The decision of the Government about Mesopotamia was announced in
the House of Commons_ on Thursday,. May 8rd. Mr. Baldwin pointed out that the Treaty of Alliance between Great Britain and King Feisal, which was signed on October 10th, 1922, provided for periodic revision during a period of twenty years. In the short time that had passed since the signing of the Treaty, however, the Government of Mesopotamia had done unexpectedly well. Both sides therefore considered that the period provided for in the Treaty could conveniently be shortened. A protocol had been signed which would bring the Treaty to an end when Mesopotamia became a member of the League of Nations, or in any event not later than four years after the ratification of the peace with Turkey. We congratulate the Government on their policy. The great thing is that we shall retie from our obligations with the full consent of Mesopotamia. Had we been able to leave MesOpotamia sooner we should have been better pleased, but the certainty of being honourably free from a very expensive entanglement within a comparatively short time is a great point gained.
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