Evening star., 1947-08-14
Franco Keeps Watch
On Activity Of Old
Enemy, ADD eI Krim
BY theAsseeIossd Press

MADRID, Aug. 14.-Generalissimo
Francisco Franco Is keeping q watch
full eye on his old enemy, Abc el
Krim, now in Egypt, while continu-
ing a paternalistic policy in Spanish
Morocco.
The caudillo kept silent when the
Riff leaders slipped from French Gus
tody to refuge in Cairo. Nothing was
said publicly either to Paris or to
King Farouk's government. Spain
had protested to France earlier,
when the decision to move Add el
Krim from his Indian Ocean exile
was first reported. In Spanish Mo-
rocco. scene Of his battles "a years
ego, Spanish onicials say the situA-
ton remains quiet.
Privately, some spaniards profess
10 be amused at the Add .el Krtm
affair. Some highly placed sources
here interpret the French decision
to move him as an act of ill-will
toward Spain which backfired. In
their eyes Egypt's action caused
France TO lose face in the Arab
world.
Blow TO French Seem.
They were similarly amused last
April when the sultan Of Morocco,
Sid Mohammed, visited the inter-
national zone at Tangier and re-
ceived a great reception from the
Arabs there. They interpreted his
statements as blow at the French.
In both cases their amusement
was mixed with worry. Sidi Mo-
hammed is the nominal sovereign
of Spanish Morocco as well as
French Morocco and Tangier. When
he told Tangier newsmen that mo-
rocco ardently wishes to attain full
rights" He made no distinction be-
tween the Spanish and French pro-
tectorates. So far as Add ell Krim
is concerned, Spaniards could not
help remembering he caused Spain
considerable trouble until French
help came to defeat him.
Those friendly to the Franco re-
gime say that the caudillo's personal
prestige is high in Morocco. They
recall that 1t was Franco who, as
colonel in command of the Spanish
foreign legion, led the vanguard in
the landing at Alhucemas, one Of
the final actions against Add el
Krim.
Some Spaniards Irked.
During his successful command In
the Spanish civil war, Franco
brought Moorish troops back to the
European continent where they had
not fought since 1892. He retained
squadron as his personal escort,
and appears on state occasions sur
rounded by Moor horsemen. These
facts annoy many Spaniards, but
they do Franco no harm in Morocco
Although some observers here
think Add el Kr1m has no prestige
left in Morocco because Of his defeat
and long absence, newspapers in
the Spanish zone have been forbid
den to print news about his stay in
Egypt. Accounts of his escape"
were freely published in Spain it.
self.
Under Col. Jose Maria Ddaz-vil-
ledaa, director general of Morocco
and colonies, Spanish administra-
tors continue traditional policy of
wootng notable Moors." Last No
vsmber they permitted establish
ment Of four native ministries"
under the Khalifa, deputy Of the
sultan, although ther functions are
largely nominal. A son Of the Kha1-
ifa is O law student at Madrid UNI
verstty, and his career is followed
closely by the Spanish press.
Conference Delayed.
One important event which may
affect the Spanish position in Mo-
rocco is the international confer
ence on Tangier, originally sched-
uled for February, 1916.
The Russians are scheduled to
participate in this work, and 1t has
bee reported that they refuse to
recognize participation of the
Franco regime. Paul H. Alling, new
United States minister to Syria, told
the Associated Press in an inter-
view just before he left his post
as diplomatic agent at Tangier, that
the zone should be governed by
countries without political interests
there. Spain and France, because
Of their position in Morocco, obvi-
ously have such interests.
Meanwhile, Spain is cultivating
the friendship of the Arab countries,
to which Franco is grateful for their
abstention in the last vote on Spain
in the United Nations. Trade with
Egypt Is being encouraged. Diplo-
matte relations have been estab-
lished with Tran-J Jordan