LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 June 1939, Page 12

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

“A GREAT BOY,” SAYS G. 8.5 .;

LONDON, May 27.

The romantic figure of Lawrence of Arabia continues to arouse controversy. The in “Oriental Assembly,” of a chapter of “Seven Pillars of Wisdom” which was omitted from the book,. has called from Mr. Bernard Shaw a characteristic rejoinder.

According to this collection of the writings of T. E. Lawrence, edited by his brother, the chapter from Lawrence’s masterpiece was suppressed on the advice of Mr. Shaw, who declared this week, however, that there was no question of “suppression.” “In the original proof form,” he said, “Seven Pillars of Wisdom.” was about 10 times as long as the book which subsequently appeared. “Lawrence asked me if I would read the proofs, and, among other suggestions, I advised the omission ; of ; the first' chapter, because it was a bad opening and not for political reasons. “The original proof was so long that 11 took me ten weeks to read. I advised various cuts in the same way as one cuts the first draft of a play. There were many libellous passages, and Lawrence was delighted when I suggested that I should rewrite them and allow him to say all that he wanted to say in perfectly legal phraseology. “With regard to the‘Arabs, at first Lawrence thought they had not been well treated; then he felt they had been given rather more than they could manage, finally he gave the .impression that it did not matter either way. “The truth is that Lawrence jhad.no political sense at all. He was like G. K. Chesterton; he was a great boy who never really grew up.” In this omitted chapter Lawrence describes himself as a “dishonest adviser” of the Arabs, and because he was a “successful trickster” he refused all honours.

Bitterly and with self-reproach Lawrence declares that the Arabs were deceived by a conspiracy. He says: “The Cabinet raised the Arabs to fight for us by definite promises of self-govern-ment 'afterwards. Arabs believe in persons, not in institutions. “They saw in me a, free agent of the British Government,' and demanded from me an endorsement of its written promises. So I had to join the conspiracy, and, for what my word was worth, assured the men of their, reward. In our two years’ partnership under- fire they grew accustomed to believing me apd to think my Government, like myself, sincere. “In this hope they performed some fine things, but, of course, instead of being proud of what we did together. I was continually and bitterly ashamed.”

He goes on: “It was evident from the beginning that if we won the war, these promises would be dead paper, and had I been an honest adviser of the Arabs I would have advised them to go home and not risk their lives fighting for such' stuff.”