London, Nov. 16- All signs show the British are on the point of inaugurating a policy of immediate heavy reduction in the Indian and British troops in Middle Asia. If that surmise proves correct the Northcliffe Press and other forces in the opposition may congratulate themselves on a great success. For months they have been persistently agitating against the Government policy in Mesopotamia and Persia which is imposing a heavy burden upon the British tax-payer. The public is so worked up that Government would be unwise to introduce supplementary estimates asking the Commons to sanction more money for expenditure incurred upon recent operations in Middle Asia without first issuing an authoritative statement assuring the people that future British commitments in that region will not involve such heavy outlays in future.
It is quite possible the forthcoming reduction in the forces in Middle Asia is partly due to Indian agitation against the employment of Indian troops there though the British Press has not put forward the Indian view, the “Times” being the only prominent exception.
