Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-03-14
with those of the treaty just con-
cluded with Ireland.

cluded with Ireland.
There is British army in Egypt. II
is on this, and on nothing else, that
the British control of the Egyptian
nation rests. The Egyptians, how
ever, freely admit that the communi-
cation with the East through the Suez
Canal are so important to England
(and, 1t may be added, to many other
countries. too), that England may
reasonably demand the right to keep
military force somewhere in Egypt
until Egypt shows that she is willing
and competent to act as trustee for
the canal. But where should this
force be? y
The Egyptians say they would not
object to its being stationed In the
Canal Zone; that is, at certain
agreed points on or near the canal.
Then it would be in strong position
to protect the line of communications
and at the same time 1t would not Of
fend the pride and dignity of Egypt,
as anything in the nature of an army
OF occupation necessarily must.
The British government will not
agree to this. Even the foreign Of
fee, which expresses the moderate
British view, will not hear of 1t. The
foreign office declares that the Sc
curity of the canal Is only one of Eng
lands primary interests in Egypt. The
other is the security of foreign lives
and interests in the country. 1t recalls
that last year disastrous riots broke
out in Alexandria; that they were di-
rected against foreigners and espec-
tally Greeks; and that they could only
be quelled in the end by the use Of
British troops after native resources
had been tried and failed. What, says
the foreign office. viii happen If, after
Egypt has gained her independence
and the British troops have withdrawn
to fixed camps on the canal, mob rule
breaks out in Alexandria and numbers,
say, of Frenchmen and Italians are
slain? Will anything prevent France
and Italy sending troops and war
ships to interview? And, when they
have once set foot in Egypt, who will
make them withdraw-witness the
chain Of events when once the British
had landed in Egypt after the Alexan-
dria riots in the early sos? So the
foreign office demands that British
troops, after Egypt becomes sovereign
and independent, should be stationed
not actually in but near the great
towns. This, say the Egyptians, Is
not compatible with the existence Of
a free and independent Egypt. 1t is as
though in the new Irish Free State
large bodies Of British troops were to
be posted. in camps outside Dublin,
Cork, Limerick aud other Irish cities.
But the demand of the foreign Of
flee by no means satisfies the war Of
fee, which has the powerful support
of Wil.ston Churchill. The business
of the .7ar office Is to look at all
things from the strictly military point
of view and this idea of having troops
posted at fixed points outside the
towns hampers the plans of the gen.
eral staff. The war office asks, in a
word, for the right to have any num-
ber of troops anywhere, and the Brit
ish government has accepted the plea
and now imposes it as condition
upon Egypt. AS this is the rock on
which above all else the negotiations
have split and Egypt has become
acutely hostile to England, quote the
clause: .@
British forces shall have free pas
sage through Egypt and shall be main
tanned at such places in Egypt ana
| for such periods as shall from time to
time be determined. They shall also
at all times have facilities, as at pres,
ent for the acquisition and use OF
barracks, exercise grounds, aero
dromes, naval yards and naval mar
\ bors." ..
Now, the necessity and the morality
of such a condition as this may De
arguable, but it Is surely not arguable
that any nation on which such a re-
striction Is imposed enjoys sovereignty
or independence. 1t is quite plain that
it does not. But the conclusion Stnat
Egypt is in fact being offered some-
thing that Is rather like prctectorate
Is confirmed by the other restrictions
on which the British government in
sists. .-
For instance, foreign relations. fhat
is always a test of sovereign rights,
Thus the Afghans, by the war OF 1919
have won for themselves the right TO
direct their own foreign policy and so
have asserted their complete indepen-
dence of the Indian government The
Miner report made this proposal: ~,
Egypt will undertake not to adopt
in foreign countries an attitude which
Is inconsistent with the alliance or,
will create difficulties for Great Brit
ain and will also undertake not to en-
ter into any agreement with a foreign
power which is prejudicial to British
interests" 's 'a
Not an unreasonable stipulation, 1t
may be thought, If England is with
| ouy;no from the virtual possession