Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-19
THE KINGDOM OF IRAK

0NE Of the mandates given out
~ by the league of nations COW
cred the valley of the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers, the cradle OF the
human race. 1t was given over to
the care of Great Britain, who held
it all the time by military occupa-
ton, having wrested it from the
Turks. 1t was generally known as
the province of -Mesopotamia under
the Turks. It's capital was Bag
dad. The ruins Of many ancient
cities are buried in that valley
which once supported an enormous
population. Ninrod, Noneveh,
Babylon and other mighty seats of
empire are located there. Its an
Gent name was Irak-Arabl. Not
many people know what the British
have been doing there, but recently
the subject has been brought up IN
the British parliament where OBJ
jcctions were raised to the British
policy in that ancient country on
account Of the expense involved.
The taxpayers of Great Britain
are carrying a terrible burden, and
some of them think that too many
pounds sterling raised by taxation
are going to the land once ruled by
the kings Of Assyria. The subject
has also come up in the peace con-
ference at Lausanne, because the
Turks have sought to cut out OF
the new kingdom of Irak the dis
trict of Mosul because oil has been
discovered there. Uncle Sam has
also taken an interest in this Mosul
oil district, holding that while we
decline to put up any part OF the
expense of governing this new
kingdom or accept any responsible
Nv for it the United States, rep
resented by the Standard Oil com
pany, must be given equal privi-
feges in developing this oil dis
trict to those enjoyed by British
citizens.
The British, having Mesopotamia
turned over to them by the league
of nations mandate, proceeded to
organize the territory into a lew
kingdom with an Arab king: The
new king was Feisul, son OF the
king Of Arabia, whose territories
ioin those of the king of lrak.
This was of curse pleasing to the
Mohamnedans and the Arabs who
form the major portion Of the, pres
n inhabitants, and also pleasing
10 the Indian subjects Of Great
Britain, who mainly furnished the
troops that conquered the Turks in
the late war and took this ancient
territory from them. The Arablans
row have political control OF the
sacred Mohammedan city Of Mecca,
and as the califate had its seat at
Baedad where King Feisul rules,
they are ambitious to see the cali
fate restored to It's ancient seat
and held by Feisul. No doubt all
these things entered into the cal
culations of the British when they
organized this new kingdom which
is independent in theory as Egypt
was, but actually under the pro-
tectorate and rule of Great Britain.
The new king of Irak is a con
stitutional" monarch and the on
stitution provides that the foreign
policies of Irak shall be conducted
with the approval Of Great Britain
and on the other hand Great Bri-
tain is to furnish military and Fl.
nancial aid to the new nation as
needed. ALI this has been done pre-
suinably with the consent and ap-
proval of the league of nations as
provided in the Versailles treaty
But these mandates are costly
things. The British have been ad.
vancing money to build good roads
drain swamps, restore irrigation
canals, and otherwise improve the
new or rather the old kingdom OF
Irak, and all these things cost mon
cy-lots Of it. Presumably the
money is loaned on promises to pay
it back sometime, but wealth has
to be created before it can be gath
cred by the taxpayers for lnteres'
and principal due on bonds, and ths
borrower j.. such cases generally
hates to pay back borrowed money
Therefore some of the British tax
PAYERS are setting up a howl abou
too much money going to the cradle
of the human race and SO little
corning back. London newspaper
fetlind us that a treaty between
Great Britain and Mesopotamia, O
the kingdom of Irak, wa signed OF
- IL