Evening star., 1925-07-30
,ABD-EL-KRIM
By ". p. Cresson,
Georgetown University School Of
Foreign Service.

Not the least of the difficulties
forced upon French statecraft by the
revolt Of Abd-el-K -Krim's tribesmen in
northern Africa is the question OF rec
.onciling public sentiment, both at home
and abroad, to the necessary punitive
measures involved in the campaign
The traditionally clever diplomacy. of
the French foreign Office has, until
now, been adequate to meet the deli
cate situation raised by clashins
French and Spanish interests along
the Moroccan frontier. The military
situation has been notably improved
during the last few weeks by abandon
ing the complicated methods of mod
ern European warfare in favor or a
thrilling and spectacular return TO the
Napoleonic cavalry charge. There re-
mains. however the outstanding prob
lem of defining a future policy toward
the Riffians, and the formulation of a
desirable lend to be obtained in re-
turn for all this sacrifice of blood and
treasure, at time when France needs
nothing so much as leisure. The whole
Riffian adventure Is Viewed by prac-
tical Frenchmen as gravely inoppor-
tune, to say the least.
| Moorish Chief Diplomat.
To these difficulties the enigmatic
| Abd-el- -Krim has contributed not a lit
| tie by a veritable master-stroke OF dl-
| plomacy. In a recent interview, wide
| ly broadcast to the world by the most
| modern of publicity" methods, the
astute Moorish chieftain has widely
| sown the tares of discord across the
| none too fertile field of Franco-Span'
| ish Cooperation" Cautiously aban-
| doning all claims to recognition as an
independent sovereign, he now appar'
ptl n nd in a degree
of autonomy under French protection
and guarantee. Whether seriously In
| tended or not such a proposal is cal
| culated to play havoc with all the
| carefully evolved plans for the pre-
carious balance of power" that cen
| ters about the Straits of Gibraltar
While at first sight this chivalrous
| and Saracen acceptance of an enemy s
| protection" seems to offer dramatic
| solution for the problems of the Riff
| the fact that the territory involved
| lies almost entirely within the Spanish
zone of influence" laid down by the
powers makes it's acceptance a matter
1 of doubtful expediency from the broad.
er standpoint of European peace.
| Spain clings with stubborn pride to
the shadowy "protectorate" she exer'
| cises in this territory, the last vestige
of her great colonial empire.
British Policy Involved.
Moreover, it is no secret that Great
| Britain vastly prefers her old enemy
| Spain, to her late ally. France, as a
neighbor in northern Africa. Her self
appointed task as guardian of the
| Gibraltar Straits could only be fur
! ther complicated by an increase OF
French-at the expense Of Spanish or
| Observation-Disclosures in that quarter
! Whether Abdel- -Krim is wickedly
, amusing himself by a little diplomatic
| light comedy, or whether he seriously
| hopes to capitalize the pretension OF
his powerful neighbors by founding a
new Moslem power on the basis OF
their rivalries and discords in North
| Africa, is a question that may yet cost
/ sleepless nights to the harassed for
| eign offices of at least three great
capitals.
| Whatever the outcome may be, the
desert chieftain's talent for leadership
| both upon the battlefield and along
the devious paths of diplomacy. seems
inconveniently to increase rather thar
| diminish as the situation develops.
| (Copyright, 1921