Evening star., 1926-08-22
BRITISH BUILD RING
ROUND RED PERI" :"
Persia, Egypt, Arabia and
India Organized to Block
Soviet Propaganda.

Russia, as regards bolshevist expan-
sion in the Near and Middle East.
The Earl Of Rrkenhead. secretary
Of state for India, and l.. c. NJ. $.
Amerv, secretary for the dominions
and colonies, have been in frequent
consultation with the Indian. Mesopo-
tamian and Egyptian governments
British branches thereof. naturally,
and few deals have been fixed up
which will seriously hamper Moscows
attempts Al expa nsion in the latters
own favorite ield-the Moslem coun-
tries Of the Middle East.
Lord Lloyd. British high commits
sioner in Egypt. Is making an unex-
pectedlv early vacation" trip to Eng
land (he was only appointed at the
end of last YEAR, and will be able 10
inform the India and colonial off1ces
as 80 Egypt's exact status. In con
nection with this visit, II Is under-
stood in we'll informed circles the re-
cent resignation of Sir Geofrrey Arcn'
er, sirdar and governor general or the
Sudan, ostensibly rendered on the
grounds Of i'll health. was more or
less enforced because OF that official s
alleged "weakness" in dealing with
Egyptian extremists. The Marquis OF
Reading, former Eiceroy Of India. also
has been In frequent consultation
with the India ONCE.
Relieve Plot Is Checked.
From these consultations emerge
the fact. according to well informed
Indian circles in London, that def
mite check has been placed on Dol
shevist propaganda throughout the
Near and Middle Ea st-as far as Brit
ish dominions are concerned. AT any
rate. Lord Lloyd Is credited with be-
hot TQt-if
ish rule is able to cope with all boil
shevist tendencies In Egypt and the
Sudan.
In the Hedjaz. Arabia. the Sultan
1bn Saud has turned down all offers
Of assistance" from Moscow and his
northern neighbors-inspired by Mos
cow-and has become strongly pro-
British. The influence brought to
bear on the Sultan by H. B. Clayton,
the British foreign ONCE official in
that district. has he1ped the khilifat
committee in India to carry on their
antibolshevik propaganda when In
dian funds failed for Britain has
managed to convert the khilifat
movement from it's former anti-Brit-
ish views to anti-bolshevism
Mesopotamia is entirely British. for
ell propaganda purposes, so that Mos
COW cannot expand in that direction.
Persian Situation Better.
Persia was something of a problem.
but the present Shah, Ahmed ReZa
Khan Pehlavi owes his meteoric rise
to early association with the British
ct was British general who made
him comma nder-in-chief OF the Per
sian army, just after the World War
endedl. and he is. not unnaturally,
friendly toward Britain. even II not
willing to submit to domination or In
terference with the independence OF
his country.
There was no need for domination"
IN dealing with Reza Khan. That pc.
tentate. who had consistently made
war on Russian aggression in Persia.
found considerable df1iculties in the
administration of his northern prov
inces-long regarded as within Rus
sia's sphere Of influence" Rolshevik
Moscow may not have liked czaris
intrigues in Persia. but the present
rulers ~ Russia were not going TO let
GO of sphere Of influence" particu-
lary when there was the chance of
establishing a bolshevk republS In
Persia.
Reza Khan is antiholshevik. and he
turned 10 the anti-bolshevik interests
in Persia for assistance. Not unnatu-
rally he went to the (British) Anglo
Persian Oil CO., and it is underst 0od
he received satisfactory assurances OF
support. In any event, the Anglo
Persian oil Co, which up till now had
heen unable TO compete with the prod
lcts nf The Russian works At Raku.
and hence unable to influence" the
mort hern provinces Of Persia, has sud
denly hecome active there.
New oil Fields Open.
With the opening Of the new oil
fields of khanikin. the Anglo Persia n
Is now prepared to supply oil at even
cheaper rates than the Russians can
offer. and the Persian government. in
exchange for a Suhstantia financial
return. will be buying Anglo Persian
oil exclusively from now on. Reza
Khan with this support to his trea s.
ury Is a hle to undertake to put
down" all opposing forces In the
northern provinces with a stern hand.
Remains AfEha nistan that buffer
state of intrigue" between Russia and
British India. Afghanistan is not
much good To either Rritai in or Russia
grabbed II off lonE ago Britain has
conquered the country several times.
hut always has retired behind the
frowning barriers of the Himalayas
and the Hindu Koosh Mountains.
Britain's policy generally has been
that an independent Afghanistan was
q better buffer" against Russian ag-
Eression than II British troops held its
northernmost frontiers. One cannot
move big armies very quickly in Al
ghanistan. and If a Russian army
ever thought about advancing against
India there always would he plenty
of time TO hear about il and prepare
the Khyher Pass defenses. Also the
Afghans are not very stable or friend,
II race TO live among as regular
thing
The present Amir of Afgha nistan
has been lending a friendly ear TO the
Soviet - and II Is reliably reported
Moscow has sent the Cahul ruler a
squadron of airplanes. British ON.
cials do not approve OF Afghanistan
having airplanes unless they are
British controlled hut there was no
logical method of ohjecting. Rut
right across the Afghan frontier
British side, is the powerful state Of
kashmir and Jammu.
Mr.. "a" Favors British.
Kashmir is now ruled hy Maharsi ia h
Sir Hart Singh. the notorious Mr.
A" Of the Robinson hlackmsil suit Of
a couple of years ago. Mr. A" may
not have relished the grillinE he got
in the British court disclosures. but
he owes everything to Britain and he
still is strongly pro British, He ac-
cortiingly suggested that for an up-to-
date state like kashmir, regular air
force was desirah BILE. especially rs his
Afghan neighbor had got airplanes
and might come bombing his villages
some dark night.
Britain doesn't care about native
Indian states having airpianes tor
cannon, for that matterl but MFR.
A had a good case. and il quite
suited the views OF Delhi and London