New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-29
THE MOROCCO SETTLEMENT.

German delay is ended and French patience
has its reward. That is. briefly put; the out
come of the tedious negotiations over Morocco
An agreement has been reached concerning the
holding of the conference, or, rather, concern
ing the programme of topics to be considered
theTeat For that has been the object of CON
tenton for long time past. The other day
there was an injudicious report of a grave crisis
and rupture between the two powers. In fact
there was nothing of the sort. The original
controversy over the question whether
there should be a conference, and crisis in
that might have been grave. But that was all
settled long ago. What DR.. Rosen has been
debating deliberately in Paris for weeks is
the question of what topics shall and what
shall not be submitted to the conference and
it really has not much mattered how it was
settled. No serious results would have been
possible from failure to agree upon it.
1t will be recalled that originally France
asked for a definite programme. and Germany
was reluctant to state it, In these later nego-
tations France has been contending either for
the submission of all matters to the conference
save those which she regards as already settled
by her own treaties, or else for the abandon
ment of the advance programme altogether in
which latter case the conference would deter
mine its programme as it went along Ger
many, On the other hand, after first insisting
upon programme, has been solicitOusly striv-
ing to make it as small as possible and to
settle as many questions possible in ad-
vance through direct negotiations. The reasons
for these attitudes are plain. France feels con-
fdent Of being supported by an overwhelming
majority of the conference on every point and
so it does not greatly matter to her whether
there is an advance progra nine or not. Ger
many, on the other hand feels that she is likely
to be in a hopeless minority. perhaps a minor
ity of one, and so every point which she can
carry in advance. instead of waiting to have
the conference decide it against her will be-
just so much gained.
1t must be borne in mind however that Ger
manys object in demanding the conference was
tyyOfold. There was first the desire to assert
German influence in general European coun-
ellis, and TO establish the principle that other
European powers could not dispose of African
interests without consulting her. That will be
effected by the calling Of the conference, even
though it decides against Germany on every
point. The German view will be that It is
better TO have conferred and lost than never
70 have conferred at all. The other object was
to impress the Moroccan mind with the power
of Germany to challenge and TO review any
thing the other powers might do. In this, no
doubt, Germany has won something. Morocco
will remember the effective way in which Ger
many interviewed, and may not understand how
completely Germany is beaten in the confer
ence. So Germany may, in a manner SatiSfac-
tory to herself secure the ends she has been
striving for even though as now appears little
short of certain, the diplomatic victory really
rests with France.