FOREIGN LEGION

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1932, Page 3

FOREIGN LEGION

A GROWING MENACE

IN THE RIFF COUNTRY

MADRID, May 22

The non-commissioned officers of the Spanish Foreign Legion in Morocco “are merciless, shameless and immune to punishment,” charged Captain Macartney, who, with oi other Englishmen, Was retrieved from the Legion in 1921 by the British Foreign Office after an investigation by the Ambassador in Madrid.

This and a reputation of fighting like fiends, never retreating, with “death, rahter than defeat” as its motto, was the Legion ron years ago. iuday living conditions have improved, but the rank and file have changed little. Cut-throats, criminals, men with shady pasts—they have been run over, at last by the progress of disarmament as have so many other outposts of adventure.

Without that health sprinkling cf adventurers, professoral fighters and tiierely disappointed persons which makes file French Foreign Legion such a well organised fighting force, the Spanish Legionnaires have been a constant menace to Spaniards and Moors in Morocco since the Riff War and North Moroccan campaigns subsided. Briefly, they are too tough. Particuluarl.v brutal and bringing matters to a point where Premier Azana this week let it be known that the Legion would be dissolved, was the murder in the capital, Tetuan of a Legion colonel.

A discharged private shot him from behind and. fled. Although unarmed, other officers boldly pursued the murderer, why fired at them almost pointblank. Seeing that the game was np> the killer put a bullet in his own head. This type of man may have been a t'ood fighter, hut ho was hardly the kind to have roaming around loose —so the Spanish Legion, organised in 1919. soon will pass into the limbo of the past. As to the Moroccan aff irs Spain thinks France, England and Italy are .holding aces while she is playing high c or deuces in the hand dealt to her in Morocco. With the Moroccan Budget approved this week after a reduction of £600,000, Premier Azana explained to the Cortes his plans for a regime of peace ,in Morocco. He will use soldier colonisers, like those who founded the Latin American nations. It is predicted by many that if this low-priced colonisation scheme is not successful. Spain will eventually quit the protectorate—which would mean the reopening of the whole African problem.

“We have suppressed unnecessary services, cut supply costs, dissolve.; th© army and cut the size of the Foreign Legion,” said Premier Azana. “For a small territory Ike Mcroe-o an army of 50,000 is over-large. vVe can and must defend it with a much smaller force. My solution is that the permanent troops stationed in Morocco must be volunteer Spaniards whose civil state is known and. . who. c; n establish their background and responsibility. They will be offered hinds for colonisation.”

Litte jov is felt over this plan in th© French zone adjoining the Spanish where it is felt that the qo-operatior, of a strong Spanish military force is a necessity, as a guarantee of continued pacification of the fierce Riff and Berber mountain tribesmen.