Evening star., 1907-09-02
MOROCCO A PROBLEM
Many Difficulties Facing the
French Government.
INLAND UPRISING FEARED
Paris Papers Strongly Support Action
at Casa Blanca
FOR REPRESSION OF FANATICIsM
Experiences Of Uncle Sam in the
Philippines and Germany in
South Africa Cited.
FOR REPRESSION OF FANATICIsM
Special Cablegram to The Star.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
PAkiS. September 2-The crisis nrec,i-
tated In Morocco has greatly disquieted the
French government. which has TO deal not
only with a difficult diplomatic situation.
but is faced with the possibility of further
massacres of French subjects in the sul
tan's dominions. So many powers are in
terested in Morocco that the probIen, br;s-
ties with difficulties. but 1t is felt here that
the only solution Of the question 10 FOR
france to come to an agreement with tho
other powers and take over the control of
the country. She has given the Moorish
government unlimited chances of establish
ing order. but these have been entirely
ignored. and the sultan and his ministers
nave demonstrated conclusvely their ina
plilty TO maintain any form of sound gov
ernment eN
1t is the general opinion that the lives of
foreign subjects in Morocco will never be
safe SO long as the French government
maintains the overcautious attitude II has
recently pursued. NJ. de Caix in the de-
pats. points out that France must not lose
moment and must either act PROMPTLY or
aodlcate her rights forever. ANY shrink
ing from the call of her dignity" he saws.
Will only lead to some other power taking
her place and the creation of fresh inter.
national complications" The Tennis the
leading diplomatic organ, iustiaes the bom-
paroment of Casa Blanca, which il declares
Is In agreement with the spirit, even If n
be In contradiction to the letter, of the act
OF Algeciras.
In short, the Paris press is nracticalv
unanimous in its approval of the action
taken at Casa Blanca, and maaifests a de-
sire that 1t should be followed up. If neces-
sary, by equally strong measures for the
Of tio;,.
pc 1ar more dangerous and more self-con-
noent than was supposed. The fact that
Moorish regular troops took part in the at
tack upon the French is regarded as con-
elusive evidence of the utter anarchy pre-
Valilns IN Morocco, as well as of the impo-
tence of the Moorish authorities, which rem
ders 1t impossible to expect any effective
assistance from them in the maintenance of
ofoer. Nothing could be more significant
OF the complete breakdown of the Maghzen
than the request addressed to the French
naval commander to fire upon the tribesmen
who threatened to force their way into the
town, ana against whom the Moorish COM
mander himself was powerless
Surprised at French Immunity.
Surprise is expressed at the fact that the
Moorish soldiers guilty Of firing on the land
ing party were not shot Immediately after
falling into the hands of the French. The
general recognition that the action taken
was not merely justified, but inevitable, as
reported from the principal European CEN
ters. further confirms French public opinion
In its approval of what has been done
Germany no longer holds aloof from the
concert of powers" says the Auro-,, M
Clemenceau's paper, before he took office
and we can go ahead" But it is clearly
understood that to go ahead means no ad-
Venturous policy of conquest
A leading British journal says: England
and the Latin union favor the French move
ment. Frances ally could not, and would
not, oppose it. Germany and Austria are
the only two powers which might conceiv-
ably intervene, and, fortunately, there are
signs that Germany and Austria are pre-
pared to bow to the inevitable. With the
assurance of France that the sultan's au-
thority and the open door will both be re-
spected, Germany will probably rest con-
tent and stand aside while France estab-
fishes her unequivocal predominance in the
country. The only spot from which grave
trouble is now to be anticipated is Morocco
itself. Travellers who know the Moors in
sist that they will fight. 1t is freely stated
In the Moorish ports that a holy war
against the French is almost certain to
follow the punitive acts.
= France Prepared to Act.
If such a war arises, France will not
draw back from it. The government have
behind them an approving country. On
the confines Of Morocco itself they have,
In their Algerian army, a ready-made mill
attack by the Moors-a force redoubtabie
In numbers experience and enthusiasm II
the Moors precipitate themselves on the
French In the endeavor to fling them into
the sea they will find their Moslem fanati-
cism well matched by the invincible ardor
Of the Gallo sodiery Should this great
collision occur it must eventually carry
France far beyond the provisions of the
act of Algeciras.
The immediate result of an inland upris-
ing of the Moors would be the closing of
the country to Europeans. except the six
ports of Tangier, Rabat Casa Blanca,
Mazagan, Saf and Mogador. This is all
well realized, and so is the fact that the
real Morocco question is now only just be-
ginning. Some complain that the da-
toriness, particularly Of France. in organiz-
ing the police force, is at the bottom of
the whole difficulty. Scores of officers in
Algeria have applied for months past for
not even been answe. d. Policing will now
have to be done on considerably more
generous and vigorous scale than before.
However, this country, though its eyes
business, is as determined as ever to stick
to it. In the press, M. Jaures paper
L Humanite, is alone In calling Morocco
hornets nest. out of which France ought
to back at once. Every one else, while fully
recognizing the presence of hornets, is de-
termned that France has got to go In and
smoke them out.
Lesson for Colonizing Powers.
Prince Bismarck used to say that the
next great struggle in Europe would orig
mate in a scramble for the territory of the
Shereefian sultan. and it is we'll known that
the late Lord Salisbury of England was
for long time disposed to share this view
A great many things, however, have hap
pened since then. Whatever else resulted
from the Algeciras conference, ope convic-
ton was brought home to the minds of
an the representatives of the powers, and
that was that the country-or countries
authorized to maintain decent order in Mo-
rocco was to be pitied rather than enyied.
At that time France and Holland had had
some experience of the sacrifice involved
in dealing with instructions among people
who were not quite savages, and yet were
far from being civilized.
Every colonizing power has now learned
the lesson which has been taught the Eng