Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-07

is even better, Moslem workmen
are spending French money to
build new permanent buildings
to house the school, infirmary
and administrative Offices.
The French will tell the
United Nations that their re-
Second Of Three Articles
forms in Algeria are sweeping
and will be permanent. 1t will
be best for Algeria to remain
French, the argument will run,
because it will be proved that
Algerians are best OF as
"Frenchmen" and because AL
gerians will want to be French
men,"
Vast Aid Program
The French certainly are
making heroic effort now to
do right by the Mosle m S
France is spending a half bill
lion dollars a year on public
works and investment here.
There are more than 400 places
like Cap-Djinet where an in
tensive reform and uplift pro-
gram is being carried out.
Charts Of home, road and
school building progress show
lines squirting up out of sight.
It's a real boom.
Most Frenchmen say these
reforms will save the French
position here by inducing the
Moslem population to stick with
France. But others are not
sure.
One French major at a new
housing project said. You
never know what these people
are thinking. We give them
better homes than they have
ever been able to get for them
selves. but they don't even say
Thank YOU We ask them if
they want to move in and they
say all right. and they move
in. We have signs on the new
villages saying France builds:
the rebels destroy and it's
true. But I don't know if these
people understand it,"
How Problem Began
What is this Algerian prob
lem anyhow, and how did it get
to be Frances problem?
Algeria is a vast area of
mountains and deserts which,
before the French occupied it
in 1880. was thinly populated
by scattered warning tribes.
Most of the country is life
less Sahara, but the northern
coast grew to eventually a pop
ulation of some 10 million Mos
lem descendants of the Arabs
and Berbers and about a MIL
lion descendants of Europeans,
After World War II France
declared this area legally to be
part of France and everyone in
it to be Frenchmen. This
"Frenchiflcation" of Algeria is
mostly a myth. however. SO
Frenchmen in informal con-
versation talk about Algeria"
and France" is if they were
separate countries.
French Settlers Took Over
In a vague. abstract way. the
Paris policy was to treat
Algeria and all Algerians as
French. Eut the French set
tiers here had a firm, vigorous
and well-established policy of
treating the Moslems as in
feiiorS = maintaining their
favored position by variety
OF "Jim Crow"-like political
and social institutions.
The settlers policy won
easily over Paris apathy. With
their political power, their
knowledge of Goth century
technology and their capital
resources. the settlers took
over and ran Algeria Only
about Is per cent of the
Moslem population has ever
been able to break into the
modern" economy of Algeria
and get a chance to earn and
live like the French. The rest
Of the Moslems stayed in their
archaic Civilizations pitifully
poor, dirty and helpless way
of life.
Three years ago the settlers
world was shattered. MoSlem
extremists decided to initiate
their neighbor Arabs and strike
for independence. The revolu-
ton broke out, and it is still
continuing.
The revolt shook Paris. The
prospect of losing another ter
ritory was psychological blow.
Then oil was discovered IN tie
Algerian Sahara-oil deSper-
ately needed by France.
Reforms Are Begun
So the French government
shook of its lethargy and de-
cided to run things right in
Algeria.
Some 100000 troops were
sent to put down the rebellion,
and a new Ministry of Algeria
was created to organize admin
istrative, social and economic
reforms.
Algerian administration was
decentralized. All reins mad
been held in AlgierS. Now the
country is broken up into null
tiple departments. procedures.
sub-prefectures. districts and
communities, French admins
traitors are everywhere, getting
a real KNOWLEDGE of local prob
lens and working out local
solutions.
The French get close TO the
Moslems. Here at Cap-Diinel
the French adviser lives with
the Moslems. speaks then
language and keeps the closest
possible contact in every way
His job is to advise them or
avory nrnhlnpn tbat occppo