File 53/1915 Part IV 'German War: Turkey; Caliphate etc' [‎233r] (462/481)

\vaning foice, that Baliaism was typical of future developments. He said
that the calamity of the present war (which lie regarded as a judgment
on mankind) was of such magnitude that he could not believe that old
traditions and formulae would survive it for long.
l ie believed that when peace ultimately came that there would be a great
spii itual and social change of a pacificist kind and that mankind, chastened
by tribulation, would come together under some new dispensation. He said
that no doubt political arrangements would be necessary and that
external forms would be matters of consideration for a time, but that the
growing force beneath the surface would eventually rise and reduce the
existing symbols to things of slight importance.
I lowev'er, speaking from a practical point of view, he said that it would be
in the interests of humanity and accelerate the action of the good principle
in the world, if the Allies (on the fall of Constantinople) were to humiliate
and reduce the prestige of the Ottoman dynasty as much as possible. The
dynasty represents the force of militarism in Asia as Prussia does in Europe,
and so long as it retains the Caliphate and the Sultanate, the world will
know no peace. I fe hoped that the Ottomans would be reduced to the position
of simple Amirs of Anatolia Peninsula that forms most of modern-day Turkey. , and that Irak and Damascus would be Sultanates
like Egypt under the nominal suzerainty of the Sherif of Mecca and the
actual protection of European powers.
Rr.snin Rida. —In sharp contradiction to the foregoing view, is that of
Shaykh Reshid Rida, who is a leader of Pan-Arab and Pan-Islamic thought. In
conversation he talks much as he writes. 1 fe is a hard uncompromising fanatical
Moslem, the mainspring of whose ideas is the desire to eliminate Christian
influence and to make Islam a political power in as wide a field as possible.
His mental arrogance is, 1 think, attributable chiefly to the idea that
Creat Britain is afraid of Islam, and that British policy first and foremost is
planned to sooth Moslem opinion and to concilitate Moslem prejudice.
Though suave and well mannered, 1 can only describe his attitude as trucu
lent. lie said that the fall of Constantinople would mean the end of Turkish
military power, and therefore it was necessary to set up another
Mohammedan state to maintain Mohammedan prestige.
I asked him if the action of the Sultan in accepting the dictation of the
German Emperor was in consonance with the independence of the Caliph,
whether such people as Enver, Talaat, Javid, and Carasso could be
considered as Moslems, whether the Committee of Union and Progress had
not slaughtered Khojas and Ulema without mercy, whether the whole policy
of the young Turks had not been originally anti-religious in the widest sense.
To this he replied that in the eyes of Islam, Turkey represented
Mohammedan independence, and that the actions of individuals had no
influence on this view, and that when he had criticised the actions of the
Committee, he had been subject to attack and loss of prestige.
He gave it as his view that the Egyptians would never be reconciled to
British tutelage, and that Indian Moslem discontent would increase as time
went on, that vvhen Turkey fell Islam would require the setting up of
an absolutely independent Arabia including Syria and Mesopotamia/under
the Sherif.
What struck me most was that he never pretended tor a moment that
if .Great Britain assisted in this scheme there would be the slightest
diminution of discontent either in India or Egypt. The liberties and con
sideration given to Moslems by Great Britain in the past did not seem to
him to be causes for gratitude, in fact he is so obsessed with the imaginary
idea that Islam actually is an independent world state, and that Moslems
can dictate British policy almost in the tone of conquerors, that he cannot
brin" himself to make the slightest concession or hold out any hope of actual
friendship and loyalty on the part of Moslems.
Further, he said that if Great Britain did not fall in with Moslem views
she would lay herself open to the great danger of a permanent alliance
S. 25)0.