empires of both Spain and France. The crushing defeat at Annual in 1921 is said to have cost Spain 100,000 casualties, and for five years Madrid has poured out blood and treasure like water in a vain attempt to drive him from his strongholds. For Spain the campaign was one long tale of disaster until at last the Madrid Government fell and the whole nation was shaken to its foundations.

How Abdel Krim regarded this struggle may be judged from the letter which he entrusted to Mr G. "Ward Price, the “ Daily Mail’s ” special correspondent, when lie interviewed the Riff leader in 1921: To the Honourable Foreign Secretary of the British Government.

Most Honoured Minister,—The Biff Government is at present exerting every effort to defend its independence in the war that is proceeding between is and Spain. Hie latter country is violating the rights of man. In tlie name of humanity I appeal to you to invite Spain to put a limit to the ruthless hostilities which have destroyed so many lives. I represent to you. that I am the recognised Amir of the State of the Biff, and that I am ready to send Ambassadors to discuss conditions of peace pro-

vided they do not infringe the honour of my realm or compromise its independence. Otherwise it is the sword that must decide the matter, and victory in’ll he in the hands of God, Who giveth it to whomsoever He will. (Signed) Mahomet Ibn Abdel Keim. (May God be his aid.) France, too. has found the Riff war enormously costly both in gold and lives, and a source of serious embarrassment at home. Nevertheless, when France entered the arena Abdel Ivrim must have foreseen the end. Spain alone he could deal with, hut when all France’s resources in the way of men, artillery, and aeroplanes were thrown into the scale the Riff leader’s doom was as good as sealed. Without- judging the merits of the struggle it may justly be said that his surrender has ended one of the- most stirring and dramatic struggles for independence of which history gives record.