New-York tribune., 1921-06-15
Britain to Make
Mesopotannia
An Aral, State
Withdrawal! of Army of De-
cupation by October Is
Plan Outlined i'm House
of Commons by Churchill
Emir Feisal for King
No Strategic Intercst S
TO Justify Retention of
Territory, He Declares

LONDON, June ID BY The Associ
ated Press) Great Britain's new pol
icy of replacing the existing provis-
ionhl native government of Mesopo
tamia by the creation Of an Arab state,
which should be built up around Bag
dad and revive the old glory and cul-
ture of the Arab races, was announced
in the House of Commons to-day by
Winston Spencer Churchill Colonial
Secretary.
Mr.. Churchill declared that this was
u clear policy definitely chosen and
agreed to within the whole Arabian
peninsula. ard he indicated the belief
that Emir Feisal, son of the King of
Hedjaz, would be elected head of the
new state.
Mr.. Churchil's speech dealt with
Middle Eastern affairs and his visit to
Cairo in connection with his appoint
ment as Special Minister over that
area, and had been awaited with great
interest for revelation of the extent
of the British commitments in this
region and whether any great reduc-
tion Of military expenditure might be
hoped for.
Policy OF Friendship Urged
The Secretary contcnded that pol
icy of appeasement and friendship
alone was compatible with the British
pledges, and if accepted by the Arab
people it was the best possible solu-
ton that could be reached. King Hus-
seinl had already consented that his
son Fcisal should be candidate for
the throne.
There were no primary or directly
strategic interests concerning India to
justify British retention of Mesopo-
tamia, Mr.. Churchill continued India
could better be defended on it's stra-
tegic frontier The British policy was
to reduce its burdens, while discharg-
ing its obligations, by creating a gov
ernment which would be friend of
Great Britain and might also be a
friend of France. An Arab army would
be created for the defense of the new
state
Next October he hoped to reduce the
British occupying army to twelve bat
tallons and when >the new state was
created to withdraw all the British
forces and enter into areaty relations
with the new state.
Mr.. Churchill announced that the
Kurds were not anxious to come under
al Arab state, hence Kurdstan would
still be administered by British COM
missioner, but he hoped it would even
tually join the new state
To Limit Influx of Jews
Turning to Palestine, he admitted
that this was a graver problem than
Mesopotamia, but much smaller in a
military sense. The Arabs feared they
would be swamped in a few years by
Jewish immigration from central Eu-
rope and Russia, and that the Jews
would gain absolute control of Pales-
tine. He declared, however, that these
figures were quite illusory. No Jews
would be brought beyond the number
that could be provided for by the de-
velopment of the countrys resources
In detailed statement of the mill
tary position in Mesopotamia Mr.
Churchill showed that with the reduc-
tions already effected the total expendi-
ture for the current year would be
e35, 100000, but he hoped that next
year the normal expenditure in both
Palestine and Mesopotamia would not
exceed 100000 600