The San Francisco call., 1908-09-03
GERMANY ENDS
FRENCH PLANS
FOR MOROCCO
Kaiser's Government Demands
Immediate Recognition of
Mulai Hafid as Sultan
Paris Officials Resent BRUTAL
Change of Front and
Predict Trouble j;
War Cloud That Preceded AIge-
ciras Act Appears Again to
European Powers

PARIS, Sept. 1.-The action of
Germany in breaking up the concert
of the powers with regard to Mo-
rocco by notifying the signatories of
the Algeciras act that the kaiser's
government considered the situation
demanded the immediate recognition
of Mulai Hafd, the usurping sultan
of Morocco, has fallen like a bomb
shell in Paris.
A feeling approaching CONSERVATION
is manifested in official circles. The
is not accompanied by any explana-
tion of Germanys brutal change of
'front.'" as it is termed here, and in
government circles the action of Ger
many and the dispatch to Fez OF DR..
Vassel, the German consul at Tangfer,
can no longer be dfsassociated.
France can see in Germany's action
only her intention to disregard the Al
geciras act and seek special position
in Morocco for herself. The conse-
quences are expected TO be deplorable
ARABS ATTACK FRENCH
In answer to Germany's call for rec
ognition of Mulai Hafid before he has
entered into any engagements with
Europe, fanatical Arabs who had been
gathering on the Algerian frontier at
tackled the French post at Bonedid yes
notified several days ago. Germany
The French official view OF the sit
uation is follows:
Siermany's notification came as
complete surprise &c France and Spain.
who are engaged in celebrating a pro-
gram of the demands to be presented
to MuIai Hafid for the safeguarding of
the common interests of Europe and
America in Morocco. These demands
are to be submitted to the signatories
of the Algeciras act as soon as they
are formulated, and Germany was so
notified several days ago. Germany
took no exception to this course and
France had presumed that the pro-
gram was considered satisfactory by
Germany
POWERS MUST DECIDE
There was no longer any question of
upholding Add Ell Aziz. Both France
and Spain recognized that he had dis
appeared definitely from the horizon.
France and Spain proposed to force
Mulai Hafid to ratify the engagements
of his brother. Add Ell Aziz, toward aEu-
rope before recognizing him.
Germany now proposes to recognize
Mulai Hafd before he has given any
guarantee. This amounts to undoing
the work of the Algeciras conference
and reverting to the status quo ante.
The powers will have to decide be-
tween the position of Germany and
that of France, which considers its
position to be most loyal to the spirit
and letter of the Algeciras act.
The French press is unanimous In
considering Germany's action provoca-
tive and possibly productive of an ac-
tual crisis.
WAR CLOUD VISIBLE
The gravity of the Moroccan situa-'
tion lies in the fact that the contention
over Morocco has brought Germany
and France dangerously near war. The
position of Morocco has excited the
European powers to keen rivalry in
securing a preponderance of influence
over that country. Great Britain for "a
time held the chief influence, but as
result of the Anglo-Franco understand
ing Great Britain definitely recognized
France as having the preponderating
influence in Morocco. The French in.
fiuence developed steadily until the un-
expected visit of the emperor of Ger
many at Tangier, when his declaration
that Germany would insist upon the
continued and complete independence
of Morocco from exclusive foreign con-
troll startled the European press and
brought the French English program
to q sudden halt.
EXCITEMENT is RENEWED
The enforced retirement of NJ. Dell
casse, the French minister of foreign
affairs, was one of the sensational
events of the intense diplomatic strug-
giles which ensued between Germany
and France. Reports were current that
both countries had prepared for war
and the French press contained irfiam-
matory announcements of the military
preparations proceeding on vast scale
along the Franco-German frontier It
was during that crisis that the great
European powers were assembled at
Algeciras, not SO much to deal with
Morocco itself as to prevent it from
becoming a source of the gravest con-
fict between Germany and France. The
present excitement in Paris is a re-
newal of the former Franco German
feeling over Morocco.