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THIS DOCUMENT 13 THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia). May 16, 1938.
CONFIDENTIAL. Section 3.
[E 2782/196/25] . Copy No*
Sir R. BvXlard to Viscount Halifaa)—{Received May 16.)
(No. 78, Confidential.)
My Lord, Jedda r April 25, 1938.
IN my two despatches No. 66 of the 17th April and No. 70 of the 19th April,
1937, I had the honour to report to the Foreign Office on a society called “ The
Friends of the Hejaz,” which was alleged to have been formed in Egypt. I said
it was doubtful whether any Hejazis resident in this coup try would venture to.
join a society aiming at the independence of the Hejaz, but admitted that Hejazis
had a grievance, in that the income from the pilgrimage, which was for centuries
a.perquisite of the Hejaz, now has to support the whole of Saudi Arabia. In a
later despatch. No. 91 of the 8th May, 1937, I reported the issue of a proclamation
in which Ibn Saud invited his subjects to return to religion and uttered strpng
criticisms against “ modernisation ” and “ civilisation.” In the Jedda report
for May 1937 there appeared this comment
“ This proclamation came as something of a surprise, as nothing had
been heard of any movement for reform, and enquiries made since have
discovered little to justify Ibn Saud’s alarm. The young Syrians, and the
few Saudis who have been educated in Egypt, may sigh for the cinema and
stronger drinks than pink lemonade; the Italian-trained pilots are said
to give themselves European airs; and one rich young merchant uses his
position as an honorary consul to frequent places where greater freedom of
speech and refreshment is possible than in any Saudi house; but it doesn’t
amount to much.”
2. The rich young merchant in question is Muhammad Ali Riza, son of the
late Haji Abdullah, Kaimakam of Jedda. At a recent party at a foreign Legation
he drank too much, as he usully does on such occasions, and in conversation with
Mr. Ousman, a member of the Legation staff, he spoke strongly against Ibn Saud
and the Saudi Government. He professes to believe that the death of the
Amir Khalid, which I reported in my despatch No. 64, dated the 4th April, was
not the result of an accident, though he has nothing but suspicion upon which
to base such a conclusion. He has a private grievance, in that he believes that
Ibn Saud shortened Haji Abdullah’s life. It is true that Haji Abdullah was
much harassed by his official duties, which he would gladly have laid down if
Ibn Saud would have let him, but he had already held the same position, under
compulsion, under King Husain, and my own memories go back to the trials he
suffered under that monument of unreason and unaccountability. Muhammad
Ali Riza* professes to belong to some sort of society the members of which, he
says, intend to meet in Egypt this summer “ to see what can be done.” They
have no intention, he states, of doing anything during the life-time of Ibn Saud,
H so the young men may be middle-aged before the time for action comes, since
H Ibn Saud is not more than 60 and shows no signs of failing powers. Muhammad
Ali Riza complains of th& financial exploitation of the Hejaz by the Central
Government, and indicates that the party to which he belongs have a separatist
policy. He claims that the movement has the sympathy of Sheikh Abdullah
Sulaiman, the Minister of Finance, who would be useful, he suggests, because of
the large fortune he has accumulated. He also claims as Supporters the King’s
third son, Muhammad, and Fuad Bey Hamza, but describes Sheikh Yusuf Yasin
as very hostile. He adds that he and his friends expect to find Great Britain in
favoijr of the established regime and, therefore, strongly opposed to their
movement. I should explain that Mr. Ousman had nothing to do but listen to this
outpouring, Muhammad Ali Riza being too drunk to expect either approval or
opposition.
3. The statements made by Muhammad Ali Riza were confused and vague.
It is not to be supposed that the Hejazis would welcome a Najdi like Sheikh
Abdullah Sulaiman as one of their leaders, nor is it probable that he and Fuad Bey
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