MESOPOTAMIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1922, Page 5

MESOPOTAMIA.

DISQUIETING OUTLOOK. FANATICS CAUSE ANXIETY. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London. Nov. 13. Sir Percival Phillips, at the conclusion of his tour in Mesopotamia on behalf of the Daily Mail, writes that the outlook is far from encouraging. The present year’s expenditure is estimated at £609,000, of which £200,000 is for the maintenance of the British civilian administration and the remainder for the military and air forces. The crying need of the moment is an annual loan of at least a million. The treaty of alliance signed on October 9. coupled with the suppression of anti-British agitation has removed the -feeling of pessimism which previously pervaded British advisers, but the new treaty will not work miracles. Extreme pro-Arab British officials are too prone to regard the era. of peace as a. sign that political stability and financial prosperity have begun. King Feisul does not really trust Britain nor his Ministers, and the people trust neither the King nor the Ministers. More than half the population are fanatical Shiahs who are opposed to all forms of civil power.