Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-15
FRICTION OF EMPIRES
WHERE BRITISH AND FRENCH
ARE AT ODDS.
Paris Expects the English to With
draw From Egypt-French Should
Control Morocco.

Eugene Etienne. vice president Of the French cham
Der Of deputies. In the National Review
propose to present to my readers tafter
word or two on Egypt the question OF
Morocco. and another African matter less
familiar to the public, that, namely which
concerns the delimitation of the frontier
between the Niger and Lake Tchad. In
Asia I propose to touch upon the question
of Siam, in America upon that of the
French shore, and in the Pacific upon that
of the New Hebrides.
Egypt is not thus put at tho head of the
questions at issue between France and Eng
land with any desire to go into the his
torical side of a matter with which every
one Is familiar There is such thing as
the Egyptian question No one in France
forgets 1t, and 1 am willing to believe that
no one forgets 1t In England either, FOR no
declaration has denounced the formal as
surance given again and again by the au-
thorized representatives OF the government
that the occupation OF the country Dy BTU
ish troops was but provisional, and that the
protective mission assumed by England was
but temporary. France has applauded the
success of the khedival troops when the
British officers led them to victory, she ad-
mires the great public works which English
engineers have achieved with Egyptian
money in order to extend the productive
power of the river which creates the wealth
Of the country. Such things afford us
great lesson from which we ourselves may
profit.
Egyptian Status Quo.
Let it be granted us. on the other hand
that We furnish an example of abnegation
and of disnterestedness. AS for the formal
promises which were mentioned above. it is
not for me to say when how they may
be carried out; that is England's affair. and
England will not break her word. My only
business is to point out that fulfillment OF
this kind falls under no law of prescription.
and that the Egyptian status quo cannot
last forever. The conclusion to which one
is led with regard to Morocco is exactly the
opposite. In the Shereefian kingdom the
only solution which can save us from the
worst of complications Is the maintenance
of the status quo. but the policy advocate
is not policy of inaction. Were we to
stand by with folded arms events might
move too quickly for us, and that same
status quo" might disappear while we
were proclaiming the necessity for its.
maintenance. The solution of the question
which put aside Is that of a partition of
Morocco The solution which I advocate
Is the consolidation of the sultan's power,
which Is just now so shaken. I advocate
the reform Of his administration (the meth
DDS of which are at present both rudimen-
tary and restricted In their field of action.
not by an armed Intervention. but by more
sober efforts which shall be accepted by the
sultan himself.
France and Fguig.
France alone can fulfill this task, and
Europe should conflde 1t to France The
attitude France took during the recent in
cident Of Ffguig should furnish sufficient
proof that she would undertake such a
task without any underlying thought of an
nexation. Did she, once established, de-
sire to assure the peace of the Algerian
frontier and the repression of the raids that
trouble 1t she would do so in the name of
the Sultan of Morocco and relying upon
his moral support. France and Algeria
have the right TO expect some return for
the sacrifices they have made during the
occupation of the advanced posts toward
the south and the opening up Of roads
which will soon have other than purely
military interests; they have a right to ex-
pect return for these sacrifices in the
form of a peaceful development of their
commerce. France has not the first place
in the imports and exports of the ports of
Morocco but her total trade Is greater than
that of England If the overland trade by
the Algerian frontier be added to the sea-
borne.
The task which France would have to I'M
dertake mot In a day or a ear, but through
wise and prudent advance), the task she
would undertake were she intrusted with
the confidence at once of the sultan and of
Europe would be the introduction to the
people Of Morocco of those economic ad-
vantages with which she has endowed AL
geria and Tunis. She would develop the
wealth of a soil which these peonle now
leave fallow; she would fortify the author
ity of the sultan by better organization
of his army; she would put some order
into his finances and administration; she
would give the country roads
Would such an action benefit France
alone?
Benefits to France.
Naturally enough, I count the advantage
of my own country first. I will not call
myself Quixote, and I discover such an
advantage. From the political point of
view this policy would suppress, upon the
flank of Algeria, focus Of conspiracy of
unrest and Of intrigues hostile to our we'll
being. The necessity Of this solution
strikes me with so great force that do
not hesitate to say that any other arrange
ment, such as might exclude France from
the influence she should exercise and
which she alone can exercise. seems to me
inadmissible. The commerce and the in
dustry of my country would gain by the
agricultural and economic Transformation
Of Morocco. I believe my country would
take her share of 1t, but she would not be
the only one to benefit by the change.
England, Germany and the other countries
of Europe would certainly discover such a
change to be to their advantage
That guarantees Snould De demanded of
France l take for granted There should
be liberty OF commerce; there should be
no differential tariff; Tangiers should be
neutralized and become the emporium of
European trade.
Such conditions would be just and I
would subscribe to them In their entirety
I repeat. the solution of the Moroccan cues
ton, as I see it, lies in the integrity of
Morocco; in the maintenance of the sover-
eighty of the shereef; in the giving of a
mandate to France to strengthen the conn
try and to protect 1t against its own weak
ness; in the naturalization of HANGERS. and
in the guaranteeing of commercial freedom.
A Bird Garden.