MESOPOTAMIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1920, Page 3

MESOPOTAMIA.

ißy Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

(Received.this day at 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, March 23. Hon Churchill added, with the fall of Caspian Sea, which must occur when the ice of the Volga is melted, and the Bolsheviks could descend the river, the Bolsheviks will be in close touch with the doubtful Republic of Azerbaijan and Republic of Georgia; also with hos"a tile forces under Mustapha Remla. On military grounds, this junction was formidable. He thought it probable the Bolsheviks would use their advantage to spread' their propaganda as widely as possible, rather than follow it up in a strictly military sense. It was there-

fore obvious that the whole position in the Middle East causes great anxiety, and requires the maintenance of strong forces there. He hoped, however, it would be possible to effect economy in that theatre in the course of a year, holding Mesopotamia primarily through the agency of the air rather than by military forces. We could not continue holding the country and spending fifteen to twenty millions yearly thereon. He Saw no reason why British statescraft should be bankrupt in Mesopotamia, when so successful in other parts. He instanced the Soudan, where there was only one white hatta-| lion. He was not prepared to propose ; we should inarch about Mesopotamia ! holding the people down by military j force, nor had he ever pretended, when we received the mandate, that we should immdiately occupy and dominate every square mile of the country on the first day. Other methods must be devised, if we were to continue to keep Mesopotamia. He instanced tlio process in West Africa where British political influence gradually permeated the whole country, and brought great areas under successful control. That was the line which they were working on now regarding Mesopotamia. Referring to Germany and the state of affairs there, he said they were causing the greatest anxiety from a military standpoint. It ought to be the policy of the Government by all means in its power, to enable a moderate German Government to maintain itself as living entirely, enabling under its

aegessis and tinder'its organisation, the productive activities and prosperity German people to revive.