The Dominion THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1921. THE EGYPTIAN DISORDERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 206, 26 May 1921, Page 4

The Dominion THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1921. THE EGYPTIAN DISORDERS

4 Prospects of the satisfactory settlement of questions outstanding in Egypt are not improved by the serious rioting in Cairo and Alexandria (reported ’during the last day or two. Similar upheavals, marked by murder and outrage, have . occurred periodically in Egypt, but with the publication of the Milner Report, the general situation appeared to be greatly improved. That document, it will be remembered, recommended that the British Protectorate should be abolished land that Egypt should be granted a new and almost independent status under a Treaty of Alliance. The Milner Mission proposed that the Egyptians should be granted autonomous control of their local affairs, with some assistance from- British Financial and Legal advisers, but that the projected treaty should enable Britain to maintain a force in Egypt for the protection of her Imperial communications, and “take adequate security that Egyptian policy shall be in line with that of the British Empire. 1 ’ The British Government has not yet submitted the Milner plan to Parliament, but gave a plain indication of its intentions, early in March last, when it addressed a message to the Sultan of Egypt stating that it had come to the conclusion that the status of a Protectorate furnished an unsatisfactory relation between Britain and Egypt and that it desired to open a discussion with an Egyptian delegation “with a view to establishing a different relationship securing Britain’s special interests, offering adequate guarantees to foreign Powers, and meeting the legitimate aspirations of Egypt.” As to-day’s cablegrams show, the current disorders are an outcome of disputes between contending factions amongst, the Egyptians turnselves over the composition of the delegation which is to go to England to negotiate a new basis of self-government. Zaghloul Pasha, who headed the Egyntian delegation which visited Europe some months aarn and conferred with the Milner Mission, is the leader of the extreme elements amongst the Nationalists. Adly Yeghen Pasha, the present Premier, represents the more moderate sections -of the party. The strength and influence of these sections is suggested in the fact that Adly Yeghen Pasha’s Ministry has retained office in spite of great efforts by the Zaghloulists to displace it, and that the Premier has been 'elected to head the delecration to Great Britain. The Zaghloulists arc now attempting to accomplish bv mob violence what they have failed to accomplish by more peaceful methods. The. issue is not yet fully determined, though to-dav’s reports indicate, that order is being restored; but it is obvious that if Zaghi.oul and his supporters succeed in ousting the present Government the chances of a satisfactory settlement between Britain and Egvpt will be very seriously impaired.

The snlit between Egyptian factions which , is reflected in the current disorders seems to rest at least as much on personal ambitions and jealousies as on ’differences over policy. The dividing line is certainly not between those who demand complete independence for Egypt and those who advance. rrtore moderate demands. Zaghloul himself has repudiated a demand for complete independence. He told an interviewer in Paris in January last that the report that his delegation insisted on the recognition of Egypt’s independence as a condition precedent to further negotiations was untrue. though the delegation had insisted on the promise from the British Government that the Protectorate would be , abolished. His general attitude, however, is anything but favourable to the. smooth progress of negotiations aiming at the establishment of Egyptian selfgovernment. His attitude and the influence Le exercises over a section of the Egyptian population are indicated in a report cabled on March 31 by the Cairn correspondent of the London Morning Post. News of Zaghloul’s demand that Egypt should in effect negotiate with Great Britain as an equal, the report stated, had inflamed the impetuosity of his followers, who were demanding and forecasting the resignation of Adly Yeghen Pasha’s Ministry and its replacement by a Zaghloul Cabinet.

The Moderates (the correspondent added) are alarmed, considering that a display of fanaticism is now liable to occasion a peremptory refusal to all Egypt’s demands. The foreign communities are perturbed by the revelation, realising how Zaghloul, now at. thei zenith of his influence, may by a fanatical lead excite his followers to emhark upon measures against foreigners in Egypt.

In the days immediately following there were extremist demonstrations which shouted for the overthrow of the Yeghen Cabinet, and when he landed at Alexandria, on his return from Europe early in April, Zaghloul was received with a tremendous outburst of popular enthusiasm. Possibly, with the suppression of the current disorders the Zaghloulists may be discouraged in their efforts to displace the Yeghen Government and secure control of the negotiations with Britain. The 3lili\er Mission affirmed that the moderate elements were gaining ground in Egypt, and expressed an opinion that Egyptians, when' once the responsibility was clearly theirs, would be slow to dispense with such help from Britain as was essential to the prosperity and good government of their country. These views are borne out to some extent bv the continuation in office of a Ministry which is apparently prepared to negotiate for self-government bn a reasonable basis. Tn themselves, However, the disorders which are stirred up at, intervals by the extremists, apparently with great ease, are anvthing ’but a promising prelude to an experiment in the extension of self-government to ’Egypt.