Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎79r] (157/176)

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48. In the domain of purely internal administration the Ministry gave way to
the vice of nepotism and in their attempts to find Government posts for their friends
and relatives they earned great unpopularity and provoked discontent amongst the
important administrative officials in the provinces on whose exertions the
maintenance of public security depends.
The Indemjiity Law.
49. The text of an indemnity law,{%lM^ enactment^should prelude the abolition
of martial law, was prepared in consultation with Lord Allenby. In order to ensure
that this measure should not be regarded as of a transitory nature and liable to repeal
at the discretion of the future Egyptian Parliament, its enactment was to be
accompanied by the conclusion between the British and Egyptian Governments of a
special agreement the text of which was also agreed upon after reference to the
Foreign Office.
The Draft Constitution.
50. In the political sphere an important and fairly representative commission
was appointed to draft a constitution and prosecuted their labours throughout the
summer. By October they had completed their task and a draft Constitution, the
text of wdiich the commission had allowed to become public, was submitted to the
Government for final revision and eventual presentation to the King, who, it was
intended, should promulgate the new charter.
51. Meanwhile King Fouad viewed with increasing misgivings the elaboration
by this commission of a constitution on liberal lines modelled upon continental
practice. The King is not a believer in democratic institutions for Oriental countries
and regards a benevolent despotism as the only form of Government which is suited
to the present state of Egyptian society. The Ministers in common with all
Egyptians of the upper classes are no more enamoured of democratic ideals than
King Fouad, nor would they evince any enthusiasm for the doctrine of Ministerial
responsibility and parliamentary control if it were not for their fear of the caprice
and licence with which the King would probably administer the country were he to
wield absolute power.
Friction between King Fouad and his Ministers.
52. In these circumstances it is not surprising that the relations between Sarwat
and his sovereign showed signs of increasing friction throughout the summer.
King Fouad realising that his personal ambitions would find no support from
Lord Allenby, attempted to strengthen his own position by weakening that of the
Government. This he did by paying court to the Zaghlulist opposition who met his
overtures more than half way.
53. The Ministry who were constantly libelled in the press as the mere puppets
of the British Government were in turn attempting to strengthen themselves by the
creation of a Liberal Constitutional Party under the leadership of Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. ,
whose honesty and integrity had gained for him a well-deserved reputation amongst
his fellow countrymen.
Genesis of the Liberal Constitutional Party.
54. The new partv though enjoying the tacit and unofficial support of the
Government fell rather flat, and their sole newspaper was quite unable to make
itself heard effectively above the clamour of the Nationalist press. Such backing as
the Government may have hoped to derive from the Adly Party was further weakened
when its leaders adopted an attitude frankly critical of the Sarwat Ministry, whom
thev accused of subserviency to British interests in the matter of Egyptian claims
to the Soudan and of Egyptian representation at the Lausanne Conference. This
change of tone was the result of the fear engendered by the murder in the streets of
Cairo of two prominent members of the party by a gang of gunmen who were
probably students of ultra Nationalist views.
55/ On the whole, however, the Sarwat Ministry had grappled courageously and
not altogether unsuccessfully with the very difficult situation which confronted them
when thev took office, and despite their undoubted unpopularity they regarded the
future with optimism and felt confident of achieving their programme. A constitu
tion had been drafted, providing for a democratic system of government on European