BRITAIN AND EGYPT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20354, 10 March 1928, Page 11

BRITAIN AND EGYPT

FAILURE OF NEGOTIATIONS. DAILY TELEGRAPH’S COMMENT. “A POLITICAL TRAGEDY.” (Free? Association—Ey Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, March 8. The Morning Post docs not regret the rejection of the treaty, and says it likes least to propose intrusion of the League upon the Egyptian scene, adding: “Our .Foreign Secretary in his infatuation for Geneva was willing to lay vital communications of the British Empire at the hazard of reference to the League. For- ! tunately Sarwat and his friends did not share that enthusiasm. If the Wafd had possessed more guile it would have accepted the treaty and the conditions in the confident hope that some future council of the League might make trouble for the Empire in Egypt.” The Daily Telegraph describes the failure as a political tragedy and regrets the intervention of blind, destructive forces to wreck the work of good, honourable intention. —A. and N.Z. Cable. LEADER OF THE WAFD. NO LONGER IN FAVOUR. CAIRO, March 8. King Fuad summoned Ns has Pasha to the palace. The Wafd no longer desires Nahns to take the reins. It is believed that the only solution is dissolution.—A. and N.Z. Cable. SERIOUS RIOTS BY STUDENTS. AMERICAN COLLEGE ATTACKED. CAIRO, March 8. Serious student riots have occurred. Thirty students were injured, also eight of the police, whom 1500 striking students stoned from a Wafd building in which they took refuge when tho police scattered them with heavy sticks. The police wore tin helmets and shields. Nahas Pasha appealed to the demonstrators to return to their homes, and most of them obeyed. The students at the Sheiks’ School at Assiut attacked the American college when the latter’s students refused to smashed the gates and tore up trees. Several were injured, including the principal (Dr Russell). Other strikers burned three motor cars at Tantah, including that of the Egyptian commandant, who was also severely manhandled. —A. and N.Z. and Sydney Sun Cable. OPINION OF THE TIMES. A GOOD OFFER REJECTED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 8. {Received March 9, at 7 p.m.) Commenting on the proposed AngloEgyptian Treaty and tho correspondence published with it. The Times expresses the view that the extreme elements of the Wafd have rejected a very good offer only through inability to recognise the hard reality of political geography. “ The rejection of a treaty which would have resulted in a new division of responsibilities throws the British Government back to the position which it took up six years ago. There is a lage foreign colony in Egypt, and local riots have almost always been accompanied by attacks on these foreigners. The proposed changes in the Egyptian ■ law affecting public assemblies, which would make it harder for the police to prevent the degeneration of public meetings into riots, were no doubt in the Foreign Secretary’s mind when he prepared the latest Note, so that it should be interpreted generally as a courteous warning that the British Government realises its position, and will permit no prerogation of its responsibility for peace and order in Egypt. The leaders of the Wafd may object to the communication, but they should remember that it is the inevitable result of their action.”