Coll 6/19 'Arabia: (Saudi Arabia) Hejaz-Nejd Annual Report.' [‎252v] (505/540)

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yet arise. In and after July 1930 they restated unofficially, but somewhat
insistently, their desire to become somehow or other parties to the convention.
As usual they looked to His Majesty’s Government lor assistance in the matter,
and the attitude to be observed was still under consideration at the end of the
year. |
101. The Hejazi Government have not manifested the interest in other
general conventions, which they might be expected to show, il they were animated
by a real desire to enter the international system, like the convention tor the
simplification of customs formalities and the Air Convention, although late in
1930 they asked the Legation in Jedda for a copy of the latter. They, or at least
Fuad Bey Hamza, have, however, displayed some little interest m the League
of Nations in the following circumstances.
102. Following on conversations in London before he first proceeded to
Jedda, but without definite instructions, Sir A. Ryan took soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. in the
summer of 1930 as to the attitude of Hejaz-Nejd towards the League. Care
was taken to broach the matter in a very general, though encouraging way,
and at the same time to hint that the position of Ibn Sand in regard to slavery
might create a difficulty. I hat position, which will later be described in detail,
is briefly that he reluctantly consented to bind himself by an article in the Treaty
of Jedda to co-operate with His Majesty’s Government in measures for the
suppression of the slave trade, but, as has been already stated, he has refused
to commit himself similarly to the French and Italian Governments; and, while
he professes to have taken steps to prevent the trade, he shows no inclination
whatsoever to suppress domestic slavery in his dominions.
103. Fuad Bey manifested distinct interest, and in a personal letter which
he sent to Sir A. Ryan in England in October, he threw out a very general
enquiry as to the position of Hejaz-Nejd as regards the League. Before this
letter was received, the subject had been discussed at the foreign Office. It was
thought that, apart from the question of the desirability or otherwise of
increasing the number of ill-developed States in the League (on which question
the balance of opinion was on the whole favourable to the entry of Hejaz-Nejd),
the slavery question might constitute so grave an obstacle that it would be unwise
for His Majesty’s Government to encourage Ibn Saud to move.
104. There was another issue of a peculiar kind. King Hussein of the
Fie jaz became an original party to the Covenant of the League by signing the
Treaty of Versailles. Being animated by a spirit of general “ cussedness ” and
a peculiar dislike of mandates in Arab countries, he never proceeded further.
This gives rise to the question whether Ibn Saud, having succeeded to the Throne
of the Hejaz, is in a position to make himself a member of the League by a
process of' ratification, and, if so, whether he could bring in both his kingdoms,
or whether a new application for membership would be necessary.
105. Fuad Bey’s letter precipitated these various questions, and, as a lead
was sought from His Majesty’s Government, they were being considered up to
the end of the year.
106. One illustration may be given, although it is not strictly relevant to
this section, of the way in which Hejaz-Nejd is hampered in international
matters by the rigour of Wahhabi tenets. For some time before 1930 negotia
tions had been in progress for the conclusion of Money Order Agreements
between the Hejaz and Palestine and India. They were delayed for a long time
by I bn Sand’s reluctance to accept a clause providing that interest should be
payable by the debtor Administration on balances of account outstanding after
a stated lapse of time. In the case of Palestine this difficulty was at last over
come by the adoption of a formula providing for percentage “ charges,” which
would obviously operate as interest. The Government of India finally waived
the point. It must not be supposed that Ibn Saud is always so scrupulous.
Provision for interest is made in more ordinary financial agreements. Never
theless, it is awkward that in a case like that of the Money Order Agreements,
Wahhabism should be an obstacle to normal arrangements.