The Washington times., 1919-12-18
CITES j. S.
POLICY ON EGYPT
Expects British Will Abide BY
Pledge to Respect Integrity
and independence.
copyrigAa. 1914
" u L ossAbSrR
Continued from First Page.)


time protectorate in 1914 This phase
Of the letter was explained today by
NJ. Mahmoud Pasha, Of the Egyptian
delegation to Washington.
'Prior to the world war;" he de-
clared. "the only thing that pro-
vented Egypt from possessing her
complete independence-which she
possessed in fact--was the nominal
suzerainty Of Turkey over Egypt.
But the proclamation of the protec-
torate by the British government, as
we'll as the letter from the British
ambassador to the State Department.
show that the suzerainty Of Turkey
over Egypt was terminated by the
war. Egypt went to war with Tur-
key, contributed more than 1000 900
men to the allied service, and sacri-
ficed considerably in money and ma
terials.
No Rights Of Successioa.
'In establishing the protecterate,
Great Britain claimed no rights OF
succession to Turkey In the matter Of
the suzerainty over Egypt AZ
George specifically acknowledges
Egyptian independence. With the ex-
tinguishment Of Turkish suzerainty,
the only bar to technical. as well as
actual independence of Egypt, was
removed. There existed only the
protectorate as merely wartime
measure. With the end Of the war
the protectorate automatically end
ed. But Great Britain endeavored to
escape her pledges and attempted to
make the protectorate e permanent
institution
"The letter of Secretary Lansing
iuo ho 10
question is an International question.
and as such. Of special interest to the
United States. It is now Great Brit
| aims duty to say whether or not 1t
will carry out the pledge Of King
George as to the independence of
Egypt. II Great Britain refuses, she
has no right to ask the sanction of
the United States to the taking Of
Egypt as a subject and conquered
country.
Has Risen To Moral Eminenee.
"The United States has risen to its
high moral eminence among the ra-
tions by reason of the fact that 1t
has never wronged, or assented to the
wrong of, defenseless people. In this
case, it has properly refused to be
drawn into the recognition of the
Egyptian question as one only of
British internal concern. 1t proper
ly recognizes that the Egyptian ques-
tion is an international question.
America. very honorably, has declined
to be a party to this attempted de-
struction of Egyptian independence"
The letter Of Secretary Lansing.
with official enclosures, reads as fol.
lows:
December 16, 1919.
ssHoporahla Pahart T, Ouar
United States Senate.
Sir:
Il have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter of Novem-
Der % last, in which you inquire as
to the effect of this Governments
recognition of the so-called protector
ate proclaimed by Great Britain over
Egypt on December Is, 1914.
I'm reply I beg to state that the
department does not understand that
Egypt was, prior to the British proc
lamation of December 18, 1914, in pos
session Of full independent sovereign
rights.
The effect of this governments
qualified recognition of April 1919,
was to acknowledge with the reserva-
ton set forth at that time only such
control of Egyptian affairs as had
been set forth in the notice of the
British government transmitted to
the department on December Is, 1914,
a copy of which is enclosed
1T is assumed that it is the pur-
pose of Great Britain to carry out the
assurances given by King George the
Fifth of England to the late Sultan
of Egypt, as published in the London
Times of December 21, 1914.
Il have the honor to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
ROBERT LANSING
British Governments Notice,
The notice of the British govern
ment follows:
British Embassy,
washington, December is, 1914.
"Sir:
II have the honor, under instruc-
tions from my government, to COM
municate to you, sir, for your in
formation, the accompanying copy Of
t telegram stating that his majecty's
government considers that the
suzerainty Of Turkey over Egypt is
terminated, and that they have ad-
vised the King to place Egypt under
his protection.
Il have the honor to be. with the