BRITAIN AND THE SUDAN.

Evening Star, Issue 18714, 16 August 1924, Page 6

BRITAIN AND THE SUDAN.

“Tire evacuation of the Sudan by Great Britain must lead in a very short time to anarchy, to a revival of those fierce, destructive impulses which went near to submerging Egypt hardly thirty years ago, to a recrudescence of the slave trade, and to the release of forces of disorder against which Egypt could only defend herself with the greatest difficulty.” So the London ‘ Times ’ declared a few. weeks

ago, and the Egyptians have not waited for British evacuation to make trouble in the Sudan. .Arrangements are at present in progress for Zaghlul Pasha, the Prime Minister of Egypt, to meet members of the British Government in London for the discussion of various questions that were left unsettled when self-govern-ment was granted to his country. But discussion is hardly the word as Za.ghlul, fortified in extremism by the attitude of the now Egyptian Parliament, prefers to view his mission. In regard to at least one of tho outstanding questions he aspires ,to dictate a settlement. Great Britain must pet out of what is known as the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and leave it to Egyptian rule. Nothing else will satisfy the pride of his newly-enfranchised Egyptians. If that attitude is to ho persisted in Zaghlu.l Pasha may as well give up the idea of his mission, It is unthinkable that tho British Government should consent to havo tho result of it predetermined in such a manner. A section of the Egyptians are determined, however, to leave no stone unturned to force tho concession from Great Britain which they desire. Their agitators have been active in attempts to stir up tho Sudanese against (he British influence. Their converts to this cause, it is stated in a message received to-day, have been limited so far to a few students and the mono reckless elements of the rabble, but they have succeeded in provoking bloodshed—not much up to this stage, and not caused by tho British, but siiflirient to provoke dangerous excitement in both Egypt and tho Sudan. That the crisis is viewed seriously by tho British authorities has been shown by the rushing of warships to Alexandria and a, Sudanese port. A British battalion at Malta lias also received orders to bo in readiness to proceed to Egypt at a few hours’ notice. The trouble may blow over, or British Labor Ministers, strongly imbued with pacifism, may find themselves involved soon in a task of keeping order of a kind with which they were accustomed to show small sympathy when it fell to be performed by others. Responsibility is a great educator, and fortunately there are no signs that, the new Ministers will shrink from their hard duty if it is forced on them. Britain will rot evacuate the Sudan. So much was said by Mr Lloyd George in the plainest terms when tho conditions of the independence which has been given to Egypt were being discussed two years ago, and tho declaration has been repented by both Lord Parmoor and Mr Ramsay MacDonald with equal emphasis. Tho statement of the first Minister, made in the House of Lords, was that “ the Government was not going to abandon the Sudan in any sense whatever. It recognised the obligations which had been undertaken towards tho Sudanese, and regarded these obligations as of such a character that they would not be abandoned without very serious loss of prestige.” Mr MacDonald stated as strongly that “he did not believe tho House of Commons would accept any arrangement which would break Britain’p pledges to the Sudan or jeopardise t.lio present Administration and its development. He still trusted that those responsible for the government of both countries would refuse to countenance impossible demands which would destroy the prospects of settlement.” Only the be-, lief which Viscount Grey has credited to them, that tho British are “on tho run ” in Africa, could explain tho demand, made through Zaghlul Pasha by his countrymen, that because Egypt has been given self-government the Sudan should ,be placed under an Egyptian yoke. The Egyptians have not shown yet such capacity for administering their own affairs as would cause them to bo given the slightest claim to bo made rulers over others. In their own country, it has been said, a conspicuous decline in the efficiency of all departments of the Administration and tho whole art of government has been (ho solo result so far of tho withdrawal of British control. And the horrors of their past rule of the Sudan, before the dual administration which has stood for peace and progress was established, are not yet forgotten. If the Egyptian flag is to fly over Khartoum and Kordofan the. British flag must fly with it.