Next there was the question of expense. This is an
Important matter and we are very glad that Mr. Baldwin dealt with it. He stated that a few years ago the expen- diture on Iraq amounted to £20,000,000 a year, but that it had now been reduced to £4,000,000 a year. Even so, a substantial portion of the £4,000,000 was attributable to the upkeep of the Air Service which would have to be paid for in whatever part of the world the men were quartered. There was every reason to hope that if the frontier question could be settled Iraq would shortly pay her way—with the help of the rich province of Mosul. For Great Britain to withdraw now would be to undo the work of years and to substitute war-like conditions for peaceful conditions. His conclusion was that we must wait patiently for the decision of the League. He had no reason to suppose, in spite of all that had been said, that Turkey would not keep her promise to abide by that decision. Great Britain certainly would do so.
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