Evening star., 1925-05-25

Dakar to Calcutta and the active sup
port Of the world Third
Internationale directed by Moscow.
'It isn't so much ADD. FL -Krim who
is dangerous" Marshal Foch re-
marked recently, ''as what he has
behind him."
Victory over the French, following
his repeated victories over Spain,
would rejoice the Communists every.
where and would stir up the Moslems
Of the world to the depths. The writer
does not believe Abd-El-Krim can
achieve such victory. 1t Is the
writer's belief that his most dan
gerous blow has been parried and that
the worst danger already is past.
BY a remarkable combination OF
military skill and sheer heroism Fee
has been saved. Indeed, hte French
ought soon to be In a position to
choose whether they will continue the
purely defensive attitude which here
tofore has been imposed on them by
circumstances. The fact remains that
the military issue Is obscured by com.
plicated psychological and political
considerations.
World In Ignorance.
So far the outside world has had
scarcely more than an inkling of the
dramatic events which during the last
80 days have been filled with the roar
of guns.
Having viewed the situation first
from the Riffian side and then from
the French: having conversed at
length with Add FL -Krim last October,
and having now been admitted to the
confidence of the French high COM
mand, the writer is in a position 70
attempt what perhaps is the first full
relation of this astonishing chapter of
cotemporary history. He must add
however. that all statements con-
tanned in this relation are made solely
upon the writer's responsibility.
The astonishing thing is not, of
course, that the French should be
defending themselves, but that ADD
El-krim should have dared to attack
them. Who is this North African
| native that he shold venture a trial
at arms with one of the worlds
greatest military powers? To the
casual eye such temerity must ap-
pear suicidal. But Add Ell krim is
ambitious.
Has Dream OF Empire.
''All countries" he said last Au-
tumn, were small to begin with
Germany. Britain, America. Rome.
Greece. Carthage"
How could he have expressed more
plainly his dream of empire? Spain
was the initial obstacle to realiza-
ton of these dreams. Spain has been
humbled. France is the second OBJ
Stac1e. France, too. must go.
More than Il year he had been
preparing his great offensive against
the French zone. Even while he was
engaged with the Spanish around the
Inflated blockhouses Of Chechouan
last Summer and Autumn his ennis
saries were going out to all the larger
tribes of Morocco. preaching hatred,
sedition and revolt against the
French. There were, he knew. only
$4,000 French troops in all Morocco.
or these 10000 were MoslemS. Nor
Is the French zone entirely pacified
Southern Morocco is held not so
much by the French themselves as
by their loyal native ally. Cand FL
Glaoui. In Atlas there is a small
circle of dissidents whom the French
have not yet reduced. Across from
| Atlas, in Tafllelt. is another dissident
zone. Far to the south roam the
blue -robed, black-veiled warriors of
Menebbi Rebbo. the unsubdued lord
of the western Sahara, and eastward,
in Algeria, in Tunis, the new spirit
of Moslem nationalism is known to
have been growing.
Seeks Others as Allies.
With all these peoples the bold
| Sultan of the Riff has established re-
| lations. His aim. obviously. Is to rep
| resent himself throuhout Tunis, All
geria and Morocco as a victorious
champion, win over FL Glaoui from
| the French. enlist Menebbi Rebbo as
an ally, excite the French Moslem
garrisons to mutiny, raise the tribes
| against the French. especially the
tribes between the Riff and Fee, and
| then-through the confusion thus
wrought-march VIGOROUSLY to EN-,
! pire.
| Informed regarding the general
political situation by press clippings,
by his own agents, and especially by
agents of the Communist world con-
spiracy, this also he esteemed to be in
his favor. In France there was a
government pre-occupied wholly with
peace and economy, which seemed not
| to take the Moroccan situation seri-
ously. In any case, it sent no re-
| Inducements. French Communists
were being allowed openly to preach
sedition to the French Army, and
were sending throughout North Africa
seditious propaganda, printed In Ara.