Arizona republican., 1917-01-29

tion against the British and Russian consuls and colonies, and raising hired gangs of bandits contrary to the fundamental laws of neutrality, they terrorized the country. It is unneces- sary to enumerate in detail the mur ders they effected. the footing of the banks. the seizure and detention by hired ruffians of British officials and British subjects.
 Suffice it that the success of these agents was brief Thanks to the strong action taken by the Russian troops in the north. the military action taken by ourselves in eastern Persia, and the innate friendliness and good sense of the Persian government, the situation gradually cleared. These German agents gradually became beg gar refugees. fleeing from the awaken ed Persian officials supported by our own and Russian assistance Robbed by bandits, who had been their clients the day before, these schemers have, for the most part. either been ar rested or are hunted for refugees
 The result has been that Persia has reawakened to a sense of dignity and national life. The short lived re- bellion engineered by the Germans has been finally quelled and in the place of the corrupt force which turned against it's own government at the die tation of aliens, steps are now being taken at the request of the Persian government to raise a really efficient force under British officers for the maintenance of peace and order on the southern trade routes and at the main trade centers in the south. which. it IS hoped, will shortly result in the re- vival of Persian prosperity and of the old commercial relations with India which have for so many centuries bound the two countries in ties of friendship.
 These German intrigues in Persia had their inevitable effect also on Baluchistan and on Afghanistan. In Baluchistan wave of unrest passed along the MeRran border, resulting in one or two serious raids and fanati- cal outrage in which two valuable of- ficerS lost their lives. The infection spread indeed as far as the Sind bord- CT of the Bombay presidency, but prompt action was taken. Detach- ments of troops were moved to the disturbed areas and. thanks to the CO., operation and loyalty of the leading Sardars, the trouble was soon sup pressed and complete tranquility again prevails.
 Tn Afghanistan an already inflam- matOry condition was increased by the arrival there, before our cordon of troops could stop them, of d Turco- German mission sent for the express purpose of detaching Afghanistan from it's allegiance to Great Britain. The situation in Afghanistan has, in deed. been most difficult and delicate since the entry cf Turkey into the war, and it would be impossible to give too much credit to the Amir for the states maalike manner in which he has steered the ship of state through the reefs of religious excitement and poli- tical Intrigue.
 "On the outbreak of war with Ger many the Amir guaranteed his neu- trality. On the entry of Turkey into the war anG on subsequent occasions he has solemnly reaffirmed his inten- ton to maintain this attitude. His difficulty. however. in doing so can not be OVerrated His people are now beginning to realize what he. with his statesmanlike insight, realized from the beginning: first. that it would be madness for Afghanistan. lying as it doeS between two great powers, Rus sia and Great Britain, to throw itself into the vortex of the war. secondly. that no religious issue whatever was a stake, that though Turkey. under the guidance of an entirely irreligious military clique had been drawn into the contest Islam was in no way threatened; and thirdly, that honor demanded that he should adhere faith fully to his engagements to the Bri- tisn government so long as the Bri- tiih government on their side ob- served those engagements.
 This brings us to the North West Frontier tribes who inhabit the belt of territory lying between the administra- tive border of British India and the Durand line or Indo- Afghan boundary. These tribes enjoy semi independ- cnt position under what is called our political controls The extent of that control varies in different areas, but the general system is to avoid inter- ference in the internal affairs of these tribes and to leave them to live their lives as they desire so long as they respect the pax Britannica of our settled districts and protected areas. The system. on the whole. works ad- mirably but of course these wild .TC CrTDzT ADINTL, IT TNT (