Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-09-27
FRANCE AND MOROCCO
BY FRANK II. SIMONDS.

The war in which France Is nr~-
engaged best demonstrates the futii
tty of any policy Of retirement, for the
triumph of the Riffs over the Spanish
and the practical expulsion of Spain
from her zone between Tangier and
Melilla has inevitably resulted in their
attempt to drive France from Fee and
Taxa. and to seat Abd-el-Krim in the
palace of the Sheriff. AS the struggle
has now overlooked into the French
zone of Morocco, SO 1t would in time
inevitably overflow into tho border
districts of Algeria.
The present French ministry, like
that which preceded it, is profoundly
pacifist in spirit, and the men who
dominate have not the smallest sym
pathy with colonial Imperialism In the
ordinary sense. But the fact is thai
French rule in territory which was
assigned to France by international
treaty, territory in which France has
already expended millions of dollars,
built railways. roads and cities, Is not
only challenged, but in actual danger,
and the fire which has run perilously
in northern Morocco might easily
spread across the imaginary boundary
which separates Morocco from Algeria
Despite all contrary rumors and
charges, peace with Add -el-krim
would be illusory, because on any
available terms 1t would establish
him as a ruler of a considerable ter
ritory with the opportunity and the
will to resume later his enterprise.
which Is to conquer Morocco and be
come it's sovereign. France might
conceivably buy peace now, but at
price which would mean present
humiliation and immediate and In
| creasing danger. The war itself is
desperately unpopular in France, 50
| unpopular that the government has
| been gravely handicapped in getting
| the men and the money necessary,
| but despite the original evaporation.
| the mass Of the French population
has come to see the realities and the
opposition has dwindled to the Com
| munists and extreme Socialists.
- * +
Viewed from the point Of view OF
| creditor, French policy in Moroc-
| CO is the only conceivable course, be
| cause any other line of action would
mean the immediate abandonment of
| vast present investments and the ul-
| innate loss of territory which must
| be considered one of the great as
sets of France in the future. More
| over, II would insure new war at
| a non-distant date when Abd-el-krirn
/ would be far better equipped. Finally.
| short of general retirement from all
OF North Africa. France would, in the
face of the continuing menace, be
obliged to maintain large armies per
manently in North Africa.
Peace between Abd-el-Krim and
France was never possible. despite the
various reports to the contrary, be
| cause Abd-el Krim was not unnatur-
ally inflated by the victory over the
Spanish and Immediately laid claim
| to territories within the French
boundaries. Moreover, his dream. as
I have said, was the conquest of all
Of Morocco, the overthrow of the
present shereef who rules under
French protection, and the creation
Of great native state.
The Moroccan War. then. is an ad-
ditional French misfortune, not the
consequence of unwise or overambi-
tious policies. 1t was unavoidable the
moment the Spanish were beaten and
driven out of their zone. Again,
France is not wasting money on a
profitless venture she is at one time
protecting her vast investment in
North Africa which would otherwise
be menaced, nd preserving the OPP
portunity to complete the organiza-
ton of Morocco. which will one day
be one of the richest of colonial pos
! sessions.
fCopvrivh+ Iqp5l