Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1923-03-02

tETepdreQ py the NATIONAL OtoeIaphiS 81
ciety, Washington D. CO.
Morocco, one of the latest of terri
tories to be added to the vast French
colonial system, and the region out
side Europe to which France Is now
perhaps deyoting greatest attention,
constitutes one Of the worlds queer
est mixtures Of the ancient and the
modern, the East and the West. But
rs yet the things of the modern world
are chiefly physical and superficial.
In distance Morocco is as. close to
Western Europe as any Mohammedan
country, and is alone among important
Moslem communities In touching the
Atlantic, the great ocean highway
which has spread the ideas of the
West. But in customs and institutions
Morocco is more Eastern than Turkey
OF Egypt, and as Moslem as the He'd
JAZZ.
Up to ten years ago when France
assumed her protectorate Morocco was
less affected by modern ideas and in
tuences than any other civilized coun-
try in the world; it was to the West
In 1912 what Japan was in 1850; a
hermit land living according to its
own traditions and rigidly excluding
both the people and the ideas of the
rest Of the world.
The ten years Of French control
have brought marked external
changes, chief Of which are the extern
sion of means of transportation and
communication Before the French
came there were no roads. Not q
wheeled vehicle existed in the country
outside few coast cities. Now there
Is a network Of wonderful highways
rivaing those in France itself, and
over them automobiles rush bearing
men and mail and freight. Railroads
too, have been built but the rail sys
tenn Is still in its infancy and Is not
marked for It's efficiency. Wireless
towers have been erected and air
planes now carry French officials be
tween the cities of the country.
To much of Morocco's extensive
territory-it is close to Texas in size
the French have brought order and {
better government than 1t has eve
had before. But to a great extent 1
has been necessary to leave local ant
regional authority in the hands of ma
tive administrators. Affairs are no
conducted, of course, according t
European or American standards. Lift
is cheap to the Moroccan. TURBULENCE
has always been the rule. AS IL
medieval Europe it is still necessar
to lock the gates of the cities at nigh
and the Westerner who venture
abroad after nightfall does so at hi
peril. In some Of the more remot
towns foreign visitors are even locke
in block-houses at night "fOr safe
keeping"
The Troublesome Riff.
The region close to the Spanish zon
in the north has given the Frenc
great trouble. The Spanish hay
never really controlled an appreciabl
part of this theoretical sphere Of thei
infiuence-the Riff. 1t has been IL
tested by bandits, and to it have n
paired the tribesmen unfriendly
France 1t has been impossible
maintain railroads in French Morocco
near this boundary. Bands of ma
contents have made night sorties frol
the Riff, tearing up the rails and d
stroying bridges.
Until the French took contr'
Christians had been rigidly exclude
from Morocco since the Fifteenth cel
fury. Jews had been admitted q
along, but they were compelled to Ii,
in separate quarters, and though M
the objects of hatred and contempt
such an extent as were Christian
they were looked down upon by Il
lowers of the Prophet. In Fee. II
inland capital, Is mosque looked Il
on by MQroccans as more sacred tbs
any shrine outside Mecca. Even aft
the French protectorate was set I
Christians were not supposed to |
within two blocks of this sacred et
fee. In late years this rigorous ru
has been changed and Christians ma
now pass In the street beside Il
mosque, but they are still suppos'
not to look at it.
The western traveller to this cou
try, which only yesterday was "ft
hidden land to the Christian, ru
across amazing incongruities. Bra
bedsteads and grandfather clocks a
set up against walls of exquisite N
sale and intricate arabesque patterr
Arabs pitch their tents at the foot
great wireless stations. Yelled WON
of the harem ride through newma
streets in automobiles. The stree
themselves are Indicative of RAP
change; for few years ago no roa
ran into Fee, ana even yet some
the thoroughfares are SO narrow tn