The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1927. THE EGYPTIAN SITUATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 June 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1927. THE EGYPTIAN SITUATION.

, Thk present crisis in Egypt arises from a bitter conflict that has been in progress ever since the agreement of 19:12 came into force. Though by that agreement the Egyptians received practically full autonomy for internal purposes, Britain reserved for herself control of Egypt’s foreign relations, and retained the right to organise the Egyptian army, to defend the Sudan, and to protect- her interests in the Suez Canal. Those reservations have always been denounced by the Nationalists as a permanent sign of serviture, and though it is easy to prove to any disinterested person that they benefit Egypt equally with Britain, Znghlul Pasha and his party have do clared that they will not rest till these limitations to complete political independence are swept away. End the 1922 agreement the Egyptian armyconsists of about 10,000 men. It is organised and controlled by a British Sirdar, or Commander-in-Chief, and many of the superior officers are British. There are also about 11,000 British troops in Egypt, their presence being necessary to protect the property and lives of British subjects, and to defend British interests generally against the violent and criminal tactics frequently employed by the extremists of the \Vafd party. It is now proposed by the Nationalists that the army should be exclusively Egyptian, and that the Minister of War alone should be responsible for it ; and it is further recommended that the Targe pay-ment annually voted by the Egyptian Parliament for the administration of the Sudan shall be cancelled. This last proposal, of course, indicates that, in the opinion of Zaghlul Pasha and his friends, the Sudan is governed and kept in order in the interests of Britain, and not of Egypt. But the main point in the proposed reforms js the

emancipation of flic Egyptian military establishment from British control, and on this question Britain is not likely to give way. No doubt attempts will be made by Britain’s enemies, domestic and foreign, to represent the dispatch of British warships to Alexandria as a high-handed attempt to coerce Egyr.l into submission, and the Note handed to the Egyptian Prime Minister by the British High Commissioner is seemingly regarded by the Nationalists as an ultimatum. But. it should be obvious that Britain must have sufficient force at her disposal in this quarter to guard against any repetition of the murderous attacks on foreign residents -which have marked past political disturbances in Egypt. There is as much reason to safeguard British subjects at Alexandiia and Cairo as at Shanghai. As to the British Note, it seems that Lord Lloyd lias been authorised .simply to point out that the control of the Egyptian army by a British Sirdar is an arrangement that- has no bearin'' on the political independence, and mi lonomy secured for Egypt five yearago. The position is certainly delicate. and from the standpoint of foreign residents precarious; but if t' British Government holds firmly to tho Declaration of 1922, no doubt the crisis will lie safely tided over. Indeed, there are signs already that the difficulties of the situation are likely to vanish soon, the firm attitude of the British Government having its effect. The general situation in Egypt is certainly more stable and secure for the inhabitants as a whole, under the tutelage of the British, than it would be under any other form of control. But the extremist nowadays appears to lu always at hand to rear his head ' (and voice particularly) with the object of making trouble. Fortunately tlie Egyptian situation appears to be well in hand, as would he expected, and nothing of 41 serious nature is likel to result at this juncture.