Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-09
SPAIN And FRANCE In MOROCCO

q double military mission. One attached to
the person OF the sovereign. the other es-
tablished at Rabat. and that situation WAS
August. 1903. specified that the French
mission would resume its former attri.
buttons and was placed on the same
footing as under Mulay Hassan. II add
ed that the French Instructors would res
organize the sultan's troops.
BESIDES. these ARRANGEMENTS were exS
pilc'tiy confirmed by the Algeciras act.
France could not change them IL she
would. On the other hand. France had
assured Spain. through diplomatic cham
neis. that she would refrain from inter.
ierfng with her zone. At Madrid II was
desired to obtain the formal promise that
no french instructor would penetrate the
spanish zone, but no such promise was
given.
Spain was alarmed over the reorganiza.
tion OF the police In tie ports provided by
HaS an nsr tsared that such
tons. Also, Spain feared that the new
railroad out Of Tangier would prove a
menace to Spanish interests In Morocco.
1t is rumored at Madrid that the king
was SO upset that he would give UP his
proposed voyage to Ceuta, where the
French vice consul was charged with I'M
due activity. 1t Is likewise rumored that
the French tobacco companies had dis
charged their Spanish workmen. Finally
II was rumored that Spain would demand
an amendment TO the Franco Spanish
accord OF 1904 tending to change the
date from 1919 to 1911, when she might
be liberated from the obligation OF cons
sulting France relating to her enter.
prises in Spain's zone OF influence.
lie Temps insists that IL the Madrid
government might reproach the govern
ment at Paris of having tried by omis-
sion and by an excess of silence, Madrid
should not impute to Paris an excess OF
action. That which France has done was
legitimate.
If. continues the Temps. II were neces-
sary to bring into the discussion the
matter of grievances. IL was possible to
array grievance against grievance. Tho
Times Of the 18th ultimo may be cited.
1t says: "On all sides complaints have
been made against the Spaniards in tho
Riff. The Spanish authorities prevent the
international mining agents from accom-
plishing their tasks in the districts sd-
joining the Spanish garrisons.
The Times declares that these acts.
which constitute a violation OF the Al
geciras act. have been reported I'm Q
friendly way.
But it is not by discussion OF this
character that the Temps would arrive
at a necessary understanding. Spaniards
In this matter had shown excessive sus-
ceptibiIity. France had not sufficiently
iards refer continually to the accord OF
1904 as IL that was constituted by the
secret text which defined In view Of Ger
ta'- contingencies zones OF influence"
ties accepted by both France and Spain.
the duty above all of maintaining the
sovereignty OF the sultan and OF col
Elaboration with him. The value Of zones
power should fail. The accord OF 1914
was composed Of two texts. one public.
the other secret. One contained a con-
tradiction which NJ Delcasse. when he
development. NJ. Cruppi. minister OF
foreign affairs. might have some Diff
Guilty in solving that text.
In the discussion, writes the Temps
frankly, both sides are right France in
invoking the public
Sovereignty stipulation. Spain in
g.. attaching herself to
VI VIC SuAs@n' the secret conditions.
France, it should be afhrmed. above all
is strictly respectful Of the Algeciras act
in which the principle Of the sovereignty
of the sultan dominates all else.
Spain, on the contrary. draws her con-
illusions from an unpublished accord es-
tablished prior to the Algeciras act.
This is what constitutes the difficulty
Of the discussion between Paris and Mad
rid" writes the Temps. ut will be too
bad to envenom the discussion. but No
1t remains with the two governments to
examine it i'm a spirit Of conciliation."
The Liberal of Madrid March - writes
that Senior Perez Caballero. ambassador
at Paris. had presented the Spanish note
to M. Cruppi. minister of foreign affairs,
and that he had repli0 that 1.-THE con-
vention signed by his predecessor consti-
tuted an engagement OF honor Tor the
new government"
For fact, NJ. Cruppi. replying to IN
terpellations as to the policy OF the
French government in Morocco, said that
1t would conform to that OF his prede-
cessors. ut would maintain and CONSOLE
date the results acquired by expeditions
and by diplomatic action"
NJ. Andre Colliez, correspondent OF the
Figaro, writing from FL ksar. adds in
teresting details OF the situation In Mo-
rocco.
Commanders Mangin and Bremond OF
the French army command the mehalla
Of the sultan. Commander Mangin 10
the chief of the instructors engaged in
the organization Of the proposed army.
From the report of NJ. Collier the task
of turning the Moroccan troops into
military force Is not an easy one. Take.
for example. writes NJ. Colliez. the cav
airy. It is composed of three squadrons
and because of lack of officers the first
IS comma nded by non-commissfoned OIL
ficer (French), the second by q non-com-
missioned officer tEnglish), the third by
an Englishman who before becoming an
instructor in the Moroccan army had
never been a soldier.
Certain recruits have been in the serv-
ice since only three months and some or
these never mounted a horse before join
ing. So much for the men. Now for
the mounts.
The sultan placed at the disposal OF
the instructors 1880 horses. Unfortu-
nately, the functionary charged with
their care pegiected to see that they
were fed. When inspection was made
preparatory to utilizing the animals in
drill it was found that 800 had died
within a month. The instructors quickly
designated the remaining animals for
service. The day the mehalla was OIL
dered out to help defend the capital it
attempted a march of twelve kilometers.
with q train of camels, with the result
that twenty-four hours were consumed in
the effort and the loss of a number OF
camels which died en- route OF starvation,
The camels, il seems. had not been fed
for many days. Under such circum.
stances the post of instructor in the
Moroccan mehalla is not q sinecure.
The organization of a model mehall8
Of 5000 men well equipped and regu.
larly paid should be the prompt desidA
eratum Of Sultan Mulay-Hafid.
In Morocco. as elsewhere among orr
entails in the near east, the middle and
far east almost all trouble arises from
overtaxation and above all from the
unpaid stipend OF the military. The re-
bellion of an Egyptian army in the
reign of Psammetik. Prince OF sails and
Maynnbic 6eS raarS hafare Chricf opA