Independent Egypt
It was not constitutionally necessary, but it was on every ground desirable, that the House of Commons should approve the ratification of the treaty with Egypt, as it did with universal approval on Tuesday. Credit for the happy result achieved belongs in one sense primarily to Nahas Pasha and his colleagues, for this country, as was shown when Mr. Henderson was Foreign Secretary, has long been ready and anxious for an honour- able settlement with Egypt. An honourable settlement has been achieved, and it is a remarkable fact that after full opportunity for the most rigorous scrutiny of the treaty no dissatisfaction worth mentioning with any of its provisions has been voiced in either the British or the Egyptian Parliament, apart from the solitary discontent of Lord Lloyd. The two nations will co-operate in the administration and development of the Sudan, and Britain will sponsor Egypt's application for membership of the League of Nations and support her in negotiations for the abolition of the capitulations. The demonstration of the sincerity of a Great Power's belief in the right of a former dependency to independence is worth something in these days, and there is particular ground for satisfac- tion in fresh signs of stability and accord at the eastern end of the Mediterranean as some counter to the instability at the western.
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