“STRATFORD EVENING POST” THURSDAY, JULY 31, 1930. DISCORD IN EGYPT.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 8, 31 July 1930, Page 4

“STRATFORD EVENING POST” THURSDAY, JULY 31, 1930. DISCORD IN EGYPT.

THE most recent move of the | Wat'd Party, the extremist ele--1 me fit in Egyptian political life, as announced hy Nahas Pasha, can only be regarded as fraught with dangerous possibilities. At the least it must tend to add to the disturbing character of the situation that has prevailed in Egypt during recent week's. At tlie worst it may introduce a revolutionary menace. Nahas Pasha has nnparentlv taken a loaf out of Mr Gandhi’s book, his declaration that a “non-co-oper-ation movement” will be. commenced immediately, with a refusal to pay taxes, being strikingly similar to the pronouncement with which the Indian Nationalist ushered in a period of regrettable turmoil in India. It is difficult to determine what the Wafdists hope to achieve by their contemplated course of act-’ ion. It can, at least, be nothing more than a protest against a course of action which they have themselves made it necessary for the British Government to adopt. The Government offered to Egypt ‘what amounted to full independence; but the offer proved unacceptable as the basis of a treaty because Great Britain would not consent to the .Egyptian claims in respect of the Sudan. The offer was made at a time when the Wafd was in office, perhaps for the reason that any negotiations concluded without the agreement of this strong Nationalist body would be likely to prove abortive. Nilhas Pasha made a showing of preparedness to consider the British. proposals, and visited London with tint avowed object, but apparently, rather than accept the draft treaty as representing* the limit to which Great Britain would go, he was disposed to interpret it as an admission of weakness, the first step towards a complete surrender. It did not take ilie British Government long* to disillusion him—possibly Mr MacDonald and the Foreign Secretary, Mr Arthur Monel erson, were already regretling the expansiveness of their concilia lory advances. Nor has it taken Nahas Pasha any length of time to prove what Mr Mao Donald seemed anxious to overlook) that the Wafd is a subversive organisation. The threat rtf “non-co-operation,” following closely upon rioting so serious than British cruisers were despatched to Egypt, is deliherafely pro vocative, and if the campaign is put into operation, ihere can he but one way of dealing* will) it. Sulky Pasha, who at present holds office, hut not sway, in Cairo, is reported to he eon (idea I Hint he can cope j v 11 h a n v I rnuhie Teh ieh nia v * anse, and la hG ’"/'■’’d'-m of dealing ruthlessly j n dh all at I emots nl e revolll- i florarv narfV to dUfurh the os- I f'.hUMed o''dei*. Mis rrmfiJonm Jon hi I s U iusD’Oed. he is hae]'(.J l.v the *'uihon’tv of BrrI'sh and iial'en. rJc in LVvpt proh.aldy have eo e.ain.’o In■ lord undue nppndien-

siniL The situation seems to be frdught, however, with distinctly unpleasant possibilities if the Wal'd is bent upon a more active policy in the tom on ling* of political discord and anti-British sentiment.