Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎99v] (198/544)

4
Relief of Refugees
from Bijar.
this occasion, however, he had not done so. General Macdonogh
said he had taken steps to prevent a recurrence of what was a most
serious lapse.
The Committee agreed—
That the publication of our movements in Central Asia was most
unfortunate, and that every precaution should he taken to
prevent such disclosures in the future.
The Committee decided—
That the explanation of the Director of Military Operations,
as submitted to the War Cabinet, should he placed among
the Committee's papers, and that a record of the discussion
should appear in the Minutes of the Committee.
2. The Committee had before them telegrams 707 and 709
from Teheran (E.C.-12:U and E.C.-1225), in which it was stated
that the Jelus were retreating before the lurks, and were coming to
Hamadau, and that 40,000 Assyrian refugees had already passed
through Bijar, where it was assumed that the total number would
amount to’ 80,000. Our consul at Hamadan proposed to form a
Relief Committee to deal with the situation, and had suggested that
the last 20,000L granted for famine relief, which had not been drawn
upon, should be immediately diverted for this purpose. 1 he consul
further said he could not yet estimate what monthly grant would be
required for relief, but thought it would be considerable, and suggested
that His Majesty’s Government and the United States Government
should arrange a joint relief.
The Chairman thought that this presented an admirable oppor
tunity for making use o! the funds of which Mr. Judson s party
could dispose, and he suggested that the United States should be
asked to take over all relief measures.
Mr. Keynes said that his department approved of the diversion
of the 20,0001 Mr. Judsons party had nt their disposal sums
amounting to 2 million pounds sterling. He had arranged with
Mr. Wertheim that the‘question of the exchange should be left in
our hands, and that half-a-million pounds sterling should he at his
immediate disposal to start with. Mr. Keynes then read a draft
reply he had prepared to the second of the above telegrams.
General Macdonogh said that from a military point of view it
was desirable to get the refugees off the Hamadan-Kasvin road as
soon as possible. " The War Office were in favour of sending them
down to Rillah, south of Baghdad, where there was an abundance
of supplies. He thought that while some of the able-bodied men
among them might be employed on road repair and for transport
purposes, others might be made into soldiers. Even it Mr. Judson
were able to provide the funds, the supplies to feed these refugees
would have to be found on the spot, and we needed all local supplies
to meet our own requirements.
The Committee agreed—
T1 lat Mr. Judson should be invited, as soon as possible, to take
over all relief measures for the refugees, and directed—
(a.) That the Treasury, in consultation with the Foreign
Office, should revise Mr. Keynes draft in the light
of the above discussion before despatch to Teheran.
(b.) The War Office to ascertain the views of General
Marshall in regard to the proposal to divert the
refugees to Hillah.