The Washington times., 1922-03-19

found men with their limbs splint-
ed with wood strips from Johnny
Walker whiskey boxes; Bhoosa
wire, and that sort of thing"
Repressive measures were taken
by high British officials to prevent
publication Of these shocking facts.
Officers who reported what they
saw, with q hope Of bringing about
better conditions were threatened
with arrest
Parliament Enlightened.
Finally the flood Of charges and
condemnation caused Parliament
to institute an investigation.
The Parliamentary Investigations
revealed how British adminstra-
tors suppressed the truth and sent
kilograms giving false accounts re-
garding existing conditions. For
instance. appalling conditions de-
scribed In the reports were pic
tured as pleasant and ideal In q
telegram bearing General Nixon's
name and addressed to the Score
tary Of State for India. The tele-
gram read as follows:
Wounded satisfactorily dis
posed Of. Many likely to recover
In country, comfortably placed In
hospitals at Amara and Basro.
Those for invading are being
placed direct on two hospital ships
that were ready at Basro on ar
rival of river boats. General con-
dition Of wounded very satisfac-
tory. Medical arrangements un-
der circumstances of considerable
difficulty, worked splendidly."
The parliamentary investigators
traced the source of this telegram
and found that Sir John Nixon
was Ill at the time 1t was sent; but
he admitted having seen II the
day after its dispatch, and accept
ed the responsibility for II.
Surgeon General Hathaway
told US that he had assisted in
framing 1t. Major General Cowper
stated to us that he personally
had no share in the dispatch Of
this telegram, and that he did not
himself submit 1t to Sir John
Nixon before his subordinates
dispatched II. These tw osubor-
dinate officers seems to have ac-
cepted Surgeon General Hatha,
ways authority as sufficient. 1t
Is impossible to believe that Sur
geon General Hathaway was ig-
norant of the condition and SUI
ferings of the sick and wounded.
He had been at Laj when the
wounded arrived from the battle
field, and he had himself worked
with great energy in embarking
them on the steamers"
This supports the charges made
by Indian leaders that India
served faithfully In many British
causes only to meet with ruthless
disregard. repression and exploita-
ton.
Indian unrest and suppressed
revolts have been caused by re-
ports Of this inhuman treatment
Of Indian troops sent to Mesopo-
tamia-
In March, 1919, there were 81
3S1 Indians employed as laborers
in Mesopotamia in day and night
labor.
Oil Grab Behind II All.
The British Indian administra-
ton has been repeatedly charged
In reports to Parliament with be-
ing directly responsible for all
the troubles in Mesopotamia,"
which means all the troubles in
the Near East, since Mesopotamia
has been merely the military base
for the British operations In the
Near East.
The actual military orders and
military plans from 1914 to 1922
show conclusiveiy that the cam
paign In Mesopotamia was under
taken entirely to seize oil re-
sources and maintain British con-
troll over the Persian and Mesopo-
tamian fields.
The evidence of the present
British oil operations under mill.
tary and critical auspices includes
the building Of a huge pipeline
and drilling Of over twenty wells
and extensive oil operation in the
territory designated for occupa.
ton in 1s14-l6,, and subsequently
occupied at such an awful cost in
lives and suffering.
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