" METHODS OF DIPLOMACY "
SIR,—In the course of your article on this subject, you say that during the war "Egypt put her whole resources at the disposal of the Allies, and British and Dominion forces effectively defended Egypt from the fate that Hitler and Mussolini would have imposed on her if they could." As to what British and Dominion troops achieved, there can be no doubt. But may I respectfully point out that the Egyptian attitude, when things looked black for us at-any rate, was not quite all that might be inferred from the above? A special correspondent of The Spectator in April, 1941, wrote: "But no amount of either sophistry or good will can disguise the fact that for the last twenty months Egypt and Iraq have refrained from helping Britain in a struggle waged in their interest as much as in her own ; that they have often tried to use Britain's present difficulties to extract further economic concessions ; that in many instances they have encouraged Axis propaganda." I feel it would be unwise for us to adopt a heroic .Nelsonian approach to these facts.—Yours faithfully 3r New River Crescent, Palmers Green, N.z3. G. WINTER.
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