Foreign News: To Reunion

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As the sleek French packet Amiral Pierre steamed southward through the Mediterannean last week her first cabin passengers regarded with awe a squat, hawk-beaked Moroccan with a short bristling black beard who appeared now and then on deck always accompanied by two armed French guards. Spain and France had poured out hundreds of millions in gold, and tens of thousands in lives to place the sardonic Moroccan with his brother, their wives and suite upon the Amiral Pierre. Not six months ago Mohammed ben Abd-el-Krim and his brother Muhammed were holding the Riffian fastnesses of Morocco against that master strategist Marshal Petain and the best of Spain's (TIME, June 7), after two years of junta-ridden generals. Though they surrendered at last to the French valorous resistance, both Mohammed ben Abd-el-Krim and his brother may still boast that they go to the life exile at Reunion* Island vouchsafed to them by France (TIME, July 26), without ever surrendering to Spain.

Before the Amiral Pierre sailed from Marseilles for Reunion, Mohammed ben Abd-el-Krim faced newsgatherers stoically and told in smoldering purring Spanish† the story of his feud with Spain:

"One blow from a Spanish fist transformed me into what I shall always be—the foe of Spain. . . .

"It was in 1919 that I called upon General Silvestre of the Spanish Army at Mellila in the interest of my tribe, the Beni Uriaghel, who wanted 100,000 pesetas ($15,000) to keep the peace that year with the Spanish. This was the custom of the strong Moroccan tribes at that time. The Spaniards have many times bought peace.

"When I suggested the sum of 100,000 pesetas General Silvestre flew into a raging fury. He cried that I was a robber. Then, before I knew what he was doing he struck me full in the face. The blow was so unexpected and so powerful that it knocked me to the ground. I fell, bleeding from the mouth. What could I do? There were Spanish soldiers everywhere. I had only a handful of my tribe with me. I only staggered to my feet and returned to my fellow-tribesmen. But within me there was kindled in that moment a terrific hatred of Silvestre and all Spaniards. As I rose I swore that I would avenge that blow a thousand times. I went back committed to lead my tribe and all the other tribes I could enlist in a ceaseless war against the Spaniards. For over five years I kept that oath. Spain can judge whether Silvestre's brutality was avenged."