LEAVE MESOPOTAMIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18902, 30 June 1923, Page 16

LEAVE MESOPOTAMIA.

WHY STAYING IS A MISTAKE ’Why Do We Remain in Mesopotamia?” is the title of an article in the Nineteenth Century by Sir George Buchanan, K.C.I.E. Replying to arguments in favour of staying, he says that it is alleged that great assistance was given us by the Arabs in the war, but it is common knowledge that sacks of gold delivered to the King of the Hedjaz kept him on the side of the Allies. In Mesopotamia the Arab sat most successfully on the fence, and impartially killed the wounded and looted the dead on both sides. Sir George Buchanan believes that the Turkish oommander-in-qhief once suggested a truce and a combination of forces to beat the Arabs, As to the Baghdad Proclamation that we came to Arab lands as liberators, Turkish rule in Mesopotamia was singularly lenient to the Arabs, and admirably adapted to their character. There was comparatively little oppression, and if a tribe refused to pay taxes the Turk usually shrugged his shoulders and took no action. - Concerning the promise in the AngloFrench Declaration of November 8, 1918, to establish national governments, drawing authority from the free choice of the people, any delusion wo ever had as to uie possibility of making the Arab a useful citizen within a period of from 70 to 100 years has long been dispelled. The author of "The Ins and Outs of Mesopotamia” says that although he believes that the .■vrabs will learn in the course of long years the advantages of self-discipline and cooperation, at present they are nowhere fiear the beginning of the alphabet, and they desire self-government only as an opportunity to escape from all law and order. A statement ;, which has caused probably more harm than any other is that Mesopotamia may again become the granary of the world. To anyone who has, like Sir George Buchanan, lived in and studied the country, and' is acquainted with her technical problems, it is difficult to be patient when such nonsense is talked. To irrigate Mesopotamia effectively would cost at least from £50,000,000 to £40,000,000 (Sir William Willcocks estimates it at £78,000,000), and when the works were completed where would the people come from to produce tne gram and the cotton? The less said about potential oil the better. Unlike tho Egyptians and tho Indians, the Arabs are bad agriculturists, and, although the population is very limited, they, like the Arabs in Palestine, would most strongly object to the importation of members of an alien race to develop their country. For thei money spent annually in Mosopotamia, Britain could assist largely in the development of South and East Africa and other parts of the Empire, where there are millions of acres of rich soil waiting to be cultivated with grain, cotton, and other valuable .products. As for loss of prestige, surely if Ireland can - vnca tod without loss of prestige so can Mesopotamia.