'File 61/11 IX (D 159) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous' [‎44r] (98/391)

arms, and finally became King in name over the land, while in fact he governed
it merely as a viceroy for the British, executing their policy and submitting to
their wishes.
When Ibn Saud had become King of the Hejaz thanks to British gold and
munitions, he assumed that it was his hereditary domain, and we, its people, serfs
bound to the land. He behaved like a landlord on his own estate and we became
his slaves and the slaves of his slaves; our wealth, our livelihood, our honour lay
at his mercy.
Do you not see the Government departments swarming with Nejdis—whose
only qualification for office is that they are Nejdis? Do you not know that a
Nejdi official is paid—out of your money—many times the salary that a Hejazi
of the same grade receives ? Are you not aware that a Hejazi can work in the
Government service and never get"his pay, little as it is, while a Nejdi gets an
exorbitant salary and increments and bonuses—all out of the monev of the
Hejaz is ?
Has no one ever told you that it is the Hejazis who pay the taxes ? That they
are forbidden to move from place to place in their own country unless they pay
a tax? That, on the other hand, the Nejdis can travel about freely wherever
they care ?
Have you never heard that the Hejazis are the milch-cow from which Ibn
Saud and his men and the sons of Nejd draw their profits, and when the milch-
cow's milk runs dry these tyrants wilfsuck her blood?
0 Brothers, the days of contempt and submission and surrender are done.
The real intentions of the tyrants are revealed to you. You know now the
character and aims of Ibn Saud. Prepare for the approaching battle, the battle
that will give you the chance to die for glory and freedom.
Brothers, "the Free Hejazis" speak to every Hejazi who has sentiments
of honour and patriotism. We ask every compatriot to prepare for the
approaching day when we shall sweep away the tyranny of exploitation and
write with our blood a golden line in the history of the Hejaz.
Brothers in freedom, prepare !
Enclosure 2.
Summary of a Letter from the Amir Ahdullah-hin-al-Hussein, dated at Amman,
(th Jumada I Ula, 1358 {June 25, 1939), to Sheikh Kamil-al-Qassah.
(Salutations.)
I WAS very pleased to receive your letter dated at Damascus, 3rd JumadaT
ula, 1358. You mention that my letter has reminded you of the time when we
used to talk so much together about the future of the Arab nation. You say that
I am well aware that you were the first person to develop the idea of uniting
the Arabs, and that you put this idea before His late Majesty more than once
when you were in Mecca, begging him to communicate with the Arab Princes
and offering yourself as an intermediary. The late King was not inspired to
adopt the idea, but, nevertheless, we are grateful to you for your efforts.
(Here follows a recapitulation of the history of the Arab revolt against the
lurks, the prominent part played therein by the addressee; King Hussein's
attitude towards Ibn Saud, the Idrisi and British interests in Arabia at that
time.)
Regarding your proposal that, should the moment be opportune, we should
make a general pact with the Saudi Kingdom, the Yemen and Iraq of such a
nature as to guarantee the independence of these States and of Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan , in
which proposal (you say) you have no doubt that His Majesty King Ibn'Saud will
assist us, he being so sincere in his piety and devotion to the national cause, I
tnank you warmly and declare that I am perfectly prepared to follow your advice
on condition that you request His Majesty in your name and in the name of the
religion and nationalism to which he is so devoted to institute general reforms
m the Hejaz and Nejd by granting a Constitution such as will ensure a regular
constitutional Administration in the country, as in Iraq and Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan ^ and
will protect the people's liberties, draw up a public budget, set up a Ministry