THE FRENCH IN SYRIA

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3478, 14 October 1926, Page 10

THE FRENCH IN SYRIA

A NATION BRING CRUCIFIED FOR THE GUJRY OF FRANCE. AUCKLAND, Oct. 1L The slate of affairs in Syria, whore tile French are at present carrying on a guerilla warfare with thc Druses,, a large tribe ■ with all the traditional lighting courage ot their Ariab bancestors, was narrated* by Mr. W, O. E. Fcildihg-Jones, F.R.G.S., who for the past five months has been in the thick of the fighting. Mr. Feilding-Jones, who is returning to his station in Australia, acted as correspondent for a syndicate of American papers and the Sydney “Sunday Times." “The world does not know of the real position in Syria because the French Foreign Office strictly censors any communiques,” stated Mr. Feilding-Jones. “The truth is that thc French have made an awful mess of things out there and (hey would do anything to got out of Syrfa to save their face. They have broken their promises to the Arabs. They have done their best to antagonise the AiUbs and they have violated sacred Arab customs.”

Continuing Mr. Feilding-Jones said thc rebellion commenced with a local rising of Druses, and gradually developed into a national rising against thc French. Now the Kurds, Syrians and Druses were all combined, although powerful Druses formed the backbone of the opponents of the French. Thc French led the world to beileve that Syria was pacified, but Damascus ! was a besieged city, the Druses holding the whole outside threequarters of the city and the French the centre. “There is no doubt

that the French want to get out of Syria, but they want to do it without loss of prestige,” Mr. Feilding-Jones said. “France has classed it as a religious war, but thUt is not true because Mohammedans, Christians and many other sects arc opposed to them. I know- the Druses would lay dowm their arms to-morrow' if the League, of Nations gave Great Britain a mandate over Syria. Here is a nation being crucified under French mandate. The French have no idea of tlic Arab mind, and have adopted the, wrong* policy. They tried to squeeze ah orange dry for thc giorv of Prance, but they have brave people to deal with.” The w-otid Wad been fed by false communiques from the

French Foreign Office. According 1( French statistics something 1i k 100,009 Druses had been killed, bu (he whole Druse tribe, including men women and children, only numbered 70,000. The Druses were enlisted at the age of 13, and the ages of their troops ranged from 13 to 70. The French army nuthbered 60,000 at the outset, but some 15,000 had been killed. "The Druses are well skilled in the art of warfare,” stated Mr. Feilding-Jones. “Many of them are Arabian irregulars who were trained under Colonel Lawrence and learned the art of warfare under him. They do not pretend they can hold Syria. They want England to . step in. but that does not suit the policy of thc Foreign Office at present.”