ملف ٤٧٢٢\١٩١٨ الجزء ٨ "بلاد الرافدين: الوضع" [ظ‎‎٢‎١‎٥] (٩٩٥/٤٤١)

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18
/'o//?, 1 —-Provision ol ears to district and dlepartmieijital officers for toiaring
purposes in districts.
The progress of the Arab- Government will not I thinh greatly affect the
-demand for mechanical transport and I strongly recommend that recruitment
•continue.
This particular demand came under my close personal scrutiny and that
•of Finance Secretary before it was passed.
Telegram—Cypher Clear Line. •
From—Civil Commissioner, Baghdad.
To—India Office, repeated Foreign r Simla.
No. 89*72.
Bated 25th July, 19*20*.
My telegram of 21st July, 8785'.
The question arises to whom we should hand over Mosul in event of with
drawal. In justice to the inhabitants w-e should not I think allow our conduct
in this matter to be determined entirely by prematurely conceived hopes of an
Arab Government in these parts. If we were to hand them back to Turkish
Government not only could worse forms of anarchy probably be prevented, but
popular ©pinion in Mosul area which is hostile to- idea of Arab) Government and
entirely sceptical as to possibility of such a thing, would accept the change
without very serious disorder, and peaceful evacuation might be possible.
How far the same applies to other portions of Mesopotamia is premature
to say, but if and when Cabinet do decide to cut their losses in Mesopotamia
I hope the possibility of restoring Turkish suzerainty will not be forgotten.
I think it offers the best hope of saving something from the wreck.
It is unthinkable that we should simply clear out and leave these people
to wallow in the anarchy of our own creating, and I judge it infinitely prefer
able that we should hand over even to Mustapha Kama! or Yasin Pasha. A
dignified handing over to the Turks might d©) much to: neutralize' effect in India
of our evacuation.
MESOPOTAMIA.
OiUE COMMITMENTS UN BEE THE MANBATE.
A Too Gjseat Attempt.
? O' the Eflkto-)- o.Jr the Time*..
Sir,—B y constantly drawing attention to our adventure in Mesopotamia
and to our financial commitments in that dreary land, you are undoubtedlr per-
iwmiBg a seyv,« to the British taxpayer, and it is to he- hoped that in tie he
wilt be Niifheiently educated e-n the subject to realize that it is frem his poetets
the money is heme tahen to pay for an army in order to protect a co-mtrv
-against itself, for that is really what it means.
In September last I contributed to your columns a series of articles on the
eio iomic development of Mesopotamia, and they evoked considerable comment
and some criticism; but in the light of a good deal of additional information
I believe my conclusions were .sound, and if I re-wrote the articles to-dav my
views would remain unchanged. It is- certain that we are no nearer making
the administration float m an economic sense/" to quote Mr. Churchill, and
there are no signs of our being able greatly to reduce the' Army and depend
upon aeroplanes, armoured cars, and tanks. " J
1 have read, with interest Lord Islington’s
■of May 2 S, also your various leading articles on
bring forward a few points for discussion.
Lord Islington obseives —„ —„ —«-.«««*«j» ^a-wc-juui, jui jiauanraiiJiy ea
out, introduces an alien guidance, as far as possible free' from interference wim
the national method of government, and that any system suggesting an analogy
muth. ©nr Protectorates or Crown Colonies would raise stron —"
_ _ in your issue
ie subject,- and 1 venture tot
mandatory system, if faithfully carried
goes on to say that notliing can be of more vital importance than that proper
constitutional procedure should be followed in countries where the mandatory
system is to be set up, and he asks, firstly, whether the present form of adminis
tration m Mesopotamia Can be regarded as consistent with the conception of a
mandate; secondly, if it is a system of government which is likely to be per
manently acceptable to the Arab community in Mesopotamia
whether the British Exchequer can find f unds tor meet the annual
•entailed.