Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-26
L|KENS ENGLAND'S
POSITION III EGYPT
To HIGKINAYMAN'S
Ex-Governor Folk Scores
Great Britain Before Com
mittee Japan May Be
Fotced to Publish Promise

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25-Likening
Great Britain's legal position Il in
Egypt to that of a highwayman, JOS
eph w. Folk, counsel for the Egyp-
tan peace delegation, told the senate
foreign relations committee today
that the Versailles treaty proposed
to validate the robbery" of Egyp
tian independence.
Having occupied Egypt after the
construction of the Suez canal under
the pretext of. protecting the Egyp-
tians from rebels, Mr.. Folk said,
Great Britain, in 1914, "seized the
Egyptian government and now pro-
posed under the treaty to reduce her
to subject nation"
The treaty, he said, would make
Egypt's grievances against Great
Britain an internal question so that
it could not be dealt with by the
League Of Nations.
"The people of Egypt" the wit
ness declared, want a League of
Nations which will protect their in
dependence and not destroy it. They
ask you not to deny them that self
determination for which more than a
million Egyptians fought in the war
just ended"
The delegation sent to the Paris
conference by the Egyptian repre-
sentative assembly, Mr.. Folk said,
were held in virtual Imprisonment"
and were not permitted to even send
He declared the protectorate claimed
He declared the protctorate claimed
by Great Britain over Egypt was
"the sort Of protectorate that high
wayman would claim over your pock-
etbook." q
Great Britain repeatedly had pledg-
ed Mr.. Folk said, that her occupa-
ton of Egypt would be temporary
and he asked that a clause. be writ
ten into the treaty giving Egypt the
right to appeal to the league coun-
Gil.
Republican members of the com
mittee suggested, however, that the
legue was to be controlled by the
same powers as made the treaty
and that Great Britain's rights in
Egypt already had been recognized
formally by the American state de-
partment. ...s .-..,s s.e.
Referring to the outbreaks against
British rule in Egypt, Mr.. Folk said
Great Britain had Suppressed" the
VIII tnly YO1o n n
did not want the United States, es-
pecially, to learn the facts if it could
be helped.
Pressure on Japan
A renewed attempt to force Japan
to publish the agreement whereby
she guaranees the ultimate return OF
Shantung to China is believed likely
today as a result of the senate situa-
ton growing out of the amendment
of the foreign relations committee.
This agreement, while verbal in so
far as the records Of the peace con-
ference are concerned, is in existence
in writing. The Japanese, however,
have heretofore consistently refused
to permit it's publication. An attempt
to obstruct the release" Of the act
ual wording of this agreement was
made some two months ago in Paris.
Other pc Eers approached the Japa-
nese on the subject, but with no sue
cess The president, consequently has
been forced to refuse to give it to
the senate.
While administration senators are
confident of beating the Shantung
amendment on the floor, they recog-
nize that the fight must be made on
the principle that in order to assure
early restoration of peace, the treaty
should be ratified without amend
ment or reservations.
1t is known that many diplomats
connected with the peace conference
feel that the presidents hand would
be strengthened, should the actual
text Of the Japanese agreement be
published. For that reason the pre-
vious attempt to smoke out the
Japanese had some support from
other powers, which are anxious to
see early American ratification of the
treaty. A renewed attempt might be
expected to get the same support.