MIDDLE EAST: Uneasy Chick

Another little Arab country—British-mandated Trans-Jordan, pop. 300,000—recently got restive, asked Britain to grant full sovereignty. Trans-Jordan’s handsome, blueblooded Emir Abdullah had a telling point: with Britain’s covert encouragement, neighboring Syria and Lebanon had lately wrested promises of sovereignty from France.

Last week came Britain’s answer: No, until after the war, when the mandating power, the League of Nations or its successor, could give consent. Trans-Jordan’s Cabinet resigned in a huff, but a friendly talk between the Emir and Sir Harold MacMichael, British High Commissioner of Palestine, patched up the unpleasantness.

Trans-Jordan’s petition was another sign of rising Arab nationalism. Full sovereignty would raise Emir Abdullah to the rank of King, allow Trans-Jordan to join the nebulous but much-discussed union of Arab states. Britain prefers to postpone such problems until she can concentrate on her vital Middle Eastern sphere.