New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-12
Failed to Arouse Tribes
men Against British, Says
Sir F. Younghusband.
ATTACK PLANNED
FROM NORTHWEST
Amir of Afghanistan Steadfast,
Despite Efforts of Kaiser, and
Empire Is Now Safe.

successful invasion OF India by the Ger
manic allies, IL ever there was time
when such an enterprise could have
been attempted with any hope Of sue
cess, is past. An unprecedented oppor-
tunity which was given the Germans
early In the war to try their hand at
causing disafrecton among the natives
and to attempt the launching of an at
tack through the tribesmen from the
northwest was seized upon and failed
of the desired result. There is now no
fear that the vast Indian Empire will
be lost to Great Britain by an invasion
through Afghanistan.
These views were expressed 10 the
Associated Press by Lieutenant Colonel
Sir Francis Younghusband, leader of
the mission TO Tibet in 1904 and for
many years in the government service
in India. He described the situation in
India.
When the Viceroy Of India early in
the war sent out Of the country almost
all the British troops TO reinforce the
hard pressed Allies in the various the
aires OF operations, ne created a situa-
ton in which the loss or retention of
India by Great Britain depended on the
continued loyalty of the natives, said
Sir Francis. 1t was a bold move, but
Lord Hardinge, then Viceroy, felt that
he knew the temper Of his people. and
he believed in them.
Warlike Tribes on Frontier.
Had revolt Unexpectedly devel-
oped, continued Sir Francis, the blame
would have fallen on the shoulders of
the Viceroy.
"On the far side Of the northwest
frontier Of India" Sir Francis said,
"are warlike and hot-booded races. 1t
is from this direction that all con-
querors of India except the British
have broken through. India at the
commencement OF the war, dispatched
a far greater number of both British
and Indian troops than had ever be-
fore been sent from India. A large
proportion Of artillery was included.
And these forces had to fight in
France, in Egypt, in Mesopotamia, in
East Africa and in China.
AT this very time, too, the Ger
mans were pressing hard toward
Calais to strike at the very heart OF
the empire. There was revolt engl-
neered by Germany in South Africa.
Indians were returning from America
with German aid to stir up revolution
in India itself The German cruiser
Emden was bombarding the coast
towns of India and marrying merchants
on the sea routes. The Turks were
preparing to cut the Suez Canal and
sever India from England. What more
fitting opportunity could be found for
striking a blow at British power in
India by launching the fierce tribes
men against It?
There is always in Afghanlstan a
section bitterly and fanatically opposed
TO any friendship between Afghans and
British. Both Turks and Germans set
TO work on this material. They tried TO
raise a jehad. or holy war. They made
these wild hill men believe that the
German Emperor was a Mahometan and
the divinely appointed protector of
Islam. And they hoped TO start off
these Afghans, and with them thou
sands of headstrong tribesmen, IN the
wake of the great conquerors or the
past In one great avalanche or INVASION
upon the open plains Of India.
81 have seen both the Ameer and his
father, Abdour Rahman Khan, the late
Ameer. and / remember the latter
writing words of advice TO his people
in which, after pointing out both as
trtely and relentlessly all our weak
points, and especially the smallness
Of our army. he gave this as his final
word: That the British, though they
invariably suffered disasters, yet were
SO loyal and so determined that they
would spend their last rupee and send
their last man so that they should come
out victorious in the end
perhaps these words of the great
Amir are still remembered in Afghan
istan. Anyhow, the present Amir, in
stead of rousing the Afghans and indie
pendent tribes against US, has actively
discouraged them and imposed upon his
governors an attitude Of strict neu-
trality.
THE British regiments which were
sent from India to fight at Ypres have
been replaced. India was never so
strong in artillery as at the present
moment. II there was ever a time when
such an enterprise could have been at
tempted with any hope of success, that
time has passed And. at the back,
India itself is solidly loyal. loyal by
sentiment and loyal by interest"