Coll 17/10(1) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [‎342r] (688/982)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Iraq).
CONFIDENTIAL.
January 21, 1935.
Section 2.
[E 434/278/93] No. 1.
Sir F. Humfhrys to Sir John Simon.—{Received January 21.)
(No. 22.) Bagdad, January 10, 1935.
1 ’ WITH reference to paragraph 7 of my despatch No. 3 of the 3rd January,
t have the honour to inform you that I now learn that Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and his
oolitical associates have, for the present, decided not to withdraw from the
Chamber. Instead, they are apparently organising a centre of opposition to the
Government in the Senate, where Naji Suwaidi and Rashid Ali-al-Gilani, both
clever debaters and experienced politicians, are now co-operating with Yasin
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
2 The first attack was launched on the occasion of the debate on the
sneech from the Throne, which took place in both Houses on the 3rd January.
In the Chamber Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. spoke at length, but with his customary ambiguity.
His main points of criticism were the action of the Government in dissolving the
old Chamber without, he alleged, adequate justification, and the elections them
selves which he declared had been improperly conducted. Very few other
sneakers, however, gave him any support, and the reply to the speech from the
Throne prepared by the Government, of which I enclose a translation herewith, (}
was adopted by a large majority without amendment n'n ai; d
3 In the Senate the attack was more successful. Led by Rashid Aii-ai-
Gilani and Naji Suwaidi, a number of Senators hotly criticised the Government.
Their strictures followed in the main the same lines as those of Yasm Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. ,
but they struck, in addition, a popular note by calling m question the Govern
ment’s drastic dismissals and disciplinary transfers of omcials.
4 Jafar Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. A1 Askari, Jamil Beg Madfai (Minister for Defence) and
Jamal Baban (Minister for Justice) did not appear to advantage m their defence
of the Government. Their contention that the Government, m their dissolution
of Parliament and their conduct of the elections on the usual lines, had y
acted in the same manner as their predecessors and F e ® en ET a n\n^eked in
the inherent weakness of the tu quoque. In the end Rashid All succeeded
persuading the Senate to adopt a reply to the speec y 11 . , amounted
you will observe from the translation/ 1 ) enclosed with this despatch, amoun
almost to a vote of censure on the Government , f „ nprp . v
5 The Opposition press was jubilant at this unexpected display of. e gj
in the usually supine and amenable Senate but the Prime V^ 111 the
soon after the events which I have described ab'we. ev ir c ® ■ ■ ^ f p ie
future of his Cabinet and seemed to think that the Opposi g P ,
Senate would not be able to sustain the hostility to the Government which they
bad shown in the debate on the speech from the I rone. ip-ncH-hv nrivate
6. His optimism may, I fear, prove to be mistaken. ^
talk which I had at the Embassy a few days ago wi p • Tyr^ister and
with some bitterness against Ali Jaudat Beg, the P re ® _ • t^g position to
Acting Minister for the Interior, and ^ e § e .^ 1 Hikmat Beg
further his personal enmity against Rashid A . jp tprm i nec [lv to bring
Sulaiman, both of whom were, in conse( l u | e P ce ’ ^ or t ^ p q decided to
about his fall. Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. further explained to me that he ored
drop the opposition to the 1930 treaty, which he ha^
because he had become convinced that Iraq cou no 0 f 1930 offered
with Great Britain and that this ^CwTa W
on fair terms. He also ^sured me that wh^ of the Embassy,
Iraqi politicians and parties, they all re< ; 0 & n f advice which I and
and/ he was pleased to add, the d^yt-e^haract^
my predecessors had from time to time o
f 1 ) Not printed.
[306 x—2]