Sweeney Says

At a dinner tendered to members of the "Sheriffian Escadrille"*by the American Club in Paris, Colonel Charles Sweeney, Commander of the Escadrille, commented upon the activities of his airmen. "Flying in the Riff is hard, distasteful work and not adventure. . . . When the war started we knew . . . that Morocco was on top of an abscess ... a revolt of brown subject races against European civilization. ... So we went in. ...

"The Moroccan war is the most humanitarian war I have ever seen. The least harm possible is done to the enemy, and it is astonishing how much care is taken to deal as mildly as possible with the tribesmen in order to bring them back to peace and prosperity. It is a war of medieval times.

"It is also a war between the

French and individual tribes, each a unit in itself. . . . Whenever a tribe surrendered to the French, the procedure was as follows. ... At first a few old 'prehistoric' rifles would be laid at the feet of the French and a sickly bull brought up for a peace offering. The French commanders would wave them away. Then more and newer rifles would be brought and a better bull prepared as an offering. The French still waved them away. At last many modern rifles would be piled at the feet of the French commanders and a fine bull would be led to slaughter. Then the French would grant the peace.

" . . . . We were asked to come in uniforms to this luncheon, but we didn't want to, because we have no right to wear them. We are nobody. We are just Americans and only ordinary men now."

It was recalled that U. S. Secretary of State Kellogg warned the Sheriffians that they were violating U. S. statutes in fighting against a foreign power (TIME, Sept. 28, THE CABINET). But President Percy Peilotti of the American Club at Paris toasted his much criticized guests as follows: "As friends of France we are grateful to you; as Americans we are proud of you."

*"The Sheriffians," U. S. volunteer aviators, fought with the French against Abd-el-Krim until the present torrential rains in the Riff made air warfare impossible until spring (TIME, Nov. 16).