Le Marechal Lyautey. Par Amedee Britsch. (Paris : La Renaissance
du Livre. 6 francs 75c.)—This well-informed and clever book is at once a biography of Marshal Lyautey and a history of the French occupation and pacification of Morocco. The Marshal was born in 1854, and learned his work as a military administrator under Gallieni in Tonkin and Madagascar. An article written by him on " The Social Task of the Officer " attracted the attention of M. Jonnart, Governor-General of Algeria, who in 1903 gave Lyautey charge of the frontier district of southern Oran. From 1906 to 1910 Lyautey was in command at Oran, and carried out the offensive-defensive measures which gave peace to the Algerian borders. He combined diplomacy with force, striking hard when it was necessary, but striving always to conciliate the unruly Moorish tribes, and to extend the authority of the Sultan. In 1912 he became Resident General in Morocco, and directed the skilful campaigns which rapidly restored order. When the war broke out, he was ordered to evacuate the interior. He preferred to hold on, with a mere handful of men, while sending the greater part of his troops home. The author's account of the Marshal's brilliant defence of the Protectorate against repeated rebellions, supported by German arms and money, is profoundly interesting. The Marshal not only held his own but actually extended the area under occupation, and was able to supply Franco with many Moorish recruits, and with much corn. M. Briand made him Minister of War in the winter of 1916-17, but the General soon returned to Morocco. After the armistice Marshal Lyautey completed his work. The placid and prosperous condition of French Morocco compares strikingly with the chaos in the Spanish zone, which is far smaller, and has probably cost Spain far more in proportion than France has spent. Spain is unfortunate in not having found a shrewd administrator like Marshal Lyautey.
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