Murder in Tunisia
The pattern of, violence in French North Africa has become more pronounced in the last week. The latest incident is in Tunisia. Last Saturday evening in Ferryville, the main suburb of Bizerta, a band of fellaghas (Tunisian nationalist guerrillas) opened fire with machine-guns on the crowded cafés in the mifin square, killing six people and wounding twelve. This indiscriminate terrorism was followed by two incidents in which, apparently as a reprisal, fire was opened on Moorish cafés in other districts of the Protectorate: here the death-roll was five killed and seven injured. The dangers of this melan- choly campaign of terrorism and counter-terrorism are only too apparent. M. Voizard, the French Resident-General in Tunisia, was greeted by hostile shouts from crowds of settlers at the funeral of the Ferryville victims, and there is some evidence that the French community in the protectorate is putting its trust in ' red hand '- organisations for countering the nationalists rather than in the forces of law and order. But terror is no answer to terror. Until some serious attempt is made to reach a political settlement in Tunisia the situation will continue to deteriorate. This simple fact has been constantly pointed out and has indeed by this time become clear to everyone except the French Government. M. Mendes. France is said to have his own ideas about reform in North Africa. It is high time he gave his attention to this darkening scene.
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