The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-06-17

I Is the largest, with somewhere between
$4,000 and 100000 people. and the rest
are wandering Bedouins. as the senator
says.
spects the best people Of the country.
II Is they who have kept alive the love
OF freedom, and they still cherish the
ancient virtues which gave the early
Arabian kingdoms their strength. Al
though Nomads, the Bedouins are No
remembered that they live in country
which will not support any but a no.
madic existence. They are forced to
follow their herds from place TO place
IN search OF grass and water. Their
tents are said to be the most complete
and comfortable portable homes in the
world. and they have carried the domes-
tication OF the camel to wonderful
| perfection. When rains cover the des-
erts with grass. they, live for many
| milk Of the camels taking its place, no,
| only as human food and drink but also
as drink for their fine Arabian horses.
The masterpiece of Bedouin animal
husbandry is the riding camel, special
variety. which is without doubt the I'm
| est beast Of burden in the world. Not
only can these animals travel for days
without water. but they are capable of
carrying a man a hundred miles a day
Ior several days In succession. Unfor-
t6AiatOiJs tAiCoC IlQlDk tdultlS VIII uOI
live anywhere except In the interior OF
the Arabian peninsula.
The government of the Bedouin tribes,
and also that of the settled agricultural
peoples Of Hejaz. is tribal in form. with
power. There is also a popular assem-
bly, in which any man OF the commun-
ity may take part and have his say
In this respect, the organization is SINH
lar in principle to, the Russian soviet
Inese popular assemblies also act as
courts and decide disputes. In case of
murder, the murderer may pay dam
ages to the relatives Of the dead man.
provided they are willing to accept. But
they may demand life for a life, and
this fact has given rise to feuds which
often last for several generations.
The people of Mecca, the principal
city, do not share in the freedom, sim
plicity OF taste. and primitive virtue of
the Bedouins. On the contrary, Mecca
Is famous for its vices and corruption.
Those born in the sacred city wear three
scars on the cheek, and this is gener-
ally regarded as mark of viciousness.
The Meccans live largely off the pill
grims, who come to Mecca in great
numbers because it is the birthplace of
conceivable way. like war workers in
Washington. Even the drinking water,
which is free to the townsmen, is sold |
to the pilgrims for a high price.
The city next in Importance to Mecca |
is Medina, which contains the tomb OF |
Mahomet. The Turks had large gar |
rison there during the war 1t is said |
that the troops of King Hussien could |
have taken the city by storm, after a |
bombardment. but that Hussien re- |
fused to do so for religious reasons. as |
1t might cause the destruction of this |
sacred place. He therefore surrounded /
the town. and waited for the Turks to
But the Turks struggled in
supplies and might be holding Medina
yet, had not its surrender to Hussien l
been made one of the terms of the
armistice. largely through British in
duence.
Before the war, Christians and Jews
were not permitted to enter the sacred
city of Mecca. and the consuls of the
various countries had to live in Jidda,
It's seaport. Unless this restriction is
lifted. all the ambassadors to the court
Of Hussien will also have to live away +
rom the capital.
(Subject of tomorrow's letter, Take
he Risk Out of Farming