Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08
MANDATES PROVE COSTLY
TO FRANCE AND BRITAIN
Syria and Palestine Likely to Be Scene
of Everlasting Warfare, but No
Way Out Is Seen.

In Syria a French withdrawal would be
a signal for battles between the various
races and religions. which would almost
certainly lead to the determination Of
the Christian populations. In Palestine
~2ritish retreat would doom the Jews and
Christians alike. But to stay means in
both cases enduring expense and con-
slant danger.
In addition, Mussolini has unmistak-
ably had his eye upon both Egypt and
Syria. and neither the British nor the
French could tolerate the creation of
great Italian colonial establishment at
the eastern end of the Mediterranean.
| For the French it would be an almost
total loss of prestige; for the British q
menace to all their Eastern empire.
In the case of Palestine the British
Lawrence desired, and included Pales-
/ tine within the empire of Feisal. Any
such course, however would certainly
have earned the lasting resentment of
all the Jewish groups in the world, and
| 1t would also have constituted an open
breach OF faith. Now, having taken the
Jewish end of the problem, they are
committed to the difficult and enduring
task of protecting a relatively small
minority, which will always be more
or less in danger.
Might Have Been United States.
1t is interesting to recall that at Paris
the European states allied against Ger
many had all agreed upon an American
mandate for the larger portion of Asia
Minor, including Armenia. Both Wilson
and House had more or less consented
to such an arrangement. Had the pro-
gram gone through, we should then
have been saddled in the case of the
Armenians with precisely the difficult
ties which now beset the British in re-
spect of the Jews.
1t is little difficult to see how this
Palestine affair can Justify the asser-
| ton made in London and echoed in the
American press that it discloses anew
the need Of the British for a larger
navy than that of the United States.
Palestine is practically without a har-
Dor, although Jaffa is used in good
weather. The chief line of communica-
tons is the railway coming up from
Egypt. The navy could not be used to
blockade, for the problem is not one of
blockading coast, but of rescuing and
defending populations far inland. AS
the modern warship Is not available as
transport, the main task of moving
| troops will have to be performed BY
passenger steamers, and such craft will
obviously need no protection from at
tack.
1Ousn JOD well Done.
The British have had a tough lob in
| Palestine and 1t Is a matter of common
| agreement that they have performed it
exceedingly well. The development Of
the country has been steady and. de-
spite minor disturbances. order has been
maintained. But the task Is compll.
Gated by the fact that trouble in the
Holy Land may have awkward roper
cussions in Mesopotania. And neither
British finance nor British public opin-
ion is in any mood to fight colonial
war.
Labor is obviously out Of luck in be-
ing brought face TO face with a prob
lem in imperialism early in its history
And 1t Is further embarrassing as any
considerable expense may involve dis
aster fer the very ambitious program by
which Labor hopes to reduce unemploy-
ment. This crisis, too, will obviously
! AFFORD more than a little malicious
amusement both to the French and the
| Italians; the French because they have
not yet forgotten the bitter denuncia-
tons of their Syrian policy. coming
| largely from Labor; the Italians be.
cause Britain blocks them in the East
where they would build a colonial
| estate.
| Turks and the BolshevistS are watching
events closely. For the Turks there is
always the hope of recovering the ter
ritories lost in the last war. For the
Russians there is the possibility of ex-
plotting one more native revolt as they
have not failed to do already in Moroc-
CO, China and Turkey. And, obviously,
for Britain and for the Labor govern
ment the exasperating thing is that the
whole affair is without profit-sheer
waste and sure source of danger.
Copyright. 1927