FRANCE AND SYRIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 31 October 1925, Page 8

FRANCE AND SYRIA.

It has been apparent for some time past that the situation in Syria was far more serious than the French Government had led the people to believe. The bombardment of Damascus has brought the gravity of the situation to light, and it is now apparent #that the trouble affects a far wider area than that occupied by the Druses. The uprising of the Druses is only one symptom of the general dissatisfaction prevailing in Syria. Fighting began en August 5, when bands of Druse raiders attacked a French detachment of 170 men and massacred about 100 of them. Soon afterwards tbeJJruses attacked a detachment of 3000 men that was moving to the capital of the country, Soueida, and inflicted considerable losses. Since then most of the cities of the country protected by French garrisons, including Soueida, have been besieged or even taken by the rebels. What was at first a local rising has now become a revolt over most of Syria. This country had always been the most cultured part of the Ottoman Empire, and was the main centre of the Arab intelligentsia. The commercial city of Aleppo; Damascus, which has been the chief centre of the Mohammedan caravans ever since the days of the Caliphate; Beirut, with its port and its Jesuit and American colleges, have always' been cultural centres whose influence was felt far beyond the boundaries of Syria proper. After the war the Syrians felt sure that their hour of freedom had come. They were, however, disappointed. Syria wa's forced to become the mandatory territory of the French. General Gouraud, the High Commissioner, profited by the divisions existing in the country in order to split it into a number of self-govern-ing States. One of such States was the country of the Druses, which became self-governing in 1921. General Gouraud was, on the whole, a good ruler, since he respected tße religious susceptibilities and prejudices of the population. The same, however, cannot be said of General Sarrail, who replaced him last spring. He has provoked antagonism not only amongst the Arab nationalists, but also among the hitherto pro-French elements of Lebanon. General Sarrail is an anticlerical and a, radical. He determined to put an end to antiquated prejudices in Syria. He began his reforming activities by endeavouring to exclude all religious education from the schools of the country. He declined to take part in any of the religious ceremonies of these bodies, and thereby he we deep offence to many who in the past had supported General Gouraud. The demands made by the Druses practically amount to entire independence, and Atrash Pasha, Sultan of the Druses and leader of the present outbreak, whom a report states has been made prisoner by the French, says that his people must have the same independence as the inhabitants of Iraq enjoy under the British mandate. In a recent interview he said the movement was by no means of purely local sio-nifi. cance, but was to be regarded as° the beginning of a general revolt in Syria "We want," he said, "our own *f-ee parliament, our national army, our national government, and our kin<* or President as head of the State. °The t rench must be satisfied, like the English m Iraq, to tunction only as advis-ers " It will thus be seen that* the French position is difficult because of the distance of the mandated area, because her otiicinls have not been in &vmpathv with tiie religious groups existing i'u the country, and because now that the revolt has spread the Arabs are demanding conditions which would practically mean the abandonment of French rule. With die revolt in Morocco on their nands, ami another financial crisis at home trench statesmen are in serious difficulties, and France may find her whole position in Asia and Africa untenable unless the revolts in Syria and Morocco are quickly quelled. -Morocco

