Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-01
ONLY TEA TABLE TALK
Germany Does Not Take Del
casse's Remarks Seriously.
MOROCCAN SITUATION
GERMAN SIDE OF CONTROVERSY
FOUNDED ON A TREATY.
Prefers to Deal With Sultan Rather
Than France-Favors the
Open Door.
MOROCCAN SITUATION

BERLIN, April 1.-The German side of
the Moroccan controversy is founded upon
treaty of which article 1 reads:
Continuing and unchanging friendship
shall exist between his majesty, the Ger
man emperor and his majesty, the Sultan
of Morocco, also between their empires and
their subjects Between both empires shall
the present freedom of trade continue, and
for this purpose each of the high contract
ing parties binds itself to give and to Sc
cure to the subjects OF the other all rights,
advantages and privileges now or In the
future held by the most favored nation
This is the treaty of 1S91 which, under
Its terms, might have been revised in 1896,
but was not revised and runs without limi-
tation and without any provision for its
derunciation. Such a contract with Moroc-
co cannot of right be dissolved or impaired,
II is asserted by the German government,
by the agreement between France and
Great Britain to which Germany is not
signatory. Germany declines altogether to
recognize France as having any more DOM
inant position in Morocco than Germany.
Called for No Official Reply.
AS to whether France informed Germany
of the agreement with Great Britain has
British press. The German foreign Office
regarded Foreign Minister Delcasse's con-
versation with Prince Won Radolin, the
German ambassador, as being no more
than tea table talk" very interesting but
as not supplying the place of an official
communication which would have called
for an official reply.
Prince Won Radolins passive and recep-
tive attitude toward NJ. Delcasse cannot, it
o% %l4 how hn
cepted as the German governments assent
to the Franco-British agreement.
Does Not Trust France.
Germany does not trust to France to pro-
tect German trade. She prefers rather to
deal with the sultan.
The German ambassador to the United
States. Baron Speck Won Sternburg, under
instructions from the foreign office, has ex-
planned to the State Department at Wash
ington that Germany stands for the open
door in Morocco.
Germany has not asked the United States
to do anything nor have negotiations of
any sort been begun or proposed. Germany
does not expect the United States to do
be known in Washington That the basis of
her action in Morocco is the open door to
trade.
This phrase "open door, has become a
part OF the herman speech. 1t is USED IN
the recbstag with the definition Secretary
Hay gave it.
State Department Announcement.
1t is declared at the State Department
that there have been no exchanges what
ever between Germany and the United
States respecting the maintainance Of the
open door in Morocco. When the depart
ment was endeavoring to secure the release
of Perdicaris it availed itself, with graft
tude, of the good offices of the French rep
resentatives in Morocco and that fact was
construed by some of the French news
papers into a quasi-recognition by the
United States of the predominance Of
French influence in Morocco, though really
the government has never committed itself
in that matter and there has been no occa-
sion for a declaration.
The officials point to the precedents laid
down in the case of Madagascar as likely
to govern as to Morocco if the State De-
partment should be obliged to take any
part in the definition of the status of Mo-
rocco. Thus only in the event of the actual
annexation of Morocco by France could the
government relinquish claim on behalf of
it's citizens to equal treatment in the mat
ter of imposition of customs duties on
goods entering Morocco with those Of any
other nation. But that concern, it will be
noted, is purely commercial and there is
no disposition at present to take any notice
of any political developments that may re-
suit from the rivalries of European nations
touching Morocco.