Growth of "Blue Shirts" in Egypt

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 43, 6 March 1937, Page 18

Growth of "Blue Shirts" in Egypt

CAIEO.

Endorsement of the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty by tke masses kere kas been unmistakably prononneed. Bttt on_e problem which ealls for Premier Mustapha Nahas Pasfha's im-' mediate attention is tke youtkful organisation known as tke "Blue Shirts," for the growth of •wkich he has been largely Tesponsible. Originally its object was • to give students who were politically-minded a directing and controlling influence and as sueh there had enrolled about 2000 youths of the better classes under the leadership of Maitre Zoheir Sabry. , The idea appealed farther afield, however, and possibly through the influence of Hollywood's movies, and certainly through the, efforts of a certain Mohamed Billal Effendi, branches grew like mushrooms among the lower classes. Any ' youth or man could, on the payment of one dollar, become enrolled and presented witk the uniform. Owing to Wafdist patronago whieh appeared to put them above the law, the organisation became very popular, especially as truneheons and even weapons were being carried, and a large number of "toughs" entered, with the result tkat serious clashes kave oceurred, not only with the official authorities, but between the newer members and the older, who resent tne invasion of "riif-raff" among the ranks. The Premier will have to find some means of curbing a movement which, as has been shown in Europe, may develop remarkably, failing which he will run the risk of being governed instead of governing. Another problem is that of convincing the foreigner that his finaneial interests will not be menaced under Egyptian independence. Already Premier Nahas has made many commonsense assurances on this subject in his recent speeches, but the doubting Euro-, pean has esplained these as being designed merely to win the capitulatory powers to a willing abandoument of their privileges. The foreigner evidently judges the Egyptian from personal knowledge oi' Ms hifcherto general unreliability in business transaetions, and believes that sooner or later he will receive no proper protectioa, Under tkis opinioa ke is likely to discredit Egyptian assurances, of fin|tneial security. Certainly, the persistent rumours of devaluatiion of the Egyptian pound by disassociating it from sterling did not emanate from Egyptian sources. The Uovernment's official denial of the devaluation rumour is confirmed by the National Bank of Egypt, through whose kands the greater part of the Government funds pass. Obviously, more than speeches are neeessary to assure the foreigner vslio, after all, is -ui'l uie liiain i- Kg; |it 'h J? n •• -i - ; u >

world. Probably one of the easiest means would be the official pledge that the present code of the Mixed Courts and the proportionate number of the foreign judges will be maintained for a minimum perriod of years, say 20. The granting of important public contracts to reliable foreign firms wtmld also be a roassuring measure.