MESOPOTAMIA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 305, 18 September 1920, Page 7

MESOPOTAMIA

NO GREAT DEPARTURE IN POLICY

UNTIL ORDER HAS BEEN

RESTORED

(By Telearaph-Presa A6sociation--Oopyrle&t (Eec. September 17, 5.5 p.m.) Simla, September 15. Sir Percy Cox has left .Bombay tor Bagdad. Mis mission is a eeeret, but it is rumoured in military c|rcled that tho evacuation' of Bagdad has been ordered by February. It is also stated that the military view is that order must be restored beforo any great departure in policy js 'undertaken,, as it lis now recognised that the Administration is not appreciated, the country being too primitive, for advanced government.—Aus.N.Z, Cabftj Assn.

fA London "Times" message, under date August 2G, stated: Following on the Government decision to contract, as far as possible, Britain's foreign obligations, Cabinet proposes,' in addition, to granting independence and self-government to Egypt under British influence, to withdraw the British armies from Mesopotamia, granting tho Arabs self-govern-ment under their own chiefs. Britain will abandon the ambitions system of civil administration, withdrawing the numerous Foreign Oifico officials recently sent' out from India, but will maintain a corps of expert administrators to advise the Arabs. Sir Percy- Cox is hurriedly going to Mesopotamia to inaugurate the new policy. Meanwhile Bagdad is not regarded' as in danger,] REBELS' EFFORTS TO STOP BLOCKHOUSE BUILDINU. London, September Id. Mesopotamia communiques show that the rebels continue their efforts to stop the erection of the blockhouses along tho railway, but, in spite of sniiping and scattered'attacks,'tho work is progressing satisfactorily. A number of political officers and other civil servants reported missing in Mesopotamia have reached places of safety.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.