ARAB OBJECTION TO FRANCE

Taihape Daily Times, 15 February 1919, Page 6

ARAB OBJECTION TO FRANCE

SOME STRIKING FACTS. PARIS, February 11A number of American correspondents lodged cablegrams stating that in view of the pointed criticism of the French press, the two foremost Powers were insisting on the removal of the Conference from Paris. These were apparently intended as an indirect way of informing the French Government of American official perturbation, but there is not the slightest foundation for bracketing Britain with the threatened action. The British delegates were somewhat perturbed by the free French criticism on the Arabic agreement and insinuations that Britain was flirting with a comic opera Arabian nation in order to prevent France getting Syria Even the leading French papers, including the "Temps" have been indiscreet. The fact is That fifteen millions make up the powerful Mahoniedan people. King Hedjaz has no desire to extend his boundaries, but wishes full independence with British assistance. The Palestine Arabs and Mesopotamia. Arabs wish independence similar to Egypt under •Britain. The Syrian Arabs, 'excluding some Lebanon tribes, would accept America as the mandatory country but would prefer Britain. They absolutely do not want France. The Arabs have determinedly declared tk&y would fight France if the French came to Syria with Algerian ideas. The centre of the trouble is Damascus and Beyrout, which France claims under the old secret FrancoBritish treaty made at the time Syria was thought to be an enemy State, and Lord Kitelieher wished a big French buffer State between ' British Mesopotamia and Russia and Armenia.