KING FEISAL’S CAREER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 288, 2 November 1933, Page 10

KING FEISAL’S CAREER

FROM TENT TO PALACE

The late King Eeisal of Iraq had many great qualities and some ol their defects. To the dignity, of his race and to a high-strung courage he added an intense patriotism and a conscientious industry. Arab, nationalism owes much to his powers of military and political leadershipthe Kingdom of Iraq owes even more to his moderation and to his self-sacri-ficing industry. King Eeisal was born on May 20, 1883. When about six years old he was taken to Constantinople by his father, Husein ibn Ali, whose further residence in Hejaz was considered undesirable by the Ottoman Government. lie served his term, in the Ottoman Army as an officer, being ultimately promoted to general’s rank. In 1908, on the deposition of the reigning Emir of Mecca, Husein was nominated to succeed. He sent his sons into the steppes to be hardened to Beduin life and to promote the tribal hegemony which he aspired to recover for the Sherifate. Of the three young men Eeisal proved the best suited to such a life, and by personal daring and charm of address he soon became the most reputed in the desert. The Syrian and Beduin elements of the Arab Nationalist Party were already looking to him to lead them before the Great War began.

THE GREAT WAR. On the outbreak of the War Eeisal was in Constantinople, and with his brother, Abdullah, iiastened to Mecca. Towards the end of 1915, when Eeisal was being kept by the Turks at Damascus, his father warned him that revolt was imminent. He was at last allowed to go free, and on June 1, 1916, he rose against the Turks, invested Medina, and attacked the railway. His Beduin forces, ill-armed, ill-supplied, and out-gunned, could do little against defended positions. He asked tor British help, but nothing adequate was done for him till Captain T. E. Lawrence pushed up to see him at Hamra on October 23. Thereafter Yanbo was organised as his base of supplies, and he was given the means to raise fresh troops. He showed great personal fortitude and power of rallying irregulars. Acting under the direction of General Allenby ns an Army Commander, he entered Damascus on the same day as the Egyptian Expeditionary Eorce —October 3, 1918. At the instance of the British Government, he was admitted, not without French protest, as his father’s delegate to the Peace Conference at Paris.

Extremists proclaimed Eeisal King of Syria in March, 1920, but the French dismissed him from office. He spent some months in London as the representative of King Husein of the Hejaz. Listening to the suggestion of Whitehall, he returned to Iraq, and was proclaimed King after a plebiscite had resulted in his favour. In the winter of 1927 the King and his Prime Minister visited London to ask British support for the application of Iraq for admission to the League of Nations. In 1930 a Treaty of Alliance with Great Britain, to become operative when Iraq entered the League, was signed at Bagdad.

THE ASSYRIAN CHRISTIANS

On October 3, 1932, Iraq was admitted into the League by the unanimous vote of the representatives .of 52 States, amid a shower of complimentary speeches. King Eeisal had reached his goal. A few months of relative quiet followed. In May this year Eeisal left Iraq on a four-months’ holiday. After visiting several European countries he paid a State visit to England, his first since Iraq became independent, to be received with every mark of honour by King George on June 20. Early in August he was recalled to Iraq by a sudden crisis. A section of the Assyrian community had rebelled, and the rebellion was visited on many of the loyal Assyrians. A most dangerous situation, complicated by a dispute with the French Government, arose in Northern Iraq. The King was worn to a shadow by 'anxiety and the terrific summer heat of Bagdad, but his sudden death was an unexpected shock.

THE NEW RULER. King Ghazi (soil of Eeisal) is extremely popular with all sections of Ills subjects. During liis recent visit to Mosul and again on his return to Bagdad, he had enthusiastic receptions. As regards the immediate political outlook, in the best informed circles the view prevails that serious repercussions are very unlikely. King Ghazi, who, obviously, is inexperienced, will have to rely to a large extent on the advice of his Ministers and other advisers, but as all sections of Iraqi opinion realise Iraq’s greatest need at present is a period of peace and political quiet, there is no reason to think that any of the young King’s advisers has the slightest desire to bring about discord in international relations. The young King’s relations with the British representatives in Iraq have always been very friendly.