1939: Syria

Proposed Independence of Syria.

Syria, which is an Arabic country under French mandate, went through troubled times in 1939. The treaty which had been concluded in 1936 between France, on one hand, and the Republic of Syria and the Lebanon (into which two parts the mandated territory had been divided), on the other, had guaranteed that within three years the mandate would be terminated and Syria and the Lebanon become entirely independent. This treaty was not ratified by France, however; and the developments of 1939 have discarded it and inaugurated an entirely new situation in Syria. The treaty had been the work of the Nationalist party in Syria, which had come to power in the elections of 1936 and formed the government in the three years following. The reluctance of France to ratify the treaty brought about the disintegration of the Nationalist party.

New Demands of France.

On May 12, the French High Commissioner in Syria, Gabriel Puaux, who took office on Jan. 7, 1939, made an official declaration in which he demanded a change of the proposed treaty of 1936 which would decentralize the administration for the protection of the minorities, assure complete equality between citizens of all religious and regions, and strengthen military cooperation between Syria and France, in view of the present international situation.

Reorganization of Syria.

A new law decreed the complete reorganization of Syrian administration beginning with July 1. This new law abolished the Syrian constitution of May 4, 1930 in favor of complete decentralization. Two provinces, the district of Latakia and the Jebel Druze, become under the title of autonomous territories completely independent of the central government as far as the Administration and finances are concerned. Another province, the Upper Euphrates, received almost as far-reaching an autonomy. But even the remainder of Syria, the six provinces of Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Hauran and Euphrates, received a far-reaching local autonomy; so that it may be said that Syria represents not more than a very loose federation of practically autonomous parts, in all of which the French maintain a close control.

Under these circumstances not only the Syrian cabinet, but also the President of the Syrian republic resigned. The French High Commissioner appointed a council of directors to rule the mandated territory under his direction. He declared France's readiness as theretofore to conclude a treaty of independence with Syria; but Syrian public opinion continued to be enraged over the suspension of the Syrian constitution and the cession of Alexandretta to Turkey.

Alexandretta.

The district had formed a part of Syria under the mandate, but had been constituted later as an autonomous republic under the name of Hatay and had been ceded outright to Turkey by France on June 23, 1939. The territory is in area approximately 10,000 sq. mi. with a population of 220,000. Turks made up about 40 per cent of the population, the rest being Arabs, Armenians and Kurds. The district is of great strategic importance and had been claimed by Turkey for many years. Turkey promised at that occasion to respect the frontiers of Syria and in no way to engage in any enterprise that might affect the territorial integrity and internal peace of her neighbor. Those inhabitants of Hatay who do not desire to become Turkish citizens may apply for Syrian or Lebanese citizenship within six months, and within eighteen months leave the territory of Turkey with all their goods and cattle.

Effects of the War.

The outbreak of the great war produced a momentary halt in the Syrian situation. One of the most important French generals, Maxime Weygand, who had been in former years High Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief in Syria, was now dispatched again to Syria to become Commander-in-Chief of the allied forces in the Near East and in the eastern Mediterranean. The strategic importance of Syria in case of a conflict which might involve the eastern Mediterranean was stressed again. General Weygand conducted also the military negotiations with Turkey for common defense of the Near East in case of an attack by Germany or the Soviet Union.