THE EUROPEAN CLOUD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 72, 15 September 1911, Page 5

THE EUROPEAN CLOUD

A MORE HOPEFUL FEELING. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, September 13. There is a more hopeful feeling in financial circles in London, Berlin and Paris respecting Morocco. FRENCH FORCE BELEAGUERED. Paris, September 13. The tribesmen are beleaguering Lieut. Hugo Derville and 000 Sherifian troops at Sefra. Communication with Fez is cut off. Major Brcmond, with a force of 1500, Las quitted Fez to relieve Sefru. MOORS ATTACK THE SPANISH. Madrid, September IS.

An attack by Moors in the Spanish outposts at the Kert river, near Melilla, ■was repulsed. Three Spanish officers and 13 men were killed, while the enemy lost 76 killed and many wounded. THE BELGIAN FORCES. A PRECAUTIONARY MOVE. Received 14, 11 p.m. Brussels, September 14. The Belgian time-expired soldiers have been retained .with the colors until further notice. GERMANY'S FOREIGN POLICY. MOROCCO ONLY A PRETEXT. M. Roland de Mares contributes to the Independance Beige an interesting exposition of the real causes which have brought about the present international situation. No one, he Eays, would dare assert seriously that Morocco was worth a general European conflagration. Morocco is but the pretext, but in the Moroccan problem Germany thinks she has found a solution of all the difficulties which present themselves to her with regard to international questions. On previous occasions she has made use of it as an instrument for attempting to break through the so-called policy of hemming Germany in, and for the intimidation of France. To-day she employs it for the aggrandisement of her colonial empire. Formerly Germany posed as protector of Mahomedan weakness and defender of international justice; to-day she admits that she only socks the satisfaction of her appetites, since she is ready to sacrifice international justice and the independence of Morocco so long as she obtains "compensation." Has Germany, the writer asks, suffered damages for which she has a right to receive indemnification? Xo; tout the German principle is that as soon as France, through the logical outcome of events, obtains an increase of power, Germany must at all costs obtain a similar extension of her influence. Pushed to a logical conclusion, this premise implies that every time a civilised nation enlarges its possessions by means of its own energy and sacrifices, something must be given to Germany, merely because she claims to be the stronger party, and because she threatens to cmploy her strength against anyone who might dare to resist her demands. This wild Pan-Germanism, continues M. de Mares, is the source of all the unrest which weighs upon present-day international politics. The German people is a great people, which has a right to a great place in the world, and no one will contest its right to enlarge this place by its own effort and energy. But, on the other hand, no one will admit the justice of a claim which consists in the limitation of the conquests of others for the sole benefit of Germany. In the circumstances, it is not surprising that people who are resolved to conciliate their respective interests and not to submit to pressure incompatible with their dignity, should draw closer together, and that Germany .should be excluded from their ranks.