The Holbrook news., 1911-10-20

that Frances desire to be recognized
 as occupying an exceptional position
 in Morocco was but a preliminary
 step to French seizure of the terri
 tory. It looked for a time as if
 France and Germany were to fly at
 each others throats. conference of
 European powers was called, which met at Algeciras, to hear the griev- ances of Germany.
 France claimed a predominant in- terest in Morocco by reason of the fact that Morocco immediately ad- joined a French province, which suf- fered as a result of Moroccan convul- sions. The commercial interests of France in the sultanate were large; and, moreover, Morocco directly con- fronted France across the Mediter- ranean. For these reasons France claimed the right to see that order was preserved in the Shereeflan en- pire.
 Against these claims Germany ad- vanced her theory of internationalism. If Morocco proved troublesome, let all the nations take a hand in discourag- ing her. It would be easier so to se- cure equal commercial rights among nations and to maintain the open door. If France were to be allowed to police Morocco it would be but short step to French possession.
 settlement was finally reached a year after the kaiser's visit to Tan gier. The powers decided that the sultanate should be policed by troops under French and Spanish officers, jointly answerable to the sultan and the diplomatic corps at Fez. In Tan gier and Casablanca both French and Spanish officers were stationed. Spain was intrusted with the exclusive po- hcing of Tetuan, on the Mediterran- can, and Larache, on the Atlantic; to France fell the policing of the At lantic ports of Mogodor. Safn, Ma zagan and Rabat. On the financial side France fared equally well, being allowed to hold three out of fifteen shares in the new Moroccan bank, no other European nation being allowed to control more than one.
 France had got practically every thing she had a right to expect The special interests of France in Moroc- co, recognized by the powers of 1906. were specifically admitted by Germany in February. 1909, in what is known as the Franco-German agreement In that document Germany admitted that she possessed only economic interests in Morocco and that France was bound to bestow on her only such com mercial and industrial rights as were enjoyed by other nations there. This was regarded as formal conclusion of peace between Germany and France so far as the Moroccan i'm broglio was concerned.
 Yet recent events show with sufi- cient clearness that neither the Al German agreement has disposed, as was confidently asserted at the time. of the troublesome Moroccan prob lem. All that was needed was a spark to kindle the old resentment into flame. That spark was afforded by the recent revolt of tribesmen in Mo rocco and the investment of Fez. Ger many was pleased to regard the in- reference of France to save the sul- tan as gratuitous. No European lives,
 
 Germany contended, were imperiled by the uprising. There was no call for French troops to march to the re- lief of Fez. The military demonstra- ton was only another attempt to ex- tend the French zone of influence in Morocco. Further complications were introduced by the Spanish occupation of Alkazar and the resultant friction with French officers. France suspect ed Spain of playing into the hands of | Germany and although Spain dis claimed any such purpose and prompt l Iy apologized, the tension was by no | means relieved. The upshot of the new trouble was that Germany sent | a gunboat to Agadir and landed ma rines. Thus for the second time Ger many brought on crisis which has been occupying the diplomats of six countries.