Evening star., 1942-04-19
Nv WILLIAM McGAFFIN,

the fTtnCnUlSn OF NOTbn ATTIC
ttill hates the Germans as passion
ately "A his father did. but hi
Arabic brother does not.
A good portion of the local Arabic
world, by the estimates of Arabs
themselves, Is pro-Gerrnan today.
That is a result partly Of German
propaganda. but more particularly
because Germany has rolled up ar
impressive string of victories.
The average native has simple
mind He is impressed by force and
by prophets. He has regarded Hitler
as a prophet because up TO the set
back in Russia, he had done the
things he promised.
Opportunism rather than patri-
otism governs the average Arab
The French have lost face with him
as a consequence OF the defeat. II
does not matter to him who wins
the war so long as he can get some
thing out of It. The Germans have
him believing he would profit s
their victory
In parts of North Africa the ma
tives now Use German expressions,
The natives Of Morocco are partic-
ularly outspoken.
They are the only ones who ever
organized and tried to do something
about their grievances.
Party Driven Underground
The Nationalist party they organ
ICED before the war, however, called
Moroccan Action" has been driven
underground. One of Its two prin-
cipal leaders, Mohammed Anal
Fassi, is in exile. while the other'
Mohammed Hassan Ouazzani, Is In
termed in the Moroccan hinterland'
Some OF their lieutenants still are
at large. They told me the Arabs
were glad to see the Germans beat
the French because the French
shave made us suffer So They
wanted some one to help them re-
gain their independence. they SAID
There is no doubt that the Ger
mans have promised to help. They
have listened to all the Arab griev-
ances-and promised them the
moon. -.
But the Germans are not getting
nearly so far with their propaganda
as one would imagine-as a conse-
ouence of the surprising spunk the
French authorities showed.
A stringent program was carried
out. particularly during Gen. Wey-
ssnd's reign. I know OF at least .,
dozen natives who were executed
as German spies. Another ZOO OF
more were imprisoned.
The lieutenants of Moroccan Ac'
ton confirmed this. "An Arab cam
not even say Good day to a Ger
man agent without risking being
clapped into jail they compiaineo
Moroccan Action, they SAID, nas
been forced into a policy OF lying
low for the time being"
Cotton Cloth Needed.
But the French acts themselves
they said. are the best German
propaganda"
The Moroccan Action program
calls, among other things, for re-
forms In education, land olstrlou-
ton. justice and health"
A more immediate problem porn
Of the war, is the serious shortage
of sugar, tea and cotton CLOTH
staples OF native existence.
The United States has relieved the
situation somewhat by shipping IN
several cargos Of those things un-
der the economic aid program. This
shortage has worried the French
greatly, for they know 1t is one
thing which could rouse the ma
tives into rioting. There have been
no serious disturbances to date,
however.
The French will tell you the ma
tives are collaborating closely.
With many Arabs the verb should
not be collaborating but submit
ting" Yet there are thousands,
especially among the great mass OF
lowly commoners, who are content
under the French. They say they
are better of since the French have
freed them from the prosecutions
and iniustices suffered under the
old Sultans.
The French. however, have been
more successful in aSsuaSlnS the
dissidence of the sheiks-on whom
they concentrated-thsn OF the
common people. In one way and
another they have made it profit
able for even the greatest Of these
men TO accept French rule. And
with them in the bag. 1t did not
matter much what the masses
thought.
Natives Are without Arms.
The native masses today are with
out arms. without organization
without leadership. That is why II
a. not as serious as it sounds that
so per cent have Succumbed TO the
German siren song And they VIII
turn pro-Ally quickly enough as we
start rolling up victories.
There are Germans al WORK II
North Africs.-but not IN anywhere
near the numbers you hear bruitec
about by persons who never have
set foot in the country. There are
italians there, too. But there are
neither Germans nor Italians II
Dakar. according to the reports O.
American observers on the spot
The Germans use Cssablanca al
their North African headquarters
IT is connected with Wiesoaden
where the main armlstice COM
mission Is sitting, by 8 regular Naz
sir service. There are around 2Ot
members, many of them armed ano
uniformed. on the German arnistlct
commission in Morocco. OBSERVER
say there are perhaps so more Ger
mans spread across Algeria anc
TlInisis,
The Italians use Algiers as theil
Headquarters. There are around s.
members on the Italian armlsuc'
commission in Algeria, with an esti
mated so scattered Throughout
Tunisis and Morocco.
In addition, number OF NATIVES
and some refugees are known 10 b'
employed as Axis agents. But theru
has been no mass inlltration b,
the Axis. That is the conclusion
Of experienced diplomats who hav'
kept careful watch on Norti
Africa since the armistice.