THE MOROCCAN CRISIS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 234, 30 September 1908, Page 4

THE MOROCCAN CRISIS.

It would be easily possible to attach J too much importance lo the unpleasant j incident that has just given rise to rather serious friction between the ! French and Germans in Morocco. According to the French newspapers and the French military officers, the German conI stil at Casablanca had encouraged' some I foreigners to desert from the Frencb army, and then assisted them to escape. | The object of such a course could only be ito create trouble between the two Powers | and the French press, assuming that their version of toe story is correct, have I made out a strong case for enquiry and protest. But while a difficulty oi this ' kind may quite ea.sily have been brought about for a deliberate purpose, it may , quite probably have been dive j t-o accident or error. Ever since the I Kaiser's pilgrimage to Tangier, and the ! quarrel that led to tbe Algeciras Conferi ence. Germany's attitude toward MoI rocc-o has naturally been regarded with | suspicion by France: and her attempt ,to forestall the FTench by recognising I Mulai Hafid before Abdul Aziz was finally disowned by the Powers, certainly j justified very unpleasant inferences. . However, on this point, German diploj macy failed, for the Franco-Spanish I Note, which has just been submitted to ' the various European Powers, provides . ] for the forma! acceptance of Mulai Ha- | fid as de facto sovereign of Morocco. ■ j The fall of Abdul Aziz is deplorable, and i he can fairly accuse the Powers of de- | serting him to suit their own selfish • | ends. But France's attitude has been 'entirely "correct" throughout this danII gerous crisis: and the general approval that has greeted it will probably deter Germany from taking advantage of this unfortunate Casablanca incident to disturb the general unanimity of the Powers , about Morocco.