File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎212v] (422/450)

agreement one with the other. On the LiOth Jnly the Secretary of State dealt with
this note in a despatch [ No. 495] to Lord Bertie, in which he urged that it was not
worth while risking the alienation of Italian sympathy by refusing to make known to
the Italian Government the agreements which had been arrived at, and by declining to
define a claim to which Italy’s right was admitted. His Majesty’s Government,^-
however, was prepared to support the French Government in rejecting the Italian claim^
to any part of Asia Minor beyond the Adalia region ; Italy was to receive vast compen
sation in Europe for its participation in the war ; and in Asiatic Turkey it had neither
the historic, nor the commercial, nor the political interests of the other Powers. The
recognition of Italy’s claims in the Adalia region should encourage her to declare war
on Germany, as that Power had designs for the exploitation of the district. A copy
of the French note and of this despatch were sent to the Ambassador at Petrograd
[No. 185] on the 27th July. Sir G. Buchanan being asked to explain to M. Sturmer
that His Majesty’s Government thought that it would be impolitic for the three
Powers to refuse compliance with the wishes of the Italian Government.
PART IV.
THE PBESS.
Correspondence on the Caliphate in the “ Nation.”
A correspondence has been going on in the Nation” during the last few weeks
on the Sultan of Turkey and the Caliphate. A Mr. M. H. Kidwai, of Gadia, contributed
a letter, dated from 158 Fleet Street, and published in the issue of the 29th July, in
the course of which he said :—
“ This is not the first time in Moslem history that a revolt against the
established Khalifat has been made. Everybody knows that Hosain, the most
beloved and saintly grandson of the Prophet himself, revolted against a wicked
Khalifa named Yezid. For want of help and-sympathy from the general Moslem
public, Hosain, with all the male members of his family, excepting one, was
mercilessly butchered by the army of Yezid. Sunnis and Shiahs alike mourn his
martyrdom every year in Moharrum, but neither did the Moslems of Hosain’s
. days, nor do those of to-day, excepting Shiahs, give him any recognition of
Khalifat.
“ 1 he Sherif of Mecca, if he has revolted against the Khalifa, doubly deserves
the same fate, and perhaps even worse than that of the Irish leaders who revolted
against their Sovereign. Islam does not encourage rebellion and revolts.”
Having read this letter Mr. Lovat Fraser, who is now on the editorial staff of the
“ Times ” and was formerly for several years editor of the “ Times of India,” wrote as
follows :—
“ Dear Sir Mark, _ ^ _ The White House, Slough, July 29, 1916.
“ In to-day’s ‘Nation’ you will find two letters discussing the question of the
Khalifate, apparently in continuation of a correspondence which seems to have
been going on all this month. One letter, signed ‘ M. H. Kidwai of Gadia,’
makes the agreeable suggestion that the Sherif of Mecca doublv deserves
to be ‘ butchered ’ foy revolting against the Sultan. I dimly fancy that I have
heard something suspicious about this man Kidwai, but cannot recall what it is.
I should fancy from his letter that he is worth keeping an eye on. There seem to
be a number of very queer Mahommedans knocking about this country. Sometimes
they write to the ‘ Times,’ and I always advise the suppression of their letters.
“I notice that the August ‘Contemporary Beview’ is to contain an
anonymous article on ‘ the Sultan of Turkey and the Caliphate.’
“ My object in pressing these points on your attention is this. It is not the
slightest use requesting the daily press not to discuss the Khalifate if publications
hke the ‘ Nation ’ or the ‘ Contemporary ’ are to do exactly as they like (probably
in all innocence). W hat happens ? You doubtless know that the firebrands of thp
1 All-India Moslem League have passed a resolution at Lucknow condemning the
Sherif’s action as ‘ outrageous,’ and so on. Of course, this is largely a political