Evening star., 1925-07-02

Bulow, was agreeable under the broad
promises and announced in the
Reichstag that. since Germany's in
terests in Morocco were purely COM
mercial. the declaration of the open
door" satisfied Germany.
y
It transpired later that there were
secret articles in the Anglo French
treaty. which did not become known
to the world until 1911. The dis
| covery Of those secret clauses caused
the Kaiser in a speech at Tangier to
threaten war BY the secret clauses
IL was agreed between France and
England that in case the Sultan ever
! ceased to exercise authority over
Moorish territory adjacent to Melilla
and Ceuta. then that region should
be given to Spain, which country
agreed TO prevent the erection of
| Notifications which would threaten
Gibraltar.
France in 1904 made another "se-
cret agreement" with Spain, arrang-
ing TO partition all Morocco between
themselves. This was known to and
supported by England in return for
Egypt
In 1906, as a result Of Germany's
dissatisfaction, a conference was held
at Algeciras, where all nations of Eu-
rope, and also the United States,
agreed upon the public law of Eu-
rope with regard to Moroccos future"
BY this law all previous agreements
were perseded-ostensibly," "the SOW
ereignty Of the Sultan was recognized,
the integrity of his dominion guaran-
teed and economic liberty without
any inequality was agreed upon. The
Tnit tnI 6aI hat MI
but reserved the privilege of refrain
ing from its enforcement. The agree
ment of Algeciras gave a European
police force to this free and indie
pendent nation and control of taxes,
customs and public works. but, while
1t pretended to abolish secret interna-
tional agreements, such secret di-
plomacy was not abolished.
The young spendthrift Sultan. Add
el-AZiZ, having put his country in bad
financial condition, was superseded by
his brother, N1ulai Hafid, in 1909,
after an internal revolution. French
military action dates from internal
disorder in 1911 and involved Spain's s
defense of her own interests against
French encroachments. This brought
imminent menaces from Germany,
which were quieted by the transfer Of
107, ,270 miles of the French Kongo to
the kaiSer'S realm, and Frances pro-
tectorate over Morocco was fully rec
ognized by Europe. Between 1912 and
1917, under the French marshal, Ly-
autey, France extended her Moroc-
can dominion from $4,000 square
kilometers to $4,000.
In 1923 conference in Paris be-
tween England. France and Spain
emitting Italy-agreed that the Tan
gier zone should be neutralized and
governed by an international body,
including a representative of the Sui
tan. Italy resented her exclusion, but
when the other powers consented to
permitting Italy to have two repre-
sentatives on the governing body she
agreed. France has four representa-
tives, England three, Italy two and
] the Sultan one.
The Riffians, led by Abdel-Krim, are
| making headway against both Spain
and France, and the war is growing
in unpopularity among the people of
both European invaders. 1t is charged
that the Soviets are actively support
ing the RiffianS in order to foment
trouble for Europe. On June 9 let
ter written by Vatin- Perignon, chief
of the civil cabinet of the French at
Morocco, to a nephew of Marshal Ly-
autey, was read in the Chamber Of
Deputies at Paris by Doriot, a Com
| munist member. This letter, dated
| May 25, 1925, showed that the French
! marshal had been the aggressor in
plunging France into war with the
Riffs. That exposure resulted in a
| riot in the Chamber. Doriot is said
| to be the chief representative of the
| Soviets in France and leader Of the
Communist opposition to the war. The
genuineness Of the letter is not chal-
| lenged, but it is charged that it was
stolen.
Copyright. 1926. by Paul Y. Collins.l