Iraq Scored for Intolerance Toward Jews; Charged with Infringing on Pledge to League

The intolerant conduct of the Iraq Government toward Jews is strongly criticized in an editorial published in the “London Jewish Chronicle” today. It relates that the Iraq Government recently awarded a scholarship to a young Jew who had proved himself in many competitive examinations as the most brilliant student in Baghdad. The young man in question was sent to Liverpool to continue his studies there. It is now disclosed that he has suddenly been asked by the Iraq Legation to return to Baghdad. Moreover, the Legation have even requested him to refund the money advanced to him for the fare to Liverpool.

The “Jewish Chronicle” says that while the Iraq Government has hitherto offered no explanation of its procedure, the real reason underlying its conduct is suspected to be the fact that the student had written a letter to a friend in Palestine expressing his sympathy with Zionist aspirations. It points out that Iraq has assumed definite obligations towards the League of Nations respecting its minorities, and that-discrimination of this sort can hardly be regarded as in keeping with its solemn undertakings. At the same time it recalls a recent refusal of the Iraq Government to deliver letters sent to Iraq by the Zionist offices in Jerusalem, necessitating the intervention of the British authorities.

The State of Iraq was formally admitted as a member of the League by the League of Nations Assembly on Oct. 3, 1932. It was then officially reported to the Assembly that Iraq had entered into the undertakings required by the League Council in regard to the protection of minorities.

On the same occasion, Viscount Cecil, representing Great Britain, which had relinquished its mandate for Iraq, declared that full attention had been given to the minorities question and that “the form of guarantees undertaken by Iraq was, perhaps, the most stringent of any of that kind.”