'File 11/44 Leading Personalities in Iraq, Iran & Saudi Arabia' [‎26r] (51/96)

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Bagdad, Ja’afar Harnandi (q.v.), as a result of which
he appeared before the Officials’ Disciplinary Com
mittee on a charge of illegally disposing of sixty
sacks of grain belonging to the Supplies Depart
ment. He was transferred back to the Department
of Agriculture.
In June 1943 he went to America as a member of
the Iraqi delegation to the Hot Springs Food Con
ference, and in July 1946 he was appointed to his
present post, that of Director-General of Agriculture.
His political views have generally been regarded
as pro-British. He has, in the past, been considered
a “ Leftist ” and a “ Nationalist he now claims
to be a “ Democrat.” He is not politically active,
but in August of 1946 he was associated with Tahir
and Nadim al Pachachi and others in an attempt to
found a “ United Nations Society,” the aims of
which were stated to be the enlightenment of the
people on U.N.O. and the putting forward to the
U.N.O. of suggestions in the Arab cause.
Thanks to the period spent in the United States,
he has acquired many American ways. He speaks
excellent English, as does his British-educated wife,
who is the sister of Yusif and Abdul Qadir al Gailani.
Though apparently jovial he is reported to be over
bearing with his subordinates among whom he is
most unpopular. His conduct of his Department
does not arouse enthusiasm among British experts
jjjho have inspected it.
42. Daud-al-Haidari
Sunni of Bagdad. Born about 1880. Son of
Ibrahim Effendi, ex-Sheikh-al-Islam. The family
comes from Arbil, w r here Ibrahim Effendi has a small
property. Daud Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. was a Deputy and an aide-
de-camp to the Sultan Abdul Hamid. Speaks
Turkish better than Arabic. His English is fluent.
He was in Constantinople during the war, and
returned to Bagdad in 1921. Appointed, in October
1922, Amin-al-Umana (Chamberlain) in the King’s
palace. Member for Arbil in the Constituent
Assembly, March 1924, and ^ ice-President. ^ oted
for the treaty 1924. Hazb-al-Shab and opposed
treaty of 1926. Minister for Justice under Taufiq
Suwaidi, April-November 1929. Disliked and
distrusted in Arbil.
Re-elected to Chamber of Deputies to represent
Arbil in general election of 1930, but has not held
Cabinet appointment since Taufiq Suwaidi’s Cabinet
^^signed in August 1929. In 1930 became lawyer for
u ne British Oil Development Company in Bagdad,
and has done quite well out of this work. Was not
elected to the Chamber in the elections of 1934.
Appointed Iraqi Minister at Tehran in June 1941.
Appointed Minister of Justice in February 1942, but
was squeezed out of the Cabinet in June 1943
because of his intrigues against the Prime Minister.
He was immediately appointed a Minister Grade I
in the Foreign Service en disponibilite. Posted to
London as Minister in October 1943. He took an
active part in founding the Anglo-Iraqi Society in
England, where he experienced the war at first hand,
the D Iraqi Legation being damaged by a bomb. His
two daughters are emancipated and, after a
successful debut in London, are now in Bagdad. Of
very doubtful financial reputation, but a firm friend
of the Royal House and a shrewd observer who can
on occasion play a useful role.
43. Daud-al-Saadi, Saiyid
Sunni of Bagdad. Born about 1887. Prominent
extremist. Lawyer. Usually connected with all
Nationalist agitations and intrigues. Elected to the
Chamber for Hillah in August 1935.
Appointed public prosecutor in August 1936 by
Yasin-al-Hashimi’s Cabinet. Resigned in December
after Yasin’s fall.
Elected to the Chamber for Kut in December 1937
and again in June 1939. Banished from Bagdad by
Jamil-al-Madfai in December 1938, but returned as
soon as Nuri-al-Said became Prime Minister.
An active supporter of Rashid Ali in 1941, he fled
to Persia at the end of May after the collapse of
Rashid Ali’s rebellion. He was handed over to the
British military authorities by the Persian Govern
ment after the entry of British forces into Persia in
September 1941. imprisoned at Ahwaz and then
sent to Southern Rhodesia for internment. Brought
back to Bagdad for trial in March 1944.
He succeeded in obtaining his release on medical
grounds and is now the doyen of the ex-internees and
a leader of the Independence Party.
44. Dhia da’far
Born in 1911. He was educated in England
where he spent nine years studying mechanical
engineering at Birmingham University, and where he
obtained a B.Sc. degree in 1934 and Ph.D. in 1936.
After completing his studies he had twenty months’
training with the Great W estern Railways. On
returning to Iraq he was appointed assistant
mechanical engineer, Iraqi State Railways in 1937.
He was subsequently promoted to mechanical
engineer.
During the war he was Director-General of
Engineering Supplies. He became Deputy for
Bagdad in the 1947 elections and was appointed
Minister of Communications and Works under Saleh
Jabr’s Government of March 1947.
He is a man of no family and, indeed, his family
enjovs an extremely doubtful financial reputation.
He is, however, well educated, speaks excellent
English and may in the future render the State some
service.
45. Fadhil Jam all Dr.
Born Kadhimain 1902. Shiah. Educated at the
American University of Beirut 1921-27. Columbia
University, New York, 1927-29. Wrote a thesis on
education among the tribes for his doctorate. On
his return to Iraq he was appointed to the Ministry
of Education. In 1933 he was made Director-General
of Instruction. He has a natural predilection for
American methods and is a disciple of Mr. Dewy.
In early 1938 he was invited by the British Council
to visit the United Kingdom to study British educa
tional methods. He was well entertained and shown
the best colleges and schools of all kinds. As a
result he became far more favourably disposed
towards British education.
Although he posed as pro-British and generally
collaborated in a friendly manner with the Embassy
in developing the work of the British Council, he
cannot escape responsibility for the deplorable state
of education in Iraq. He was determined to do his
utmost to resist British influence and opposed the
appointment of a British adviser and the establish
ment of a boarding school on public school lines
under British control. He was finally transferred
from his post of director-general and appointed
counsellor at the Iraqi Legation in Washington in
January 1943, but at the end of May he was still in
Bagdad hoping to contrive somehow to return to a
post in Education. A year later he was still in
Bagdad as transport by air could not be found to
take him and his family to the United States. He
has a Canadian wife, and is on friendly terms with
the United States Legation. Appointed Director-
General for Foreign Affairs in 1944. Member of Iraqi
delegation to the San Francisco Conference in April
1945. Returned to Iraq August 1945. Still desirous
of returning to Education. Is outwardly zealously
pro-British nowadays, and professionally always
obliging and helpful.
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