Nelson Evening Mail WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1925 MOROCCO

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 6 May 1925, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1925 MOROCCO

IT was by no means unexpected that the Rifl's, having successfully occupied the Spanish zone of Morocco by driving tim Spanish army to the coast, should imagine themselves capable of dealing with the French troops occupying the French zone, which strategically is more difficult to defend than was the Spanish zone, lint it was not anticipated that General do Rivera, the Spanish Dictator, would encourage the new development by making .statements (published in our issue of the sth inst.) which may bo construed as an intimation of Spain’s willingness to withdraw altogether from .Morocco. “I am conscious,” said General do lGvera, ‘of my responsibility as head of the Government. I declare that I neither now nor in the future will Spain find economic compensation in Morocco. Therefore, it would he folly to squander our gold and the lives of our children longer." That is indeed a confession of defeat, and a declaration of willingness to give up the struggle with the Riffs ami make the best terms possible for withdrawal to Spain. Such intentions on the part of the Spaniards hud been forseen by Abd-el-Kriin, the leader of the Rifl's. As long ago as the end of December last that redoubtable warrior summed up the situation from the Moroccan point of view, in a declaration which left no doubt whatever that ho regarded Spain as “a humiliated nation which must be thrown back to its proper shores. ‘The terms.” said Abd-el-Krim, addressing bis troops, ’’which we impose upon the. vanquished and humiliated nation, thanks to your valour and constancy and the protection of Allah, are those decided bv you in the meeting of the tribal chieftains. We will not change those conditions. They are: —Recognition of the Riff Republic whose frontiers will be formed by the mouth of the River lxeii and the River Marti, in which territory not a single Spanish position may remain nor warships of the vanquished nation exercise vigilance along the coast. Spain.must agree© not to engage Mussulman Troops, transferring those in the service here to the orders of the Riff Republic; delivering all Moroccan prisoners without ransom, at the. same time paying a heavy sum for the ransom of Spanish prisoners we captured during the last glorious campaign, in which our traditional enemy lost more men and material and suffered more humiliation than thrPe years ago.”

It c.'U! easily be understood liow a military leader who is able to boast in such a manner as this, may imagine that he may win new victories against, another European army, occupying another part of Morocco, open to the attack of his warlike tribesmen on two sides simultaneously. It appears that during the last disastrous operations the Spaniards had about 350,000 troops in the Spanish /one. Abd-el-Krim in his tlambuoyant declaration, part of which has been quoted, stated that the Riff Republic’s army consisted of 50,000 warriors. If this is a true estimate, then it is evident that oil her they must have been supplemented by reinforcements from other parts of .Morocco, or that the Spanish troops must have been incredibly inefficient and execrably led. The probability is that. Vbd-el-Krim expects to be assisted by largo reinforcements from all parts of .Morocco, in his operations against the french zone. What number of French troops there are in Morocco, is not available, but Marshal Lyautey, who 'commands them, says they are sufficient for the task he hap in hand; and if required large reinforcements can be drawn from Algeria, which is strongly garrisoned. If will be of great interest to note whether the Rilfa are able to extend their victorious operations to the French zone, but, unless some extraordinary change has suddenly come over French military prowess and generalship, it is very probable that the boastful Abd-el-Krim and his brave but irregular troops will meet with the most astonishing surprise that can he imagined.