File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎103r] (216/586)

Arab Army.
3. 18 parties of recruiting officers have been appointed by the Ministry of Defence and
are beginning work in as many centres throughout the ‘Iraq. Members of the recruiting staff
are strictly prohibited from organizing political committees or taking any part in their organiz
ation.
PUBLIC OPINION.
4. Tiie Bairam ‘Id ensuing on an entirely peaceful Ramazan passed quietly. The Faith
ful succeeded in prolonging it to 4 days instead of the accustomed 3, for the Shi‘ahs declined
to admit evidence that the new moon had been seen on the 6th and while the Sunnis kept the
feast from the 7th to the 9th, the Shi‘ ahs feasted from the 8th to the 10th.
5. ‘Ali Sulaiman of the Dulaim and Fahad Beg of the ‘Anizah have come to Baghdad to
lay their views as to the future before the High Commissioner and to receive an indication as
to the wishes of Government. Their argument is that they are content with things as they exist
at present. Tribes and districts are not unduly interfered with from Baghdad, they feel their
interests to be guarded by the High Commissioner and his officers and knowing that there is
complete accord between the High Commissioner and the Naqib, they do not fear disruption
of these favourable conditions. If a stranger whom they do not know were brought in from
without they are not confident that the present equilibrium would be maintained. While for
mulating these views they expressed to the High Commissioner their readiness to be guided
ultimately by the decision or wishes of the British Government. The High Commissioner in
formed them that he was daily expecting a pronouncement from His Majesty’s Government
which would make the political situation clearer. Meanwhile he could only express the personal
view that a continuance of the present regime was impracticable and that a solution had to be
sought providing fuller development of the principle of Arab Nationalism.
6. Telegrams have been received from King Husain announcing that Faisal is leaving for
the ‘ Iraq. The news has not roused surprise as rumours have been current lately that he might
shortly be expected here, but the telegrams have not been without their effect on public opinion.
It is already evident that many of the magnates of Baghdad are unwilling to leave prepar
ations for his reception to the group of younger men who are his known adherents, and talk of
the honour due to a distinguished representative of the Arab race and the son of an Arab King
seems likely to crystallize into the journeying to Basrah of several of the Baghdad Ashraf to be
present on his arrival. Public opinion in the town is taking a definite turn in Faisal’s direction.
7. The Shaikh of Muhammarah has publicly renounced his candidature in favour of the
Amir Faisal whom he invites all patriots to support. This is a very satisfactory move on his
part.
8. Ibrahim Hilmi, lately editor of Lisan al Arab, has returned to Baghdad. His agility
in trimming his sails to the wind has been remarkable even where this aptitude is not uncommon.
His paper has by turns been pro-British, pro-Faisal and pro-French, during the last of which
phases it was strongly anti-British. Ibrahim Hilmi is not regarded among his compatriots in
Baghdad with any special favour but his character as a shaitan inclines each party to use him
rather than allow his undoubted cleverness to be used by another.
9. He gives the following items of information on Syrian affairs: (a) The Amir Mahmud
Fa‘ur has been reconciled to the French Government through the agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. of Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. .
{b) Muhammad ‘Asaimi is the chief agent in the arms traffic, giving passes up to 200 rifles to
‘Aqail. (c) Nuri Sha‘lan is on cold terms with the French mainly by reason of his jealousy of
Muhammad ‘Asaimi. (d) The pro-‘Abdullah party in Damascus is inconsiderable.
10. Three new papers are about to appear in Baghdad:
(а) Al Fallah Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. , editor, ‘Abdul Latif Fallahi, an e&.-Sharifian officer recently returned
from Syria. He is a man of good reputation and pro-Sharifian views.
(б) Al Dijlah, editor Daud al Sa‘di, a moderate and sensible Baghdadi who is a friend
of ‘Abdul Majid Eff. al Shawi, Mayor of Baghdad, and is likely to reflect the
political opinions of the group to which the latter belongs.
(c) Al Watan, editor Sa‘id Eff. Tikriti who is said to be merely the figure head for a
group of Shi‘ahs in whose interests the paper will be run.
11. Hillah. —On June 3, the Adviser, on the occasion of the amnesty, held a majlis to which
were present all the prisoners who had been detained in Hillah as well as all local magnates.
After an address from the Adviser two addresses of thanks from the released prisoners were read.
Public opinion is impressed by the magnanimity of the amnesty and to the majority it is
most acceptable, but those who were loyal to the Government during the troubles are dissatisfied
and ask what inducement there is to serve Government.
As regards the communique touching the elections comments are guarded, but there is a
general disbelief in the efficiency of decision by elected representatives and a desire that His
Majesty’s Government should take on itself the responsibility of settling the future of the
country. Tribal leaders incline to the view that not elections but remission of revenue is what
they want!
12. Baghdad. —The rifle fine exacted from the Bani Tamim (soe No. 14, para. 16) was duly
paid up. Although the matter was not in itself of great importance, the fact that disturbance
was followed by early retribution and that this was carried out by the local Arab officials has
made an excellent impression on the Samarra area.
13. By order of the G.O.C.-in-Chief the Defence Scheme for Baghdad instituted at the
time of the disturbances has now been modified. The curfew has been abolished and the main