The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-03
The Outcome OF the Morocco Com
ference

The Outcome OF the Morocco Com
ference.
Now that the conference at Algeciras
is virtually over Frenchmen must reflect
with chagrin that, but for the rashness
Of NJ. DEICAssE, they might in all like
lihood have secured long ago from Ger
many at least as much as they have
gained after being subjected for many
months to alarm and anxiety. 1t was
the duty of NJ. DRLCAssE to remember
that Germany was one of the principal
~signatories of the Madrid Convention
of 1880, and to make known to Berlin,
as he had made known to Rome, those
provisions of the Anglo-French treaty
which related to Morocco. He had no
right to assume that only the Mediter-
ranean Powers were concerned in the
matter, for the Madrid Conference had
not been organized on such a prin-
ciple. Moreover, he was no consistent
in the application of the assumption, for
while he sounded Italy he ignored
Austria Hungary, which as the possessor
of such ports as Trieste and Fiume
must be looked upon as a Mediterranean
State. Under the circumstances Fm-
peror WILLIAM II. had no choice but to
nnoun that he and his Hapsburg ally
must not be treated as negligible enti-
ties aVd that, pending the procurement
of their sanction, the provisions of the
Anglo-French compact referring to
Morocco must not be carried out.
There is reason to believe that if the
German Emperor had been consulted by
NJ. DELcAssE while as yet the Anglo
French treaty was inchoate he would
have acquiesced cheerfully in almost
anything short of the pacific penetra-
ton" which France contemplated, and
he might ever have assentedtoa French
~protectorate, If he could thus have estab-
lished cordial relations between the two
countries. AS it is, the Tunisifcation
of the Sultan's dominions is permanently
averted, or Mt all events postponed
indefinitely. 1t is true that the confer
ence has given France the right to main
tain order in the belt of Moroccan terri
tory which borders on Algeria; to police
four ports, Mogador, Safi, Magazan and
Rabat, and, in conjunction with Spain,
Tangier and C~asablanca. The two
ports Tetuan and Larache are, on the
other hand, to be policed exclusively by
Spain, and all the French and Spanish
officers are to be subordinate to an
inspector-general, appointed by a neu-
.-l De-, ,,hn hipncalf will raTAnrt tp
the diplomatic corps at Tangier as well
as to the Sultan. 1t is further to be
noted that, while the conference has
coded to France three shares in the
projected state bank of Morocco, each
of the other nations interested is to have
directed by four supervisors appointed
respectively by the Bank Of England,
the Bank of France, the Bank OF Spain
and the Imperial Bank of Germany.
The intended and inevitable effect of
these regulations, coercive and financial,
is obviously to internationalize Morocco.
Internationally France has acquired
a recognition of her special interests,
but decisive safeguards have been taken
against her translation of these into a
protectorate.
On his part, also, the Emperor WILL
IAN has encountered some disappoint-
ment and disillusion at Algeciras, On
the main point, no doubt, he triumphed.
He may well look back with satisfaction
on his v%indication of the principle that
without Germany's concurrence the
great Powers of Europe must not UNDER
take to define the future Of weak States.
1t must have disconnected him, however,
to find that even the smaller Powers, of
whose right TO be consulted he had
stood forth as the champion, would not
support his attempt to secure for Ger
many at least the exclusive control of
Noeador, which would have given him
n precious naval station. He must have
felt. likewise, some bitterness when he
saw Russia, whose interests he has
steadily though quietly subserved ever
since the beginning of the wal with
Japan, seize the present occasion TO pro-
claim herself unreservedly on the side
o France. With even more vexation
mist he have discovered that Italy,
although supposed to be bound to Ger
manyby the Triple Alliance, had secretly
promised to support the Anglo-French
agreement with regard to Morocco,
and invariably voted against her German
partner at ~Algeciras. The significance
of such condbct on Italy's part is plainly
that the once tenacious Triple Alliance
has become a tope of sand, and that
the n friend which Germany can now
count upon in Europe is the monarchy
which she beat at Sadowa and thrust
outside of the German Confederation.