Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-22
THE MOROCCAN MIDDLE.
Situation Now Approaching a Serious
Crisis.
FRANCE and GERMANY ARE INVOLVED.

Il
the French Government - Russia
Also Very Much Interested-Great
Britain Is on the Side of France and
/ Will Stand BY Her'to the End.
The main question in Europe, where
all eyes are directed toward Morocco,
is, will Germany strike now? Many
politicians believe that If she fails to
carry out her plans regarding Morocco
her schemes Of colonization must fail.
But is she in a position yet to enter
upon a costly war?
In the present crisis Germany has at
stake not only her claims in Morocco,
but her prospects of winning any fruit
full soil for colonial expansion. No
need could be more vital than her need
for new outlets for the industrial
growth and teeming population. Ger
many loses a quarter of a million Of
her most Industrious inhabitants every
year. These wealth producing citi-
| zens, instead of becoming denational-
| ized, might be saved to Germany If she
could find some foothold that would
serve as the centre for a great system
of colonization. The German empire
has sought colonies ever since she be-
| came a world power, and, half a GEN.
tury behind England in the race, she
finds herself confronted by almost in
superable difficulties. England and
the other powers have everywhere pre-
ceded her in the land grabbing. The
kaiser's projects Of creating an empire
in China and Mesopotamia have
achieved a negligible degree of success.
He has won friendship, however,
among the Mussulmans and now If he
is forced to relinquish the Moroccan
claims Germany will suffer an ire
trievable loss of prestige in the realms
of Islam.
In spite Of Germany's immense army
the question is pertinent whether she
can fight yet, has she the resources Of
financing a great war. 1t Is estimated
that it would cost her s3,600,0O0 a day
to keep an army of 100000 men in
the field, or more than s100,000,O00 a
month. The money for a years fight
ing would have to be raised by new
war taxes or by loans. And it is as
serted that Germany could neither
pay such heavy war taxes nor borrow
in time of war except upon ruinous
terms. France, Russia and England
would not lend under any circum-
stances and the only hope Of borrow
ing would be in the United States.
France, with little more than half as
many men available for bearing arms,
has enormous financial power and is
the greatest Of the creditor nations
Germany, with her commerce broad
ening, her industries growing and her
finances improving, perhaps can afford
to wait before striking.
Recognizing Germany's need of land.
France has offered to divide her Congo
territory in return for formal recogni-
ton of her full political rights in Mo-
rocco. Such a concession as this pro-
posal offers is considered, not a sign Of
weakness, but both an act of generos-
ity and serious attempt to avoid war.
One of the faces Of Morocco is turn
ed toward South America; it bears
the same relation to many problems
dealing with the west as Egypt does to
those of the east. 1t guards the west
ern end of the Mediterranean. 1t is
| ~ ~, ff,ifh hn
Germs of Europe Otherwise, it might
be left to go to rack and ruin In its
own way The power of Islam failing,
France stepped in, and as a great
Mediterranean power established
valid claim. The rivalry of Great Bri-
tain was diverted by her interests in
Egypt, which demanded attention.
The treaty Of 1904 appeared to settle
the conflict and give France a free
hand.
Germany came upon the scene of
world activity at a time when the
greater part of the globe which Is
available for the founding Of colonial
empires was already in the grasp of
other powers. She soon recognized
the possibilities of Morocco, not only
because of it's inherent riches, but also
because of it's political value. She
proceeded to lay a scientific founda-
ton for future activity in Morocco
In 1905 the kaiser made a sudden de-
scent on Tangier. This intervention
resulted in the conference at Algeciras
i'm the spring of 1906, which placed tn"
organization of the Morocco police un-
der Spanish and French military off,
GERS. Besides asserting her right to be
consulted i'm world problems in which
European interests are at stake, Ger
many halted French progress.
France continued to strive to settle
the Moroccan question with England
and Spain only, but in the agreement
with Germany in 1909 was obliged to
guarantee the integrity and independ-
ence of the Moroccan empire and equal
commercial facilities for all nations.
In return Germany conceded that
France had predominant political in
| terests in the country and gave to
France practically a free hand to re-
store order and tranquility. 1t was
also provided that French and German
capital i'm association should exploit
the country's riches. Nothing tangi-
BILE has resulted from this provision.
The abrupt intervention at Tangier
has since been twice paralleled by Ger
many. In 1908 when the German con-
sui forcibly seized German deserters
to the French legion, and on July l of
this year, when a German warship
suddenly made its appearance in the
harbor of Agadir. The official reason
advanced by Germany for this second
act was the request for protection
made by certain German firms doing
business in Agadier. But the whole
country around that place had been
perfectly quiet. No lives of German
subjects were in danger, and German
interests there, as in the whole of Mo-
rocco, are very small when compared
| to those of England and France.