File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎41r] (79/450)

Belief for Sy via.
' Cairo IS!oroTvilyor 21
The fact that well-known neutrals, who left Syria this summer, have confirmed the
-^previous reports that over 80,000 souls have perished in that unhappy country, either
directly through inanition, or indirectly through disease brought about by poor or
insufficient food, has roused the relief committees m England and .America to energetic
action. Syrians here have been watching with the deepest interest and satisfaction the
magnificent movement in England, in which so many prominent Englishmen are taking
part.
In America, the land of practical action, the desired solution seems to have been
reached. The American Eed Cross agent here recently received a telegram from ISlew
York informing him that a ship had been given to the Syrian Relief Committee, and
asking that the president of the Cairo Relief Committee should remit the funds that he
had now available. On the next day another telegram was received by the Cairo
Committee from the New York Syrian Committee to the effect that the American
Government has placed a steamer at the disposal of the committee, that further sums
were required for the purchase of the necessary foodstuffs, and that a remittance of
these sums by cable was required. To these two messages the Syrian Committee
to the effect that the American Government has requested authority from the allies to
send a steamer from Egypt, and that their reply and the remittance of funds must
depend upon the reply. Meantime a telegraphic assurance was requested as to whether
it was clearly ascertained that the admission of the steamer to the port of Beyrout was
definitely agreed upon.
The American Committee for the Relief of Syrians and Armenians in Turkey then
replied in the affirmative, and asked again for the remittance of the available funds.
The Cairo Committee replied that negotiations had already been begun with the repre
sentatives of the allies regarding the sending of a steamer from Egypt, and that no
further advice could be given before the receipt of the official reply. And again the
question was asked whether the United States had an unequivocal assurance from their
Ambassadors in London and Constantinople that the ship would be allowed into the
port of Beyrout. The reply affirmed that Turkey and the allies have granted
permission for the relief ship to enter Beyrout, and again required a telegraphic
remittance of the available funds. The Cairo Committee’s reply was that the remittance
of funds was impossible without a special licence from the allies. And there the
matter has since stood.
In this connection it is painful to record that, in spite of the fact that the Grand
Rabbi and the Grand Shaykh of A1 Azhar, as well as other spiritual heads, have been
given their due place on the General Committee, and that it was clearly laid down in
the rules of the committee that the funds to be collected were destined for distribution
to all sufferers in Syria, irrespective of creed or denomination, few, if any, subscriptions
have been made by Moslems or Jews in this country. This deplorable apathy has
apparently reacted on other important centres in Egypt, such as Alexandria, Tantah,
Mansourah, &c., where the Syrian community is fairly important, and some of its
members are wealthy ; for very little has been done, and several wealthy Syrians, who
have, unfortunately, a poor reputation for munificence, have taken this as an excuse for
not subscribing to the fund.
Sooner or later Syrians abroad will have to return to their country. For, once it
is freed from despotic rule, they are sure to find there more prosperity and real happiness
than in any other country; and if only they realised that by allowing the destruction
of their compatriots at home they are indirectly destroying their own future happiness
and prosperity, even the most miserly among them with any practical sense would no
longer stint his help. _
Fears are entertained about the fate of the relief funds or foodstuffs if the Ottoman
Red Crescent were to have a hand in the distribution, and to a certain extent such fears
are not unjustified. On the other hand, the Americans’ moral and material interests
in Syria are such as to make the depopulation of the country a very serious problem for
them. Therefore, even apart from humanitarian considerations, the American Red
Cross in Syria may well be expected to make the fullest possible use of the relief funds
and foodstuffs.
| The “Near East,” 15 th December, 1916.]
PSIHTM) AT THK FOREIGN OFFICE RT C. R. HARRISON.— 21/12/1916.