Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-11
ENGLAND HAS DIFFICULT
TASK DEFENDING MECCA
Centuries Old Quarrel Between
Arab Rulers Broke Out Afrcsh
During War.
ni COLONEI. u. r. I.AMnENCE.

Arab Rulers Broke Out Afrcsh
During War.
by COLONEL n. r.. LAWRENCE.
LONDON. July 10 have been
reading references to the war in
Arabia between the King of the
liejaz-giadia;or Of the foreign Of
iice-and the Enr o. NeJd-of the
india oihce-wi,h great interest,
since the whole history OF the quar-
re! is before me. and l have Won
de!ed how long 4; would be before
the curious !ncptltudc OF policy dig
played by his Maje1ty's government
IN permitting this ngh, would come
out In The press.
The King OF lieJaz was invited
oy US 10 JOIN the side of the allies in
1916. and his troops and Resources
and influence piayed Il part in Allen
by's Two campaigns against the
TURKS Ills effort in the war exhaust
ca ms country. and the nature OF the
satisfactory 10 the Arabs-has pre-
E.nied the diversion of forces to de-
iend Inc Eastern frontier OF the
btjaz against the desert.
Political Itciigious Lender.
The Einir OF the Descr, is Add ri
AZlz ION Saoud. the strongest person.
AIT? Of the princes OF Arabia. He
reclaimed the throne OF his ancestors
ana mas since greatly extended his
dcininions by becoming at once Il po-
i!tlsai and a religious leader. The
WAYS looking for a new creed, and the
stern puriianism with which the Wa
n it name was associated appealed 10
INC most energetic OF them.
They Joined his banner In large
n nun osr ,si r nrot hin an their I'm
order he gives. He sends on, qh-nti-
ties OF paid missionaries. and has
;hteiy oeen making converts among
the h!Ii tribes south OF Mecca.
1.-The Great unbcIieyer.-
The King OF the Hejaz looks on the
alarm. TO the "Brethr.n''--the name
Of The devoted In the new sec,-he is
supporter OF the old High party
among The Mosicms. the warden OF
a sfe iw YIN , smt!nes Sf Mecca and Ne
Prophet:
Tne, Brethren VIII not admit to
their houses travellers from the Hcjaz
and leave on their contemplated
clothes, and precept in their creed
lens VINO do not join their sec; and
abandon tobacco. SILK. and precious
metals as ornaments.
The Wahabi threat to the IIejaz
the end OF isis. King Hussein over.
estimated his strength. and sent
aigular camel corps against the adj
vance party OF the brethren. who had
converted and occupied the village OF
khurmn. once in the Kings hands.
since their relatives were in the
Wahabi ranks. and almost without
lighting gave UP their guns and dis
pcrscd.
rhe King was now seriously
alarmed, and called his second son:
H.
dulia marched out with a column OF
$50 Mesopotamian infantry. volun-
camel corps. The British officers on
the spot opposed his going. and he
was accompanied. of the foreign mill
tary missions in Arabia. only by a
French Moslem officer. He won some
preliminary successes. but was finally
surprised asleep in camp one night,
ing his $50 infantry behind him. with
his guns and machine guns.
The Wahabis took no prisoners. as
The British government was now
as alarmed as the King OF the Hejaz
Al the apparently imminent fall OF
,, for the evacuation by sea OF the 5000
British Indian residents of Mecca.
Meanwhile officers were sent out by
a!rplane from England to. Egypt to
try TO persuade the combatants to
| make peace. They even asked my
opinion as TO the best means to fol-
| low.
Should support IIcJnz.
pointed out first that the Cabinet
must make up it's mind to support
only one side. and that-in view of
the turmoil "a century ago when ibn
be wiser to support the King OF the
HejaZ.
In my opinion Mecca could only be
it's eastern frontier by, "A regular di-
vision. The Turks had supplied this
must therefore be found troops from
some other Moslem government.
The Egyptians had done the work
therefore ineligible for Mecca. The
| Moslcm elements of the Indian army
are equally insligibie; T hers, re- e.
Damascus Fcisui was accordingly
appealed to, and asked If he would
undertake the defence OF Mecca.
He refused. as ! knew he would.
for reasons which need not be made
public. lie had offered to do it when
in London at the end of 1918; and had
tanks and afmored cars for the pur-
pose. There had ensued the usual
thhrec,nart, eom ned U.r n EGreiG w,v OF
ing. the India Office opposing; Event
ually the War Office agreed to sup
ply tanks only to the one side-that
Then they began to want their ar
mored cars in Ireland and Egypt-,and
after six months correspondence
they offered their tanks too late for
Fcieurs convenience.
The present policy is to try to
reconcile the two rulers-a temporary
measure, which will not stop new
religion any more than would the de.
limiting OF a frontier by n mixed
commission. These outbreaks of puri-
tanism in the desert happen every
logical law, and die away after their
success. as this one will die away.
opinion demands that their death be
horried. and then costly expedition,
like that of the Egyptian govern
ment hundred years ago. becomes
The European powers. that seem to
act rs midwives TO the new move
ments Of Asia, will be hard put to
1t to meet such a crisis today-unless,
of course. they show greater adroit-
ness than they have shown In the
last two years and adopt an obvious
procedure, urged upon them from sew
most difficult thing: Agreement be-