The Jones County news., 1921-09-15


prepared by the National Geographic So
cinty. Washington. u. 60
Afghanistan. long almost synonym
for fnnatlcnl isolation from The rest pf
the world Is at last apparently show
Ing desire TO enter the family of
nations The Moslem klngdom, which
even now continues It's old policy Of
exclusiyeness pending the outcome Of
IT'S negotiations, recently sent a dele
cation Of mobiles 10 washington 70 pe.
titlon the United States for the es-
tabllsLment Of diplomatic relations be
tween the two countries,
AfghanIsian's exelusiycness is not
accidental. Situated between the
southern-growing empire Of Russia and
northern-spreadlng British India, II
has been the typical buffer state rs
natural exclusiyencss. due to religious
fanntlcism. has been accentunted by
Z the political riyalrles Of its great
neighbors.
Forbidden Lhnsa itself Is no more
exclusive than brooding, suspicious
Kabul, the capital Of this isolate, un-
friendly realm Of fanatic tribes, OF
rocks, deserts, irrigated valleys ant
towering unsuryeyed ranges.
Not single railway or telegraph
line Inns been permitted 10 cross thi
hermit country or to run into 1t, les
the pernlclous ways Of the world len
In. And the six or seven million peopl
have been hardly on speaking term
with any other nation.
Few Foreigners Permitted to Enter
Night and day, from stone wafc
towers and hidden hooks along the an
Client caravan trails that lead In fron
India, from Persia and Hussa--trail
used long ago BY Alexander and Jen
ghlz Khan squads OF bearded, tur
baned Afghans, with imported felt
glasses and long rifles, have KEEP
watch against trespassers from with
out.
Only a few Europeans, mostly Brit
Ish but occasionally also an Amerl
can and now and then few Hussan
or Germans, have been permitted q
enter this country and TO sojourn 70
d while Ia Its curious capital. But ever
on such rare occasions as when fvr
eign engineer, or doctor whose sery
ices are badly needed, is admitted b.
the grace ef the amir. the visitor !
subject 10 surveillance that amount
almost to Imprisonment. "Splendi'
isolation" IS sort OF Afghan tradition
a conviction that the coming OF tn
foreigner will mean the end OF III
amir and of his unique, absolute rule
AS 1t IL, no other monarch nos
wields such updisputed authority or
in closer touch with the everyday III
OF his subjects. lie personally run
his countrys religion and its foreig
affairs, and he even supervises muc
OF its commerce. He also owns an
censors the only newspaper printed J
all AfghanIstan. incidentally, he keer
5s automobiles. and he never walk
Even from one nearby palace to al
other he goes by motor over shol
, pieces Of road built especially for h
/, pleasure.
Though the amir took no active pal
I in the World war. he emerged from
with singular profits. His old an
once rival neighbors. Great Britain an
Russia. drawn together as allies IA ii
conflict. left him free hand. In 1871
, Great Britain officially recognized Il
political independence Of this mucl
a buffeted buffer state. to whose rule
r she had so long paid fat annuity.
e Keeps In Touch With the World.
Il Afghanistan, with an area Of 2s5.0'
a square miles, IS, next to Tibet, II
p largest country IN the world that
g practically closed 10 the citizens
r, other nations. but political life
g wary, alert MofsAInmedan Kabul is
i sharp contrast TO the meditative secl
It sion and classic aloofness Of the Bu
dhIst lamas at Lhasa. Through agen
in India and elsewhere Amir Amanl
lah Khan Is In close touch with q
worlds current events: and, as L