Evening star., 1955-09-18
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
suddenly decide to abdicate his
throne and clear the way for a
series Of long overdue reforms
IN the French COLONIAL adminis-
tration OF Morocco. Most Of the
watchers are reporters fearful
that their story may evade them
II they relax their vigilance. But
there are also other cars filled
with grim looking young French
men. The Presence Francaise
powerful Organization of French
settlers-is bitterly opposed to
the governments plan of re-
form and has sworn to prevent
Ben Arafa's departure II it can.
It is a tiresome vigil relieved
by occasional moments of excite
ment. A steady stream of visitors
ragged Arabs In turbans and
shuffiling heellesS slippers--grave
dignified Caids in snow white
djellebahs-paSs In and out by
the sentry.
Suddenly q caravan Of gleam-
ing limousines swings into the
compound gate and speeds to-
ward the palace, kicking UP dust
rs it comes. El Glaoui, powerful
pasha OF Marrakech. has come
10 see the sultan.
No Social Call
It is no social call. El Glaoui.
traditional supporter of French
colonialism and Ben Arafa. Is
trying to persuade the sultan to
ride out the storm. Failing that.
he will fight to pack a regency
council named to rule in Arafa's s
place with men of his own persu-
aston. El Glaoui's black Rolls
Royce breezes by a saluting SEN
try into the inner courtyard.
Three Cadillacs filled with the
pasha's armed bodyguard draw
up in line outside during the
our-long audience. As the Rolls
returns, reporters catch glimpse
Of hooded. bearded figure on
the back seat who leans forward
and waves as he speeds by.
The tug Of war. however is not
entirely one-sided. Palace watch-
ers have also watched the Black
Guard parade majestically in
the courtyards filled with white
gloved honor guards and officers
on splendid Arab horses for al
full dress visit Of the French
resident-general. Gen. Pierre
Boyer de Latour would very
much prefer to see things peace
fully settled. Since his arrival in
Morocco q month ago his chief
concern has been to avoid blood
Bhed over the question of Ben
Arafa's departure. A powerful
military force has been called In
with the primary purpose Of
cooling the impatience OF Arab
nationalist leaders. On the other
side, he has counseled against
hastily applying decisions ar
rived at in Paris until the local
French population can be talked
into q more reasonable frame of
mind.
Inaction Breeds Violence
And yet Boyer de Latour is
enough Of q realist to know that
the deadlock cannot be indefin-I
ltely prolonged. Sooner or later,
inaction itself will breed vio-|
lence, bring down French gov
srnment and lay the whole plan
Of Moroccan reform in ruins.
The resident-general has said
he will never use force to break
the logjam and oust Ben Arafa
from his precarious throne. But
neither has he failed to make
the situation quite clear to His
Majesty in the course of re-
peated conversations In the
throne-room.
This day as the audience ends
and the general strides toward
his waiting limousine, everyone
is looking particularly grim.
Apart from purely formal mill
tary salutes. none of the usual
eourtesies is exchanged with the
Arab officials escorting him out.
As one of them leans into the
car to shake hands with the
general he turns brusquely away
and looks out the car. window.
And finally, since even the
stage-set palace must deal with
the press, there is the Sultan's
oficial spokesman. OF all the fig
ures in the drama Hadj Akder-
rahmane FL Hajoui is the most
theatrically perfect. Suave and
handsome, Ell Hajoui confronts
reporters like a fugitive from
. Rudolph Valentino movie. 1t is
hard to believe that this magnifi-