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French Settlers Leaving Africa In Large Numbers By PETER BUCKLEY OUJDA, Morocco (CP )~ More than 100,000 peo : *- m™..134 @ Cn il 3 Cundaow m the city appears Sete, ' The only customers at the maodern cafe near the railway ata one Sunday morning recently were a young Ger- man and his girl friend, pas- sing car, and a sleepy handful of passengers off overnight train from Rabat and Fez, waiting at this border city for a conect- ing train to Oran and Algiers. "There are no customers on tee morning," the rotund French cafe proprietor said, sitting disconcvlately at a ta- ble on the sidewalk and glar- ing at the broad empty street. "It's not worth the trouble to open before noon," A few cyclists rolled by in the beginning of the day's heat. A small group of Euro- +peans gathered in front of the Chambers FOOD CLUB large Roman Catholic church down the road and the occa- atonal Arsh strallead desultor- ilw hw Acrose the street. a French hair dresser had plac- arded his shop with signs ad- vertising reduced prices "before the closing down of the shop " The cafe owner talked--re- luctantly at first, like most French settlers in North Africa with strangers--about the hair dresser's decision to leave Morocco and his own position, "Most. of our business had always been from each other (the French),"' he said even- tually. "But more and more of us are moving back to France, The others (Arab Moroc- cans) usually prefer their own places. So business gets worse, Will I stay? I don't know." There are an estimated 150,- 000 Europeans -- mainly French--in Morocco, out of a population of close to 11,000,- . Although figures are gen- erally scarce, the number has probably declined since neighboring Algeria won inde- perapace from France in Throughout North Africa, the story is the same. Despite a frequently desnerate need foe ne Aawital "and 'akille which the Europeans often represent, non-Arabs are dif- ficult to retain, Algeria was hardest hit by European emigration. The number of French and other Europeans--tke "pieds noirs" --has dropped to about 100,000 in Algeria from well over 1,000,000 before independence, The vast majority of the white. Algerians had been born there, But although the French were relative late- comers to Morocco, a greater percentage have stayed on since Moroccan independence in 1956, largely because of the more tranquil life and more encouraging government poli- cies. 'T have seen quite a few leave,' said the cafe owner, who had. been in Oujda since THE OSHAWA TIMES, Mondoy, September 12, 1966 19A shortly after the Second World War. "They seemed to feel that they were no longer 'at home', and the more that leave the less business there is for those who stay." : Relations are generally good between Europeans and Avohe throughout North Africa, but there is little mix- , ing of the two communities. Intermarriage is infrequent and can result in one partner --usually the woman--being cut off from former friends without being fully accepted in the new society, CAN'T DECIDE Life was and still seems to be comfortable for the major- ity of the Europeans. There are generally servants and gardeners, pleasant homes in well-tended suburbs, constant sunshine, plus: the exotic color of occasional visits to the Arab quarters and the coun- tryside, In. comparison, life in France and the rest of Eu- rope, with its pressures and en competition, can appear in hospitable. : : The Frenchman remarked: "There are some who will never leave. But the rest... we stay because we can't de- cide to go. We earn our bread without becoming rich. We live from day to day without mabing a dacision. Te passes and we are still here, "Back in the raifway sta- tion, a clutch of illiterate and apprehensive Arab women, their faces hidden behind veils and draped head shawls, lined up to have their visa applications written out for them by a young clerk before boarding the train into Ab geria. In a secluded corner, a mid- die-aged Arab in Western bus- iness suit and red fez opened a cardboard suitcase and took out a strip of cloth. Laying it on the ground, he removed his shoes, made ritual wash« ing motions over his hands and forearms, then prostrated himself on the cloth.in the di+ rection of Mecca for prayers. Will Not Save You A Whole Basket of MONEY - BUT - | a NYAS Bulletin . Food Rescue Plan . Free food storage 10, . Free quick-freezing . Free food delivery 12, . Satisfaction Guaranteed . Accident and Sickness Benefits . Help to members laid off work or on strike PRIVILEGES and SERVICES . Monthly Price List and 9 THEY GUARANTEE TO SAVE YOU . Payments of Food Club debts in case of fotal interest) Cookery Chambers accident or sickness Free food credits 11. In-plant shopping Budget Terms and Instant Charge 13. Deposit Accounts (5% 14. Free consulting service Chambers School of OSHAWA HOME SHOW 'sry SATURDAY OR PHONE G2 723-1163 E> PLANT OPEN AT 933 RITON RD. S. 9 A.M, to 6 P.M, DAILY -- TUES., THURS., FRI. till 9 FOOD CLUB