EGYPTIAN POLICY

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1929, Page 7

EGYPTIAN POLICY

A CMKQCEDED STORY

TOLD BY MAHMOUD PASHA

THK BIMTiSII EMBARGO

In the course of liis visit to M;msoura recoilllv, Mahmoud I’aslia, the Premier, made a speech which was noi only 1 a trenchant reply to the Wal'd accusations against the Cabinet, liwt also embodied some of llu> most important public statements made since the Premier took office. 11 is remarks regarding the irrigation projects at present under way are of s|ieeial interest.

Pealing first with (lie Constitutional pnest ion, the Premier reminded his audience of the part played by himself with others in the cause of ns tional independence and the establishment of Constitutional government (writes the Cairo correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph”). This became, unfortunately, a mere instrument of corruption and a factor of anarchy and disorder, incapable of developing the prosperity of the country or pursuing a policy of reforms and reconstruction.

'Pile Deputies, lie said, interfered in every Department of the State, intimidating the officials for the furtherance of their own private interests. These Deputies were incapable of rendering the slightest service to the country, and ignorant that power ((institutes a charge requiring the sacrifice of personal interests and even life. The Government bad suspended the Parliamentary regime which had become 'tile laughing-stock of " the world; hut as soon as proper order was restored and the possibilities oi political intimidation were abolished, an honest and beneficent Constitutional regime would he restored in which the nation’s representatives would be inspired by the public interests and their consciences. The Constitution would certainly return, and every a-t of the Government was a step towards that return. Tt was folly to believe for a moment that those who built up the Constitution would destroy it with their own hands.

“iBR-TTTSH BAYONETS.”

The Premier then turned to the subject of “British bayonets,” on which the AVafd declare that the Government reties. This accusation, remarked the Premier, was the greatest insult to their own nation, because it was tantamount to saying that the nation was incapable of any useful effort unless it were pricked on to by a despotic Government with foieign bayonets. Unhappily a group of Egyptians themselves had no other object than to capture office for their personal ambitions and interests. It was this group, when the nation was weary of their denomination, who had themselves appealed for the help cf foreign bayonets. The present Government had never begged tor foreorbelli in order to get into power, huthad relied solely on the tone ol its own faith and confidence in the King and the support of the country.

Referring to the Government schemes for domains, agriculture, pul<— lie health, and the sale of State bni'Ss and to the criticisms of the world, the Premier said their opponents sometimes declared that these scheme* could only he carried out by a colonising Power or the instrument tl.er.'of. Sometimes they claimed it was they themselves who had first- thought of the schemes and discussed them in Parliament. Sometimes they asserted that hv these schemes the Government was merely seeking to distract the nation from the task of securing independence.

The truth was that the practical flit(iliii(*nt of these great projects had confounded their opponents to such an extent that they did ' not know what to sa.v, for. having enjoyed power, they had accomplished nothing of value. Their embarrassment was natural, for whilst the Government was occupied with the development of the national prosperity and well-being and lilt* maintenance of order, their adversaries when in office lived amidst a chaos of disorders, even enticiii" students from their schools to I raw I in the streets.

IRRIGATION SCHEMES. This brought the Premier to the main part of his speech, in which he dwelt at length on the subject, of U.c construction of the Gebel Awlia Reservoir. He dealt in detail with the Wafil propaganda in this connection, not only in the Press, but verbally throughout the country, by liiindrc'ls of Wafd agents.

.Summarising the scheme of irrigation works, the Premier mentioned that those would he situated partly in exclusively British partly in Belgian, and partly in Ahyssiiui.il territory. Without these works it would he impossible to meet Egypt’s needs. f l lie Egyptian Government actually had commenced the Gebel Awlia construction at tin" s-mic time as the Sudan Government commenced the Mnkwar Dam. hut in 19*21 it suspended the work for linauc.ial reasons and also pending the negotiations then imminent with Great Britain.

Zanhlonl Pasha. who considered the \wlia project heiiefieial for lvnept. stated in the Chandler in May. IP:'! the Premier coin inur’d, that tin l preceding .Ministry demanded the sloppant 1 of tlit> works, anti the result was that work's lor the henelit of Pp.vpt on

the White Nile was suspended, whilst the works on the Blue Nile wore continued, the Government having permitted their continuance on their account, and on their responsibility. In, .19*25 the Ministry of Public Works asked for credits for their construction of Awlia works and canal in the Sudd region, hilt in 1920 a demand was presented for LH.O(H),OO') for compensation for the population who would he displaced by the construction of the Awlia Reservoir. The Minister of Public Works then proposed a postponement of the project pending the study, as an alternative scheme, cl the raising of the Assuan Dam. Adiv Pasha declared, however, that the Awlia scheme had not been abandon ed.

British objection

The British Government did not like the Aussiian scheme, fearing that it would imperil the dam itself, and demanded that the Egyptian Government should not proceed with the proposal to appoint an International Commission for the study of the pro Idem without coming to an understanding with the British regarding the composition of the Commission. 'I he Egyptian Government’s action was thus paralvesd, and also it was clear that if the International Commission reported that the cost of the two schemes would ho same the Gebel .Awlia scheme would lie preferred and the Assuan scheme consequently lie finally condemned.

'phe present .Minister of Public Works came to the conclusion that the Assuan scheme was feasible. At the same time, the Government succeeded in escaping from the restrictions limiting the action of previous Governments. The report of the Commission recently appointed was only awaited before commencing the projects planned.

Nevertheless, 'continued the Premier, the Assuan scheme alone war insufficient to satisfy Egypt’s need. The Government therefore was obliged to return to .the Gebel Awlia scheme, adding: “The raising of the dam and complementary works would entail an expenditure of £IO, OOO, ROD tc ensure a supplementary supply of 2,500.000.000 cubic metres, while the simultaneous execution ot both schemes would cost .t 13,000,000 and furnish 5,000,000.000 cubic metres. In other words, with a quarter of the expense in addition we obtain double the volume of water.”

As regards Gebel Awlia. the Egyptian Government would not undertake its execution without guarantees ensuring for Egypt the absolute disposal of the whole of the water therein stored. As for the assertion that the Gelid Awlia Reservoir could he transform od into a weapon of war against Egvpt by the retention of the White Nile water during two or throe dry months, the Premier said that the engineers declared this to he technically impossible.