The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-08-31
Spanish Morocco
Sketch of Country and People
Where Spain Has Suffered
Defeat

Madrid, Aug. IA (The Associated
Press That part Of Morocco call
ed the spanish zone where SPANS
troopsA have just suffered disas-
trous S.verses at the hands Of the
Moors with the loss Of thousands
of men and thousands Of square
miles OF territory is part Of the no.
torious Barbary Coast whose pi-
rates preyed on European com
merce sor many years and car
ried Europeans into slavery.
In the present generation it has
been made famous by the opera
tons Of she chieftain Mulai Ahmed
er-Raisuh, who captured and held
for ransom Ion PerdicaTis, an
American citizen, in 1905. This
was in the administration Of Pres
ident Roosevelt and evoked from
Secretary Hay the historic phrase
demanding "Perdicaris alive or
Raisu, 3ead!'' 1t resulted in the
almos Al Immediate release Of Per-
dicarise
The ss st of the world knows COM
parati&ly little about Morocco de-
spite TIE fact that it has been the
ground of intermittent fighting for
centuries. 1t occupies the extreme
northwestern part Of Africa, hav-
ing an area estimated at about
100000 square miles and a popu-
lation CT 100000 to 10000, 900.
It's pecole contributed to the arm
les which once invaded Spain and
conquered Granada.
The country is an absolute mon
archy with a sultan or caliph as its
head. The present occupant OF
that position is Mulai el-Mehdi but
his control over the shereefs, or
mobiles, he's been for many years
only no4ainal. Various European
governments have negotiated with
the s,l,tans in an attempt to paci-
fly the Afoors, but these have only
resulted in outbreaks by numer-
Gus le s3ers such as Ra.sui, who
have committed outrages which
again Brought the Moorish ques-
ton before the European cabinets.
Three races inhabit Morocco, the
original Berbers, or mountalneers,
who conquered Spain on three diff
ferent occasions; the mixed race ef
Arabs and Berbers known as
Moors, both of which races are
generally Mohammedans; and the
colonie of Jews which inhabit the
coast tsties and control the major
ity of sthe country's commerce.
The Spanish zone, where the
fighting is now in progress, is a
narrow strip of land along the
northwestern coast fronting on
the M stiterranean Sea. 1t is about
200 m Ses long, east and west, with
an aErage breadth, north and
south. sof about 60 miles and ex-
tends rom Algeria. under control
Of the French, to the Atlantic,
ocean on the west. It does not,
however, include the extreme
northwestern tip of land on which
is located tie city of Tangier. Fhe
French noninally control the ter
ritory further south. Spanish
troops have fought the Moors Tor
centuries but. it was only in 1917
that rhe northern littoral of Mo-
rocco was assigned to Spain un-
der the terms of the Franco-span-
.ish tire sy signed in that year. Since
then skain has been engaged at IN
tervalss. in sporadic attempts TO
maintss; u her authority with vary
ing suQA Aess and failure:
.BotfS the French and Spanish
governments decided in January,
1920. to make military. demonstra-
tions in their respective zones for
the purpose of preparing the way
to more orderly government. The
French zone was soon pacifled. Ine
Spanish. territory which is admin
istered by General Damaso Bereng-
uer. as nigh comnlissioner, was not
so submissive. Spanis. troops at
first n, ae their base on the Allan
tic coaGt of Morocco at El-Arish'
also Known as Laraiche. From
there they penetrated we'll into the
interior and captured q number OF
Moorish strongho]ds, including the
so-ca1ied secret city Of Sheshawan.
For sonae time L., ,e activity mas
been reported in that western dis
trict Of Morocco.
The Spaniards, however, sent
another expedition under the COM
mand OF General Silvestre, who es-
tablished a base at Melilla, midway
an . nromontory which extends