883.00/1237: Telegram
The Minister in Egypt (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:23 p.m.]
205. My 198, February 4, 11 p.m. This afternoon’s press reports that shortly after noon today Nahas Pasha presided over a meeting of the Wafd Executive Committee called to discuss the final composition of the new Cabinet and that Nahas will probably submit the list of his proposed collaboration to the King this afternoon or tomorrow morning. It is generally believed that he will propose the formation of an entirely Wafdist Cabinet and insist on the dissolution of the Chamber of Deputies and the holding of elections therefor.
In the meantime it is rumored that Ahmed Maher Pasha in his capacity of President of the Chamber of Deputies has addressed a letter to the British Ambassador strongly protesting against British interference in Egyptian internal politics by insisting that one individual in the person of Nahas be charged with the formation of a new Cabinet and that the President of the Senate has made a similar protest adding that he would be prepared to associate himself with such measures as it might be deemed appropriate to take under the circumstances.
Tonight’s press also carries a statement made by Nahas to the press late last night in which he is reported to have said that, although he had declared earlier in the day his unwillingness to assure [assume?] responsibility for government under the existing serious situation which had recently reached “its severest point” he had decided it his duty to carry out the King’s order charging him with the formation of a new Cabinet in order to meet the present crisis and to assure a democratic regime.