Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-07
Terror in Morocco
Second Attempt to Assossinote New Sultan
Calls Attention to Settling Unrest
By Joachim Joesten


RABAT, Morocco-"There is no
other country in the world where
ones follies are paid for more
promptly or more dearly than in
Morocco"
These words were uttered, some
40 years ago, by Marshal Lyautey,
the first French Resident General
in Morocco, whose body lies en-
tombed in handsome shrine hid
den behind the luXuriant growth
of exotic plants in the Residential
Gardens. His spirit has fed from
these parts and his wise preceptS
have long since been overgrown by
the ill weeds of selfishness and
thoughtleSs bureaucracy. But Mar
shall Lyautey's penetrating state
ment is being amply vindicated in
OUR day.
If it was no folly per sc to remove
Sultan Mohammed ben YousSef,
the way it was done-on one of the
hottest days of the Moslem calen-
dar-certainly was an outstand-
ing one. And now it is being paid
for, little more every day.
promptly and very dearly. as Ly-
autey had warned.
Lond Of Fear
For months. this beautiful but
tortured land has known no peace
of mind, no respite from fear. A
sitting atmosphere Of terror and
suspicion hangs heavily over Mo-
rocco. enveloping the bright. mod
ern cities and the dark. teeming
medin1hS (native Quarters) alike.
Sudden death-by bullet, dagger
or bomb-lurks everywhere, as the
extreme nationalists. no longer re-
strained by respect for their SOW
ereign, have embarked on an all
out campaign of vengeful terrorism.
No sooner had the new Sultan,
Mohammed ben Arafa, been in
stalled by the French, than an at
tempt to asSaSSinate him was made
(September IL, 1859 on his own
private grounds. He was going on
horseback from the heavily guarded
palace to the nearby mosque for the
traditional Friday prayer when an
Arab house painter tried to run him
down in an old automobile.
Last month at Marrakech, capital
of Southern Morocco, an abortive
attempt to aSsassinate THANH Ell
Glaoui, most prominent of the
pachas and long time friend Of
France, was made. Again, the
would-be aSsaSSins picked Friday
February 19), and this time they
went so far as to stage their attempt
inside mosque, the famous Kou-
toubia.
Last Friday some throwing
terrorist tried to get both the Sultan
and Ell Glaoui at the same mosque
In Marrakech, where they had gone
together to say prayers. The Sultan
was hurt slightly in the forehead but
was able to walk away with Ell
Glaoui, who escaped injury.
Between these three principal
landmarks of current terrorism,
there has been long series Of bomb
outrages, shootings, knifings and
other terrorist activities, most Of
which have gone unreported in the
world press. True, the Christmas
eve massacre at CaSablanca, in
which II persons were killed and 80
injured by bomb touched of in a
busy market square, made world
headlines. But the hundreds of in
dividual killings as well as the many
acts Of sabotage against railroads.
post Offices and other public places
have, for the most part, gone I'M
noticed abroad.
Even provisional and incomplete
compilation shows that about 100
people have lost their lives in ter
rorist outrageS since the day the
French Resident General deposed
the Sultan and sent him into exile,
last August 20.
In frantic attempt to cope with
the mounting wave Of terrorism.
the French are taking increasingly
drastic steps. Armed guards are
posted In or near all important
buildings. All top government
leaders, from the Sultan down, move
about under heavy police escort
only. Soldiers and gendarmes. Of
whom one sees prodigious numbers,
are permanently on the alert.
Every major act Of terrorism is fol-
lowed BY mass arrest Of suspects,