France is storing up trouble for herself in North Africa by raising
her Colonial Army from the dark-skinned races. She is training Arabs
and negroes to handle machine-guns with great efficiency, to throw
the latest type of bombs, to be familiar with field guns and heavy
artillery, to shoot straight with the rifle and stab straight with the
bayonet.
The French military leaders are justly proud of their work in Morocco.
Marshal Lyautey understands the Arab mind as no other man. The French
colonial officers have a wonderful skill and sympathy with the legions
under their command. But can France be sure that this army they have
created will be loyal to French interests, and will fight eagerly,
even gladly, against German shell-fire and poison-gas if ever France
is again attacked by the same enemy? In the last war the coloured
troops were sacrificed in many battles. They were led like sheep to
the shambles, or rather like tigers to the pits of death. They did not
like it. Those who escaped the slaughter and went home told frightful
tales. Already there is a spirit of revolt stirring in Morocco below
the surface of loyalty to France. Some of the Arab tribes in French
Morocco are joining hands with those fighting against Spain. “Our time
is coming,” said an Arab guide to a recent traveller. “We shall sweep
the _Feringhi_ into the sea—like that!” He made an arrogant gesture and
smiled, with ferocity in his eyes. France will have trouble with her
Colonial troops, and it will be a dirty business in future history.
Those are some of the danger zones of our present state; and I have
said nothing about Japan or China, in which there is no standing still
in the Oriental quietude of ancient history. Japan has learnt to use
modern weapons on sea and land. She has great ambitions. The white
races have got to be careful lest they are weakened and exhausted by
wars of their own, and let their own causes of quarrel blind them and
make them mad.