The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-10-16
Moroccans Cruel But Wonderful
Fighters---Spain's Tough Contract

by the 6aracene against the cru
saders in the middle ages, is the
aim of the swarthy sultan, Mulai
Hafid, whose cruelties in a years
reign have known no bounds.
Couriers from Fec, his capital.
have brought the news here that
the monarch intends to declare
war on all Europeans, as climax
Of the fighting here between Span
ish troops and Riffian brigands,
which itself has been bloody and
deadly.
With three-fourths of the saw
age tribesmen already in the field
against Gen. Marina's Spanish
troops. fighting with the fatalism
their religion teaches, what the
result will be when the heavily
armed and more modern soldiers
from Fee take the field only can
be imagined.
Since the skirmishing in Melilla
started-for 1t is only skirmishing
on a large scale-Spain has spent
money and shed blood like water.
The Riffs fight as no other people
fight. Many are armed with an
cient muzzle-loading rifles. The
barrels of these curious weapons
are longer than their owners tall,
1.-THE bodies.
But their aim is deadly. "Snip-
ping" the British experts here call
1t. Out of the fog that hangs over
Mt. Guguru will come a flash, a
crack, and another Spanish sentry
will be slain.
The Riffs have no military Or
der. Gen. Marina, with a fine body
of men, came here expecting to
face an army. His hospital corps,
heavy artillery and signal outfit
were worthless. But the huge
Spanish war balloon was valuable.
1t alone has saved the soldiers
from humiliation. 4
With its aid the hiding bands OF |
Riffs are located and then sur
rounded or shelled into the Mo
hammedan seventh heaven. 81
The cause of the present war, |
for it is a real war, is political. |
Rich mines were found at the base
of Mt. Guguru. These mines were
financed by Europeans, of whom
only few were Spaniards.
The savage Riffs, finding that
they were being forced back into
the heights by the mining, slaugh-
tered the unprotected workers.
Spain, though she had little in
terest In the mines, DID desire |
that her police power over this vi
cinity, granted by the Algeciras !,
treaty, be kept intact.
So Gen. Marina was placed In
control and he was confident that
with his highly trained soldiers he.
soon would drive the Riffs into
the Mediterranean.
But he didn't know the Riffs. !
They have the finest horses-pure
Arabian steeds-in the world
They are magnificent riders. |
Perched on their saddles, whence
they can see over wide areas, they
single out small bodies of Spanish
scouts for slaughter. A clatter OF |
hoofs, shrill native commands &c
The horses to wheel, now this way |
now that, a swirl of snow-whitt l
cloaks they wear in the hot Afri
can sun, then the rifles crack ant I
the Spaniards fall.
1t is as if they were fighting
phantom foe. No body of men il
the world could Withstand thei |
The Riffians are fond Of fire
arms. They like to burn powder
% their confidence in their arm
IS yoked their sublime faith in TIL
koran.
They fear no death or torture,
and they are cruel themselves.
Their prisoners are slain. Several
rallies have been made by the
Spanish troops.
Last week an ancient tower was
captured. But the Riffs had flown.
Only mockery was left, In the form
of the severed heads of the Spanish
prisoners strung around the top of
the little fort.
The faith of Mohammed teaches
them that If they die fighting the
white men, they will go Immediate
ly to the delights of a sensual
heaven. The Mohammedan relig-
ion is cruel religion. A few lines
from their koran is a more power
full command to these strange
than the word of a gen.
eral.