Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1909. SPAIN AND MOROCCO.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4445, 5 August 1909, Page 2

Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5,1909. SPAIN AND MOROCCO.

This above all—to thine own self be true , 4 nd tt must follow as the night the day Thou canet not then be false to any man Shakespeare.

During rhe last few days there have been some sensational cablegrams published about a War in Morocco and a series of riots or minor rebellions in Spain. These things are of more than Academic interest to our readers, because owing to the widereaching ramifications of the British Empire, and the thinness of the thread which holds the various great political powers together in peace, an unfortunate occurrence in a semi-savage place like Morocco might lead to a great war. It is very hard in these days to say what foreign political upheavals do not concern the outposts of our Empire very materially. It is therefore well to extend our vision and attention beyond parochial affairs and look out upon the foreign affairs of Spain and Morocco. The two countries are on the opposite sides of the Straits of Gibraltar, Spain being in Europe, and iMorocco in north-west Africa. Spain is the only one of the European Powers owning territory in Morocco, and perhaps we may find later on that the present armed struggle is owing solely to the Moors resisting, resenting, and obstructing the Spaniards making a railway in relation to the latter’s possession on the Coast where they have convict settlements and fishing stations. We complain about “ The Taioha Policy ” here, but a little more exhibition of that policy in Morocco might have saved Spain from sanguinary riots at home and disastrous defeats abroad. The population of Morocco is roughly about five millions. The area of the country is about twice the size of New Zealand. The people on the Coast are fairly civilised, but in the hinterland they are practically savages. The Government of the country is one of the moat, if not the very most abso lute despotisms in the World. The Sultan, Mulai Haftd who, about a year ago, ascended the throne after a revolution which deposed his brother Abdul Aziz, is practically “ the State.” He has five or si* socalled ministers, but he need not consult them, nor be bound to follow their advice, but they must do as he tells them or submit to instant death or to the horrors of Moroccan dungeons. The whole of the public revenue, about £2,000,000 has to be paid to him and he does as he likes with it.

In 1907 there was great political trouble in Morocco and the French intervened. “ The French intervention in Morocco was, we learn, directly due to the effect fo a clause in the Algeciras Convention, which provides for the foreign control of the customs on which is secured money lent to the Moorish Government. In view of the fact that the French Controller of the Customs was installed at Casalblanca to collect the interest on the French loan, the Moorish customs authorities, deprived of their “ pickings,” spread the report that this was merely the first step in the direction of active foreign intervention in their country’s affairs. This excited the populace—already long since resentful —to such an extent that they attacked the men employed on the French harbour works —works which also were being carried out under the Algeciras Treaty. Several lives were lost, and much damage done to property, and the French accordingly sent a warship to the spot Great Britain backed up France and Morocco tried to get Germany to take sides with her as against these two powers, but France keeping strictly within the term® of the Algeciras Convention, which gave France and Spain the sole right to police Morocco on hehalf of Europe, Germany could only look on and acquiesce. But last year another incident occurred that wight possibly have involved France and Britain in war with Germany, be-'

cause Britain supported France in the disputeSome soldiers deserted from the French Foreign Legion at Casablanca, and this led to acts of violence, in which the German Consul was involved. It is isaid by the Irencii that he assisted the escape of these German deserters. Germany insisted that France should express regret for the action of the French authorities. This, however, France refused to do. She proposed that “ they both regret the incident of September 25th, and the exchange of acts of violence which it entailecl After much German bluster, the whole of the facts were referred to the Hague for arbitration, and the decision was that both parties were in the wrong and both should apologise to each other, which was done, and the dispute ended. In May last the Sultan of Morocco asked for a little patience on. the part of Europe, as Morocco is a country in a very primitive condition, and it took Europe several centuries to reach its present state of civilization.

His Majesty’s only reason was that the state of insecurity still existing renders the purchase of land by Europeans, and more particularly their residence, at any distance from towns extremely dangerous. ~ , Spain forced the pace with regard lo a railway. The natives resisted and sanguinary fights ensued. The Spaniards at Home resented the war as one in the interests of capitalists. Soldiers refused to go to the war. The people rioted. Martial law was proclaimed throughout Spain, and we may now watch the progress of political events in those two countries. The killing and wounding of 1,500 rioters in Barcelona and of about the same number of Spanish soldiers m Morocco ’is a serious beginning. We regret to find that the worst passions of Spaniards are being aroused, and they are violating and murdering innocent nuns and burning down churches.