Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-02
rHE WHITE MAN UNLoADS
PART OF HIS HEAVY BURDEN
British Withdrawal From Egypt May
Be q Prelude TO che Withdrawal OF
the Western Races From Asia

| the Weot0rn Races eTom NS'a
vT,Hp protectorats over Egypt which the
| i British have lust terminated dates only
from December IS, 1914. Until that time
| Egypt was one of the tributary states In
the Turkish Empire, nominally ruled by u
| Khedive.
Abbas Hilmi, who had been Khcdive since
| 1892, allied himself with the Germans in
| the World War. The British deposed him
and set up Hussein Kamil as Sultan Of an
Independent Egypt under the British protec.
tion. This condition has continued until
the present. while there has been an active
native movement to free the country from
British control started by German propa-
ganda IN 1915.
While Egypt was Turkish state 1t had
really been British possession since 1883.
and It wns ruled in fact though not in name
by British agent and Consul General with
the powers Of q Minister Plenipotentiary.
This condition came about through force
Of circumstances. Egypt got into financial
troubles Of various kinds, growing out Of
the financing of the Suez Canal and other
enterprises. In 1875 the British bought
the shares in the canal belonging to the
Khedive and became the largest shareholder
in the enterprise which 1t had originally
opposed. In 1870 the French and the Eng
lish each appointed a controller general to
supervise the affairs of the country in order
to protect their financial interests in the
canal.
A military rebellion broke out in the sum.
mer Of 1882. The British interviewed. put
down the rebellion and restored the au-
thority Of the Khedive. France declined t"
assist In this work. AS a result, the Khedive
In January. 1883. issued a decree abolish
ing the joint control of England and France
and appointed an English financial adviser.
Thus began the British occupation of
Egypt. which has continued to the present
an occupation that was always admitted to
be temporary, but which had continued so
long that in 1913 there were skeptics who
insisted that II was fnrcical to pretend that
1t was not to be permanent
Yet during all these years the forms OF
autonomy were preserved in Egypt. The
Khedive was the head of the Government
end appeared as such on all state occasions.
But as a matter of fact he did nothing ct
Importance without the approval of the
British Consul General.
Under the new arrangement Egypt is tC
hold about the same relation to the Britisf
Empire that Cuba holds to the Unite
States. The protection Of its foreign in
tercsts are to be under British direction an'
the British are to defend Egypt from outsid'
interference. either direct or indirect. an
they are to have the right to protect the
route to India through the canal But II
their domestic affairs the Egyptians are T.
be free to do Us they please, with no create
restrictions than are imposed by the Unite
States on the Cubans.
An anomalous condition is thus comm
to an end. q condition for which the Britis'
have been condemned with more or les
bitterness for nearly forty years. And tf'
Al t,o, ;,,o hoff
tion than they were in the beginning. Th
British have developed the country an
trained 1t in the arts of government. II
found it paving tribute to Turkey and i
caves 1t paving tribute to no one.
The change relieves the British Empir
Of one of its moral liabilities. 1t has ken
faith with the Egyptinns. and t leaves ther
with n greater degree of independence thai
thev have had since tNev became part of th'
Turkish Empire. The British guarantee
against foreign interference is an assurance
that the Turks will not be permitted
resume their suzerninty.
The settlement Of the Irish and the Egyn
tian questions leaves but one perplcxin
problem in connection with the governmer
of British dependencies, and that is il
India. II would be impossible to estimat
the value Of the material benefits which tn
British have conferred on India. Thes'
benefits are recognized by the people Of tina
great peninsula. But they do not like t.
be overlooked by people Of different race
and religion. There is strong movemen
now on foot to get rid Of the British Ono
faction Ia organizing force and another fac
ton Is passively resisting the British rule.
The problem will have to be faced sooner
or later. Just how 1t will be solved no
one can tell at this time. but those familiar
with the British genius for government are
confident that a way out Will be found
1t took more than hundred years to solve
the Irish problem. Less than fifty year
were required 10 find an honorable way out
of Egypt. But the Indian problem has ex-
listed for much longer than either of these
There have been periodic revolts and mutt
nies and massacres. And during the World
War the British were guilty of outrages In
suppressing uprisings which find no de-
tenders even in London.
The people of India would like to rule
their various states without foreign inter
ference. But the British have been ther"
for centuries, carrying what kipling called
the white mans burden.
No one can deny that the world as
whole is better because of British rule in
India. But no one can deny, either, M
least no one in America, that there can be
any people by IN alien race. 1t Is excusable
In crisis and 1t is excusable also when the
people, If left alone. would disturb the peace
of the world or would deny access of the
world to the resources of vast TERRITORY.
The world will be governed and the world
will be developed. If those who inhabit
any part Of 1t retard its development or by
| their incapacity for government make trou-
Bile for the peaceful nations, they will have
| to submit to interference from the outside.
The time may come when the British will
Withdraw from India and when the Western
| races will withdraw entirely from govern
mental control In Asia. But that time Is
not yet. The United States is not ready
to withdraw from the Philippines, and it
cannot withdraw without Sinking of its
responsibilities to the backward people
whom It IL training In the arts of govern
ment. India has tens Of millions of people
| as backward as the Fiipinos. The imme-
diate task OF the British there Is to devise
| ho -frictiop rvhila l.