ABSTRACT
Nevertheless, the law was not promulgated until March 4th, 1922,5 nor did the Assembly convene until March 27th, 1924, although an 'IrMa convoking it had been issued on October 19th, 1922,. by which time Amir Faisal had been placed on the throne and the main lines of the government and the principal questions of policy had been settled. Its deliberations, moreover, were specifically restricted, both by the 'IrMa of 1922 and that of 1924, to the ratification of three documents to be placed before it: the Organic Law or Constitution, the Electoral Law for a Chamber of Deputies and the Anglo-'Iraq Treaty of 1922.7
It would appear, however, that these and other obstacles to the drafting and application of the law, including Saiyid Talib Pasha's opposition to it,l were used by the British authorities as excuses to postpone the inauguration of the Assembly, notwithstanding the official communique of May 30th, 192 1,2 assuring the 'Iraqis that the elections would soon be held. Evidence was not lacking that attempts would be made to force the Assembly, if convened, to declare for a local and unacceptable candidate such as Saiyid Talib Pasha and to force it to make anti-British declarations. It was known that the Nationalist leaders, including some of the Mandubin, were again active and that the National School party had been revived. It was also reported that several tribes, as those of the 'Afaq district and the Shammar Dhafir, were contemplating another revolt at Nationalist, Turkish and Bolshevist instigation. Letters had been intercepted in] anuary from Muhammad Ridhii, outlining anti-British plans and giving instructions for
Preliminary reorganization of the administration began officially on December 3rd, when by a proclamation of the High Commissioner aU the rights, duties and powers formerly possessed by the Civil Commissioner, Judicial Secretary and Revenue Secretary were assigned to the High Commissioner, Minister of Justice and Minister of Interior respectively. 6 Several of the Ministers, however, had already entered upon their duties, Saiyid Talib Pasha beginning his work as Minister ofInterior on November 15th. Conditions had been somewhat chaotic, and the fact that practically all the correspondence was in English proved a difficulty. Nevertheless a satisfactory modus operandi was slowly evolved.
