Rebellion and Independence 247
The surrender of the officials was soon followed by that
of the other strikers. Isolation of the provincial strikers
from the central organisation and the absence of any pro-
vision for strike pay had more to do with returns to work
than the improvised services and the menacing proclama-
tions of the British. The Bar alone held out, in spite of a
proclamation which allowed cases to be conducted with-
out its co-operation. A proclamation threatening to close
the schools brought Young Egypt to book. And with
the submission of these hotheads passive resistance as
definitely came to an end as had the earlier active re-
bellion. At which point the Egyptian revolution might
possibly have been stopped had the High Commissioner
not been tied to a reassertion of the Protectorate. For it
was such a reassertion of the hated bugbear that gave
the rebellion a fresh start.
The proclamation (April 20, 1919) that ended the Civil
Service strike had the following in its preamble:
'* Whereas a number of officials and employes have
deserted their posts and it has been made clear that they
have taken this action with the object of dictating a course
of policy to the Government of H .H. the Sultan and of re-
pudiating the Protectorate which HLM. Government have
established over Egypt/' Now Rushdi's Cabinet were
prepared to co-operate in ending the strikes, but not to
be formally associated in a reassertion of the Protectorate.
So the next day Rushdi resigned, and co-operation was
again broken off. This was all the more unfortunate in
that Zaglul and the Delegation were meantime being very
active in Paris, and were sending from thence optimistic
manifestos and reports. At last any illusions that they or
their supporters in Egypt may have had that their
presence in Paris was doing any good was dispelled by
the confirmation of the Protectorate in Art. 147 of the