Page 242 - Life of Gertrude Bell

222 GERTRUDE BELL
those of the rest of the steel industry, worsened over the years
until the watershed of 1926; and for the first time in her life
Gertrude became aware of the need for some financial stringency,
as opposed to the care which she usually exercised.
Soon after her father’s departure, in June 1920, Gertrude re­
ceived a call from one of Baghdad’s most sensible and respected
political figures, Sulaiman Faidhi. Not only her office but her
home too attracted a constant procession of visitors intent on
staking their claims to influence and office under the new dis­
pensation. But Sulaiman was different. He had no personal ambi­
tions other than to see an Arab government composed of honest
men working within the framework of a British mandate. Gertrude
recorded the conversation which took place on the evening of
Saturday June 12th, for the benefit of the Secretary of State and
the Viceroy.
Sulaiman told her: ‘Since you took Baghdad you have been
talking about an Arab government, but three years and more
have elapsed and nothing materializes. You say that you can do
nothing until peace with Turkey has been signed, but so far as
we know that may be months or even years ahead. You say that
you can’t do anything until the mandate had been granted you.
But that explanation does not carry conviction because we have
seen an Arab government set up in Syria before any western
power had received the mandate ... You said in your declaration
that you would set up a native government drawing its authority
from the initiative and free choice of the people concerned, yet
you proceed to draw up a scheme without consulting anyone. It
would have been easy for you to take one or two leading men
into your councils and this would have removed the reproach
which is levelled against your scheme ... Your scheme is already
in everyone’s hands ... practically everyone in Baghdad who
cares to have a copy has got one ... We do not like it at all... I
will give you one example since you ask for one. We should not
agree to the President of the Council being appointed by the
Government. We hold it essential that he should be chosen by the
Council... ’ Sulaiman ended with a plea: ‘You would be well
advised to give us a long rope. We cannot possibly run the country
without your assistance and advice and we shall come to you at
once for both if you don’t try to force us to do so. It is my belief
that you cannot force us, but if you act now with care and con­
sideration you wifi never need to try.’ Sulaiman’s was a salutary