Evening star., 1945-06-03
British Use Of Tanks
To Change Farouk's
Mind in AZ Reported
BY GEORGE TUCKER,


PARIS, June 2.-One of the thus
far untold stories of the war con-
Germs crisis in British Egyptian
relations early in 1912 in which the
British are reported to have given
King Farouk his choice between alb
dication and naming a premier fav-
orable to the Allies while their tanks
rumbled up to the palace gates.
1t has been limited at here and
there but never been told fully
because of the rigid political censor
ship which blanketed the Middle
East at that time.
(This dispatch was shown the
British Foreign Office in London,
which refused to confirm, deny
or even comment on it.
CTucker was in Egypt as war
correspondent shortly after the
events he describes)
British Offer Suggestion.
This is the story as it came from
persons who should know, some of
them British:
Late in January, 1912, crisis
forced the Egyptian government of
Premier Hussein Sirry Pasha to re-
sign. King Farouk's choice for the
new premier was Ali Maher Pasha,
a former premier and a friend of
the monarch, but a man whose anti
British sentiments were we'll adver-
tised.
Early in February Sir Miles Lamp
son, British ambassador to Egypt,
saw the King and explained that
Ali Maher was unacceptable because
of his pro-Italian sentiments. AS
an alternative the British ambaSsa-
dor suggested Mustafa Nahas Pasha
Uater Nahas Pasha did become
premier, and in April 1912 he or
dered Ali Maher's arrest for rea-
sons of public security" Dis
patches at the time said the dis
covery of British plan for
defense of Egypt among the pa
perS of an Italian general cap
tured in Libya led to the arrest of
Ali Maher, who was described as
one of limited number of per-
sons who had access to the plan)
Ambassador Asked to Leave.
Farouk refused Lampson's re-
quest. Pressure was brought to bear
and the King is said to have politely
asked Lalnpson to leave.
Greatly upset, Lampson asked
Alexander Kirk, then the United
States minister to Egypt, to inter
vene, and Kirk is reported to have
explained to the King how pleased
the United States would be over the
nomination of someone friendly to
the Allied cause.
At 4 pm. on February 4 Lampson
asked for another interview with
the King. The interview was set for
5 pm. and Lanipson arrived on the
dot accompanied by Gen. Robert
Stone, commander of British garri-
son forces in Egypt.
When they entered the palace
Lampson is said to have put it very
bluntly to the King.
Here are two papers," he is re-
ported to have said. "One calls for
your immediate abdication. In that .
event a plane is waiting to take
you to South Africa.
The alternative is to name NahaS
Pasha Prime Minister"
Palace Guards Overpowered.
Meanwhile New Zealand troops
surrounded the palace grounds. |
Palace guards defending the gates
were quickly overpoWered, and two
light British tanks rumbled up to
the doors, making Farouk virtually |
a prisoner in his own palace.
Lampson is then said to haze
stepped to window and pulled
aside the curtains so that Farouk
could see what had happened.
Those who witnessed the inter-
view have been quoted as saying
that the King remained frigidly si-
lent. Then he is reported to have
said: You leave no alternative,
since I have no intentions Of abdi-
eating" He added: But I shall not
forget"
Farouk maintained his icy de-
meanor until Lampson and Stone
had left. Then he is said to have
ragged through the palace for an
hour banging tables and kicking
pictures off the walls
Subsequently the British and
Americans were able to fight sue
cessful war from Cairo, and Egypt |
eventually came in on the Allied
side. But a casual examination of |
Farouks utterances since then |
shows numerous barbed jibes at the
British, indicating, as he promised,
that he has not forgotten.