Page 221 - Records of Bahrain (5) (i)_Neat

Demands for reform, 1935, 1938-1939 209

-ti­

past In faot wo have ll ot been able to evade. (Uome 16 yearn
for instance, wo used our influence to roplaoo the lato
ogo,
Shaikh >l8a by tho preaont Ruler - though the former otlll
remained the titular Shaikh, and the latter beoame the Regent*)
We oould not view with equanimity a otate of affaire in

Bahrain in which there wan a strong agitation amongot the
people for a more democratic form of government which was
refuned by the Shaikh, etill leoa if thin refunal could only
be made effective by the continual ueo of foroe. Nor on the

other hand would it euit ua in any way if tho ’popular* party
got the uppervhand and deprived the Al JKhalifoh of all power
by the impoaition of on elooted Executive oounoil* A norainat-
ed Executive Oounoil in fact, on whioh the 3haikh would ait,
forma a convenient half-way houae between tne present auto-

oratio form of government in Bahrain and an elected Executive
Oounoil, whioh would ait on the shaikh i The point at issue

ie at what atage wo should advise the Shaikh to establish the
former, and this will depend on the progress of agitation in
Bahrain.
(b) The faot, which X am prepared to aooept, tnat at

present the agitation is mainly oonfined to a Youth Movement
does not get over tho awkward faot that youths have an un­
comfortable way of growing up, and growing up fast, and Just

beoause they ore young and energetio assuming a position in
that State, and an influence on public opinion, out of all
proportion to their numbers* This is what may happen in
Bahrain and the agitation may then spread to other classes
at present unaffected* Of the young Bahraini Weigntman wrote

reoentlyi (i quoted his description in another oonneotion,
oee paragraph 7 of my letter Noi20$-S, dated tho 17th Maroh
1939, but give It her# again for ready referenoe)
I
/ *Inoreased