Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-11
The BuiIdup

(180. 900 In Morocco alonel.
The Buildup
From the legal standpoint, the
three areas involved are not all in
the same category. Algeria, which
was conquered by France beginning
in 1880, has been Incorporated into
France. being . part Of metropolitan
France under the French constitu-
ton.
(The Algerian rebel. however. re-
fuses to accept the French" label.
and many Algerians. II not rebelli-
Gus. resent bitterly being treated as
''second-class citizens" In many
ways the Algerian natives are de-
prived Of the right they theoretically
enjoy. through rugged elections. In
timidation, etc.
Tunisia and Morocco, which
France took under her protection"
in 1881 and 1912. are not French
and do not belong to France. They
are sovereign states, with relation
ships to France defined by inter-
national treaties.
A Frenchman living in Morocco
is O foreigner there, like Q German
living In France.
Regardless Of legal labels,
throughout all three areas the
cause Of conflict IL the same:
Discomfort Of the natives with
present French domination. Their
discomfort Is by no means con-
fined to the political sphere. They
resent the fact that for the most
part their functions should be
merely those Of "hewers of wood
and drawers Of water"
What il at stake for France
in this conflict is enormous. Her
future rs q great power viii be
vitality affected by it. Furthermore,
she must look after the French
men who now live in North Africa
tabout $4,000 persons in Algeria
out Of q total population of 8 mil
lion; about 225.000 in Tunisia out
Of 81 million; about $4,000 in
Morocco out Of Million.
Incredible Delay
Admittedly, this problem is a diff
ficult one for France. Even so,
it seems almost incredible that
France should have allowed it to
reach its present intensity. The
explanation lies in the weakness,
the instability Of her government
Tor rather. governments).
There Is an almost fanatical op-
position (colons. financial interests,
super-patriots. etc. to France
making any concessions to the de-
mands Of the North African ma
tives. In the case Of Tunisia, the
government Of Mendes- France, who
seems to be the politician most able
to get action, did make concessions
last year, and Tunisia has since
been relatively calm. incidentally,
the Mendes-France government
later fell on . North African issue).
AZ for Morocco. no concessions
have been made. The offers to ne
gotiate made by the deposed Sultan,
Sidi Mohammed ben Youssef. were
not even answered. and in August,
1858, he was kicked OF the throne
and exiled.
Considerable effort has been
made to justify his forcible de-
thonement, which was a viola
ton Of Frances promise in the
protectorate treaty of Fee (1912)
TO respect and protect the Sultans
AUTHORITY and person. Sid Mo-
manned has been pictured as hav-
ing been roadblock in the way OF
Frances attempts to bring about
necessary reforms.
The truth seems to be that he
was removed because he stoutly
resisted, despite enormous pres
sure, Frances attempts to en-
croach upon Moroccan sovereignty
and because his polite, patient anx-
iousness to negotiate q new basis
for French-Moroccan relationships
was embarrassing to the French.
The internal reforms which he
refused to sign had "jokers" tucked
away in their lengthy provisions:
Far-reaching concessions to the
French.
Turning Point
The deposition and exile Of Sid
Mohammed was q turning point
for Morocco. AS Sultan, he wa
also Imam Oeader Of the Faith
fuO. He became In the eyes of the
great mass Of the Moroccan people
not only hero but also q martyr
q sort of George Washington and
Saint Joan combined. For many
of them his reinforcement crystal
lized q determination to resist the
French.
It was only after the dethrone-
ment that terrorism burst out in
Morocco. The French authorities
have responded with more force
And Morocco has gone further and
further IN vicious circle: repres-
sion, resistance, stronger repression
stronger resistance. The Moroccans
are In despair and the local French
are afraid. Despair and fear breed
hatred. Hatred is rampant in Mo-
rocco. Unless the vicious circle is
broken, the recent eruptions will
prove not to have been the last
or the worst.
French Role
viii the French government be
able to overcome its paralysis?
The situation having reached the