Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-01-19
GERMAN DIPLOMAT
GIVES RESUME OF
THE MOROCCAN
QUESTION
Count Won Bernstorff, Am
bassadom at Washington,
Comments on Attitude Of
His Government.
TRIED ONLY TO REACH
THE ATTAINABLE GOAL



Reference 10 the Moroccan Question
by Count vas nernAturu. German am
bnssador ut Washington. appears iu
the current issue at the Outlouk. n !
is uF follows:
The Moroccan question has passed
out OF liz controversial stage and rs
now a part OF history ~ that We are
able TO look back on II with an im-
partial spirit and 90 Judge the aims
and results of the German govern
ments action with fairness fair
ness which seemed to be sometimes
lacking during the heat of the discus
slons.
II ls we'll known that until 1904
England and France were contendlng
with each other for supremacy in
Morocco. Then followed the Anglo
French agreement of april 1904, and
In the fan Of the same year a French
banking syndicate contracted new
large loan with Morocco. Privileges
Of such importance were granted 20
this group Of banks that the eventual
fate o{ the sultan's empire seemed TO
be decided. Germany. however. in
tcrvcnod; the emperor visited Tan
gier and a few months later the con-
ference OF Afgeclras was held. In fair
words Il proclaimed the Independence
Of Morocco and the sovereignty OF the
sultan. n also created n multitude
of provisions and stipulated the "open
fnIt" iu ifrlrtu. ht tue Sam, ilu..
however, police powers mere granted
Go France ard Spain IN eight open
Moroccan ports. and. Furthermore. The
treaty concerning the abOYe-mcntlon-
ed tOan was ratified with certain
amendments. Above all, owing to the
long Allegro Moroccan border line the
conference could not prevent French
influences IN Morocco from contlnu-
ing and even increasing. ON account
OF the wholly unsettled and unten-
able conditions IN which u
81 no use denying-opportun for
the exeFtsen os French influence
could rot long be wanting In fact.
the occupation OF Ujda and tho hom-
baTdment OF Casabianca soon fol-
lowed. An this could have been pre-
vented only II Germany had been In
clined 90 restore order in Morocco
and first 10 go 90 war, as would have
been inevitable. with the powers hos
tile to such an act on her part The
course OF events will always prove "a
be- more powerful than the most per-
fectly worded treaty provisions and
the Algeciras act could not expect 60
alter the fact that Morocco and her
inhabitants no longer IN themselves
possessed the strength 10 reorganze
their country. Some enthusiasts be-
lieved that Muley Hafid would be able
90 perform this task, but they soon
had 10 recognize that nOtwithstond-
ing his skin and ability as a states
man, he did not have the power 60
bring about the necessary changes
without foreign assistance.
For the German government there
was. therefore, only one way open 20
protect German commercial Interests
Ia Morocco. via, by securing France s
protection of those Interests. This re-
suit was achieved by the Morocco
agreement OF February ., 1909, which
expressly mentioned the Algeciras act
as its basis. Clearly the object of this
agreement could only be 70 delay
French advance IN Morocco as long
as possible. 80 thai German traders.
farmers and manufacturer were tn
the meanwhile, under this same
French protection. guaranteed by
treaty. able 20 consolidate their inter-
ests In Morocco IN Hsch degree that
French protectorate could not do-
struy them. 30 one who knew the
conditions in Morocco as they really
were. and not as ono perhaps wished
them 10 be. could entertain the slight
est doubt that "a French urOtectorate
must In the course uf time be cstaD-
lished
This would have been considered
the natural course Of events had the
aspect Of affairs not suddenly changed
when Al. Pichon retired from the
French foreign office and was Te.
placed by ~. Cruppi N seems that
colonial fanatics who could not await
the ripeninR OF the Moroccan frwl
took advantage of this change 90 Oh
tain tho consent of the now minister
OF foreign affairs for the expedition
20 Foz. The pretended danger of th'
military mission ard Of the Eur0pcai
colony ln consequence OF the rebellion
OF tribes IN the noighborh0Od form
ed welcome protext The capita
was reached and military posts Wer,
90 bee Withdrawn 90 the coast as s0oi
as possible, u was evident that IN
larger part OF the country would
iiko the schania province. soon be a.
rectly controlled by French agent
and military authorities
During nll this time scm-oficl1
German newspapers had constant.
reiterated that, according 90 c0mmuni
cations received in Germany an
Europeans ln Fez were not at ali a
dunger when these hints proved q
bs OF mo- effect tho "North Germal
Gazette" of April 80, 1871, ADDRESSED
a new warning to France which coul
not be- misunderstood. declaring ina
sultan governing with the AID %
France mo- longer represented the SOW
crolgn sultan as defined by the All
gcciras act. aud that Germany there
fore would be- entitled to resume ho
former freedom of action. This warn
ing WIS not needed. Events TOO
their course. and ~ was soon cleo
that The south of Morocco would ais
be- drawn into the growing unrest J.
this case 1he security of enc Enrnf
cans living there-among them man
Germans might indeed have been
Danger since there were no frene