MOSUL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18548, 25 November 1925, Page 9

MOSUL.

PREMIER SUPPORTS MR AMERY.

QUESTION OF HONOUR.

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LONDON, October 15

The Prime Minister, speaking at the Unionist Conference, supported Mr Amen- in the. attitude he took in regard to Mosul at the League of Nations.

I "Our relationship with Iraq,'' he (said, 'is governed not by an ordinary inundate, Uut by. a Treaty of Alliance, which, -while it fulnis towards tno ot Nations tno responsibilities ; we undertook as mandatory, constitutes I vho rocoguiuon of tno independent j national me which wo have aimed at ! establishing in Iraq in accordance- with. | our general principle of self-govern-I ment, wherever suen self-guveinment J can work cttectijvely, and iit\ order to j limit our own financial and military commitmente and responsibilities. Tno present Treaty was originally to have been signed tor a period of 20 years. Tho period was reduced to four years from the ratification, of the peace with Turkey, partly on our side, because we. wished to make it clear to tho new Government and Parliament of Iraq that they could not rely indefinitely upon British financial and military support, 'out must set their house in order and be in a position to stand on their own feet within a really shoit space of time. "But the preamble of the present Treaty not only contemplated its replacement by a fresh Treaty, but stipulated expressly that negotiations having that object shall take place before the expiration of the Treaty. When the Secretary of State for tho Colonies visited Iraq in the spring, he reported that, in the opinion of all whom he had met, British and Iraquese alike, the ono thing necessary for the future development of the country was an assurance, that the Government of this country would carry out tho undertaking implied in the Protocol of tho present Treaty, and replace it by a further Treaty giving the Iraq Government tho lienefit of tho help that it received from British advisers during the past years. The same point of view obviously impressed itself upon the Commissioners sent out by the League of Nations. The report of the Commission, in fact, involved a direct question as to whether. the British Government was prepared io csvrry out the preamble of the existing Treaty and replace it by a new one. "There could only bo ono possible answer to that, namely, that we did intend to implement the preamblo and to continue to co-operate with the Government of Iraq to ensure the stability and progress of the country until such time as. our help was no longer necessary, because to have given any other answer wouldi have fatally prejudiced the cause of Iraq before the League and would have been a breach of trust towards those whose cause we were defending, and would have been inconsistent wiTTi the policy which has been pursued in Iraq by all Governments since the mandate was conceded to us. Obligations of Honour. "Last, but not least, it would have been ah act of folly from the point of view of those who urged economy. The sacrifice of the richest part of the territory of Iraq and the substitution of an indefensible for a defensible frontier would have undone all the great work of recent years and left us with the alternative either of complete chaos in that part of Asia with consequences resulting there which no one could foresee, or of a reversal of. the process of the reduction of expenditure in order to make up for the lessened resources, the increased burdens, and the impaired stability of Iraq. In, this matter we are not dealing alone with our own direct interests, hut with obligations of honour. "The action of the Secretary of State throughout this business has tke Government's full approval—(cheers)— and affords the strongest possible proof of the willingness of his Majesty's Government to submit to arbitration questions of the highest importance to them and to abide by the arbitrators' sentence." The League's Opportunity.

Speaking on the same question in an interview, Mr Amery deprecated the idea that Turkey would not, equally with ourselves, fulfil her obligations of honour. ' "The Turks," ho declared, "have always believed in bluff, and, accordingly, I cannot treat seriously the declarations that are attributed to them that they will refuse to abide by the decision of the League, if that decision is contrary to their claims. Such an action is inconceivable to me.'' Mr Amery expressed his conviction that the League of Nations would not disappoint the many earnest men and women who believed in it. "If the League is ever to become what its many advocates believe it is capable of becoming —a real factor in the world—now is its opportunity. It must see to it that the first important test that has been made of the principle of arbitration shall be carried through to a successful conclusion. If it breaks down on any single point, the principle of arbitration will be set back to an enormous extent."