by: Modern East,
Year I, No. 2,
July 15, 1921, p. 82-85
Churchill speech on the Middle East. - The
June 14 held Churchill in the House of Commons on his first speech as Minister of the Colonies, the budget of 27.197 million pounds for 'salary and expenses in the Middle East. "
He points out that England, replacing the turkish government in Palestine and Mesopotamia, has undertaken to provide for their future and can not now fail to fulfill its obligations. Certainly they are not unlimited, and could need to recognize how hard the financial resources and British military are not able to do more. But it is not has yet reached that far, and indeed appears to be justified in the hope of a happy solution, provided the cost of Mesopotamia and Palestine to be reduced within practical limits and reasonable. This was his first thought. Here
Churchill tells the story of the Department for the Middle East, which he founded to coordinate the political and military action in those areas, it depends directly on the Ministry of Colonies and is accountable to Parliament, which votes separately the issues relating thereto. His training enabled him to reduce the effects, an impossible task until the military leadership was separated da quella politica.
Se l’attuale politica potrà svolgersi secondo le sue previsioni, i preventivi normali del 1922-23 per ambedue quei paesi non supereranno 9 o 10 milioni di sterline, 10 milioni meno dell’attuale bilancio.
Parla poi dei metodi e della politica che permetteranno di raggiungere tali risultati, e comincia dalla Mesopotamia od Irak, a cui nel giugno 1920 l’Alto
Commissario Cox promise la prossima costituzione di un Governo arabo sotto un sovrano arabo. Promessa in gran parte adempiuta; da parecchi mesi funziona un Governo provvisorio native format from the Naqib of Baghdad that despite the old age has rendered valuable services, (see below
in OM p. 90, col. I: Here in footnote 1).
The interim government will be replaced in summer by a Government based on an assembly elected by the people of Iraq, a sovereign Arab pleased with the Assembly and the Arab army for national defense.
England does not intend to impose on Iraq a prince who was not chosen by the country, but as a mandatory power can not be lack of interest in this matter.
will be up to Commissioner Percy
Cok [1864-1937],
deep knowledge of the country, and having personal relationships with the chiefs in the country and with the various candidates to lead the people of Iraq and its wise choice. The potential policies towards the Arabs are two: keep them divided, encourage local governments and fomenting rivalries between tribes (and this was the Turkish policy before the war). Or - the only program compatible with its promises to the Arabs during the war - around Baghdad to try to establish an Arab friend of England and its allies, capable of reviving the ancient culture, ancient glories of the race. England has decided to follow the latter policy. The only basis on which we can combine to give satisfaction to the Arab nation, is home
Sceriffiana of Mecca. The
Re Husein and his sons
Faisal and Abdallah declared war on the Turks and participated effectively in the war for the liberation of Palestine. Both Emirs have great influence in Iraq, in the class as religious in the military, and among the Shiites. "The members of the
Faisal was invited to go to Mesopotamia and attend to the people and that the meeting will be convened soon. King Husein
allowed him the invitation of acceptable, el'Emiro
Abdallah has renounced his rights in his favor. I informed the Emir Faisal
, in response to his requests that are not hampered his candidacy, that he is free to go to Mesopotamia, where, if chosen, will be recognized and supported by England. He has already left Mecca and arrive in Mesopotamia between about ten days. "
If the National Assembly, once elected, will choose Faisal
, there will be good reason for hope in the future of responsible government that Britain aims to support until it can do for itself, allowing a rapid and regular reduction of its charges.
"The defense of India will better organize our strategic frontier, Mesopotamia is not like India, capital of strategic importance to us. We are strongly in favor of the solution sceriffiana both in Mesopotamia and in Transjordan, and help the Sheriff of Mecca, financially damaged by the suspension of the pilgrimage, in the interests Muslims of our subjects we want to see restored. " We must carefully monitor the impact of this on potitica
powerful Wahhabi sect, which is at war with Husein and with all its neighbors. The leader of the Wahhabis was well disposed towards England and is in intimate relations with Sir Percy Cox
. He will continue the subsidy of 60,000 Lst., Subject to the maintenance of order and subject to confiscation for compensating victims of its aggression possible.
