Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎59r] (117/544)

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Government had to deal, and it was one on which the opinion of
that Government should, as a rule, be decisive. He thought it
would be a very grave step for the Committee to over-rule the Indian
Government in the present instance.
General Smuts agreed that the Committee should trust the
judgment of the Indian Government.
Lord Robert Cecil concurred, though he said he was not quite
so sure about omitting all reference to Penjdeh, nor did he quite
understand the phrase “ assist in every reasonable way.”
General Macdonogh pointed out that, since the telegram from
India had been received, Mahendra Pratap, who had gone to Berlin
on the 23rd March, had caused to be delivered to the Amir, a letter
from Turkey.
The Chairman said that this only showed that communications
were still passing between the Amir and the enemy. He was
following his usual policy of flirting with both sides.
Mr. Shuckburg explained that Mahendra Pratap was a disloyal
Indian of no particular family. As regards the Amir, the latter had
always said to the Government of India, “ I shall carry out my
pledges to you, but you must trust me to do it my own way, even if
my actions sometimes seem to you suspicious.”
Mr. Montagu said that his draft also covered the second telegram
from the Viceroy of the 1st July (E.C. 692) in which the gist of the
proposed reply of the Government of India to the Amir was given.
The Chairman thought that the Committee might generally
approve the proposed reply to the Amir, but he was doubtful about
certain passages, for example—“ Even if these allegations are true,”
“ Indeed my appreciation of your difficulties is enhanced,” and the
coupling of ‘‘ our resources were never so great ” with the practical
difficulties of supplying arms.
Lord Robert Cecil enquired whether it would be wise definitely
and absolutely to turn down his request for munitions.
General Smuts pointed out that the door was left open by the
phrase “ Nevertheless we are ready to consider any further
requests.”
The Chairman said that the question of money and munitions
for Afghanistan was an old story. The actual position was that, we
gave the Amir a handsome subsidy and the Amir made munitions in
his own factories. He had been loyal so far, but he was an Oriental
and could not be implicitly relied upon. On almost every occasion
when India had presented guns to States on the Indian border, e.g„
Manipur, they had, sooner or later, been turned against us. We
refused to supply guns of large calibre even to Nepal.
Mr. Montagu thought that there might be circumstances when we
should have to depart from this practice if, for instance, the Amir
were actually fighting a common enemy from the north. As regards
the language employed in the proposed reply, he thought that it had
probably been carefully considered and chosen, as the Viceroy was
constantly exchanging letters with the Amir.
General Macdonogh referred to two messages which had been
received, one from the C.G.S. India, dated the 27th June, and the
other from Major Redl about skilled workmen going to Afghanistan.
It was alleged that they would be employed on the extension of the
railway from Kushk to Herat.
The Chairman thought it most unlikely that the Amir would
permit the construction of any railway within his own territory; it
w T as much more probable that these skilled men were wanted for
the munition factories.
Mr. Montagu said that the Indian Government, in their pro
posed reply, suggested that their existing promise of 44 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees at
the end of the war should be cancelled, and that, instead, they
should promise to give the Amir 50 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees on the 15th July in gold
bullion, and another 50 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees six months later. He thought that
this proposal was sound as it was important not to deny the Aunir
to