Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎133v] (266/290)

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e xa gg6r a t e d. He pointed out tha,t the preponderance of British to
Arab membership in the proposed Council of State was very slight—
only six to five. An Arab was to be President of the Council, and
thus head of the Government, subject only to the authority of the
High Commissioner. We had completely destroyed Turkish
administration in Mesopotamia and had to be very cautious in
introducing measures to replace it. The proposed constitution would
gradually become increasingly Arab, and he considered the procedure
outlined bv the Committee preferable to the immediate setting up of
puppet Ministers on the analogy of Egypt. . lieplying to a question
by the Chairman, he agreed that the proposed provisional constitution
could not be described as that of an independent State, but it was
such a constitution in its cradle.
Sir George Barstow observed that the Civil Commissioner
appeared to think that Mesopotamia would be able to make its own
way so far as the purely civil functions of the administration were
concerned, but it was not suggested that it could pay for its own
military requirements. He asked what the intention was in this respect.
So long as the country was dependent upon a foreign garrison for its
protection it could not reasonably be called independent. If, on the
other hand, the independent Government were called upon to pay for
its own protection from the outset, there would inevitably be a deficit.
The present cost of the Mesopotamian garrison was 16,400,000/. a
year, wdiile the gross revenues did not exceed 4,000,000/.
Sir Arthur Hirtzei said that the first essential to the establish
ment of conditions under which the Mesopotamian Government could
pay its own way was efficiency, and this could not be secured without
a considerable measure of European supervision.
Replying to a question by the Chairman, General Radcliffe said
that the best way would be for a fixed yearly grant to he made to
the Mesopotamian Government for defence. They should be told
that they must cut their coat according to this cloth.
Mr. Shuckburgh pointed out that we had been pressing Colonel
Wilson to take some further steps towards the establishment of a
constitution in Mesopotamia and that it would be difficult to tell
him now that nothing was to be done.
The Chairman remarked that Colonel Wilson had never been
instructed to form a Committee, and that it was not necessary that
the recommendations of this Committee should be approved forth
with. At the same time it was clearly undesirable that anything
should be said that might belittle the valuable efforts mad - on
the spot to assist His Majesty’s Government in ar ivmg a
conclusion. He suggested that a draft reply might be prepared in
the Intlia Office and sent to him for concurrence.
The Conference decided that —
L. An early meeting should be held to discuss the question of
mandates.
2. Tiie 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. should prepare a draft telegram to Colonel
Wilson for the concurrence of the Secretary of btate for
Foreign Affairs.