Evening star., 1937-10-17
ARAbN0TE TODUCE.
THORN TO BRITAIN
"Protector of IsIam' Told
Subjects in Libya Back
Brothers in Palestine.
~ the Associated Press.

9y the Associated Press.
LONDON, october 16.-An anti
British message Premier Benito Mus
solini received today from Arabs in
1taly's North African colony Of Libya
was regarded here as little calculated
to improve Italo-British relations.
The message informed II Duce. self
designated protector of Islam," that
his Moslem subjects in North Africa
would stand shoulder to shoulder with
their brethren in Palestine against
British methods Of suppressing ter
forism In the Holy Land.
Arriving at time when Britain
and Italy were engaged in serious
debate on the question of withdrawing
volunteers from the Spanish civil war,
the Arab note fitted closely into the
pattern Of British worries in the Med
tterranean region. These included:
W Continued acts of violence in
Palestine, territory under British man
date, despite the banishment of Arab
leaders deemed responsible for con-
tinued trouble between the Jews and
the Arabs.
CD The abrupt flight to Syria of
the grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who
may be in position now to direct the
Arabs in their fight against the Brit
hh and the Jews from outside the
country, using foreign funds, if they
can be obtained.
$4,000 Italians in Libya.
90 The fact that there are more
than $4,000 Italian troops in Libya
now. and this force may soon be in
creased to $4,000. This huge colonial
army is there frankly because of the
international situation.
% The British, for long time,
have suspected the Italians of having
. hand in Palestine's unrest.
II Duce's tour Of triumph last
Spring through his Libyan colony,
adjoining Egypt's western desert,
made 1t plain he was ready and anx-
ious to ally himself with the Mos
lens.
However, there is nothing tangible
to connect recent Libyan reinforce
ments with new outbreaks in Palestine.
Britain's concern over happenings
along its life line to the Far East,
especially near the Suez Canal. is
reflected. however, in reports from
Cairo OF conferences of the highest
British army. navy and air officers
with Egyptian military leaders. who
admit they could not defend them
selves without British help.
Britons May Mass Defenses.
At the same time there are reports
that British soldiers may again man
the Egyptian desert defenses facing
the Libyan frontier. The British con-
structed these defenses during the
Ethiopian conquest and afterward
turned them over to Egyptian troops.
Informed sources in London believed
that while the strongly reinforced
Libyan garrison is no permanent threat
to Britain in the Mediterranean. it
might be combined with other factors
to precipitate a conf1agration that
could not be quenched.
AS for the Mufti OF Jerusalem. he
still is the spiritual leader Of Palestines
Moelems. position Britain could not
take away from hin when it deprived
him OF his remunerative ofIices.
The fact that he ned to Syria
recalled that most of the terrorists
blamed with killings in the Holy Land
were reputed to have been brought in
from Syria.
1t also was known that British police
and military authorities. in a recent
cleanup of Arab leaders in Palestine,
made diligent search of Arab files
and repeatedly discovered evidence of
foreign funds.