Page 227 - Records of Bahrain (5) (i)_Neat

Demands for reform, 1935, 1933-1939 215
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Youth Movement to other classes - ae auoh agitations often do -

we oould not divoot oursolveo, though we are not in the position
of the Paramount Power towarda Bahrain, of all responsibility
for the consequences, Wo oould not view with equanimity a
oondition of strong and continual agitation in Bahrain for a

more demooratio form of government, especially if this agita-
tion oould only be kept in oheok by the Bahrain Government by
the oontinual use of force, Nor would it suit us in any way
if the popular party got the upper-hand completely and deprived

the Shaikh and his Family of most, if not all, of their power
by the imposition of an elected Kxeoutive Council. A conven­
ient half-way house between the present autocratic government
of Bahrain, and a puroly demooratio form of rule, would be a
nominated Advlaoxy Council. There is, however, little prospeot

of the a1 Khalif&h taking this step themselves, and the point,
at 1osue is when we should advise them to take it, having regard
to the faot that our advioe, even though unpalatable, will have

considerable influence with them. At what stage we give this
advioe, or if we give it at all, will depend on the progress of
the agitation in Bahrain, bearing in mind the important point
that it would be far better for an Advisory Council to be

instituted a little too soon, when it will come in the guise of
a generous oonoeoslon, than a little too late, when it will
appear as a surrender extorted under fear of oonsequenoea.

8. I fear I have written at b one length, but while the

iaportonoe of all the Arab states of the Gulf has of late years
inoreased rapidly Bahrain still remains the most important, and
I feel that this matter of looal agitation, and the way it is
handled both by the Bahrain Government and ourselves, will

/ affeot