Sunday 17th Oct Dearest Father. I must try to give you an account of this remarkable week. Sir Percy arrived on Monday 11th at Baghdad West. When we got to the station about 4.30, his train being due at 5.30, we found a sort of reception room, flagged and carpeted, with a railed-off approach to the line - I was going to say platform, but as you know there isn't one. I was told to go into the reception room where gradually there collected some 20 or 30 magnates of Baghdad, the Mayor, Qadhis, Saiyid Talib, the ex-Deputies, heads of the Christian and Jewish communities, the C in C with his staff, the heads of departments and officers of Sir Percy's H.Q. here. The salute of 17 guns was fired outside the town and the wind being contrary we didn't hear it, so that quite suddenly we were told the train was in sight and we hurriedly took up our positions in the railed off space, on the right Sir Edgar with the heads of departments and me, next to us the consuls, then the religious heads; on the left the C in C with his staff, Saiyid Talib and the deputies, the Mayor and one or two magnates, such as the eldest son of the Naqib. Outside the enclosure there was a crowd of people, British officers and their wives and a lot of others whom I couldn't distinguish - more of these later. It was near sun set when the train drew up. The C in C went forward to greet Sir Percy. He came out, dressed in a white uniform, and after shaking hands with the C in C stood at the salute while the band played God save the King. I thought as he stood there, in his white and gold lace, with his air of fine and simple dignity, that there had never been an arrival more momentous - never anyone on whom more conflicting emotions were centred, hopes and doubts and fears, but above all confidence in his personal integrity and wisdom. The low sun picked out his tall white figure from the surrounding khaki as if its eye, like the eyes of all the rest of us waiting there, was fixed on no one but he. When he came into the enclosure and Sir Edgar presented me, while I made my curtsey, it was all I could do not to cry. As soon as the presentations were over, Jamil Zuhair, the famous Baghdad orator, read him an address of welcome to which Sir Percy replied in Arabic that he had come by order of H.M.G. to enter into counsel with the people of the 'Iraq for the purpose of setting up an Arab Govt under the guidance - the word he used was nidharah which means exactly supervision - of Great Britain, and he asked the people to cooperate with him in the establishment of settled conditions so that he might proceed at once with his task. His words were interrupted by expressions of assent and agreement on the part of his audience. Lady Cox, Mr Philby and Mr Cheeseman [i.e. Cheesman] (the latter is Sir Percy's private secretary) had got out of the train by this time and we had all exchanged warm greetings. Lady Cox stepped out, after 10 hours of dusty journey, looking as if she had emerged from the finest bandbox - a miracle, as we told her. Then we all drove to Sir Percy's house - or rather, he and his party motored off there under the triumphal arches erected at the south gate, all flags and palm branches, while General Hambro picked me up and deposited me there too. I found no one but Sir Percy's party and Evelyn Howell; the latter went off almost immediately and Lady Cox, after giving us tea, disappeared with Mr Cheeseman to look at their new house above the Maude Bridge which isn't yet ready for them, while Sir Percy, Mr Philby and I sat down to talk. From the first moment I saw that all was well. He said he intended to set up an Arab ministry at once as a temporary expedient without waiting for the complete pacification of the country. His scheme was to call on someone to form a cabinet and he himself would appoint British advisers to the ministers. We all agreed that the difficulty was to hit on the right person to summon in the capacity of Prime Minister. His first idea had been Saiyid Talib but it was a matter which needed consideration. I said I thought he had better see people here and form his own opinion; whatever he decided upon we would do our utmost to further; the main thing being to decide on something and get it done. It's quite impossible to tell you the relief and comfort it is to be serving under someone in whose judgement one has complete confidence. To the extraordinarily difficult task which lies before him he brings a single eyed desire to act in the interests of the people of the country. Mr Philby walked home with me and I told him the position in the office, namely that Capt. Clayton and I, Major Yetts and all see eye to eye with Sir Percy and Mr Philby but that strong pressure would be brought to bear by Evelyn Howell and to some extent Col. Slater to make Sir Percy modify his intentions and narrow the width of his outlook. With that we all dined with the C in C, the Cox party, Sir Edgar, Evelyn Howell and I. I sat by Sir Percy and had a most enjoyable dinner in spite of the fact that I was sitting in a raging draught. I forget if I told you that I've got bronchitis? Well I have, and I don't see much chance of curing it. However that's a minor consideration. Next morning I went early to the office. Sir Percy called me up at once and we talked over some telegrams - I trying to conceal the fact that it was a wholely [sic] novel experience to be taken into confidence on matters of importance. No sooner had I got to my office than I began to receive letters and visitors, each more indignant than the last, saying that the whole town was in an uproar over the reception ceremony because the notables had been invited and herded together, all but a very small number, in the dust outside the enclosure and hadn't even had the opportunity of shaking Sir Percy by the hand. "We came in love and obedience," said a really furious old Shi'ah of distinction "and when we tried to get near His Excellency we were pushed away." Even the brothers of the Naqib had been treated with this same lack of ceremony and what made the cup more bitter was the fact that the person who was herding