Coll 6/43 'Pan Arab Congress 1933. Attitude of H.M.G. to a Pan Arab Movement' [‎35r] (70/1144)

*
social and even religious differences across the existing frontiers
7* A further point on which I differ strongly with Howes
is his estimation of the Americans. I refer to his paragraph 26
where he dubs theoi pretty v/ell as misfits. They would be if tney
were altruistic enough, as Howes suggests they are, to leave
to the British the leading of an jlrnb Federated ' t‘- 1e because^
of the sufficiency of their o.vn dominant position on the Arabian
Peninsula. That latter is another debatable point, but it was not
that which I wish lo point out but the inaccuracy oT his estimation
of the Americans. They have dome most able men and brilliant
linguists, men and women, diplomats, doctors and both secular
and religious teachers, and I snould say
ticn in relation
we have.
to
in a
iorican responsibilities
liuch higher pr o p or -
atbi commitments than
8. Howes has overlooked the fact that the American
University at Beyrouth has been in existence for many years, how
many I regret to say I don't know. This institution is of
inestimable value for the diffusion of American thought and of
equal value as a training centre for personnel, uands, the
American Vice-Consul at Dhnhren who has interested nimself so much
in Bahrain, nut now toon sent there for training. This is
remini scent of Aass muns and the special training he was given
oy the Germans; and .\ith what success that system was f oil owed we
well nnow. xne American minister at Jedda was trained at Beyrouth,
and is one of the few westerners who can converse freely with Bin
gaud, ^ramco have at ciiO expert on Arab tribes and the
language, anu this mar) h*s trained men under him. Also the Arabian
Ajissions with their mealed and scholastic establishments dotted
about the countries of the League and elsewhere in the Middle Last
should be remembered. In the very heart of Cairo the Americans
hav e a 1urge Mi s sion C tnIre.
9. fce have nothing, to compare with these facilities for training,
absorption ana dissemination of Arab thought and ideas, not
excluding the Arab Centre in Jerusalem. That is only in its
infancy, and sets out to give rapid training to young officers, and
does not attempt the education of arab youth as does the American
University at Beyrouth.
10. I see that ’Howes in the final paragraph brings in the
old chestnut of a coriination of various services, end says that it
is "quite obvious” that u cadre of specially trained officers must
be founded without delay, lersonally I don’t think it is so
obvious, particularly as he claims to b** writing from an Indian
angle. From Muscat to Casablanca and the Mediterranean to the
Equator almost would be about the territory of r,ho cadre and what
\direct connection with the greater area of that territory has India,
and why should officials for all that territory be caste from the
same mould ? Indeed, for India’s commitments In countries connected
with the Arab League, India has, I think, a not inefficient body
of officials, and I am not at all prepared to admit that they, or
India, would be any the better off for their being sent to sit at
the feet of lecturers Tor years. I would agree to special training,
which would include dialectal language training, for a selected
few who have shown a bent in certain directions, as for his
recommendation to absorb the various services, Sir Header Bullard’s
remark to me the other day was apt. He said that the formation of
the Foreign Service had "created a Service without experts”,
incidentally he added that events may soon turn us into ,f a body of
experts without a Service”. That was a nice compliment. 11
11. I am afraid that I have found myself at difference with
Howes through many passages of his paper and the more I read
it the more this appears. He says in paragraph 17 that "the only
possible way to discharge our pledge to the Arabs would be to call
a council etc.” Lurelywe have made no pledge to the Arabs in this
war, and have we officially pledged ourselves to promote Arab
unity (vide paragraph 13) ? V.hat the Eden Declaration says is
that we promise to support any scheme that commands general approval
and that is a pretty broad statement. I don’t think we have, or
ever shall, take any action to promote Federation. It is difficult