The Ely miner., 1930-12-26

Society, Washington. D. CO.
THE treaty between Great Brit
ain and her most important man.
j dated territory the Kingdom of
Iraq, which has been before the
representatives of the two countries
for nearly three years, has recently
| been definitely ratified. 1t recognizes
Iraqan independence to take effect
when Iraq becomes a member of the
League of Nations.
Iraq, present-day heir of ancient
Babylon in the valleys Of the Tigris and
Euphrates, has had an uphill Job
since the World war, in its efforts to
| transform itself into a modern state.
1t has had constructive plans for
physical development; but politics, re-
ligion, and the age-old social customs
of some of it's people have interposed
stubborn obstacles in the paths of the
contemplated progress.
The Iraqis have sought a status
comparable to Turkey, Persia and the
Hejas, all important and independent
Mohammedan states, rather than that
Of a inundated area on somewhat the
same footing as smaller and less pop
ulous Syria and Palestine-Trans-
| Jordan.
Ever since the treaty of Versailles,
placing the country under mandate to
Great Britain, became operative in
1920, Iraq has obtained a greater and
greater degree of independence. 1t is
the only one 0f the twelve inundated
territories which has king, parlia-
ment, and responsible government. AS
a result of Iraqi insistence, the rela-
tions between mandatory and man
dated territory were defined in 1922 in
a treaty between the governments Of
Iraq and Great Britain which looked
to the termination of the mandate
when Iraq could enter the League Of
Nations. This treaty was later re-
vised twice with Great Britain under
taking more specifically to use her in
fluence to obtain membership for Iraq
in the League if Iraq continued to
make progress. Still later Great Brit
ain agreed to drop this proviso and to
seek League membership for Iraq un-
conditionally in 1892. 1t is the treaty
so altered that has now been ratified.
Great Britain now has both civil
and military place in Iraqan affairs.
A British high commissioner resides
in Bagdad and advises the king on
international and financial matters. A
British air force is maintained in the
country under the command of an
air vice marshal. British military
officers are training the Iraq army,
and a number of British governmental
experts are employed in the various
civil offices Of the Iraq government.
These contacts will continue under
the new treaty after Iraq is admitted
to the League Of Nations.
Restoring Its irrigation.
Embracing the potentially fertile
valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates
and large stretches of semi-arid and
desert lands, Iraq has always been
primarily an agricultural and pastoral
country. In Babylonian and Grecian
days the valleys were herring-boned
with irrigation canals and these were
kept up by the Arabs in the days of
the Caliphate. The lands Of Iraq
were exceedingly productive and it's
people were highly prosperous until
1858 A. D. when the Mongol invasion
destroyed the irrigation embankments
and headworks. Afterwards under
Turkish rule Iraq became less and less
prosperous, much of its once fertile
valleys turned into wilderness and
Misunderstanding swamps.
The aim of the most thoughtful lead
ers in Iraq Is to restore the irrigation
works which the valleys possessed
during their golden age. This, how
ever, would be a tremendous task re-
quiring vast amounts of capital which
Iraq is at present unable to command.
The government has organized de-
partment of irrigation and under it's
supervision is slowly bettering exist
ing irrigation works and undertaking
new ones. One Of the most important
steps has been the construction of a
permanent weir in the bed Of the River
Dijala to replace earthen dams which
were constructed annually, only to be
washed away each flood season. Sew
eral river regulators and escapes were
constructed in 1928, and canals were
extended to revive areas that were
passing out of cultivation and to bring
tens of thousands of acres Of new
land under irrigation.
Two phases of irrigation unknown
in Iraq in past centuries are being de-
veloped by exploration of possible
artesian water supplies from wells;
and by the installation of power
pumps to lift water from streams to
land too high to be reached by present
canals. The latter development has
been encouraged by the government
by the admission of gas engines duty
free, and by arrangements with oil
producing companies assuring cheap
fuel.
Railway System Incomplete.
In transportation agencies, other
than railways, Iraq has made marked
advance in recent years. The natural
outlet for the country Is southeast
ward along it's rivers to the Persian
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