MODERN EGYPT

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1929, Page 5

MODERN EGYPT

DANGERS OF SELFGOVERNMENT.

EMPIRE INTERESTS STRESSED,

DUNEDIN, November 4

Mr Alexander Mill, representing, the Egypt General Mission, who is at present in Dunedin, has an interesting story to tell about that great and strange country which has been one of Great Britain’s responsibilities for many years, In conversation with a reporter to-day, he made some observations about modern Egypt that demonstrate how difficult the question of absolute self-government really is there. 7 An important feature of Egyptian politics to-day is the Treaty which is now on offer to Egypt by tlm British Government, and by which that country will be presented with most off the privileges and responsibilities of selfgovernment. On this point Air Mill had some interesting remarks to make. He was emphatic in his opinion that Great Britain could not for many reasons afford to relinquish her hold upon Egypt, and the greatest reason lie could advance against it.was that the Egyptian was not yet ready to shoulder the arduous task of governing himself. The national temperament and ethics, which were largely the outcome of the Mohammedan religion to which the majority of them subscribed, were such as to make the granting of selfgovernment a very risky experiment. The true Moslem, said Mr Mj.ll, had very little moral responsibility. He was born to Mohammedanism, and that was generally enough for him. He was not disposed to question the sort off predestination which his religion presented to him. He was destined to live and die and his whole course of life was determined for him by fate, so that he was not prepared to worry himself about any personal responsibility in the matter. All the onus was thrown back upon his gad, It was his fate to do this or to suffer that, and that was sufficient for him. He lived always in the shadow oT that strange philosophy. In his personal life it was all supreme, and it could readily be imagined how difficult it would be for him to divorce it ifrom national life and government. The Egyptians were one of the child peoples of the East and tho time was not yet ripe for them to stand on their own. If Britain withdrew from Egypt now, chaos could be expected in less than a" decade.

Hut there were other reasons why Egypt should not be left altogether to her own devices, said Air Mill. In the first place, she was of far too mueji importance to the British Empire. 'I here was the Suez Canal to be thought of. It would be a sad day for New Zealand and Australia if the control of that great water-way ever found its way into any but the friendliest of hands. Then again, Cairo was to-day coming into great prominence from the point of view of aviation, and as things were going at present, bade fair at a very early date to he the flying centre of tlie world, upon which all trade routes must c-iiverge. Cairo in that capacity was far too great an asset to let go or to endanger by the hasty granting of self-government.

Speaking of Cairo, .Mr Alii I said that it was rnpidlv liecoming the chief centre of the .Mohammedan world, the citv to which the Moslems looked for leadership. To-day there were printing presses at work there on the publication and distribution of .Mohammedan literature and the g’-eat University of El Azb nr was now firmly established, attracting to its balls the young men of the entire Afoslem world.