Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎155v] (310/544)

G
King Hussein's
Title.
4. The Chairman stated that in the past there had been disputes
regarding King Hussein’s title, and it had been decided upwards of
a year ago to recognise him as King of the Hejaz. I he horeign
Office were now anxious, in view of his representation and the
representation of the Arabs generally at the Peace Confeience, that
this title should be extended, and that he should be given the title of
King of the Arabs. The India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , as the result of ad\ice
received from political officers in Mesopotamia, and on account of
other Arab chiefs in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Central Arabia, which had
hitherto come within the sphere of the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , weie opposed
to the recognition of such a title. He was inclined to take the view
put forward by the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. on the ground that, although it
might assist us in dealing with the problem of Syria, the grant of
such a title might compromise our position in Mesopotamia, where
King Hussein’s claims were shadowy, to say the least of it, might
be repudiated by the local population, and might prejudice our case f
before the Peace Conference as regards maintenance of the political
regime which had been set up in Mesopotamia.
Lord Robert Cecil stated that the Foreign Office considered it
very desirable that leisal should be heard at the 1 eace Confeience
as representative of the Arabs, and that it would be extremely
difficult for us to make the Arab case in view of our complications
with France, and of the probabilityof representatives with regard to the
future of the Near East being put forward by the Americans. I here
was the further difficulty that King Hussein repudiatedthe title of, King
of the Hejaz, did not allow it to be used, and returned lettersor telegrams
addressed to him as such unopened. On the other hand, he fully
realised the difficulty of recognising King Hussein as King of the
Arabs, on account of the attitude adopted, or likely to be adopted,
by such rulers as Ibn Saud. With regard to Mesopotamia, he still
thought it most desirable that we should have further enquiry and
discussion regarding the form of government which we hope to see
established in that country. By our joint declaration with the
French Government we had repudiated any idea of annexation,
while at the same time it appeared that it was not possible to set
up a local Arab chieftain as nominal ruler. Sir Percy Cox had
suggested putting up the Nagib of Baghdad, but from what infor
mants who had been in Mesopotamia said, such a suggestion was
impracticable.
The Chairman stated that, in regard to the future of Mesopo
tamia, the Committee had come to a definite decision when Sir
Percy Cox was in England in the early part of the summer of 1918.
It had then been decided to set up an Arab facade to the back
ground of a British administration, and this policy was being
energetically pushed forward by the establishment, in so far as was
practicable, of native institutions under the control and direction
of British officers. He thought that it would be quite possible to
draw up a policy and to send instructions to our people in Mesopo
tamia, based upon the information and advice that were now being
received from them. He had seen an India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. paper on the
subject, and thought that nothing should be done with regard to
King Hussein’s title until this paper had been fully considered.
.Mr. Montagu stated that the paper referred to by Lord Curzon «
had been drawn up roughly by Sir Arthur Hirtzel, and that he
would have to revise it before submitting it to the Committee. At
this point Colonel Lawrence was invited to submit his view's to the . ^
Committee.
Colonel Lawrence repeated that King Hussein had always
repudiated the title of King of the Hejaz, and the title by which he
w r as known .throughout Syria, the Syrian desert, the Shammar
country, and the Hejaz was King of the Arab countries. This title
was now in general use and those parts of western, central, and
northern Arabia where the Arab Government was recognised by the
peoole. Colonel Lawrence took the view that the recognition of this
title mi^ht help us at the Peace Conference if we desired the