Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-07-11

WASHINGTON, D. c., July 5.-Over in
w the middle of Asia, in the most
w heterogeneous collection Of bad lands
in the world, to the east of the deserts OF
Persia, back of the high mountains of north
ern India, fringing on remotest Russia, there
is war in progress.
Our erstwhile associates, the British,
whose flag the sun never sets, are battling on
the one side while on the other is the Afghan,
the wild man Of these wastes. AS is his way,
he has felt moved to war, and has gone into
it, whether he has now an excuse or not.
During the past century, Great Britain has
had to fight the Afghan three times, but now
the situation is complicated by the possbil-
ity of general uprising among Mohamme
dams, who resent the division Of Turkey and
are said to be preparing for a Holy War. On
the other hand the Ameer has recently
made peace advances which may soon result
in restoration of friendly relations.
Afghanlstan, by the way, Gin case you
mistake it for breakfast food) is that coun-
try embracing about the same area as the
combined states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan and Wisconsin, which lies to the
north of India. 1t is mostly wild stretch of
barren mountain Businesses, inhabited by
hostile tribes, treacherous and scrappy
Realizing the hopelessness of such efforts
Great Britain has never attempted to con-
quer and annex their territory, but has been
content to substitute the Afghans and use
them obstacle to Russian aggression
from the north. To insure their good will
in this respect, the Indian government pays
the ruler of Afghanistan5 $500, 900 year
Until three monthe ago, everything was
going smoothly. Then the Afghans could
stand it no longer They simply had to
break>loose and start a scrap. Whether or
not the Indian government, relieved Of The
menace of Russian interference suddenly
stopped paying its annual subsidy or whether
the Afghans were Infatuated by the treat
ment of the Islam faith at the Paris peace
table, is not known But suddenly Amir
Habibullah Khan, who had always been
friendly to Great Britain, was mysteriousIy
murdered, and his brother, Nasrullah Khan
placed on the throne. Nasrullah was known
to be extremely hostile to the British gov
ernment SO that 1T was with great r lief that
br1t1sn officials learned a short time later
than he had been deposed and that the mur-
dered Am1r's third son. Amanullah Khan
had assumed control.
The relief did not last long For Amanul-
lah'S first act was to declare the complete
independence of Afghanistan and to celebrate
its freedom by attacking the British forces
guarding the Khyber -'ass-known as the
gateway to northern India. Great Britain is
now rapidly mobiliZing it's forces for fourth
war with Afghanistan, which is always Diff
| ficult and protracted matter. Of course, the
Afghans are without such refined implements
OF war as hoWitzers, fame-throwers and poi.
son gas, but the British troops are unab3e to
use these either, owing to the topography of
the country which makes transportation
more a matter of luck than of intelligent
direction. The British ordnance must con-
sist largely of light mountain batteries, haul
ed by mules, while in the narrow mountain
passes bayonets are Of more value than rifles.
Inc only modern weapons being used by the
British are bombing planes, with which, it
is recently reported, they have greatly
startled the Afghans
6iScOura oi of
With Afghanistan is that it never ACCOMPLISH
es anything. While a British reverse would
undoubtedly have serious political effect in
-ndla, especially since the recent rebellion in
the Punjab, a British ictory will robabiv
only temporarily sub1ue the Afghans 1t is
particularly Irritating because Afghanistan
is 'one piece OF territory that Great Britain
aces not coVet. 1t is so t-trren, so devoid of
valuable resources, chat she wou mt take
It as a gift. Now that Russia has lost her
amb1tlon for expansion, Great Britain would
Dc perfectly willing to let the Afghans en-
tlreIy alone, but the AfgEans themselves now
refuse to be ignored. beIated uationa1isrn
is arouslng them to action. Not only are
tney asserting that Afghanistan is for the
Atghans, but that slice of the broad. fertile
indian valleys below nem would not ba al
together Objectionable
The question is one which cannot be set
tied by a League of Nations. Afghanistan is
feudal oligarchy which would not UNDER
stand the fourteen points at ali The AT
CHAN respects only one principle-might. He
is a man of action rather than of intellect.