The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-02-23
MOROCCO FLOODED
WITH FRENCH SPIES
High Handed Proceedings
Prevent Correspondents
Sending Out News.
Men in Various Disguise
Follow Newspaper Men
Over Country.

LONDON, Feb. 2.-The truth about
She internal state OF Morocco has never
Set been allowed 10 reach the outside
world. for the reason that the country
IS in the hands OF French spies. who
conduct an elaborate espionage on the
work OF newspaper correspondents, ana
exercise a censorship str1cter than ex-
listed IN Russia under the most reac-
tionary regime.
Remarkable revelations as TO the
methods OF the French authorities are
made by a journalist who las recently
returned from Morocco.
lie writes:
The whole country Is crowded with
spies in the French service. They are
Arabic-speaking French Jews, Tunisian
Arabs, and Syrians, and are got ny in
every imaginable form OF disguise, and
sEend their time spying on everything
and everybody.
High-Handed Work.
"The last time i was in Morocco /
heard some very curious stories on the
very high-handed proceedings of the
French authorities in regard 10 news
paper correspondents Some Of the
latter wrote true, but very sensational,
reports for the European papers. They
were surprised To ind that their letters
never reached their destinations, no
matter which Of the four foreign post
offices they were posted at. and chat d
few days after sending these letters
they we're favored with au Official dis
patch from one or the other OF the four
teen legations In Tangier requesting
them 10 call. They were then asked
endless questions about why they were
In Morocco. what their occupation was,
when they expected to be able to leave,
etc. the interview winding I'D with the
announcement that information had
been laid before the council Of ambas-
sadors Cor ministers) 20 the effect that
they had been writing false reports
about the political position or affairs,
which could not Ue permitted.
Two Frenchmsn. who were invited to
cali at one OF the small legations, took
matters with a high hand. and said that
they would report this unWarranted in
terfercuce with their private affairs,
pointing out that they represented high
class French daily papers The result
was that within an hour OF the first in
terview a most polite youag attache
from the French legation called upon
minister's compliments, and handed
them two flrst-class tickets for the
Trench steamer sailing ut 4 o'clock that
afternoon for Narseilles, and requesting
them not TO fail to be On the steamer
an hour before sailbg time, or his eN-
ceilency would be forced to send a lega-
tiCn guard TO accompany them on board
or course, they went. Others were re-
ouestcd 10 wind up their business with
out delay and 10 leave the country
which they did. They had, OF course,
heen writing against the French gov
eminent policy
Visited NOtabIes.
a most influential ard highly con-
EFcTtd Arab journalist from Tunis went
10 Morocco some eighteen months ago.
lie went down 10 Fee and saw all the
rCtaules. Vie was shadowed By spies in
the French pay the whole journey. He
subsequently wrote strongly anti French
articles Iu his Arabic papers in AIgiers
and Tunis. and also IN the Egyptian
Arabic press. When he had been back
i'm TangIer a couple of weeks he accom-
panied some Algerian friends on
French steamer sailing for Oran. lie
was recognized on board by two spies
in the French service, and was arrested
on the SPOT, landed from the steamer at
Gran, and sent by the first tram to
Iaghouar, ir the Sahara. He is there
yet and, Notwithstanding his great in
nuenCeY he has never been brought to
a