Evening star., 1941-05-02

troops"
British forces at the post are
taking counter actions" the
London broadcast said.
Oil Fields Declared Taken.
German broadcasts said 1rao
troops were being concentrated
around British airbases, and that
special units already had control OF
the Mosul oil fields.
The emphasis by the German ra.
dio indicated an effort was IN 1ull
swing to align all MoslemS IN the
Near East with the 1raqls IN j.
had" or holy war.
The London radio said sit is now
known" that after Rashid Ali "vlo-
lently and illegally" seized power IN
Irao early in April he appealed to
Germany for armed help to oppose
the British.
ut is learned in London that a
tense situation has arisen in lraq
at dawn today" the broadcaster
said. He then went on to say the
Irauis were using their artillery.
The report said British women
and children, under safe conduct
given by the Iraq Premier, had all
been sent to Habbaniyah. 1t said
the Premier previously had threat
ened to oppose the landing OF Brit
ish troops with force.
For days Britons have been eX-
pecting a German move on Asia
Minor, that three-way bridge linking
Europe, Africa and Asia. Iraq's rich
oil fields and road to Suez are the
stakes.
Picture of Radio Reports.
Turkey would be in the middle II
the Nazis started to move into 1raq
bv land. Seized Greek islands, how
ever, might offer a bypass, but at
the same time isolating Turkey.
The combination OF British
syrian, Italian and German reports
on the situation offered the follow
ing picture, not allowing for propa-
ganda deviations from the actual
facts:
l. At least a Somewhat critical
situation" developed when Iraq
failed to comply with a request that
she withdraw forces around Hab-
baniyah airport, a British-held field
Iraq protested against the manner
of British troop movements into
Iraq, through Basra at the head OF
the Persian Gulf.
2. Rashid Ali, pro-Axis Premier OF
Iraq, called on his people to take up
any arms at hand for sacred
struggle" against Britain.
3. Mobilization of the 1raq Army
beyond its regular $4,000 standing
strength was ordered.
SueciaI Units Modified.
The German radio said Iraq had
rnobiliZed "all classes of special units
and the 1916 class OF the regular
army"
The Berlin broadcaster quoted
Stefani, official Italian news agency,
for the reports, in part. The Ger
man broadcast was heard here by
C. B. S.
"The Stefani agency reports from
the Iraq capital that Iraq troops be-
gan the occupation of strategic
points throughout the country on
Wednesday" the German broadcast
said.
British troops, landed at Bssra,
have been encircled by Iraq units.
Serious incidents, however, have not
occurred yet.
According to the Stefani report,
a number of the recently landed
British troops have gone over to the
Irao Army. They are said to be
indian regiments"
Hour of Struggle "Near."
A "jihad" Is fundamentally a
Moslem religious war against in
fidels or Mohammedan heretics or
loosely any bitter struggle or cru
SADIE for a principle or belief.
Technically, holy war may be de-
clared only by the caliphate. 1t has
been abolished by Turkey, however,
, so that any head of Moslem sect
with an influential following might
proclaim a holy war and call on
Moslems to support it.
One such leader is the Grand
Mufti of Jerusalem now living in
exile in Baghdad.
"Hour of Struggle Seems Near"
The German radio said the Iraq
Premier told his nation "the hour o1
struggle seems to be near"
"The Iraq nation win not submit
10 humiliations inflicted by a for
eign power" the Premier was quoted
as broadcasting.
1--WE have not sought the strug-