New Britain herald., 1926-05-27


 hand in Morocco if France gave l England a free hand in Egypt And the agreement included q secret
 clause. which ultimately became
 public providing mutual aid in
 case a third nation Germany at-
 tempted 10 disturb inc agreement.
 Then Franco-Spanish agreemen.
 with the same kind Of a clause.
 Thcn Emperor William of Ger
 many 10 the scene. A speech by the
 king Of the Germans at Tangicr;
 the sultan Of Morocco, he said. is
 an absolutely independent sov- creign, and would be regarded as
 such by the Germans. The mailed
 fist; but no war. France would not
 risk one over Morocco. The AL
 gcciras conference instead, between
 six powers, including the United
 States. The 'open door" in Moroc- co resulted; international control" !" but really under the aegis of France and Spain.
 Moorish, Berber, Ria1an tribes men opposed the French Spanish penetration, spheres of influence, protcctoratc civilization. Disorders were frequent. In 1911, five years after the Algeciras conference, Trance sent a force 10 Fez to re- store order and Spain penetrated further. More European war clouds developed when the kaiser an- nounced he would send q warship to Agadr. Premier Caillaux Of France preferred 10 play diplo- matic poker rather than war; an agreement with Germany resulted, ccding to Germany a portion of French equatorial Africa for a free hand in Morocco.
 And so on. A native attack on Fez; a massacre; the French pro tcctorate frightened; Mulai Yusef proclaimed sultan, his brother hav- ing been induced to abdicate upon payment of q French pension; Franco Spanish convention, bring ing about a Spanish protectorate along the Mediterranean coastal regions - the Riff - and q French proteCtorate over the remainder, except Tangicr, which was inter nationalized." In 1914 the French occupied Taza, making possible @ junction of the Moroccan and AL gerian railroad joining Fez with the coast and Algeria manifest ly a military railroad.
 Then the World War, the peace l treaty, and more trouble in Moroc- ] co in due time. The Beni Warria- gel, a Berber tribe, had Abd-El- | Krim as its leader. He was edu- { catcd, possessed generalship and | was a statesman of sorts. His first ! move was to rally all Il of the Riff tribes and in 1921, at Melilla, soundly thrashed the Spaniards and l brought the Riff republic into be- ing. The republic lasted five years . until 1926, It died when Krim 
 The Spanish army was decisive Iy beaten along three fronts by 1924. At this juncturc the French occupied the Ouergha valley where the Rinlans kept their stores, and Krim attacked the French. The French lost 10000 lives in the next two years, The Rifian army was never more than 50,000 men, and not all of that number reliable. The two European powers had 100000 men, tanks. airplanes, ar iillery and bombs; also Marshal Fetain.
 The Rlffian war was no small af fair. Morocco has an area Of 231.- poo square miles; it's size can be judged by remembering that Con- nocticut has an area of 5,o0t square miles. Morocco has q popu- ation of 6,ooo,oOO people, and of these 2,o0o,0OO lived in the war area - number greater than the entire population Of Connecticut.
 In his fighting with the Spanish Hrim had everything his own way: 2ven Spanish general - Navarro - was captured at Melilla, when 10000 troops and their arms were ,aptured by 5000 Eimans led by (rim's younger brother. Krim be- 'amc president of the Riff rcpub- ic; then proclaimed himself sultan.
 The turning point was when the French provoked his attack in the lucrgha valley Although Marshal -yautoy could make little hoadway lgainst the Riffs in the fighting which followed, the prestige of rance demanded q big effort and bigger general-Petain. A great 'inccr movement did the rest.
 krim will be eNilol; he and his amily will be able to live in peace crcafter, like an eNiled sultan. His wealth will insure easy living. now