After being delayed at Auckland' for nearly twenty-four hours by the aiction of her crew in refusing to take her to sea, the Union Steamship Company's Waipori sailed for Westport at six o'clock last evening. The Waipori was to have sailed on Thursday, but the crew complained that water had leaked into their quarters. Investigations Yesterday showed that the trouble was caused by an overflow from a fresh-water tank. Minor repairs were carried out and the crew agreed to take the steamer away. A lad of 14 years appeared before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Juvenile Court this morning when he pleaded guilty to stealing a watch and brooch from a hut near the entrance to the Parnell tunnel. Senior Sergeant Edwards stated that the accused admitted taking the articles from the hut, stating that the window was broken. The articlea had been recovered. On behalf of the boy, Mr. J. J. Sullivan, stated that h» had been under the care of a doctor for some time, but had been improving. Mr. Hunt thought that the matter was not one that warranted a conviction. In admonishing and discharging the youth, ful offender, the magistrate said he would allow his father to look after him. "There is no need to enforce legisla. tion to compel people to keep their children at school until the age of 15 in New Zealand," said the Director of Education (Mr. J. Caughley), when explaining the junior high school system to an audience in Dannevirke. "Education is so much appreciated that the number of children who do not attend school after they are 14 is negligible—only about 2000 to 3000, in fact. Probably most of these are unable to be spared, the circumstances of their parents requiring them to commence earning as quickly as possible. It would be unfair to compel such to attend school and learn a lot of things that probably they would find of no practical benefit to them in the lives they would have to live." There is small wonder that the .average Australian visiting New Zealand funds the port health regulations restrictive and irksome, as no such restrictions are imposed on people arriving in Sydney from New Zealand (says the "Dominion"). On the evening before the arrival of a Sydney steamer in a New Zealand port each passenger is required to fill in a long form, giving name, age, sex, business, length of stay in New Zealand, nationality, that of his or her father and mother; their country and place of birth, etc. Then when the Pert Health Officer arrives on board all are required to walk past him, and at the same time present the form for the edification of police and Customs officials. This relic of war regulations . finds no counterpart in the Commonwealth; where pasengers may walk ashore, have their luggage marked at once by Customs officials, and get away with little delay to the city. At the last meeting of the Waihi Borough Council a letter was read from a local solicitor objecting to the council's previous action in giving the beach sanitary contract to a member of the council (Mr. A. H. Pipe). An opinion was read from Mr. T. F. Martin, solicitor to the Municipal Association of New Zealand, and the council decided not to take any action in the matter, Mr. Martin's advice being to the effect'that the councillor would not be disqualified under the Municipal Corp6ratibns*'Abi, but that the contract could 'be set aside by process of common law. Under the conditions of the contract the councillor does not receive any payment from the council, he undertaking to carry out the public service free, but having the right to use the horse and cart owned by the council and collect private fees. It is now understood that the local solicitor is applying for an injunction to prevent the council from going on with the contract. Four Chevrolet motor cars have been missed -by their owners in the city this week. The latest disappearance was that of a two-seater roadster, number 5333, owned by Mr. Edwin A. Astley, of 107, Hobson Street. The car was missed from Victoria Street parking stand between 10.45 and LI p.m. last night It was painted dark green, had a khaki hood and black mudguards. None of the other three cars has been founds. Cups and trophies valued at several hundred pounds are on view in a shop window in Queen Street. They are the prizes which will be presented to winners at the Auckland A. and P. Association's annual show, which is to be held at ' the Campbell Showground. Epsom, on December 4 and 5. Some of the trophies are of handsome design, and are estimated to be worth up to 50 guineas. The prize for the champion lady's hunter is a handsome silver tea service, valued at £20. Altogether there are 23 cups, shields and other trophies, as well as cash prizes, which have been donated this year. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler, of Peterborough, Ontario, divorced 41 years ago,.have effected a reconciliation and are remarried. Fowler left his wife 41 years ago, went to Ohio, where he secured" » divorce and remarried. His second wife died a short time ago. and by chance he again made the acquaintance of his first wife. The couple's ages are 79 and' 74. respectively. An oarsman of the Devonport Rowing Club had to be pulled out of the harbour near the Northcote wharf shortly after 7 p.m. yesterday. He passed too close to the ferry steamer Albatross when she was berthing, the spray thrown upfr° m the propeller swamping his skiff. " c was taken aboard the" ferry, and was uninjured. Many and ingenious are the methods employed by those engaged in smuggling liquor from Canada to the United States. Tbe employees of an American pulp mill recently discovered among a consignment of logs from Canada that about 400 had been hollowed out and filled with gin. The ends of the- logs had been carefully, re sea led. Tbe lecture under the auspices of tflS Auckland Institute, to be given ty Professor Paterson in Andrew's Hah* Anzae Avenue, on Monday night, November 2. will discuss brieil'y the report 01 the recent University Commission. " will deal mainly with the place of the community in the development of univef' sity education, and will be illustrated by lantern slides of the most notable university buildings in Africa. The past racing season in British Columbia showed a considerable decreaS* in tbe volume of betting. The total passing through the machines was £&>»>' 000. compared with last year's total o £1,250.000. A strong movement is «f <& to curtail even further tbe betting in «*• province. Three prime heawweight Shorthorn cows, the gift of Mr. William Mflrerton, of Palmerston North, were on * e Jr at the Feilding annuai cattle fair for;tj» funds of the Willard Home, All Saintr Home, and Salvation Army. They *•" Used £350. '*A