Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-19

1
and European, Of 100000 in these
three Barbary states will do much to
restore toe balance between French
and German populations, and thus
French and German military strength.
| Nor is the situation in West Africa
| less promising. A great trunk rail-
| way system is almost completed from
Dakar. on the Atlantic. to the nagiga-
| BILE Niger, the unfinished link covered
by the steamboat service on the Sene-
gal and French system, and industry
has already transformed the vast re-
gion watered by the Senegal and the
| Upper Niger, inhabited by 100000
blacks. far more industrious than the
Inhabitants of Central Africa. From
these natives, too, France drew many
divisions of Senegalese troops, who
| figured in some of the most successful
operations of the recent war
German Menace Recalled.
In Algeria and Tunis France has
been working successfully for many
years; she began in Algeria in 1881
and in Tunis in 1881. In Morocco her
real effort only dates from 1911. and
even then German opposition and Ger
man menace restrained French effort
and held out the ever real menace that
successful German attack in Europe
would be followed by a German seiz-
ure of Morocco. AS the former Ger
man chancellor. Buelow. wrote in his
famous volume, Morocco is a bell we
can always strike when we wish to
call France" Moreover, when Sir Ed
ward Grey asked the German govern
ment Tor a promise to respect the in
1egrity OF France in case of British
neutrality. in the critical days OF 1914,
the pledge was offered for Europe.
out not for French colonies
In 1905. in 1908 and in 1911 Ger
many used French activity in Morocco
! as basis for precipitating a crisis,
| GERMAN journals published maps
and Agadir was rendered notorious for
q Ions period by the appearance in its
Ioaostead OF the German Panther. sent
10 serve notice that Germany desired
snare In Moroccan estates This ven
ture cost France 100, 900 square miles
in her Kongo colony, and. monoanN
, , tariiy, cut the colony in half, leaving
. II mournful fragment
NOW the German has lost his fleet
ms claims on Morocco have disap-
Peared. the world has confirmed the
french protectorate as it has recor-
nized similar status for Britain in
EGYPT. At Paris, agreement was also
reached between France and Britain.
ire other nations consenting. which
VIII permit the French to acquire from
.ne spanish In the future the little
strip of territory remaining in Snan-
ish hands at the northwest corner of
the African continent. while Tanxier
VIII unquestionably remain in French
hands henceforth. although it was
something of no-man's land, an i'm
possible neutral district. before the
war. The advantage taken of this
anomalous situation by the Germans
mas resulted in temporary changes,
winch are certain to become per-
manent. now that France and Great
Britain have laid aside all African
rivalries and British acquiescence in
french aspirations in Morocco has
brought similar French recognition
| or Britain's supremacy in Egypt.
Tunis, Algeria, Morocco.
: Tunis, Algeria, Morocco-these three
states constitute an empire which lies
almost at the door of France; Algiers
J is now but twenty hours from Mar
, seille. In them Rome wrought
miracles and France has gone far to
restore the Roman prosperity and
establish French world. OF the three
Morocco is potentially the richest,
, but all have a wonderful future. In
Morocco there is a wide field for the
young men who find a return to the
restraints of civilization irksome.
while French industry. finding a mar
ket and field for development in
side the French customs system. are
bound to find ample opportunity for
development
While France was exposed to a Ger
man attack. while French effort and
French resources were largely oc-
cupied in the hopeless task Of Great
ing an adequate military barrier to
| the German, who had annexed the
| natural frontiers of the Rhine and
/ the Sarre and the fortresses Of Metz
and Strasbourg, colonial enterprise.
although it achieved surprising
! triumphs. still labored against great
odds. But for the future the menace.
| If it has not disappeared entirely, has
lessened enormously. France can
give some portion of it's main effort
to tho development Of its colonies.
In Syria. too, France will find a
considerable if a restricted field for
colonial development. The railroads in
| this ancient Turkish province are
French now, the harbor Of Beirut was
created by France and French in
huence has been continuous and con-
siderable for a thousand years. With
the aid Of her loyal and well train
ed Algerian and Tunisian native func-
tionaries, with the use of her Senegal
lese troops as a garrison against pos
sible Turkish attack. France will be
able, with little expense. to restore
, prosperity and expand civilization in
this remote corner of the Mediter
ranean, and Beirut, like Tunis. Orgn.
Algiers and Bona, will become a cli-
ent of Marseilles.