118
4
Protocol. He further stated that he had refused permission to the Nejd tribesmen to erect buildings at the wells of Lina, 30 miles from the border. In a series of messages to the British Consul at Jeddah during February, Ibn Saud explained the difficulty of his position; he did not wish to join the Iraqis and make war on his own subjects, nor did he wish to find himself in conflict with the British Government. He therefore begged the latter to find a solution of his difficulties.
On 5th March, however, it was reported from Basra that Ibn Saud had issued an address to the leading Sheikhs of the Nejd tribes declaring that he had abandoned hope of converting the infidels of Koweit, Iraq and Transjordania by peaceful means, and now saw that the only way was by the sword. He went on to promise help with rifles, food, and ammunition. Up to the present (9th March) he has given no notice to the British Government of his intention to attack the non-Wahabi Arabs, and it is quite possible that his message to the Sheiks has been inaccurately reported.
Southern Arabia. On 11th February, news was received that Imam's forces (Zeidis) had kidnapped the Alawi Sheikh and the uncle of the Koheibi Sheikh, both of whom are in treaty relations with the British Government, and whose districts form part of the British protectorate. The Imam had been several times warned that any further acts of aggression on his part would lead to reprisals. Accordingly, after notice had been given, the Zeidi. headquarters at Kababa, not far from the scene of the outrage, were bombed on 19th-21st February. Meanwhile, information was received of a separate incursion against the Sheikh of Shaab, who is also under British protection. Instructions were sent (1st March) to bomb the invaders in this area.
The Italian Government, who are in treaty relations with the Imam, and have on previous occasions exercised a restraining influence upon him, have been informed of the action taken by the British authorities.
THE BALKANS.
Italy and Austria. The question of the treatment of the German inhabitants of the South Tyrol by the Italian authorities came to the fore again, when the subject was raised in the Austrian Parliament on 23rd February. Replying to a deputy, who declared that the Austro-Germans under Italian rule were worse off than any of those of the minorities that had come into being in any other country, the Chancellor, Dr. Seipel, agreed that it was a matter on which Austria could not remain silent. He stated that he was not interfering in Italian internal affairs, but that as Austria could go to no forum to have her wrongs redressed he asked Italy to take this into consideration, and appealed to an international sense of morality. The Italian Press was stirred to fury by these accusations, which were described
"
**
as a disgraceful manifestation of hatred against Italy, and a campaign of impudence and falsehood conducted by Austrian responsible circles against the simple application of Italian law in the Italian province of Bolzano. The Giornale d'Italia asked whether the limits of an intervention, now become intolerable, on the part of a foreign State in the internal legislation of the Italian State had not been reached," and at the same time seized the opportunity to warn the League of Nations and foreigners in general that they would do well to abstain from trying to interfere. Most of the principal Powers represented at Geneva, it was stated, would be compelled to condemn their own policy as practised in their acquired territories, and people in glass houses should not throw stones.' Incidentally, the same journal, as a reply to criticisms of the Italian regime in the South Tyrol which appeared in an English paper a little time previously, alleged that British rule in Malta was guilty of acts of repression directed against Italian culture, and in support of this imaginative assertion produced a fantastic story that the Naval Commander- in-Chief had directed his dependents to vote for the anti- Italian party at the elections. Following this outcry in the Press the Italian Minister at Vienna was recalled to report in Rome the next day (25th February), and on 3rd March Signor Mussolini delivered a characteristic stand-from-under speech in reply to the Austrian complaints, which he stigmatised as being not only false but "superlatively ridiculous.” He discoursed at length about the friendship shown on many occasions by Italy for Austria since the war, and stated that hundreds of Gerinans were still employed in the Government Service in the Upper Adige. He promised, however, that if the insolent speeches, odious insinuations, and vulgar insults were repeated, he would take those very measures of which he was now unjustly accused. We are not pupils of Austria," he declared," which for a whole century peopled the countries of half Europe with executioners, filled prisons with martyrs, and set up gallows indefatigably.” Concluding amid a delirious ovation, he said that if these provo- cative manifestations against Italy were repeated he would reply with deeds, not words." Little comment on this oration has appeared in Vienna, and official circles are somewhat embarrassed by a telegram from the President of the German Reichstag, proclaiming the unfailing loyalty and solidarity of the whole German people with the oppressed Germans of the South Tyrol. One German paper declared that it is becoming evident that Signor Mussolini over-estimates his power, and adds that if he should, with the courage of the vulture towards the sparrow," carry out his threats against Austria, he will never kill the spirit of Germanism.
#
"
Hungary. With reference to the "St. Gotthard Affair,” described in February M.I.R., on 23rd February, Mr. Cheng-Loh, the acting President of the League Council sent a telegram to
(C11851)
B 3
119