Evening star., 1952-12-14
Continued from Page A-2D.

Continued from Page A-2D.
rocco are "protectorates" of
France. France conducts all for
elgn relations for the two coun-
tries and gives advice-which
the Sultan of Morocco and Bey
of Tunis legally must accept
on domestic affairs. For most
practical purposes, France is in
complete control.
Fast vs.. Slow
The nationalists, led prin-
cipally by the Istiqlal Party in
Morocco and the Neo-Destour
Party in Tunisia. insist that
France is obligated to give the
protectorates their independ-
ence quickly, if not immedi-
ately.. France comedies that
eventual independence is de-
sirable, but wants to move to-
ward reform at her own pace.
The rabid nationalists reply
that Frances pace is really
complete halt, because, they say,
France does not want to relax
her grip-ever.
A group of sympathetic Arab
and Asian countries took the
Tunisian nationalists' case to
the United Nations. They asked
that a three-nation good Of
fees" commission be set up to
negotiate differences between
France and the nationalists.
France said the U. N. had no
jurisdiction over the purely in
ternal" dispute in Tunisia.
French delegates have boy
cotted U. N. debate on the
Arab-Asian resolution.
U. S. in the Middle
The United States delegation
was in the middle. France has
a good case-she has done a
great deal to improve conditions
in her protectorates and is sin
cere, in the opinion of the
American delegation, in her de-
sire to give the two countries
gradual self-rule. What is more,
America wants to stay on
Frances good side during nego-
tiations to induce France to
make a larger contribution to
the NATO defense of Europe.
On the other hand, the United
States always is inclined to give
colonial peoples a sympathetic
hearing. She remembers her
own past-and the past of the
Philippines, a former colony
now an independent nation.
Last week in the U. NJ, the
United States decided to take a
middle ground. It announced
support for a Latin American
resolution which merely would
ask France and the nationalists
to continue negotiations over
self-government. The Arab
Asian resolution then was de-
feated in the Political and
Security Committee, q to "a.
The United States stood against
the Asians and Arabs, the Soviet
bloc, and several European
nations. France did not vote.
Most countries then joined
to approve the Latin American
compromise, As to 3. But the
United States stand had irked
both France and the Arab
Asian bloc.
Direct Action
While the U. N. last week
seemed to be doing its
best to avoid the issue, Tunisian
and Moroccan nationalist IA
natics took direct action. There
were frequent acts of violence
aimed at the French in Tunis.
Trains were machine-gunned,
and stores were bombed and
looted. The French took pre-
ventive" measures. A night cur
few was announced; private
telephone communication was
banned; troops were alerted.
The restrictions were relaxed
toward the end Of the week,
but scattered incidents con-
tinued.
In Morocco it was almost re-
volution. Native rioters. shoot
ing for independence, attacked
French sections Of Casablanca.
They were opposed by military
planes dropping tear gas bombs.
Armored cars and tanks pa
trolled the streets More than
SO persons were killed. Most
were Arab rioters, some were
Europeans, hacked and burned
to death by the fanatics.
The French attempted to
break the riots by arreSting
more than 1000 Arabs. includ-
ing 26 leaders Of the Istiqlal
Party and u Communist Lead
ers. More than $50 Arab rioters
were promptly tried and SEN
fenced to q year in jail. The top
political leaders and four natives
charged with murder we're held
for further investigation and
later trial.