Evening star., 1925-06-07
BY PAUL SCOTT MOMRER.

| YIN NEJNSI1 fkoN LIN
! MOROCCO, via Paris, June g.
| horde. 1t is formidable military or
| ganization, we'll equipped and well
, commanded. It's proweSs has astonish
ed the French. Under other circum
stances it would also have inspired in
| them that peculiar grim esteem which
brave men naturally feel toward a
brave, determined adversary. But
owing to the atrocities which the
Ritfians have committed, sentiments OF
disgust and contempt more than
counterbalance the impulse of esteem
among the French.
The Riffian army has developed con-
siderably since its victory over Spain.
1t is today at the heighth of its power
Its nucleus is a corps of several thou.
sand regulars, who serve as a
Praetorian Guard to Abd-el-Krim, who
act as reserves in critical moments.
who terrorize, train, organize and
officer the newly arisen tribes.
Every Male Soldier.
The main body consists of the Riff
fan militia. Old men are still agile in
the Riff, and boys attain the manhood
of wife and gun at IA or 15. Every
able-bodied male is a soldier, but they
take turns in serving at the front,
one-half relieving the other every few
weeks.
The regulars and the militia to-
gether number perhaps $4,000 rifles.
Theoretically only half of these are in
service at a given time, but in an
emergency all may be called. In addi.
ton to the Riffians proper, are the
Djebala warriors, who went over to
ABIDE el-Krim last Autumn, and the
warriors Of the Southern Riff, who
have been turned against the French
since April. All these are being train,
ed and led by Riffians. The Djebala
troops now number probably 10000
rifles, and the tribesmen of the South
ern Riff as many more. This would
place the total strength of Abd-el-
Krim at 10000 rifles.
About $4,000 now are serving in the
front lines opposite the French. The
equipment consists principally of car
bines, machine guns, hand grenades
cannon and ammunition captured from
the Spanish. There is some heteroge-
neouS armament obtained from SNUG
glers, and a few cannon, machine
guns, grenades and rifles have recent
ly been captured from the French.
Arms Import Easy.
The Riff coast is not patrolled by
either the Spanish or the French, the
smuggling from the international zone
of Tangiers is said not to be difficult.
And now that there is a sort of truce
with Spain, traffic in arms and sup
plies can take place on a considerable
scale through the Spanish lines.
Money to pay for these supplies mas
been obtained partly in indemnltles
and ransoms from the Spanish. Inc
Moscow world conspirators probably
- al- X
and it is certain that foreign credlts
have been opened to his account by
concession hunters, who hope ultl-
mately to gain control of the RIMS
mineral wealth. Nevertheless, Aod.
el-Krim is probably very short OF
cash.
Candles, tea and sugar, formerly
procured from the French zone, now
are procured from the Spanish, but
meagerly and at high prices. The har-
vest which is just beginning will put
all the rich crops of the newly occu-
pied territory in the west and south at
Add -el- -Krim's disposal. and possibly ex-
tricate his people from their present
regime of half rationS Meanwhile the
army is living well on the newly occu-
pied country.
The Riffians, being mountaineers,
have few horses. They have only be-
gun to raise a few hundred cavalry
men in the desert steppeS Of Metalsa,
to the eastward. Their artillery is
weak. Some is placed along the coast
against possible hostile debarkations.
Some is in storage. Six or eight Span
ish guns and few recently captured
from French blockhouses are being
employed against the French, but the
gunners are inexpert and not greatly
to be feared.
Infantry Is For midable.
Practically the whole of Abd-el.
Krims army consists Of infantry.
Each warrior wears brown djellaba,
or hooded cloak, the hood of which Is
thrown back and serves on occasion
as a knapsack. He goes barefooted
and is armed with a rifle, cartridge
pouch and a long curved knife. Some
operate machine guns and carry hand
grenades The warriors are exceed
ingly hardy and quick of movement.
Trained from infancy to marksman-
ship and scouting, they are good shots.
With the fanatical bravery OF the
Moslems, they combine real aptitude
for organization and discipline. They
are drilled in a simple manual Of arms
and can perform a few simple ma
neuvers They are organized in
groups of 25, so, 100, 200 and 500, with
appropriate officers. Discipline is in
formal, but severe.
Strategical command is exercised
skillfully from the rear by leaders who
are kept informed of the situation by
courier and telephone. Any insult
ficiency of tactical command is COM
pensated for by the agility of the war
riors and their natural skill in utiliz-
ing the terrain. Food and ammunition
are carried to the front lines as re-
quired, this service frequently being
performed by women.
The Riffians never make a direct
mass attack against main body of
their opponents. Their offensive
method is quite different. The French
it must be remembered, are operating
with Moslems against Moslems in a
Moslem land. The French front lies
among tribes who have submitted to
the French. The first move of the Riff
fan offensive is to make propaganda
among these tribes, to induce them tC
take the warpath against the French
Such an uprising, when it occurs, may
momentarily disorganize the French
defense. The Riffians profit by this
crime Molster, Charles w. Morris, Miss
A lice Murphy Herbert 7 MURRAY