The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1914. ISLAM AND ENGLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 154, 25 November 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1914. ISLAM AND ENGLAND.

Tlie Kaiser is reported to have notified the Crown Prince that ho has induced the Sheikh-ul-lalam, the High Pon- : tifE of the Moslem faith, to declare a It is conceivable that the German advis"Jehad" or Holy War against the iAllies. ers of the Porte have induced the Turkish .Government to bring pressure to bear upon the Sheikh-ul-Islam for this purposi; (says the Auckland Star). But it is one thing to declare a crusade against the infidel and another matter to secure any large amount of support for it; and we can see no reason to believe that German will be more successful in this ,than in many other desperate ventures on which she had embarked of late. It is well known that the Germans have long contemplated this expedient. The Kaiser's ostentatious assurances of the friendship for Abdul Hamid and his proclamation of himself as champion and .protector of the Moslem world during the Moroccan crisis, some years ago, point in the same direction. But apparently the Germans were very badly ' informed about the true state of Ma.hommedan feeling, especially in the countries subject to British rule. In India, as German travellers and politicians have i constantly assured their countrymen, it 1 was believed that the native population ; was seething with discontent and sedition and ripe for revolt. But the splendid display of the loyalty to England ■ and her cause by the princes and peoples of India, lias been one of the most strik- ] ing episodes of the war, and it is incon- . ccivaide that the announcement of aI ( "Jehad" will make any difference now | to the attitude of the Moslem states, j whose princes to a man offered their, l possessions and military strength to fight, England's battles. But even if the 1 'Kaiser's plans have failed in India, he j : probably believes that lie may succeed elsewhere; and the advent of Turkey on the field of action might be expected . to complicate matters in Egypt and throughout North Africa in Germany's / favor. The present position of British I rule in Kgypt, and tlie possibility of a Nationalist rising, or a Mahoiumedan crusade against the English and French in North Africa, are therefore questions of exceptional interest just now. And we may say at once, tliat, so far as Egypt is concerned, there does not seem to be the slightest reason for apprehension or anxiety on England's part about the feelings or intentions of the great mass of people. It was well known during the early stages of the war that the Austrian and German Consuls at Cairo , ,and Alexandria were carrying a zealous 1 anti-British propaganda amongst the .populace. Owing to England's anonw- I lous position in Egypt, it was difficult to take any steps to eject these disturbers of the peace. However, in a few . Weeks, the General Commanding the Army of occupation quietly requested ' the 'Austrian and German Consuls to leave the country. They refused to recognise his authority, and appealed to the Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs. That functionary informed them that he could not prevent the Tiritish military authorities from carrying out their decision, and the Consuls were , therefore forced to go. Of course, fn the meantime, they had done what they 1 could to agitate Moslem feeling against England; but there, is no sign of t »foof : that they have been successful. 'The .Turks feel resentment against England ' because she declined to help them during 1 tlie Balkan war, and because she seized the two 'Dreadnoiights building for Tur- ■; key and England when hostilities began. But whatever may be the ease in Constantinople, (he anti-British movement ; has made no headway recently in Eg-

vpt. A correspondent writing from Cairo recently stated tliat several Moslom physicians had offered their services to England in the field wherever they ■ might be sent, and a largo mass meeting of the officials of the Egyptian War Office and the Soudan Oovernnicnt was held to devise some means of showing practical sympathy for England and her cause. Of course, it must he, admitted that the relations between Mahommcdan subjects and the "infidel" rulers are always liable to be strained by religious prejudices, and the famous Moslem University of El Azbar, at Cairo, with its 10,0(10 students, is a natural centre for the propagation of the fanatical 'Moslem sentiment which has often reacted injuriously upon British prospects of Egypt. However, it is well to remember that when Tfaly invaded Tripoli, and Turkey appealed to the Egyptians for help, the declaration of neutrality made by Lord Kitchener was found sufficient to control public feeling there. It is .true that the Egyptians, like all Orientals, are not inclined to attach any great importance to the material benefit's of civilisation they have received at England's hands. And it is also true that, a 9 Mr Sydney Low says in his recent work: "Egypt in Transition": "No doubt Moslem likes to be ruled by infidels." But the fact remains that British rule has long been established in Egypt, and the people have had ample experience of England's strength in j war and her justice in peace; and it is not at all likely that even the strongest conceivable appeal to their religious fanaticism will avail to arouse the fellaheen to strike a blow against England for their corrupt and cruel master, the .Turk.