THE PERIL IN EGYPT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 801, 26 April 1910, Page 5

THE PERIL IN EGYPT.

NATIVE PRESS. DISAFFECTION OF THE EDUCATED /CLASSES. A BAD OUTLOOK; By Aiioolatlon-OopyriirhJ (Rec. April2s, 10.25 p.m.) London, April 25. .' For weeks several English newspapers have been commenting on the seriousness of the unrest in Egypt., ,- In ;an impressive article on the subject, ..''The.Times" ■ says, that the chief root of'the mischief is. tho unbridled and.increasing, license'of the native press which is mainly directed against the British occupation. , The: Egyptian ment has strong deal with the trouble, ;but makes little use of them. Another cause of trouble is the unemployed educated natives. Though their numbers have been increased in the- publio 'service at the cost of its efficiency, there is no diminution in their hostility. Nationalist sympathy' with Wnrdany (the murderer of Boutros Pasha, Premier) has'increased. ."The. Times" is. very pessimistic, respecting the outlook. •■ ■ ,"THE'NATIONALIST HERO." (Rec.'.April 26, 0.15 a.m.),.: ■ ' ■ :' '', Caird, April ,25. A man has been arrested at Cairo for printing and selling 4000 card portraits of Wardani (charged with the murder- of Boutros Pasha), inscribed "The Nationalist j Herb." , , ; ; CONCESSIONS DO NOT ALLAY UNREST. . .-, ATTITUDE OF THE EDUCATED .'.. Tho state of affairs indicated in the' above cablegram:has n6t been reached without abundant premonitory symptoms. In fact, every point'in the above cablegram was dwelt, on, every ', development was foreshadowed, and' every cause was indicated in the last annual report, or the British Minister in Egypt, Sir Eld On. ,Gorst.,. • '.".' Training for Seif-Goverflment. ; \ ■- '. i In; that report, Sir Eldbn Gorst states that' a guidmg principle." of the British Government's policy in Egypt is tho giving of satisfaction to "the reasonable aspirations of the Egyptian people," with the fundamental' purpose'"to prepare the Egyptians ■ for self-government," A . He enumerates the .things that have been' done, including extension, of education, the encouragement of the Legislative Council in its functions, and—a point touched on in the cablegram—"the increase in the;number of posts of responsibility in'which Europeans have been replaced by Egyptians. But ; the result' of such concessions is the, increase of ; unrest. The ; report proceeds:— .'..•

More Hostile' Than Ever. "It is surprising and very disappointing to find, that the'majority.'.of' 'the' nonofficial, educated', classes . amongst .the Egyptians are unwilling to show- any'sign ■of recognition of the advance gained by the measures described, or appreciation of the fact that the machine of 1 government is at length - beginning to. move fairly fast in the direction they desire. Furtheri never during recent years have ■/' these classes displayed a more critical disposition, Or taken Up a . more, prejudiced : uttitndo in regard to the proposals, and acts' of the Government,' 'and especially those which they consider due to English inspiration. It would,.' in'-..fact, appear that the co-operation between English and,fEgyptian officials,"','through '"which alone orderly and efficient administration is obtained and the day brought nearer when the country 'will be . ripe /for autonomy, has become an offence almost sufficient to constitute in itself a standing

grievance. •■■■ l ',': ■'■ "That the Nationalist party should adopt this line is,, of course, only natural,; but.some explanation is required to account for"this attitude oh the.part'of.-tho le?s extreme, members'6f the. community.. My own view is that'various causes have contributed to bring about this phenomenon. In: the first place,' the -wave of enthusiasm for'parliamentary 'institutions, which has,spread all over.the East has in this country had the effect'of stirring up a spirit'of insubordination to ,the con-, stituted authorities ■ and e. tendency to criticise their proposals in a hostile manner.

Influence of Press,

"Again, the constant, virulent, and unfounded attacks upon the policy. of the Government and its agents, which are the stock-in-trade of the low-class' vornacular press, have distorted the minds and fanned the prejudices of the entirely inexperienced • audience to which they' appeal. Lastly, the old Oriental desire on the part of the private individual for self-efface-ment, in the hope of avoiding the undesired a'ttentions of\ the powers that be; ha 6 Seen gradually, giving-place to a liking for notoriety,' ; and" especially for that attractive form obtained by posing as a patriot,, which in this country is synonymous with opposing'anything and everything emanating from the Government. ..' .■•;.',■."'■■■'•' : '■ ■

"There appears to be no Immediate re-, medy for this state of affairs,'and the only course open is '• to; -wait patiently until the present excitable and undisciplined frame of mind, which seems to have infected a considerable proportion of the upper . olasses, bas passed away. -It may be hoped that'in due course the disease will work itself out, and a return to common sense follow. In the meantime, as I have already pointed out, the only practical result of the agitation in which this very small minority of'the; whole population indulges is to put back the clock, and to postpone the day. when, it-will be, possible to bestow upon the Egyptians :a - further instalment' of autonomy." . \ .-■ !. Thus the result of the Nationalist attempt to grasp all or nothing mav, in Egypt as well as in India, - result in nothing. Mf. Roosevelt earned Nationalist opprobrium by telling the students at Cairo that citizenship , involved, fitting one's self for self-government.,and that paper constitutions-too quickly- grasped were futile. The Nationalist * spirit in .Egypt is such that.there is. considerable ground for fearing that the recent murder of the Egyptian Premier, Boutros Pasna, by a Nationalist is only one in a chain of events to come. .