The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-08-19
Where Railroads
Are Not Wanted.

itself is no more exclusive than brood
ing. suspicious Kabul. the capital Of
this isolate, unfriendly realm OF
fanatic tribes, of rocks, deserts. irri-
gated valleys, and towering unsur-
veyed ranges.
"For reasons Of foreign policy, the
amir has long left the necessity OF
secluding his little-known land to the
greatest possible extent from the out
side world Only few Europeans,
mostly British, but occasionally also
an American and now and then few
Russians or Germans, have had per-
mission to come into this country and
to sojourn for a while In Its curious
capital. But even on such rare occa-
sions as when a foreign engineer. or
a doctor whose survives are badly
needed, is admitted by the grace Of
the amir, the visitor Is subject to a
surveillance that amounts almost TO
Imprisonment.
mo ambassadors or ministers, not
even missionaries, are permitted to
reside in this forbidden Moslem land.
To-day no other monarch anywhere
Yields such undisputed authority or
is in closer touch with the everyday
life Of his subjects. He personally
runs his country's religion, It's foreign
affairs, and he even supervises much
Of its commerce. He also owns and
censors the only newspaper printed In
all Afghanistan &
'From the World war. though he
took no active part In II. the amir
emerged with singular profits. His old
and once rival neighbors, Great Briti
ain and Russia, drawn together as al
lies In the world conflict, left him a
free hand, and In 1919 Great Britain
officially recognized the political In,
dependence of this much-buffeted buff
fer state, to whose rulers she had SO
long paid fat annuity.
"with an area Of 245.000 square
miles, Afghanistan Is. next to Tibet
the largest country In the world that
is practically closed TO the citizens OF
other nations. But political life at
wary, alert Kabul Is In sharp contrast
TO the meditative seclusion and classic
aloofness of the pious lamas &C
Lhasa. Amir Amanullah Khan.
through his agents In India and else
where, Is In close toucL with the
worlds current events; and, as the
last remaining Independent ruler OF
a Moslem country, now that the pow
er of the Caliph at Stamboul Is bro
ken he Yields far-reaching influence
throughout the Mohammedan world;
also, because his land happens TO lie
just as II does on the map of the
world. II is plain that for long time
to come he will be an active force In
the political destinles of middle Asia.
Wives Distributed as Gifts.
aFrom the Persians the Afghans got
the Idea of marrying more than one
wife: but, like the Persians, too, they
have found, to their dismay. that
Is nowadays more expensive
than exciting
sometimes, when the amir wants
to favor his faithful officials with
presents. or perhaps 10 play practical
Jokes in certain cases. he distributes
women among them; but these gifts
often prove so troublesome that no
grent degree Of gratitude Is apparent
among the recipients.
"Amlr HabIbullah Khan (who ives
In 1912 had harem Of
over 100 women, and among these.
strangely enough. were few Euro
peans. The present amir. Amanullah
Khan. has but one wife.
The trade Of Afghanistan Il moved
entirely by caravans and Is largely IN
the hands Of Hindus and Tadjiks.
There Is not q mile Of railroad IN the
kingdom, the amir fearing that steel
highways would make isolation Impos
xibleL a