18 SEPTEMBER 1909, Page 2

The "Young Egypt" Congress has been sitting at Geneva this

week, attended by about a hundred and twenty Egyptian Nationalists, Mr. Keir Hardie and Mr. Barnes representing the British Labour, and Mr. Kettle and Mr. Hazleton the Irish Party. The president, Mahmoud Fahmy, opened the proceed- ings in a moderate speech, but the note of hostility' to the English occupation was more pronounced in each succeeding speech. Mr. Blunt sent a message urging the Young Egyptians to pull together, and Mr. Kettle, who declared that England had no more right to put down anarchy in Egypt

than in Ireland, brought a message of courage and hope from Mr. Dillon. "Nothing," he said, "was more natural than friendship between the two disinherited nations having the same aspirations, the same enemy in this cold and stupid England. Let Egypt follow the glorious example of Turkey." Inasmuch as the Young Turkish leaders have given unmis- takable proof of their continued friendship for England by refusing to support or encourage the Egyptian Nationalists, Mr. Kettle's advice was hardly logical. Telegrams were sent to the Home of Commons recalling the British Government's promise to evacuate Egypt, and to Hilmi Pasha, the Turkish Grand Vizier, asking him to use his influence with England to secure the withdrawal of the troops.