A Friend in Washington

In Washington's Union Station last week, the Pennsylvania Railroad's ancient private car No. 1750 came to a hesitant stop. Clearly uncertain of the engineer's intentions, King Hassan II of Morocco descended cautiously to the platform, then displayed a big, engaging smile as he shook hands with President John F. Kennedy, and turned with even more warmth to Jackie Kennedy, who was smartly clad in a spring dress and coat, and dark blue straw hat.

Lovely Rival. King Hassan even produced a rival for Jackie in his lovely young sister, Princess Lalla Nezha, 22, who was greeted with a bouquet of red roses. All the proper protocol was laid on, from a 50-yd. red carpet to a spit and polish honor guard. "We are proud to welcome you. Your Majesty," said the President to the King. "Your country was the first to recognize the U.S. in the most difficult days of our Revolution."* King Hassan responded by saying that he had come to the U.S. "to renew my acquaintance with your people, to meet you and your Government."

Thirty-three-year-old King Hassan also brought with him crates of gifts; but left behind in Rabat was a small, shiny grey horse with the Moroccan colors of red and green plaited in its mane, which had been intended as a present for Caroline. The

State Department protocol people were courteously adamant: no more foreign horses for the White House.

King Hassan chose the U.S. for his first state visit outside Africa to demonstrate that Morocco, though officially unaligned, knows that its real interest lies with the West. Indeed, in the two years since his father died, Hassan has proved to be a sensible leader of Morocco's 11.6 million people, and Hassan was eager to talk about his achievements.

Three Lovely Days. Between banquets and receptions, the King and the President got to know and like each other. Hassan even canceled a scheduled visit to the Naval Academy at Annapolis in order to have additional talks with Kennedy. Their conversation ranged over many world problems, from Middle East tensions to Cuba, to NATO. There was also quiet affirmation of decisions already taken, including the U.S. pledge to evacuate three big SAC airfields and a naval base in Morocco by year's end, and to continue an unspecified amount of financial aid to Hassan's kingdom (last year's total: $30 million).

King Hassan was impressed by his hospitable reception, which included special entertainment at the White House (scenes from Brigadoon), an unusual welcome from 100,000 Washingtonians lining the streets, and three of the loveliest spring days in Washington memory. The State Department liked the intelligence and competence displayed by King Hassan throughout the sessions, his serious preoccupation with his own region of North Africa, his judicious comment that Morocco would join an Arab union headed by Egypt's Nasser only after careful study had shown such union to be "in the common good." The Washington consensus: King Hassan is a "modern reformist" in the tradition of the Shah of Iran.

* As early as spring 1776, France was secretly aiding the infant U.S. against Britain with money and munitions. Early in 1778, the Sultan of Morocco impetuously decided to recognize the U.S. Government and, because of communications difficulty, tried to do so through a French emissary. France slipped in ahead, recognizing the U.S. on Feb. 6, 1778 ... Feb. 20 for Morocco, which, because of prior intent, still likes to think it holds first place.

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