them was Major Daly whom they all consider to be personally responsible for the tribal reBellion. It would be difficult, I think, to imagine anything more outrageous than the arrangements for which Mr Bullard as Military Governor was responsible, but that was done; the point was what to do next. Sir Percy was interviewing Evelyn Howell and Col. Slater who are wholely concerned with the future and status of the British personnel, matters which appear to me to be quite unimportant compared with the future of Mesopotamia, which last depends entirely on the temper of the people of the country. So I decided at once to invest myself with the duties of Oriental Secretary, there being no one else in the office who knows Baghdad, and calling in Mr Philby for help, drafted a form of invitation to all the notables of Baghdad for the following morning. It was almost lunch time before we got hold of Sir Percy, but meantime I had prepared the list of names - over 100 - and drawn up also a small list of people to whom he ought to give private interviews. He approved everything and gave me a free hand to do exactly what I thought necessary and we had the invitations out that evening. It still makes me hot and cold to think what would have happened if we hadn't tackled the situation promptly, for there wasn't a single person in authority who was thinking of the Arab side of the matter and of how supremely important it was that Sir Percy should be put into immediate personal touch with the town. That night Mr Philby dined with me and we had a long and profitable talk. He had been to tea with me also and I had Sasun Eff. to meet him which was most valuable, for Sasun is one of the sanest people here and he reviewed the whole position with his usual wisdom and moderation. Next morning we had our big reception - a huge success. The space in Sir Percy's room being rather limited I had sent out my invitations in 3 batches, leaving half an hour between each batch. We seated about 30 people at a time in Sir Percy's room and had them in 4 relays; those who were waiting were entertained by Mr Philby and me in the waiting room next door to Sir Percy. But I went in with one of the batches and saw how well it was going, with all the people sitting round and being properly served with coffee and cigarettes while Sir Percy explained his programme and asked their opinion. It is the kind of thing Sir Percy is supremely good at and everyone went away delighted; I got Abdul Majid Shawi, the Mayor, for a private interview in the afternoon; next morning Sasun Eff and others, and another batch on Friday morning. What with getting the right people to come, and keeping the small fry of unworthy place hunters off, I've had my hands full. Mr Cheeseman and I keep Sir Percy's engagements between us, for the moment, I the Arabs and he the English, and the scheme works beautifully. On Thursday afternoon Sir Percy called me in to discuss some advice Sasun Eff had given him about the pacification of the Ba'qubah area to the effect that the big people of Baghdad who own estates there should be asked to send for some of their tribal tenants, explain Sir Percy's intentions and ask them what in the name of wonder they are now fighting for. Sir Percy at once saw that this was a step in the right direction because it calls on the Baghdadis to take a hand in what is after all their own game. I didn't say (because that doesn't now matter) that I had made substantially the same suggestion to A.T. [Wilson] weeks ago, but I told Sir Percy who were the people to ask and undertook to write the letters. He then dictated to me a proclamation in the same sense and told me to get it out at once in Arabic, consulting with Mr Philby. I tactfully sent it round to Evelyn Howell to be presented to GHQ for comment, but an order is an order and it has gone through practically in Sir Percy's own words. I must tell you that in the morning important news had come in from the Euphrates saying that we had occupied Tuwairij [Hindiyah, Al (Tuwayrij)] and that Karbala was ready to make submission. On this Sir Percy held a council consisting of Evelyn, Mr Philby and me in which it was decided that the provisional govt at Karbala set up by the insurgents should be told that they must make unconditional surrender and come in under guarantee to see Sir Percy. The Euphrates news has made a deep impression in the town. To finish the Diyalah [Diyala (Sirwan)] story, all the landlords have acquiesced with satisfaction in Sir Percy's suggestion. The Naqib is sending out his son Saiyid Safa al Din, who came to see me this morning and told me all he was going to do. Close on his heels came Fakhri Jamil (whose photograph I sent you) bringing telegrams to his tenants. So that's a success. The next thing was (a) to get in some of the big shaikhs who have stood by us on the Euphrates and (b) to send Sir Percy up to Mosul [Mawsil, Al], otherwise there would have been great dissatisfaction there. Sir Percy agreed to both. We telegraphed for the 4 most important shaikhs (one of them being Fahad Beg ibn Hadhdhal the giver of my dogs) and I drafted a telegram for Mr Cheeseman to send to Col. Nalder announcing Sir Percy's arrival and saying that he wanted to meet the notables. He flew there yesterday morning and returns tonight. (I'm telling you this fantastic story just as it happened. I shan't go on running the affairs of Mesopotamia but for the moment there wasn't anyone else to do it and as there wasn't a second to lose, I just upped and did it. The reason there isn't anyone is that Evelyn Howell, who ought to have undertaken it, is thinking of nothing but how to delay matters.) On Thursday evening, after Sir Percy had laid his definite programme of Arab ministers before Mr Philby and me, I got him to meet the rest of our group, , Major Yetts and Capt Clayton, and we had a most satisfactory talk. I wanted him to realize that these were the men who would work heart and soul with him, and it didn't take him long to find it out. At the end he told Mr Philby to submit to him a scheme for his private secretariat. This is the most thorny of