Evening star., 1952-03-01
Egypt Premier
Quits in Dispute
With Palace
Currents Behind
Back BIumed for
Moher Resignation
BY the Associated Press

| CAIRO, Egypt. Mar. Premier
Ally Maher Pasha resigned unex-
pectedly today on the eve of talks
he had confidently predicted
would lead to settlement of Egypt's
bitter feud with Britain. He
stalked grim-faced from an hour
long emergency cabinet session
and told reporters he had quit,
He made no other statement.
/ A reliable source said Ahmed
Naguib AL Hilaly Pasha, 60-year-
Iold independent, has been ap-
pointed new Premier. He is one
of Egypt's top jurists.
Political sources said Mr.. Maher
became involved in a dispute with
the palace, which installed his
independent government January
|27 following bloody anti-British
torch riots in Cairo.
Mr.. Maher's son, Mohammed
Ally. Maher Pasha, said the &C.
year-old independent leader re-
signed because of inability to
work due to mysterious currents
behind his back" King Farouk
installed Mr.. Maher after ousting
the strongly nationalist govern
ment Of Wafdist Party Leader
Mustapha el Nahas Pasha.
Talks With Britain Put OF.
The Premier was to have met
this morning with British Ambas-
Sador Sir Ralph Stevenson on re-
opened discussions aimed at set
Ting the dispute between the two
countries over the Suez Canal zone
and the Sudan. Those talks were
postponed only a short time before
Mr.. Maher resigned, and the an
nounced reason was Sir Ralph had
become i'll with a Chill"
Those talks also were aimed at
trying to reach some agreement
which eventually would bring
Egypt into a WeStern-backed
Middle East defense program.
Egypt's entry into such a setup
hinged on her demands that
British troops first be withdrawn
from the Suez Canal zone and
that the Sudan be placed under
King Farouk's full sovereignty.
Mr.. Maher. although standing
on Egypt's Nationalist demands,
was considered more moderate
than his Wafdist predecessor. He
was said to have pro- British feel
ings and was a close friend Of the
Kings.
His resignation followed earlier
reports today he had asked-and
gotten - permission from King
Farouk to suspend for a month
the Parliament, which still was
ruled by strong Wafdist major
ity.
Parliament Dispute Blamed.
There were some reports the
King wanted to use his constitu-
tional right to dissolve the Par
lament outright, but that Mr..
Maher asked only for temporary
suspension so that he could de-
vote his whole efforts to the inn
pending talks with the British.
(Whether this was the rea-
son for Mr.. Maher's dispute
with the palace could not read
lily be determined from Cairo
dispatches, which undergo
heavy Egyptian censorship
It was believed here newspaper
reports the Maher cabinet had
asked for suspension Of the Par
lament had in some way led to
Mr.. Makers resignation.
A cabinet communique denied
widespread and apparently reliable
reports given to local and foreign
correspondents that King Farouk
has used his constitutional power
to suspend the Wafdist dominated
Parliament for 30 days.
Understanding" Mentioned.
The government "had thought
|of suspension when the Wafdist
majority appeared likely to block
"a five million pound ($14, ,400, ,000)
bill to aid merchants who suffered
loss during the January 26 fire
riots, the communique said.
But, 1t said, the idea Of send.
ing the lawmakers home was given
up when ian understanding" was
reached with the Wafdists.