Evening star., 1925-10-07
American Flyers in Morocco
Arouse Criticism In i. S. Press

Under the existing circumstances the
Times feels. however, that most
Americans will wonder why the in
heritOrs of free tradition should as
sist in the virtual determination of a
tribe with whose aspirations we can
have no quarrel"
The proba bility is that our airmen
Will go on fighting to their hearts
content. serving. in the interest of
civilization, country that proved SO
timely friend to their own says the
Atlanta Journal. which finds that
under the law it is not an offense to
leave the country with intent to enlist
in foreign military service" and ar
cues that ''as party to the treaty OF
Algeciras. which virtually authorized
foreign intervention in Morocco. the
United States needs must recognize
the logic and. indeed. the right of the
present French position" Comment
ing on the same phase of the law
enlistment after leaving the country
the Boston Transcript holds that ut
is hard to see what reason there is
for these instructions: to the consul
general at Tangier.'
For two years prior to America $
entrance into the World War con
tlnues the Sparta nblirg Sun. hun
dreds of citizens of the United States
Joined the allied forces and fought
bravely against the Germans Why is
it that now American citizens under
taking similar assistance to Fra nee
are violating the law" A similar
point Is made by the Albany Evening
News. while admitting that Iii would
be better of they had not gone to Mo
rocco" And the Bangor Commercial
recognizes that apparently the Wash
fngton administration is not entirely
sure Of its ground. as it has cGntented
itself with calling attention of its
diplomatic representa- tives 10 the sit.
uation.'
The neutrality 1t the United States.
however. the Baltimore Sun remarks.
lis to be cherished as a safeguard 10
the welfare of the nation The Sun
suggests that lit is easy for the peo-
Piles of Africa and Asia Minor to inter
pret the Lafayette Escadrille as evi-
dence that Americas g sympathy and
America s policy both support Europe
against Africa and Asia" The Palm
Beach Times maintains, further. that
"the foreign legionnaires Of 1916 were
soldiers of an ideal: those of today are
soldiers of fortune
Admitting that no oaths have been
administered and no papers of any oh
legation signed ''by the American fly
ers abroad. the ST. Louis Post Dis
patch points out that "if one of them
falls into Abd-el-krim' hands and is
Immediately shot, those who know
nothing of the distinction between law.
full and unlawful belligerents will de.
nounce the Rif1an chief as a barba
rian." These flyers, however. accord
ing to the Houston Chronicle. "consti-
tute barely4-5 per cent Of the French
flying forces: and the Chronicle com
ments: They. figure in news dis
patches to America only because the
military authorities believe their sc
tivities will bring the sympathy of
America. Even that belief will prove
boomerang unless the American fy-
ers can find some more inspiring pas.
time than bombing unprotected farm
lands"
Bombing villages, killing men.
women and children, has made q very
unfavorable impression in America
says the Asbury Park Press, and Ais
no more excusable than the killing of
non-combatants in England by the Ger
mans" according to the Worcester
Gazette. The complications inspired
the Charleston Evening Posts hope
that the aviators get the State De.
partments message and come to their
Senses .