Evening journal., 1921-07-26
WHERERAILWAYS
ARE OUTLAWED
Arrival in Washington of
Envoy From Afganistan
Ends Long Isolation
AMIR'S WHIM LAW;
WIVES USED AS GIFTS

WASHINGTON. July 25.-Arrival
in Washington or an envoy from
Afghanistan-now perhaps the most
mysterious country in the world
seeking the recognition Of his homo
land and the establishment OF dip
lomatic relations with the United
States. seems to indicate that the
policy OF absolute isolation from the
rest OF the world long followed by
this Moslem kingdom is to be modi-
fed.
Light on conditions in this little
known region thrown by the follow
Ing communication to the National
Geographic Society from Frederick
Simpich and Hail Mira Hussein:
THE buffer State Of Afghanistan,
historic shock -absorber between
Great Britain and Russia in middle
Asia, years ago put up a Keep Out
sign a This Means You warning. to
all white men and Christians The
land is 'posted'-to use a poacher's
phrase-posted against trade-and
concession hunters, against mission
aries. and against all military and
political hunters in particular
Keep Out" Sign Up.
And the Keep Out sign. is still
up. Today the foreigner is no more
welcome in Afghanistan than he was
a hundred years ago. Forbidden
Lhasa itself Is no more exclusive
than brooding, suspicious Kabul, the
capital Of this isolate. unfriendly
realm Of fanatic tribes, or rocks
deserts. irrigated valleys, and tower
ing ranges.
For reasons OF foreign policy. the
Amir has long felt the necessity OF
secluding his little-known land TO
the greatest possible extent from the
outside world. Only a few Europeans.
mostly British, but occasionally also
an American and now and then a
few Russians or Germans. have had
permission to come into this country
and TO sojourn for while In its
curious capital. But even on such
rare occasions as when a foreign en-
gineer. or a doctor whose services
are badly needed Is admitted by the
grace Of the Amir, the visitor is sub
ject TO surveillance that amounts
almost to imprisonment.
NO ambassadors or ministers. not
even missionaries. are permitted TO
reside in this forbidden Moslem
land. Splendid isolation is a sort
Of Afghan tradition. conviction that
the coming Of the foreigner will spell
the end OF the Amir and his unique
absolute rule.
Amir's Whim is law.
To-day no other monarch any
where wields such undisputed au-
thority or is In closer touch with the
everyday life Of his subjects. He
personally runs his country's re-
ligion. its foreign affairs. and he
even supervises much OF its com.
merce. He also owns and censori
the only newspaper printed in al
Afghanistan. Incidentally. he keep.
IS automobiles. and he never walks
Even from one palace to another. h,
goes by motor over short pieces OF
road built especially for his pleasure
From the World War. though hs
took no active part in 1t. the Anil
emerged with singular profits. Hi
old and once rival neighbors, Grea
Britain and Russia, drawn together
as allies in the world conflict, lef
him a free hand, and IN 1919 Grea
Britain officially recognized the po
utical independence Of this much
buffeted buffer State. to who's
rulers she had so long paid a IA
annuity.
with an area Of 245.OOO square
miles. Afghanistan is, next TO Tibet
The largest country in the world tina
Is practically closed to the citizen
Of other nations. But political lif
al wary, alert Kabul is in sharp con
lrast TO the meditative seclusion AM
classic aloofness OF the pious lama
at Lhasa. Amir Amanullah Khan
through his agents in India and else
where. is in close touch with IN
worlds current events: and. as N
last remaining Independent ruler 0
a Moslem country, now that IN
power Of the Caliph at Stamboul
broken, he yields a far-reachins IN
huence throughout the Mohammedai
world; also, because his land hap
pens to lie as it does on the map O
the world, II is plain that a ,On
time to come he will be an 1ctiv
force in the political des.inies O
middle Asia. Like Monelik Of Abys
sinia, Queen Lii Of the Havana
Islands, or the last Of the Fiji kingi
this Amir, remote and obscure as hi
kingdom is, stands out in his time a
a picturesque world figure.
Wives Distributed as Gifts.
From the Persians the Afghan
got the idea Of marrying more tina
one wife; but, like the Persilns, .o'
they have found. to their disma,
that polygamy is nowadays more ea
pensive than exciting.
Sometimes, when the Amir wa1i
to favor his faithful officials wit
presents, or perhaps to play prictics
jokes in certain cases. he distribute
women among them; Dut thes
gifts often prove so troublesom
that no great degree OF gratitude
apparent among the recipients.
Amir Habibullah Khan (who wa
assassinated in 1870 had a harei
Of over 100 women. and anon