all questions because it is the personal one. We think he ought to have a complete secretariat at the Residency, Civil Secretary, Political Secretary, Military Secretary and Private Secretary. The trouble is that he is bringing out Mr Garbett as his Civil Secretary. It's not a very important post and Mr Garbett will fill it well enough, but Evelyn, and oddly enough Col. Slater, are bitterly afraid that the Civil Secretary will prevent the advisers to Arab ministers - among whom they would naturally be - from having direct access to the High Commissioner. It's the purest folly, I think, but I have kept religiously out of the controversy, the more readily because I feel perfectly certain that Sir Percy will go his own way. They were as bitterly opposed to an Arab Cabinet, but Sir Percy has gone straight through. He knows there is no alternative and having made up his mind, nothing moves him. His direct simplicity is beyond all wonder and in my heart I sing hymns of praise the whole day long. But it's still like a dream to find all the things one has thought ought to be done, being done without question. I feel equally sure that when it comes to the difficult point of dealing wiht the tribal insurgents on the Euphrates, he will drop all the silly ideas of revenge and punishment which have been current outside my political circle and be guided only by consideration for the future peace of the country under an Arab Govt. The crux to my mind is this: how are you going to punish people for reBellion against the British Military Govt when that no longer exists? You can punish them for the damage they have done to their own country but even then you're not on very sure ground because most of the damage has been done by British troops. Therefore when military operations are over there's nothing left but a universal pardon, the only possible exceptions being persons who are known to have committed murder. But public opinion will I think approve of (and even demand) certain fines, especially in rifles, which is what the tribesmen will feel most. Meantime the setting up of a provisional cabinet is an extremely difficult matter. Sir Percy has fully recognized, as I knew he would, the strength of feeling there is against Talib. The question is whom to call on to form a Cabinet? Most of the people he has seen have suggested the Naqib and I think he will make an attempt in that direction tomorrow. I am convinced not only that the Naqib will refuse for himself, but that he will also refuse to recommend anyone. His religious position is far more to him than anything in the world and he thinks he would jeopardize it by taking a direct part in public affairs. But I'm all in favour of Sir Percy's approaching him and if I am wrong in my anticipation of his answer, so much the better. But if I'm right, what is the alternative? I Bellieve, and Sir Percy now thinks, that to call on S. Talib would be an almost fatal error, but you can't pass him over and call on someone else. In spite of all our warnings to him that he must make his own position and that we can't help him to make it, he thinks we ought to back him and force him on the country. He is now pulling every string he can think of to make himself acceptable. If he genuinely could make himself acceptable, nothing, from our point of view, would be more heaven-sent, but I know he can't. It isn't for nothing that my office has been flooded with people of every political opinion for the last week. The most violent against him are the extreme nationalists, with some of whom I am still in touch. Now they are the very people we must conciliate. I feel pretty sure that Sir Percy's visit to Mosul will strengthen his conviction that S. Talib won't do, but it also won't provide him with a second string, because there isn't one. If the Naqib refuses to step into the breach the only alternative that I see is for Sir Percy himself to summon and appoint the members of the provisional Cabinet. The moderates are themselves taking up the idea; Fakhri Jamil suggested it to me this morning. I need not say that I greeted it with the greatest show of surprise and interest, because I want everything to come from them and not from us. But if they do urge this scheme upon Sir Percy what a striking proof it will be of my favourite maxim that if you thrust responsibility on them they are bound to turn to you for help. The object of the provisional cabinet is merely that it should prepare for and hold the first general election. As soon as you get an elective body, that body chooses its own official representatives and the provisional government vanishes. While a good third of the country is still in open reBellion it's obvious that you can't hold a general election, yet it's equally obvious, as Sir Percy sees, that you can't delay in setting up some form of native institutions. They all expect that he will do something at once, and if he doesn't the golden opportunity will be lost and confidence shaken. Now I'm going to take Lady Cox and a party for a picnic. I wish I wasn't feeling physically such a worm! Monday 18th. [18 October 1920] I didn't after all go for the picnic for when I got down to the launch Capt. Clayton very wisely packed me off home and made my excuses to Lady Cox. I stayed at home all today except for half an hour with Sir Percy in the office this afternoon. He asked me if I would come onto his personal staff as Oriental Secretary or anything he decided, and I said I would love to serve with him in any capacity he chose. He told me he was getting over the difficulties raised by Evelyn Howell and Col. Slater and clearing their minds of misconceptions. I found him in talk with the editor of the Nationalist paper here, an ardent Nationalist, on whom he was making the most favourable impression. I think the young man went away feeling he had got hold of a really genuine person. I'm now going to be very sensible and perhaps stay at home tomorrow so as to get quite well. Ever your very affectionate daughter Gertrude Oh I haven't mentioned that I've called in a doctor and he has given me a bottle and lots of good advice.