The New York herald., 1921-08-07

Special Cable TO THE New YoaK HERALD
Copyright, 1921, bv THE New YoRK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Paris, Aug. O.
Confirmation of the report that Mo
roccan tribesmen are preaching holy
war against Catholic Spaniards in tn.
hinterland of North Africa is now
causing serious alarm among French
officials which may result in France
giving both military and financial aid
to Spain to overcome the insurrection
ist movement
The French have so far followed the
conflicts with indulgent interest and
were inclined to minimize what reports
from Spain characterized as likely tc
change the national frontiers In North
Africa, but inability of the Spanish
troops to hold the most important DO
sitiops seems to have convinced the
French that their own situation in the
North African colonies may be en-
dangered, as the success of the Moslem
element against the Spaniards might
pendence, not only in the Spanish zone
but In the contiguous French areas
where hitherto religious opposition
was believed to have been suppressed
by the severest discipline.
Job Too Big fo- Spain.
According to the latest dispatches
from French informants received at the
Quai d'Orsay, barefooted Moslems carry
ing gilded crescents are now visiting tri-
bal villages in Spanish Morocco and are
urging the natives to fight for their In
dependence. 1t all depends on whether
Spain Is able to raise the 100, 900 men
necessary to suppress the rebellion, and
all indications point to the impossibility
OF such serious military movement
owing both to Spain's financial situation
and the opposition from Socialists.
If the conflict had been confined to q
few fortresses the French probably
would not have become excited, but II Is
now seen that the movement may
spread, overthrowing all the military
and missionary work which has been
carried on by Gen Hubert Lyautey since
the armistice
With 10000 tribesmen under arms
Spain's position on the Morocco coast
seen If the Spaniards attempt to oust the
tribesmen from their mountain strong
holds, the only important district where
the Spaniards are able to hold their oWT
seeming to be Melilla.
THE NEW YORK HERALD correspond
ent questioned several political leaders
to-day, and all asserted that the French
despite German allegations. are not af-
fected by the present uprising. On the
contrary 1t Is known here that the
Moroccan movement was fomented by
deserters from the Foreign Legion, act
ing under former German officers, this
alone being sufficient to insure French
support to Spain II the situation becomes
more precarious.
France May Buy Zone.
Meanwhile much interest is attaches
to the visit to France of Count Roma
nones, former Spanish Premier, as be-
fore the war he favored giving the
French entire control of the Moroccan
coast, the French then being willing &c
pay 1000. 0.000,0 900 francs to Spain in re-
turn for all concessions. Count
Romanones is no longer able to control
Spanish thought, but once the coastal
difficulties are settled II Is considered
prObable tnat FRANCE VIII OllcT W ldhe
over the Spanish zone with liberal In
crease over the original offer.
Gen. Berneguer. according to des-
patches from Melilla, admits that a
panic Is reigning not only among civil
ians there, but also among Spanish
troops scores of whom are deserting and
spreading the most alarming rumors
The most rigid military law has been
established and civilians are threatened
with execution If they undermine con-
fidence by repeating the rumors
There has not yet been any confir-
nation here of the report that the
Spanish troops in Melilla are revolving,
but the seriousness OF the situation is
seen in the fact that the Franco-Spanlsh
frontiers have been closed to all men
between twenty and twenty-six years
old Spain thus evidently Is expecting
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