The Trouble in Syria

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16798, 1 April 1920, Page 6

The Trouble in Syria

One is sometimes tempted to think, as ono watches the ferment of races and nations that troubles the world, that it might have been better if the principle of national self-determination had not been invoked by the Allies in the war. Certainly their statesmen could hardly have foreseen that when they did invoke that principle they were letting loose a spirit as troublesome and, indeed, alarming as confronted the fisherman in the "Arabian Nights." But the trouble that has arisen in Syria through the assertion by the Arabs of their claim to establish an independent kingdom. extending to the Mediterranean cannot have been quite a surprise' to the French and British Governments. During the first year of the war pn Arab Nationalist Committee was formed at Damascus, and this committee, through the Sherif Husein, entered into negotiations with the British Government, with the result that the Sharif in 1916 inaugurated the Arab revolt against Turkey. Exactly what arrangements were made is not known, but it is understood that the British Government undertook to recognise the independence of the entire Arabian peninsula, but would not concede "Western Syria. King Husein is reported to have informed Britain that although the non-concession of Western Syria would not deter the Arabs from co-operating against the Turks, yet when the Turk had been'got rid of the Arabs would light for that area. In the meantime a Franco-British agreement had been drawn up, the crucial point in which, so far as the. Arabs' claims are concerned, was the allotment of "Western Syria to France and) the interna tionalisation of Palestine. As the war progressed, Prince Feisul built up a very effective army, and he took ! his full part in the final smashing of •the Turks. Before French troops could arrive, the Arabs had established themselves on the Syrian coast, but®they were ordered by General Allenby to hand over the provisional administration of the greater part of the region. There have been some serious collisions between the French and the Arabs in recent months, and so far no final settlement has been arranged by the Allied Council in Paris. Prince Feisul went to Paris in January last to ask for a French mandate for Syria, being assured in return that he would exercise practical autonomy over Damascus, Homs, Hama, and Aleppo. No agreement was come to, and on his return the Prince was acclaimed as King of Syria, but France and Britain have refused to recognise the situation. The Syrians claim that their services in the war entitle them to a recognition of their new national spirit. They fear that the policy of France would break up the new national movement, apart altogether from the fact that French economic interests are regarded as unfavourable to Syrian development. M. Ciemcnceau is said to have reminded an advocate of the Arab cause that French interests in Syria go back .to the Crusades. "And you, sir, must remem"ber," the Arab delegate is said to liavo replied, "that the Syrians won the " Crusades, and are proud of it." Commenting upon this instructive story, an English writer suggests the possibility of a serious conflict. "These," he says, ''are terrible memories to call ' up. Moslems regard the Latin invasion of the Levant as we regard the "Turkish conquest of Constantinople, " and it is a rather sinister coincidence " that the line drawn in the Anglo--French Agreement between the " French littoral and the international "Palestine on the ono hand, and the " 'independent' interior of Syria oiv the " other, coincides almost exactly with " the boundary between the Catholic ' and Moslem principalities during the " Crusading period. Across this line i " Frenchmen and Syrians are facing ' " each other again to-day with arms in "their hands. Absit omen."