Evening star., 1908-01-19

The situation in Morocco was rendered
extremely critical on the nth instant
by the announcement that
Feace Mulay Hafid. already pro-
Pledges. claimed sultan at Marakeeh'
had been proclaimed at Fez
This was bad news indeed for the reign
ing sultan. Mulay Abd-el-Aziz. but there
was aggravation for England, France
and Spain that Mulay Hafid had empha-
sized his claims to the throne by decla-
ration of the djehad or holy war. On the
14th instant however. 1t was reported
from Paris that a mission had arrived
there in the name and cause of Mulay
Hahd. protesting that the holy war was
not directed against foreigners but
against Mulay Abd-el-Aziz. and that
Mulay Haf1d proposed to observe scrupu-
lously all treaties. including that of AL
geciras.
Mulay Hafd likewise stated that he
had with him 5000 regular troops and
10000 tribesmen. besides the 1000 sta
toned at Mogador, 1000 at Mazagan and
$50 at. Casa Blanca. Mulay Hafid in
deed lacked neither money nor men.
Thus the bugbear of the djehad, which
has been raised so often to force public
opinion and prejudice it against Moslem
states. has been promptly dissipated by
the rebel pretender himself. It will prove
disappointment to the CassandrasN OF
the press. who now and then invoke the
dread shadow Of the djehad based upon
the secret societies of the desert which,
however much they may have controlled
the fanatical and ignorant Mahdi at
hhartum. have no influence whatever
upon the educated Moslem class. 1t is
charge the khedive of Egypt, Abbas Hill
my. with being "a devout and fanatic be-
lever in the tenets Of el Senoussi," as
recently charged in an article entitled
me Jehad. or reappea-ance of the Mos
lem messiah, presages a universal Mo-
hammed uprising How absurd.
AS one of the American military mis-
sion sent to Ismail khedive in 1860 by
Gen. sherman. the writer with forty
years Of contact with Egypt and Egypt
lansJ protests and declares the assertions
untrue. Nor was it true of the viceroys
who preceded Abbas Hilmy. all of whom
were enlightened Moslem rulers who from
Mohammed Ally down planted civilization
in the Nile valley.
The learned MusSulman class should not
be confounded with the fanatical ele-
ment, with which the for
separate mer have no sympathy and
Classes from whom they are sep
arated by vast desert
wastes. This fact was apparent in the
meeting of 5000 at Alexandria. under the
presidency of Mustapha Kamel Pasha,
the leader of the national party and ed
itor of the Egyptian Standard.
The writer was not surprised to learn
that Mulay Hafid. a man OF education.
had hastened to explain that his djehad
was purely local and referred only to
Mulay Abd-ed-Aziz and his followers,
whom he accuses of infidelity, etc.
The djehad, indeed. is nothing more
than bugaboo to frighten the timorous.
a holy war Is no longer possible The
ignorant Mahdi at Obeid was not able to
proclaim 1t. Neither did Achmed Arab
weak as to invoke 1t. for he had perished
by his own followers.
The old and venerable saw that money
makes war" in the sense Of making 1t
in the arrival in Paris on the 18th instant
o. Mohammed Sidi- ell Mokhri. who is en-
powered to contract loan in the name
of Mulay Abd-el-Aziz for the respectable
sum of $3O ooJ,OOO.
The situation in Morocco is peculiar. It
presages a war Of the three rival sultans,
a civil war of which the writer has al
ready drawn the outlines. The third sui
tan. Mulay Mohar med, 1t is understood
Is actually in prison and presumably
tunes of one or the other rivals permit
there will be 'chip in" of the followers
OF Mohammed, and his prison doors
opened. he will take the field.
The Paris press seems very much de-
pressed over the situation in Morocco. but
this comes of the failure to understand
the efficacy Of a civil strife in Morocco.
In England they understand it better.
The London Times of January 3, for ex-
ample. commences its article by very
cheerful view of events in Morocco. and
declares that everything is going we'll for
their new ally in that county. It pays a
merited tribute to the morale and disci-
pline Of the French army, supposed to
have been tainted by the Herveist propa-
ganda. and says:
only excellent troops full of cheerful
confidence In their officers could have car
ried out such plan of campaign with
such success"
4
On the other hand, the French govern
ment is manifestly impressed by the pes
simism oc its press. and in
French consequence Messrs. Glenn
nl enceau, president of the
council; Pichon, minister of
foreign affairs, and Regnault. minister to
Morocco remained in conference all day
considering the measures to be taken in
Morocco and with special reference to
Abd-el-AZiz. whose overthrow would un-
doubtedly lead to the annulment of the
Algeciras act. the signatories OF which
failed to provide for change Of sover-
eigns.
The French government for fact finds
itself face to face with the following OBJ
stacles:
First. the opposition of the chamber to
any further interference in Morocco: Sec
ond. the fear of Spain of military ad-
venture: third, the specter of complica-
tions with Germany.
AS a result Of the consideration of these
obstacles, the French government consult
ed the signatory powers Of the Algeciras
act with the view Of determining its ac-
ton. After consultation with the Spanish
representative 1t was decided to address
to the interested powers the following col
lective note which appeared in LIE Temps
of January i:
1.-The diplomatic representatives of Spain
and France to the governments signing
the Algeciras act have submitted to their
respective ministries a note informing
them that the sultan has given to the gov
ernments of France and Spain the man.
date to exercise surveillance over contra
band of arms and war munitions In Mo-
roccan waters in conformity with articles
~ %. 81 and 90 of the Algeciras act"
In communicating this fact to the cabi-
nets Of foreign affairs of the powers
Spain and France recall that that special
and provisional measure, which will be
put in vigor at once and for the period Of
one year, carries with 1t certain conditions
recited in the note. In view of the forego-
ing and the manifest understanding of
unity of action between England. France
and Spain in Morocco. NJ Pichon may be
quoted as having said in the chamber on
December 6:
''If it is true that the Algeciras act may
have limited the action of France Ii is
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