Evening star., 1925-05-20
LOSS OF COLONIES
OR LONG, HARD WAR
THREATENS FRANCE
Flood of Red Propaganda In
CreaSeS Acute Problem
{ in Paris.
FRENCH AFRICAN FUTURE
RESTS ON COURSE NOW
Painleve Under Bitter Fire OF
Socialists, Unable to Adopt
T. Fast Policy.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CUNSIANllNE DRo"+N'
BY Gable to The Star and Chicago Daily News
PARIS, May 20.-On the success or
failure OF the effort to thwart Abd-El-
krim's action in Morocco depends the
entire future of France in North
Africa.
If Abd-El-Krim cannot be crushed,
the spirit of sedition which has mace
itself felt in Tunis, Algiers and MO-
rocco since last Fall will gain ground
and France will either have to race a
colonial war in which hundreds OF
thousands of men and millions OF COL
lars will be involved or renounce her
North African possessions
Extremist to Protest.
This is fully realized by the present
government which is endeavoring 10
give all the assistance it can 10 fleld
Marshal Lyautey, although IL also
realizes the difficulties and severe
criticism ii will meet as soon as the
chamber convenes early next week.
The extreme Socialist and CommuDist
press already indicate the feelings Oh
extremists in the chamber. They
are openly against any adventure IN
Morocco which may cost the treasury
millions of francs, and the nation
thousands of lives.
Paris is well plastered with Commun-
ist posters asking the people II they
want this murderouS. fratricidal war,
while thousands of pamphlets are be-
ing distributed among the young sol
ders going to Morocco describing the
helIish conditions of life in that hot
country where they will be compel
led to march under a blazing sun unuI
they fall from exhaustion and then,
if their brutal officers do not shoot
them mercilessly, they are bound to
be killed by Abd-El-krim's sharp
shooters skiIlfully hidden behind
rocks"
Troops Asked to Revolt.
The soldiers are urged either to
surrender to Add -El-Krim or turn
their arms against their own leaders
Under the circumstances, the Pain
Ieve cabinet is taking only half-heart-
ed measures and, in order not to help
the unhealthy propaganda when is
going on in the country, it keeps con-
cealed the actual figures OF French
losses in Morocco. Socialist newspa-
pers, including the widely read QUO
tiden, which represents the views of
the ma jority in the chamber, demand
immediate peace negotiations with
Abd-el-krim. and suggests that the
cabinet send at once civilian delegates
selected from members OF the So
cialist party.
If the cabinet yields the delegates
will be much similar to the commits
iars appointed by kerensky after the
Russian revolution. 1t is openly ad-
mitted, even by the government, that
the situation in North Africa is eX-
tremelv serious and that it will re-
quire a great effort to crush the move
ment skillfully engineered by ADD
L. tCrt ri
ers, who are preaching sedition among
the Arabs against the French.
Mountain Tribes in Fight.
In addition to a we'll organized Riff
fan army, Marshal Lyautey must be
prepared to face now an attack from
10000 Berbers, hardy mountaineer
tribes, as well as warriors from the
south. A certain effervescence has
been noted among the so far friendly
or neutral tribes of Algeria, while
Tunisian Nationalists, who caused Sc
rious trouble last October, are hard
az work again endeavoring to arouse
the Tunisian Nomad proposition.
Marshal Lyautey's dispatches, which
reached Paris today. indicate a lull on
the whole front. but mention the sig
: nifcant fact that Abd-el-Krim' ennis
Saries were able to get through the
lines and have started propaganda
work anew informing Moroccans that
Add -el-krim is preparing a new Of
fensive against unbelievers and that
his success depends largely on wheth-
er they are willing to take up arms
and attack the French from behind
and cut or harass their lines of COM
munication.
The French authorities are having
a hard time hindering this insidious
propaganda, for nobody can tell
whether a peaceful Arab, slipping
quietly into a coffee bazaar or offering
his wares for sale, is really a mer-
chant or a dangerous propagandist.
copyright. 1925. by Chicago Daily News Coz
HUGE LOSSES REPORTED.