Evening star., 1933-08-18
The Massacres in Irau.

Great Britain is suddenly confronted
in the Near Eastern Kingdom of Iraq,
formerly British-mandated Mesopo-
tamia, with situation not unlike that
which week ago threatened to require
American Intervention in Cuba. Iraq,
like Cuba, is an independent country
and full-fedged member of the
League of Nations, but the British
retain a certain PLAT amendment
responsibility for domestic tranquility
and good international behavior in King
Feisal's realm. Recently that pic
turesque Arabian sheik made a state
visit to London and was received with
the royal pomp and circumstance that
used to be staged in honor of a visit
from the pre-war Kaiser.
For the past few weeks Iraq's Assyrian
Christian minority in the north has
been in sanguinary conflict with
irregular soldiery consisting of fierce
Kurd tribesmen. Wholesale slaughter
occurred in the villages, and the regular
Iraq army has done nothing to prevent
the reign of massacre. There has even
been some evidence that Iraq military
governors encouraged the killings. In
| the midst Of these developments King
Feisal conceived a sudden desire to flee
| his country and reach Geneva in order,
it is suggested. to forestall Assyrian
complaints to the League, which would
involve the newly formed Iraq govern
ment in the sort of world scandal which
in former days was provoked by Turkish
butcheries in Armenia. The British
government has prevailed upon King
Feisal to remain at his capital, ancient
Bagdad. tc await arrival of the British
Ambassador to Iraq, Sir Francis Hum
phreys. who will shortly return to his
post presumably with stern orders to
Feisal to end the Assyrian atrocities
The Assyrians, numbering a Christian
minority of some forty thousand in an
Iraq otherwise overwhelmingly Mahom-
medan, desire to assemble the scattered
remnants of their ancient race in a
colony which will at least enjoy unmo-
Tested religious autonomy To date the
Iraq government has not encouraged
this aspiration.
The seeds of deep-seated racial ami
istent in Feisal's land, with ample op-
portunity for their spread into neigh
boring French Syria and other Near
Eastern trouble zones. The anxiety of
Prime Minister Macdonald to interpose
British pressure to nip matters in the
bud in Iraq before the drift from bad
to worse is therefore comprehensive
In any event. the Assyrian-Iraq con-
trovery seems bound to project itself
into the September Assembly of the
League. whose susceptibilities where
the rights of oppressed minorities are
concerned, have often been eXemplified
Britain took the lead in supporting
IIaq's claims to League membership.
America recognized the sovereignty
dent at Bagdad United States oil in
terests control about a quarter of the
rich oil deposits in the Mosul region.
which a couple of years ago was the
potential cause of grave international
conflict in the Near East. This country,
too has thus an interest in the preser-
vation of stable conditions in Iraq.
The profiteer will be considered as
special factor in the present situation
even though, strictly speaking, rack
eteer in his own way, who might in
emergency be dealt with by the ma
chinery already in motion to suppress
crime