It is hoped to establish the government in Baghdad and the Arab Sovereign by the end of the financial year.
"The Arab army is already partly formed under the Minister of War in Mesopotamia, a devout supporter of
Husein, the related costs included in the budget of Mesopotamia. There are also Arab recruits to be gradually absorbed by the army and Arabic, which are kept by Britain, and Syrian and Kurdish recruits. These forces replace British troops withdrawn, at the end of the year will be in Mesopotamia, as well as the local troops, some 12 infantry battalions and Indian English, enough to take Baghdad and river communications with the sea. Then there are the air forces: 6 squadriglie di aeroplani; l’anno prossimo se ne aggiungeranno altre due. Esse serviranno al contatto con le truppe dei centri locali per prevenire disordini, sostenere posti isolati, tenere i funzionari politici in relazione con i loro distretti, e mantenere l’ordine. Vi è una squadriglia aerea in Palestina e tre in Egitto. Sono in corso preparativi per stabilire partenze regolari di aeroplani fra il Cairo e Bagdad; una volta tracciata questa via transdesertica, le intere forze della Mesopotamia potranno venir trasportate in Palestina o in Egitto, e viceversa, riducendo cosi il totale delle squadriglie. Saranno organizzati anche servizi aerei postali, commercial and passenger, forming an important link in the chain of imperial communications that can shorten one day, with great advantage, communications with India, Australia and New Zealand. "
Churchill then speaks of the Kurdistan
.
"Before leaving Baghdad, Sir Percy Cox
informed the Turks that, pending the plebiscite set for them by
Treaty of Sevres, he would continue to administer the district of Kurdistan. The Kurds do not like much welcome the opportunity to come under an Arab government, have been made then investigations throughout Kurdistan and we saw that the people of South Kurdistan would accept the union with Iraq only if they were governed directly by the High Commissioner and not by Arab governments. Cox
thus fulfill a double function in relation to Iraq and Kurdistan, very nearly as the High Commissioner for South Africa with the Union, Rhodesia and the territories inhabited by indigenous people. "
"The region will of course be administered as a single trading zone. It is hoped that later achieved a degree of stability, there will be complete community, and hand hand that the Government will strengthen the Arab, we can reduce our effective below the threshold, finally leaving him the bulk if not the entire responsibility, possibly with the help of Kurdish recruits. The Kurdistan will have its own Kurdish troops, which will form a bulwark against Bolshevik infiltration and Kemal. Following the establishment of the Arab governments, we are prepared to substantiate his sovereign with a treaty which recognizes the independence more directly, thus reducing our costs more. "
'On 7 or 8 million pounds of the budget planned for Mesopotamian next year, about 1,252,000 Lst. will be allocated to aviation, the rest for military spending and subsidies. I can not guarantee that my program will give all the desired results, I say simply that it represents what we have been able to establish better and that it has gained support among the general authorities, military and civilian aircraft, who have participated '.
"The problem of Palestine is more acute than that of Mesopotamia, but much less militarily, for the different geographical positions of the two countries. The discontent in Palestine is due to the Zionist movement and agl'impegni English to it. Without such circumstances, the English garrison potrebb'essere greatly reduced. Late last year it was increased from 16,000 to 7, 000, with 5,000 fighters who I am today. This number far from diminishing in the near future may have to be increased. The total expenditure last year was 6,500,000 of Lst. This year will be 4,500,000, of which 2,000,000 for demobilization and repatriation of Indian troops who have now cleared the country. As for our position regarding Jews and Palestinian Arabs, there is
Balfour Declaration, adopted by the Supreme Allied
to S. Remo and introduced into the draft terms of reference which will be presented shortly to
League of Nations. "
BANBURY : "The
League will be represented in Palestine and Mesopotamia?"
