The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-02-10
IN THE OIL FIELDS
Office. e241 w. II. PECK Residence 2442

cablcd from BaGdad on January %.
IL is taken here as suggesting that
controversy over oil from man
dated territory might well be post
poncd until II Is certain there will
be any oil at all. The currespon-
dent drew n picture OF the result
ot the decisions TO recall British
troops from Persia and declared
that "a panic Of the grusscst kind
exists in British circles Interested
in Persia and old established busi-
nesscs are tearing themselves up
by the roots. The whole fabric o.
British influence. moral and eco
nomic, built up by the devoted lab
ors of BritOns for over century,
threatens to collapse before the
menace OF few scallywags sitting
I'm Ecsht and pretending to he boil
shcvists. because they have discov-
cred that II you make "A noise like
bolshcvist you can frightcn not
only Asiatics but even Europeans"
Moreover, the Arab regime in
Mesopotamia, as outlined in the
Colby note, The London Times cor
respondent considers "A mere dream.
That presumed "A practically inde
pendent Arab government with
British supervision reduced to min
imum to which could be entrusted
complete discretion as to the future
Of its natural resources, including
oil. But says the correspondent, no
Arab administration could possibly
protect traders for the next II
months. The constituent assembly
will not meet till April. Eight thou.
sand Arabs. the levies necessary 20
defend Mosul Nilayet, cannot be
ready till the end of the year. and
amy day when the snow melts, the
I National Turks, who have an irreg-
! ular force at Mardin. and the kurds
I lust beyond the border, may attack
( Mesopotamia. The Turks are con
/ ducting powerful propaganda here
/ to estabYE Burhan-ed-D fourth
/ son OF Abdul Hamid, as Amir here
/ The Hcdjaz and Syria are still max
/ ing propaganda for the Sneritiar
family of Mecca. Add to this the
simmering of last summers passion'
and IL Is easy TO see that all Britlsf
subjects would be too dangerously
exposed IL troops were Withdrawn
now. The administration woult
collapse. while the Bazaar. threat
ened with ruin, would work u
bring in the Turks"
Moreover, the correspondent says
II the British "evacuate 10 Basra, al
British business will follow the eX
ample set in Persia and leave tn
country. Large capital will he de
stroyed. The oil wells near Mendoi'
viii he abandoned and the bazai
paralyzed."
The London Times comment
cdltorially that doubtless its cor
respondent reflects to some exten
the views of the British commun
ity, hut not necessarily of the head
of the British administration.
goes on:
1--WE regard these prognostlca
uons with calmness at present, pu
without entirely rejecting them
The interests OF Mustapha Kema
Pasha do not at present lie in tn
direction of Mesopotamia at all. IL
is credited, indeed. with having ORD
cred his turbulent followers I
leave both British and Frenc
spheres alone. a statement whlc
does not seem TO be known yet
Bagdad."
But the newspapers principai OF
lection to the correspondent IL ina
"he forgets finance, which Is IN
factor dominating all others.
win not concede all his gloomy Tor
bodings, but It says decisively "
problem OF Mesopotamia must U
faced and solved In relation 10 IN
forthcoming British budget. Ther
is no other standard by which
solution can be reached, for IN
government has already impose
/ taxation in excess of the taxable ca
pacity OF Great Britain. Ne
| York Times.