Coll 6/92 'SAUDI ARABIA: Activities of H.St.J. Philby (Haji Abdullah) Qn of with-holding pension.' [‎82r] (171/255)

Minute Paper,
Department.
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Lr. H. St. J. B. Philby, C.I.E., I.C.S., (retired),
known otherwise (being a convert to Islam) as Haji
Abdullah Philby, retired from the I.C.S. in 1925 on
proportionate pension. The previous ten years of his
service had been spent in the Middle East (Mesopotamia,
11 e jd, mans Jordan) where he became a passionate supporter
o± Ibn Saud. An outspoken man of independent views and
difficult to work with, his enthusiasm for Ibn Saud often
involved him in violent criticism of His Majesty’s
Government and no doubt engendered that Anti-British
Government attitude which has characterised his retire-
ment. Much of his time since 1925 was spent in Hejd
and the Hajaz where for a time he was engaged in a
commercial enterprise. One of his latest outbursts
before the war was his venomous attack on British policy
in the Aden Protectorate in his book !! Sheba’s Daughters”.
Last February His Majesty’s Minister in Jedda
reported officially that Mr. Philby, who was then in
Saudi Arabia and was indeed frequently in the company of
Ibn Saud, who occasionally consults him (though without
putting much faith in him), was openly indulging in
disloyal and defeatist tali, in both Allied and neutral
company. Both the British aad the French Ministers felt
that he had become a political menace, and it was thought
scandalous that such talk should be indulged in by one
who was drawing a pension from the Government he was
criticising. Instances of Mr. Philby’s views about the
Allies are given in the Foreign Office memorandum on
I.X.1908/40 (flqgged). The Foreign Office have in
consequence consulted us on the possibility of checking
Mr. Philby’s activities as by threatening him with the
withdrawal of his pension, and similar action has been
urged in letters we have received from the Colonial Office
(P.G.2181/40) the Iolitical Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
(P.Z.2499/40) and the Government of India (P.Z.3243/40).
It has been ascertained that Mr. Philby has commuted
half of his pension and is now drawing £351 per annum.
The Secretary of State for India granted Mr. Philby’s
pension and it rests with him to decide whether it should
be withheld. He has power to withhold it in certain
circumstances, for this ”proportionate pension” is
issued under rules which provide that it may be withheld
in cases of serious crime or ^rave misconduct. It is
for the Secretary of State to decide what constitutes
grave misconduct 1 . If action is to be taken against
Mr. Philby he would have to be confronted with specific
charges and allowed to offer an explanation. It would
be idle to warn him of the possibility of the loss of
u 1 }! 685 we were prepared to execute the
threat. It is felt here, however, that the allegations
which can be confidently made against Mr. Philby (b, c,
and d, of the Foreign Office memorandum) are really not
m themselves serious enough to warrant the suspension
of a pension; moreover, however such action may give
an outlet for righteous indignation, it is felt here ^
that it would probably result only in redoubling, instead
of removing, his animosity against His Majesty’s
Government. A draft letter to the Foreign Office
is attached on the above lines and suggesting that
(9828) Wt.9938/P.125 6,000 (2 sorts) 4/39 A.& E.W.Ltd. Gp.685
for/