Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-01-15
THE STRUGGLE OVER MOROCCO
NOW APPROACHES THE CRISIS

Arab tribes in Algeria. the adjoining
French territory, and led to efforts on
the part of France to assume a guard
ianship over Morocco. Germany was
not willing to unreservedly agree to
this, being second only to Great Brit
ain in the extent of her interests in
Morocco. In 1902 the imports of the
three powers into Morocco We're:
Great Britain. $6,21O,OOO: Germany,
$1,S50,O00, and France $3S0,0OO. The
exports of Morocco to the three pow
ers in 1902 were to Great Britain, So
$4,000; to Germany, $535, 900, and to
France $7S5,OO0.
France, pursuing her Moroccan poll
icy, sent special mission to Fez last
year. Germany and Great Britain did
the same. The German emperor went
still further. lie visited Tangier,
March 81, 1905, on the imperial yacht
HohenZollern, but remained ashore
barely two hours. During that time,
he made u speech of which several
versions were published. The sub
stance of his majesty's remarks. how
ever, was that he assured the German
residents that the sovereignty and in
tegrity of Morocco would be MAIN
tanned. The same day the then
French minister Of foreign affairs, M.
Delcasse made a significant speech in
the senate at Paris, during which af-
ter referring to the Sultan's weakness
and the anarchy resulting therefrom
prejudicial to everybody and especial
ly to France and Algeria, he declared
that resistance in interested quarters
would not cause France to modify her
policy" in Morocco. This sentiment
called forth vigorous applause.
These utterances aroused both Ger
many and France and caused excite
ment throughout Europe, resulting la
ter in a strained state of affairs and in
the proposition to hold an internation-
al conference on Morocco
France and Great Britain April s.
1904, signed an agreement by which
the latter in substance gave France d
free hand in Morocco in return for a
free hand in Egypt and the settlement
OF the Newfoundland fisheries dis
putes, Great Britain also agreed to
support France in her Moroccan pol
ICY
But, in the meanwhile M. Delcasse
was compelled to resign June 6, 1906
after directing the foreign affairs Of
France since June 2S. 1898, and Pre-
mier Rouvier took the foreign port
folio. Subsequent developments
showed that the change in the foreign
office probably averted war between
Germany and France as the former
country was pressing the latter very
severely, automatically
After considerable further fencing
between Germany and France those
two powers on July 8, 1905, agreed on
the basis of a program for the pro-
posed international conference and
without entering into details of the re
forms proposed it may be said that
the main and most dangerous point
to be discussed at the conference is
the question whether France is or is
not entitled to have a special and priv
ileged position i'm Morocco. This is
the vital issue and the minor questions
il has been pointed out, can be adjust
ed once this point is definitely set
lied. Germany it is understood, will
seek to secure international control Of
the police, the customs and other mat
ters, and an "open door" as to COM
merce
On December IA the French govern
ment issued a yellow book setting
forth its side of the controversy and
on January the German government
published white book giving its ver-
sion Of the dispute.