ORGANISER OF FRANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14285, 30 April 1917, Page 4

ORGANISER OF FRANCE.

GENERAL LYAUTEY'S CAREER AS EMPIRE BUILDER. ' . "I cannot take a message of weari ness to our -fine men m the trenches. 1 must ; carry to them, one of strength, tile oiltcome of renewed confidence.'' .There have been, few more, .dramatic appeals to a Parliamentary assembly than that by which General Lyautey, recently French Minister of .War, swept aside 'the , opposition to the French. Man Power* Bill and assured its passage through cthe Chamber the other day. !Ther.7speech was typical of .the, man •.who lias won honors not alone as .a soldier, but also as a builder of empire and a'buildier of phrases. He is one of the "Immortals" of France, a member of the Academy. as well. as one of. her most distinguished administrators. On eof Wis earliest efforts with the pen -was a famous article m tlie'Reveu des Deux Mondes on " x The Social Duties of an Officer,'wliich set up a code that has ever, since been the ideal of the French army. . Ke has .also written a great deal about the French colonial' policy m Africa, a subject of which he has first-hand • knowledge. He has to his "credit one of the most remarkable £eats pf organisation of, the twentieth' centui*y. He is the man . whose genius converted the turbulent empire of Morocco into a flourishing French colony within the short! space of eight, y4ars.. . . • . SOLDIER OF GENIUS. \ jFrom his earliest' days Lyautey has hadyvrithin»him the- spirit, of the, great, empire ' builder, and' tHougli a soldier, he has always held that the function of mi army . was to civilise as well as to fight. In liis book on the army as a colonising? agent _-. ("Role Colonial <3e l'Arniee") he shows • the methods aud clarity of thought that account for his astonishirijp* suobess m Morocco! The caippaign was for.., him a matter of secondary iinportaiice compared with the sound* adrruhistratiori' oifi the" country . after Coiiifuest. s To 'Lyautey', the aririy was T hot a ' purely military machine", as in' the German system of colonial 'administration iri ' facs, : ( it was absolutely the reverse! ; He us&d his troops asf .civilising agents, not as apostles offrightfulnes. " , jMorOcib ( m '1908 wasi a. land riven by *intex?fral" warfare 1 , 1 Spendthrift Sultans, sjurrounded* by corrupt, itseless, and iriqomiteteht Ministers, had dragged the country to the brink of ruin. No man's life : 'pV property' was* safe. Justice had to; all intents md purposes ceased to exist, and. outside, the few large towns the whole territory was" at the mercy of bands of robbers' * TKe actual ' po wei* o 1 government had' slipped from the hands "ofj the decadent Sultari,- Mulai Abdul Azaz, and a popular 'rising drove him from the throne on wliich he was replaced by his half -brother, Mulai Hafid. This, hovf-eyer, was -merely another oppressiori, for the hew Sultan was worse,, tbjan the old. ' V j Persistent German intrigue kept the country iri. a ferment, and. local "holy wars'' and border raids into neighboring French territory rendered the 'Continued, existence of'-the Shereefian ''Empire a menace to the whole security of North . Africa. Fez became a danger spot where- Oerhian diplomacy strove to | effect the same 'results as had - attended • its efforts m the" Near Ea^t. The ' Act of : Algeciras prevented the realisation 'of : hei* arabitjqns, but Germany "strove by. every means m her power to thtvart the efforts of the Powers to arrive at a Solution of the Moroccan problem that would be acceptable both to the Shereefia|n Empire' and' to France. Th'o'Agadir incident* all but plunged Europe into war,-, and the previous" incidents' -".ot*' Casablanca, and: the visit" of Consul Vasstel to Fez had been much more critical than people outside diplomatic circles ever knew; -• , : PEACE AND 'PROSPERITY.' , jLyautey solved) the problem- by 'his policy of peaceful military, penetration; Fighting there certainly was, but, np* gV.ekt'loss 1 ' of life!?/ The genitis of the ; French commander was directed to tjie' pacification of ; the tribes, and by 1912' the zones occupied by the French were . peaceful ' and flourishing; and the invaders were looked on as rescuers, . It* wis' thert that the Sultari Mulai; Hafid used all his influence' to prbV'ok'e w^r with .the French, and the massacre of. the white residents at Fez brought mat-' ters to a crisis' , ' .'"fi: „ , , A swift campaign ensued, and the French colonial ' troops covered -them sjelves with glory. Muhii Hafid .was deposed, arid his brother j Mulai Hassan, proclaimed ' in his stead 'as Sultcyi ?under Frepch protection. " This was aij.,' exceedingly wise, though daring, move,' f or . little * was known ' of Mulai. Hassan,though he was reputed to be both fious arid , sensible. Lyautey's choice was justified' The people readily acclaimed the new Sultan, and within the last few years he has " proved himself' to be a w<srthy,and upright man. ,fi^ With the Sultan at the head of affairs a strong French; commission under Lyautey was'sappojntecß to pull the affairs* of State together. ' A beginning waf), made; with the restoration of the . "wakfs' 'rf- :- the land and investments owned by public religions bodies." These. had been'despoiled by tlie . previous ■. Sultans, -but were .npw restored to their just owner-; . ship/ Concurrently %vith these adjustments the great University, of lie?,, once; a seat of learning famed throughout the; world, was re-endowed arid reopened, arid a series of State, schools, teaching both, Arabic and Frenah, , were' organised 'throiig-hoiit the country, y FANATICS WON OVER. " The people were recognised! and consulted, and most of the, task of administration was left m:. their hands, inider capable French direction. The excellent goodjwill and sense of Lyautey's. directorate w.ere appreciated on all sides, and even the most reactionary elements among the fanatical, mountaineers appreciated the benefits of French rule. Tn- ! day the railway runs to Fez. Rabat' and Casablanca are ■ flourishing towns, industries are all over the country, human life is secure, and justice is no longer: bought.. and; .sold,. Morocco bag remained loyal and .peace- 1 ful -during the struggle m Europe. ' The' youngestof tlie Fyench colonies, she has yet sent troops to the mqther-coun--1 try aiid they: have, attained the honor of ' beinsc, mentioned m despatches for- their " excellent, : military qualities; A: fair of various industries was held not long ago 1 at Fez—^ modern, exhibition, m- ayfcojyn-. where 'f oui* short years ago no Christian's ' life was 'safe. ', -.- . * y . 1 Air this is the work of General Lyau** tey. Tlie great organiser of colonial » Franoe is now the great organiser of the mother country. Whatever measures may -be. decided on. by the Council of Five, it is I/vautev who will co-ordinate ! all effort. The "Allies, cannot claim a better .man. " fififi'!'"' ... H.P.