Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1915-09-28
REPORTED SENUSSI
UPRISING CAUSES
SOME APPREHENSION
Arabic Order of MohammedanS
May Seek to Establish indie
pendent State in Italian Prov
inCe of Trip0li.


side from the more important thea
lures Of warfare, interest has been a
reused in reported uprising of the
senussi the Arabic order of the Mo
hammedans in Northern Africa, with
the hope of establishing an independ-
ent state in the Italian Province Of
Tripon.
It is a little over fifty years ago
that the man who was better known
as the Sheik- Senussi went into the
hinterland of Tupoli to promote a
schismatic Mohammedenism OF which
he himself was the author. The re-
ligious circles at Mecca and Medina,
to whom the reformer in question had
stated his views on the Moslem relig-
ion. had not taken kindly to them.
Senussi was an Arab to the core, and
as such resented the ascendency Of
the Turks in the temporal affairs of
a faith of which an Arab, Mohammed,
was the prophet.
In the hinterland of Tripol Senussi
encountered conditions that were fav-
orable to the spread of a religious re
form movement. The Arabs, Berbers
and Negros of the arid stretches in
what was then still a Turkish satrapy
gathered about Senussi and listened
to whatever new truths he had to an
nounce In very little time, Senussi
had become Sheik- Senussi. and Men
zel-ul-Keir his capital over the main
entrance of the Senussi temple in that
city, Sheik-Senussi caused the follow
ing words to be painted
Turks and Christians; / will de-
stroy them both in a single day"
That legend is said to be still visi-
BILE, and it is certain that its spirit is
still a force among the Senussi-the
term Identifying fully eighty percent
of all Mohammedans in Tripoh, Tunis
Algeria. Eastern Morocco and the SUI
dan. Contrary to popular belief the
word Senussi is not a tribal name,
but the designation of a sort of secret
order With the death of the first
Sheik Senussi, his reform lost much
Of its militancy. The founder of the
cult, if such it may be termed never
aspired to temporal power, but his
successor, the present Sheik-Senussi,
proved to be more Of a politician.
some even say statesman than a re-
lisious leader, with the result that
Senussism became a political rather
than q spiritual force
It seems, however, according to in
formation obtained here that the or
dor Of the Senussi is far from having
abandoned altogether the precepts
and example OF its founder NO
North African Mussulman viii direct
/ by admit that he is Senussi, but that
/ he belongs to the order may be learn
/ ed from his attitude while at prayer
/ IN the Mosque While the regular fol
lowers of MOhammed during the parts
of his prayer delivered in a standing
! position, permits his arms to hang
motionless at his sides, the Senussi
crosses his arms over his breast and
grips with his right hand the left
wrist in such a manner that thumb
and index finger rest on the pulse
The present sheik of the Senussi
was not pleased with the Ottoman
government, when, with the treaty Of
Lausanne Tripoli was ceded to Italy.
Through the former deputy of Tripoli
to the Ottoman parliament, the sheik
announced that he had severed his
connections with the supreme cali.
phate, aud that he woul dcontinue the
war with the Italians on his own ac-
count The deputy in question, Sulei-
man-el-Baruni, has since become the
sheiks lieutenant credited with be-
ing an excellent organizer and leader
of troops Baruni Is also known as a
hater of Italians without equal even
in Trpol
That the Senussi would have ever
. completely broken with the Ottoman
government had e not been for the
occupation of their country by the
Italians, is not thought likely here
The order had for many years enjoy
ed absolute liberty Of conscience, and
under his policy much Of the former
lanaticism had vanished. But recent
d information on this subject coming di
rect from North Africa, shows that
the Senussi intend establishing, if pos
sible, an independent Senussi state in
! Trpoli, doing this i'm cooperation
with the other Moslem aggregates
who are said to be ready to do away
with oyerlordships by European pow
: ers.
. Whether so ambitious a plan can be
carried out is something to which the
future must supply the answer What
the resources Of the Senussi are i.
something on which even the best in
formed in Constantinople lack an ac
: curate news. But It is fairly certain
+ that the military means Of the ordeI
are greater than has been supposed
> notwithstanding that the Ottoman gov
d eminent, which has had its hands ul
a with looking after it's own army sup
plies, has not sent a single cartridg,
into Tripol since the war with italy
The stronghold Of the senussi mill
s tary forces is said to be Dsohebe
Gharian and from there Baruni ha
, been directing operations against tn
e Italians How successful he has bee
- NAV he indeed nv tho foot thot a.