Coll 17/10(4) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [‎34r] (67/1031)

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not so far been greatly abused. It is only occasionally, as for instance over Syria
01 e ic ease o internees, that I have found it necessary to suggest moderation.
So far as polrtrcal detainees are concerned, the murder in Egypt of Ahmed Maher
by a pro-Fascist fanatrc he hrmself had caused to be released from internment, did
not escape notrce here Compared with the vernacular press of Syria, Egypt and
Palestine, the Bagdad papers are temperate and although from time‘to time
articles do appear which can be construed as criticism of Britain, it must not be
overlooked that day after day newspapers print articles which are verv much in
our favour An interesting development is that the Bagdad Radio has taken of
its own initiative to broadcasting a daily translation of “ the Watchtower,” the
leading article m the Iraq Times.
25. The British Council has continued to function satisfactorily, and has
made a preliminary selection of six research students who are to ‘be sent to
England at the Council s expense for the next academic year.
the beginning of this month Shakespeare was performed in English
m Bagdad for the first time. Egyptian companies have given Arabic versions of
some of Shakespeare s plays, and he has been seen and heard in English at the
cinema; but the production of “ Romeo and Juliet ” recently at the King Eaisal
<{ ^ vas "l e English presentation on the stage. It was performed by the
assan I layers, a group of military amateurs under the direction of a medical
missionary^who is at present a staff surgeon here. Their first production was
t ecker s liassan some eighteen months ago. They have also performed a
translation of Sophocles “Antigone” and T. S. Eliot’s “Murder in the
Cathedral. It was very noticeable that on the first night of the Shakespeare
performances the majority of the audience were young Iraqis.
T Freedom ” recently arranged an exhibition called
Iraq Know Ihyself, the purpose of which was to bring home to the people of
laq by means of cartoons and diagrams the principal hygienic deficiencies of the
country. It has been remarkably successful and called' forth official commenda
tion from the Minister of Education. The exhibition is mwv touring the
provinces On its return to Bagdad, it is to be shown at the Iraq Army Officers’
Club, at the request of the Minister of Defence.
• T^ n ^ m P or ^ an l' series of changes has taken place or is taking place amono-
the British Advisers to the Iraqi Government. Mr. C. J. Edmonds, Adviser to
Interior, is leaving shortly after some thirty years in Iraq. Mr. A. I. Ditchburn
formerly m Land Settlement here, has arrived to take Mr. Edmonds’ place and
will take over shortly. Mr. K. J. Ritchie, Adviser to Education, has left after
only a few months’ work on doctors’ orders, and he will shortly be succeeded by
Lieut.-Colonel C. H. 0. Scaife, formerly associate professor of English at Fuad
al Awwal University in Cairo. Mr. E. T Caparn has become Technical Adviser
to the Ministry of Communications and Works, in which he has long been Chief
Engineer Mr. Forwood has taken up his post as Inspector-General of the
Fubhc Works Department and Mr. Sainsbury has settled down happily to his
complex duties in the sphere of income tax. ‘
29. I am sending copies of this despatch to His Majesty’s High Commis
sioner for Palestine 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 , the Minister Resident in the Middle East
at Cairo, tlm Government of India, the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. tb^
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Kuwait, the Political Intelligence Centre in the Middle East
and to His Majesty’s Consular Officers in Iraq.
I have, &c.
KINAHAN CORNWALLIS.