The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-21
SENUSSI REVOLT
 AGAIN THE FEAR
 OF NORTH AFRICA
Chief Who Threatened Death
 To Turks and Christians Is Active.


 from the more important theatres of warfare, interest Mas been aroused here in a reported uprising of the Senusst, the Arabic order of the Mo hammedans in Northern Africa, with the hope of establishing an indepen- dent state in the Italian province of Tripoli.
 It is a little over fifty years ago that the man who wah better known as the Sheik-Senussi went into the hin terland of TripoH to promote schis- matic Mohammedanism of which he himself was the author. The religious circles at Mecca. and Medina, to whom the reformer in question had stated his views on the MoseIem religion, had not taken kindly to them. Sen usi 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 TripoIi, Senussi encountered conditions that were fla vorabIe to the spread of a religious reform movement The Arabs, Ser bers and negroes of the arid stretches in what was then still Turkish sat raphy gathered about Senussi and list ened to whatever new truths he had to announce. In very little time, Sen usi had become Sheik-Senusi, and Menze1-uI-Keir his capital. Over the main entrance of the Senusi temple in that city, Sheik-Senussi caused the fol- lowing words to be painted:
 Turks and Christians; I will des- troy them both in 9 single day.
 That legend is said to be still vis- ible, and it is certain that it's spirit is still a foFce among the Senusi-the term identifying fully eighty per cent of all Mohammedans in Tripo1f, Tunis, Algeria, Eastern Morocco, and the Sudan. Contrary to popular belief the word Senusi is not a tribal name, but the designation of a sort of sec ret order. With the death of the first Sheik-Senusi, his reform lost much of it's nilitancy. The founder of the cult, if such it may be termed. never aspired to temporal power, but his successor, the present Sheik -Senusi, proved to be. more of politician, some even say statesman, than a re- 1igious leader, with the result that than a spiritual force.
 It seems, however, according to in formation obtained here, that the or der of the Senusi is far from having abandoned altogether the percepts and example of its founder. No North African Mussu1man will directly admit that he is a Senussi, but that he be- 
 from his attitude while at prayer in the Mosque. While the regular fol- lower of Mohammed,. during the parts of his prayer delivered in a standing position, permits his arms to hang motion1ess at his sides. the Senusi 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 Senusi was not pleased with the Ottoman government, when, with the treaty of Lausang, TripoI was ceded to Italy. Through the former deputy of Tri- poll to the Ottoman Parliament, the Shefk announced that he had severed caliphate, and that he would continue the war with the Italians on his own account The deputy in question, Su- 1eirnan-e1-Baruni, his since. become the sheik's ab1est lieutenant, credited with being an excellent organizer and leader of troops. Baruni is also known as a hater of Italians without equal, even in Tripolf.
 That the Senus1 would have ever completely broken with the Ottoman government, had it not been for the occupation of their country by the Italians, is not thought likely here. The order had form any years enjoy ed absolute liberty of conscience, and under this policy much of the former fanaticism had vanished. But re- cent information on this subject, com ing direct from North Africa, shows that the Senussi state in Tripoli, doing this in cooperation with the other Mose1m aggregates who are said to be ready to do away with overlord- ships by European powers.
 whether so ambitious a plan can be carried out Is something to which the future must supply the answer What the resources of the Senusi are is something on which even the best informed men in ntinopIe lack all accurate news. But it is fairly certain that the military means of the order are greater than has been sup posed,~ Notwithstanding that the Ot- toInan government, which has had it's hands full with looking after it's own army supplies, has not sent a single cartridge into Tripoli, since the war with Italy.
 The stronghold of the Senusi 1nili- tary forces is said to be DschebeI Gharian, and from there Baruni has been directing operations against the Italians. How successful het has been may be judged by the fact that the Italian government has been obliged to make arangeme ents for the trans