The Washington herald., 1922-09-12

AFTER <,oOO years OI supySttioA
to foreign masters. Assyrian
Persian. Greek. Roman. Parthian
Turk and others. Mesopotamia is
once more free.
The world thrilled when Poland
regained her Independence after
being under alien rule only a little
more than 100 years but Mesopo-
| tamia since the year 53s, before
the birth of Christ, had never
known what IL is TO lead an in
dependent existence.
In that year Cyrus, King of the
Persians, captured Babylon. and
from that day until the close OF
the world war the historic land
between the Tigris and Euphrates
was under the control of foreign.
ers. This is the more surprising
in view of the fact that Meso-
potamia, according to many au'
thorities, was in reality the scene
of the birth of civilization; 1t:
culture Is older even than that OF
Egypt or of China. and, appropri,
ately enough, II contains the tradi.
tional site of the Garden of Eden
England Holds League Mandate.
At last. however, Mesopotamia is
free. Henceforth II will be known
as the Kingdom of Irak; its first
ruler is Prince or Emir Feisal. sor
of the King of the Hedjaz, that
same Prince Feisal who in his
gorgeous robes made such a pic
turesque figure at the Peace Con-
ference in Paris. His authority is
limited. to be sure. not only by a
national legislative body, but also
by the British protectorate, which
still exists over the country in the
form of a mandate under the
league of nations.
Certain formalities connected
with this mandate have not yet
been fulfilled. but 1t seems certain
that It will be recognized in spite
of the jealousies which exist in
certain quarters against having
British influence predominate in a
country that is expected to be one
of the greatest oil producing re-
SlOHS Vi lie wOIluL ne
however. Is a so-called "A" man
date and is not intended to las,
indefinitely. but merely until Meso.
potamia has proved its willingness
and ability to govern itself.
In the opinion of its friends II is
certain to be able to do this. though
at the beginning of it's career this
old-young country must. like most
new nations, face certain discourag-
ing facts. For centuries its people
have had no share whatsoever In
their own government and their
political natures are yet to be
awakened.
Population OF $500, 100.
There are hostile neighbors who
mean Mesopotamia little good: the
Turks in Anatolia have not forgot
ten that a few years ago the Tigris
and Euphrates flowe through Turk
ish territory, while farther north
Soviet Russia looks longinely at
the Mesopotamian oil fields. Also,
the population of Mesopotamia is
by no means homogeneous. 1t is
estimated that there are about
2,S00,O0 persons there, of whom
l. 100000 are Arabs. The rest are
Persians. Kurds Indians, Turks and
Europeans. But even the Arabs
are by no means united. Though
they are nearly all Mohammedans.
they are divided into various sects
which are bitterly opposed to each
other.
However, in spite of these diffi-
culties and the fact that for so long
it was under foreign rule, a genuine
spirit of independence and nation
'ality is being developed in Mesopo-
tamia and King Feisal is receiving
strong popular support. Efforts are
being made-successfully accord
ing to most accounts-to unite the
various peoples of that land. and it
Is predicted that before long the
Kingdom Of Irak will be regarded
as the most stable government of
the Middle East.
1t is surprising in a way. that in
terest seems centered right now
upon the product of Northern Meso-
potamia. oil, while the great prod
uct of the southern part Of the coun-
try Is neglected by the press. The oil
fields of Mesopotamia may prove as
rich as those uf Texas, but II L. 40
possible that their production may
be short lived, while there is no
doubt at all about the stability and
worth of the roduct of Southern
Mesopotamia. Year after year for