White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-10-13

Prepared by National Geographic Society.
Washington. D. C.-WNU Service.
TRENCH Morocco is becoming oil
X conscious. Preliminary borings
near the town of Mekinex have
shown such promise that modern
machinery which will drill to great
depths has been ordered.
French Morocco, though streaked
with the rugged heights Of both the
High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas noun
tains, and dotted with vast dry plains
and deserts which give large part Of
Its area a forbidding aspect, has sew
eral large cities OF great commercial
and political Importance in northern
Africa.
Casablanca and Rabat are the lead
ing coast towns and handle a large
part of the colonys sea trade. Casa
blanca was founded by the Portuguese
about decade before Columbus dis
covered America, but the newcomers
held it only short time until the ma
tives routed them and set up Mosfem
stronghold. Casablanca was occupied
by the French in 1907 and began I'M
provements that have made it the
show city Of Morocco.
From a city with population equal
to that of Elgin, ILL.,, Casablanca has
grown by leaps and bounds until it
now has nearly as many inhabitants
AS Kansas City. Mo. The pedestrian
could easily imagine himself in a
European city were it not for the Afri-
cans of midnight black, chocolate
brown and tan compilations. One-haf
the Inhabitants are Moslems; slightly
more than a third are French, Span
ish and Italian, and other Europeans,
and the rest are Jews.
The price of a room in one of Casa
blanca's hotels not only affords Euro
pean comforts but also the equivalent
/ of ring-side circus seat. An automo-
bile rolls by with prosperous French
business man or a feZ-bedecked Turk
ish merchants wealthy sheiks stroll
along in their flowing white garments
and tightly wound turbans, holding
each others hands; dignified French
officers in medal-bedecked uniforms
are ousted from the paths of little
grain-laden donkeys with barefoot
Moors astride, and now and then,
plodding along in awkward fashion,
three or four moth aten, cud- chewing
camels pass by, often followed closely
by small future 'ship Of the desert. .
Thickly sprinkled among this seeth-
ing mass of humanity of various
breeds and blends, are the ever pres
ent noisy street hawkers, darting here
and there with their homemade rugs,
sweetmeats, hammered brassware, and
"whatnots."
Bad Harbor Was Made Safe.
Why France poured fortune into
Casablanca was a mystery to Europe
It had one of the worst natural har-
bors on the coast. The low, rocky
shore lay open to the strong west
winds and the lashing waves of the
Atlantic. No river runs through the
city to the ocean. But the appropria
ton was partly used for the construc
ton of breakwaters and harbor i'm
provements that have been dom
inant factors in the city's development
to the second largest city in the pro
tectorate. Ocean-going vessels thai
anchored perilously off the coast car
enter Casablanca's port today.
Casablanca also has electric lights
and power and modern water works
Railroads now connect the city witt
Morocco, (Marrakesh) the capital o.
the protectorate and North African
points. Daily air service is maintained
between Casablanca and Toulouse
France and planes fly every two week!
to Oran.
Rabat was built almost 500 year!
ago by the labor of 10000 Christian
slaves. The city is located on thu
northwestern coast adjacent to tn,
old city of Sale, former lair of cor
sairs
There are two present-day Rabats
French Rabat and the native town
French Rabat is like bit of trans
planted Europe. 1t has wide street
, and smart little villas like those o
the Riviera. In its streets are womel
wearing Partisan clothes, bushes
men in sack suits and smartly uni
, formed French officers. There ar
telephones and electric lights and .mO
. tor cars. Everything is modern ant
efficient and over 10000 Euro yean
live within its hnrders-