AGITATORS IN IRAK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18690, 22 April 1924, Page 7

AGITATORS IN IRAK.

TREATY WITH BRITAIN. MODIFICATIONS SOUGHT. OTTOMAN DEBT BURDEN. By Tel-^srarh Association—Copyright. Beuter. BAGDAD. April 20. An agitation, largely conducted by lawyers and accompanied by the wildest misrepresentations, has broken out against the acceptance of the Anglo-Irak treaty, which it is possible the Constituent Assembly may refuse to accept without large modifications. Indeed, it is reported that only 14 out of 100 deputies can be depended upon to vote for the treaty. The agitators assert that Britain does not guarantee that the Mosul Vilayet will not be surrendered to Turkey, nor guarantee the defence of Irak's other frontiers. They say further that the treaty gives no financial assistance except for the maintenance of British forces in Irak. On the other hand leak, they declare, has to shoulder a large share of the Ottoman debt and the huge expense of expansion of the national army, which will mean early bankruptcy. King Feisul and his Ministers are | doing their utmost to counteract the agitation, but the deputies believe that J if the Assembly rejects the treaty Britain I will make large concessions in order to ] retain a footing in Irak.