Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-04-19

called the Sykis-Picot Treaty. which
Caused the trouble between the
French and British on the one side.
and the Arabs and British upon the
other. I" " 8
The result of these tangled rela-
tons is that the Arab National
Movement has come to naught in so
far as it looked forward to a united
and independent Arab world in
Southwestern Asia. a further result
is that the British and French are
engaged in an embittered struggle for
control in that area. With financial
subsidies they use the Arab tribes in
their own interests, thereby embitter-
ing further, and further disunitng,
the Arabs. But the Arab Nationalist
Movement is a constant danger to the
plans of both these powers.
The Nationalist Movement in
Egypt since the close of the war has
been conducted with singular obstin-
acy and remarkable success. X x X
1t was in the period of the Paris
Conference that British diplomacy
missed its great opportunity, from
the point of view of practical polit-
les as well as of the furtherance of
ideas inherent in the mandate prin-
clple and in the League of Nations
Had British diplomacy had the cour-
age to throw into the conference
boldly and unequivocalIy, the CUES
TONS of Egypt and of Persia this
action would have given a clear soul
to the mandate principle and have
shown the world that the greatest
power III international affairs intend
ed to make its ideals of the war be-
come the actualities of peace
Inc net result OF the Egyptian
Nationalist Movement has been the
declaration of Egyptian independence
on Feb. %. 1922. The Egyptians
again have native king. for the first
time III 200 years The British Gov
eminent has kept it's work in Egypt.
but i'll manner which has deprived
It's real generosity of all the force
OF the new international ideals and
given to an actual victory of British
a manner which has deprived it's real
generosity of all the force of the new
international ideals and given to an
actual victory of British liberalism
the aspect of great diplomatic de-
teat. The victory of Egyptian Ma
tionalism seems to lie in these three
causes: In the reality and strength
of the new nationalist movements in
the Near East: in the hazardous
economic situation of Britain which
checks the expensive luxury of i'm
peflal expansion; and in the
strength OF the more liberal ele-
ments in British governmental cir
cles' as represented in men like Lord
ROBERT Cecil and General Allenbv.
me Nationalist Movement in Per-
STA takes on a different color from
that in Egypt and among the Arabs
OF Syria. Mcsopotamia and desert
Arabia, because Persia has had
long tradition of independence as a
unlned country broken only by three
periods of subsection to foreign
dynasties. The Nationalist Party in
Persia took its stand upon a plat
form OF hostility to foreign domina-
ton, though not to foreign help.
AT the peace conference a Persian
delegation appeared at Paris. officially
accredited from the Persian govern
ment and strongly nationalistic in it's
temper. Despite the expressed desire
OIL the American government that they
De permitted to present their case,
lhey really did not have a loog in. Ne
EQUATIONS were at the same time going
on with the British government at Lon
don which resulted in the Anglo-Per-
sian treaty of August 9. 1919. 1t bears
the name of Lord Curzon and the i'm
print or his deals. 1t reiterated the
BRUSH intention to respect the integ.
rity ana independence Of Persia. Rut
the BRUSH government agreed to sun
ply expert advisers for the several de-
partments of Persian administration
and such officers. munitions and eouin,
ment to the Persian army as it needed.
IL should be clear to anyone what this
agreement meant: That the British
lorelSn could. and would. control Per-
STAY But the Persians absolutely re-
luseo &c accept 1T. If ever a govern
lteht ana politician suffered deserved
lgnomlny for weasel work that cove
crnment was the British and that man
Lord Curzon in the Anslo-Persian rela-
lions of 1919.
III we sum up the Nationalist move
nents OF the Near East thus far con-
the following impressions
must appear:
1. They are realities. in the sense
that they have enlisted the support of
the peoples of the Near East.
:. Ihey do not appear to be re-
llgious In their motivation. In other
words. they do not represent a move
ment of Islam against Christianity. as
YET: and the probabilities are that they
''~'' NV 81 ucNelop. NatlOnaIISm is
present stronger than Mohammedan-
ism.
3. The aims and methods of western
polltics and politicians have created a
profound distrust and dislike of Occi-
aentalism throughout the Near East.
4. Near Eastern Nationalism has
become anti-western in it's spirit, in the
sense that the peop.es involved claim
inc right to accept the advantages Of
western material culture while prc-
serving their freedom from western
political domination.
.. Inc movement has had great sue
cess In Egypt and Persia.
.. IN the Arab sector conflicting am
o'.'ohs on france and England have
rendered II ineffective. The hold which
france and the British En- liz