CHURCHILL: "No. Things are complicated enough as it is! The warrants are exercised under the
Statute of the League. The promise made to the national headquarters of the Jews have this difficulty, it does not agree with our policy to consult regularly on their desires of the people countries subject to mandates and grant them only representative institutions are prepared to use it. In Palestine, these institutions would undoubtedly worked to prohibit any further Jewish immigration. There are many difficulties, but I think with patience, calm and a little 'luck, get out of it. There are 500,000 Muslims in Palestine, about 65,000 Jews and 65,000 Christians. According to the Zionist program of immigration were introduced about 7,000 Jews. And the Arabs are worried and excited, not so much the number of immigrants from the repeated and enthusiastic statements made - rightly - by the organization Zionist in the world around their hopes of making Palestine a Jewish country mostly populated by Jews around the world. The Arabs also fear that they are Jews from Central Europe and especially in Russia, and believe that in the coming years we will reach the scores of thousands who will take over the earth and become the absolute masters of the country. Such fears are unfounded. The Zionists, to obtain the necessary support, shall conduct an ardent propaganda and say their program with the utmost conviction, and this has worried the Arabs, not the proportions present and future immigration. We in Palestine
Sir Herbert Samuel, experienced politician and liberal Zionist conviction. The Arabs have nothing to fear, because immigration is strictly controlled the number and quality and is proportionate to the resources of the country that today is undoubtedly too sparsely populated. I challenge anyone who has seen the Jewish settlements in Palestine to advise the government to abandon the attacks of fanatics, and to prohibit immigration after engagements taken, this would be tantamount to the recognition that the word no longer matters in the East of England. If they are granted representative institutions to the Arabs of Palestine, I hope, will be taken to safeguard, within reason, the immigration of Jews, since they suffice to themselves and create their own means of subsistence. " Here Churhill explains how the capital of the Jews and the activity will increase the wealth and population of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants.
then speaks of
Transjordan (see above
No
fourth), which is one of the most precious parts of Palestine. "In this region we do not keep troops in the last two years and the disorder There has been continuous. You must give a stable government, not only for us but also for the French, as the area north of Syria is contiguous to the northern boundary of Transjordan. We are opposed to assume the expenses of maintaining two or three battalions and the risk of seeing them isolated and surrounded by Bedouin uprisings. We therefore appeal to the good offices of the Emir Abdallah
, and we conferred at length with him: he has pledged to maintain internal order, the air squadron of Lydda and some armored cars are at its disposal. "
"Our general policy collaborazione con la famiglia sceriffìana non è in nessun modo contraria agli interessi francesi, anzi è il mezzo più sicuro per garantire la Francia da torbidi in Siria, da parte di influenze arabe con le quali essa è disgraziatamente in disaccordo. Esiste purtroppo uno stato latente di recriminazione fra funzionari inglesi e francesi nel Medio Oriente che però non si estende agli uomini responsabili da ambo le parti e che, sono convinto, verrà soppresso dalle autorità superiori dei due paesi 0vunque si manifesti».
«Se vogliamo conservare la nostra posizione e far frome alle nostre responsabilità nel Medio Oriente, England and France will follow along with a policy of peace and friendship with both the Turks with the Arabs. All these efforts are in vain unless they are backed by a peaceful and lasting solution of the Turkish question, and it can not be reached if France and England flaunt absolute helplessness. We must have the means to defend our vital interests, and we must show to have them and show their capacity in case of need, valercene. If we show ourselves powerless or unable to defend ourselves, we do not get that lasting peace with Turkey for months is our primary goal. Only on the basis of this peace will be realized the hopes of significantly reducing those burdens which Britain and France to bear as a result of their commitments in the Middle East. "
V. d. B.
(1)
Faisal in Baghdad. - According to the Reuter Agency Emir Faisal
arrived in Basra on 24
and on to Baghdad, where he will meet the Mesopotamian National Assembly, convened to elect a king. (
Daily Herald, 25 - 6 - 1921). Y. d. B.
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