Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-21
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RABAT. Morocco. Nov. 81
B.-When King Mohammed
v Of Morocco-formerly Sultan
begins his visit to the United
States next week many Amer
leans will get to know one Of
the most moderate leaders Of
the turbulent Arab world.
The 48-year-old ruler reached
the peak of his popularity and
power on a wave Of fiery ma
tionalism that swept away a
44-year French colonial regime
in 1855. To 10 million moroc-
cans he is a hero who suffered
two years of exile for his mildly
expressed patriotic convictions.
But Sidi Mohammed Ben
Youssef is no rabble-rouser. no
neurotic nationalist. Neither
is he an extravagant playboy
potentate surrounded by a har-
EN- and basking in glitter.
He has his share of material
grandeur-10 big baroque PAL
aces built by Sultans before
him in the last 1000 years. a
feet of IS American cars, a
large personal fortune. a highly
colorful personal bodyguard
and two of the four wives Mos
lem law allows.
Devoted Father Of Six
But behind this pomp is a
devoted father of six, devout
religious leader who commands
Moslem respect. a shy, modest
statesman with gift for subtle
speech.
On unofficial trips to Europe
he wears Western business
suits. But when he arrives in
Washington next Monday in a
United States Air Force plane
for the start of his 15-day off,
cial visit to the United States,
he will be wearing the ira
ditional f1oor-length jellaba
gown of fine gabardine or
worsted, felt tarboosh hat and
Belgha slippers Of yellow or
white sheepskin.
The King is small and ap-
parently frail. He has a slight
stoop from two abdominal OPP
erations. But he begins his day
at dawn and works like a.
dynamo until midnight, with
only a one-hour recess for an
afternoon siesta.
At palace audiences he sits
on the edge Of a huge brocaded
throne. But he can sweep
protocol aside on state occa-
sion and bounce his 3-year-old
daughter, Lalla Amina, on his
knee.
Drives fOf Education
He adores the little Princess,
who was born during his exile
on Madagascar, and also is
very proud Of Princess Aisha,
the daughter who leads the
women's emancipation move
ment in Morocco, and of Crown
Prince Moulay Hassan, who
one day will succeed his father.
He devotes a big part of his
energies to a nationwide cam
paign to provide education for
846, 900 Moroccan children who
are without schools. He calls
ignorance the worlds worst
sickness"
He has Travelled tens of thou
sands of miles through Morocco
the last three years. mixing
with the people in his search
for solutions to the nations
problems. He breaks rocks
himself on road projects, drives
tractors on model farms and
constantly tells his people that
independence means hard work
for everyone.
Although he holds supreme
authority in theory, Moham-
med v listens to everything his
advisers say and takes great
pains over the smallest details.
Usually the King counsels mod
Grafton and negotiation.
Bad Of Economically
$50 far this policy has paid
off," a Western diplomat here
commented. Instead of throw
ing the French and Spanish out
of Morocco and kicking IL ma
lions out of Tangier, Moham-
med v tried negotiation and
moderation. 1t worked Just as
quickly or better-the foreign
rulers left but Mohammed v is