Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-08-20
Morocco, Neglected by Dip |
lomats, Is Now Doing Finel
ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence

(AsSocieted Press CorreSpoldence)
Casablanca. Morocco, July co.
Morocco. one Of the biggest bones of
contention between European powers
but lost to sight now in the general
war appears not to suffer from the
neglect of diplomats. During the
thick of the conflict French rule is de
veloping its aim with rapidity.
Casablanca is building with the pace
of a mushroom town Of the west. In
two years it has become a modern,
model towns. with sewers. water gas.
electric light, new quays. wharves and
piers. This sudden growth Of what
in these parts is town of skyscrapers
awes and dominates the Moor. who
watches It from his low gourbi or tent
as though it were witchcraft.
Yesterday where the vegetation of
the west African coast grew a foot
high there are broad avenues stretch
ing far from the seashere. The ma
tives lined up on either side look Oh
lazily, marveling at the zeal of the
German prisoners of war putting the
finishing touches 70 the paSetnents.
and wondering for what it ~ all in
and villas will rise there aAdFas fast
as the lots are taken up more avenues
will be built. The town as. now laid
out would easily accommodate 100000
Inhabitants in addition to its regular
population of $4,000.
The smoking chimneys ofta big &C.
nent works, erected to facilitate
building, add one more to the many
mavels that have worked upon the
minds of the Moors. SoS.smany Of
these marvels of French tolonization
have they seen that the departure Of
a considerable portion Of the French
troops has not in the least diminished
French prestige. On the contrary, the
participation Of a considerable con-
tngent of Moroccan native troops in
the fight so far away has made it in
way their war" while the Ave thou>
sand Germans brought here in captiv-
ity are looked upon with sort OF local
pride as "our prisoners There are
many legends afloat as to the proper
ton Of these men who were captured
by Sidi Mohamed. by the Gaid Ell
Hadk kazan and other glories of the
Moroccan 'goumiers."
Rabat, Kenitra, Marrakech. as well
as Casablanca, are developing accord
ing to plans previously prepared In
France. and with the same method al
though with less activity. While
Casa blanca is the metropolis of Nor
rocco, Rabat has the honor OF being
the capital, temporarily at least. The
new provisional government buildings
are completed and new streets laid out
in the form of an aDphitheatre on the
hill beside the Arab town.
During the hrst year of the war SO
miles Of railroad have been added to
the line that, by way of Marrakech and
Rabat will ultimately unite Casa
blanca and Fee. 1t was supposed that
the construction of this line would
require five or six years. it will have
been completed in less than two, and
| when the line from Oujda to Taxa han
been prolonged to Fee, the French will
have uninterrupted communication by
rail from their Algerian possessions,
across Morocco, to the Atlantic. These
lines are narrow guage military roads,
easily convertible later. as circum-
stances may justify, into commercial
| lines.
In addition to the railway lines, fine
high roads have been built all along
| the coast, from Casablanca to Kenitra
comparatively new port. which by
reason of Its accessibility to Fee and
the rich surrounding region is bound
to have an important development
Another road on which German pris-
oners of war are working. from Casa
blanca to Mazaghan. will be COM
! pleted before the rainy season sets in
as well as the branch road to Mechia
ben Abou. making seryiceable routes
along more than 200 miles Of fertile
productive country that were hereto.
fore impossible In the rainy season.