Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-08-20
Railroads
Are Not Wanted

Itself Is 30 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 If foreign policy, the
amir has long left the necessity Of
secluding his llttle-known land TO the
greatest possible extent from the out
side world. only a few Europeans,
mostly British. bEt occasionally also
an American and now and then a few
Russians or Germans. have had pr
mission TO come into this country ard
to sojourn for ii while iu its curious
capital But even on such rare occa-
sions as when q 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 10
Imprisonment.
NO ambassadors or ministers. not
even missionaries, are permitted 10
reside in this forbidden Moslen land.
"Today no other monarch anywhere
yields such undsputed authority or
is in closer touch with the everyday
life Of his subjects He personally
runs his country's religion, its 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 il, the amir
emerged with singular profits. His old
and once rival neighbOrs. Great Brit
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 a fat annuity.
with an area Of 245O00 square
miles. Afghanistan is, next 10 Tibet,
the largest country in the world that
is practically closed 70 the citizens Of
other nations But political life at
wary alert Kabul is in sharp contrast
TO the meditatlve seclusion and classic
aloofncss Of the pous lamas at
Lhusa. Amir Amanullah Khan.
through his agents in India and else
where is in close touch with the
worlds current events: and, rs the
last remaining independent ruler OF
Moslem country. now thar the pow
er Of the Caliph at STEAMBOAT is bro
ken hc Yields far-reachiug influence
throughout the Mohammedan world;
also because his land happens to lie
just as 1t does on the map II the
WORLD il Is plain that Tor a long time
% come De will De an active force in
the political de~tiuieS Of middle Asia
Wives Distributed as Gifts.
"Trom the Persiaus the Afghans got
Else ldea of marrying more than one
wife; but. ljEe the persisus. too. they
have found TO their dismay, that
polygamv Is nowadays more expensive
cham exciting
Sometimes, when the amir wants
10 favor his fnithful officials with
presents, or perhaps 10 play practical
jokes 'l certain cases, ne distributes
women among them; but these gifts
often prove SO Troublesome that no
great degree Of gratitude is apparent
among the recipients.
Amir Halsbullah Khan (uho vya.
a~>a~>inatel In 1870 had - harcm 81
rvvr 700 women. ana among these
strangely enough, We're "a few Euro.
uaaH> The pr~oat amir Amauul eb
Nhn ha~ hut ore wife
"The trade ~ Afghaulstan is moved
entirely by caravans and Is largely ir
.ha hands Of Hin1uS and Tadjlk%
There IS nor mile Of railroad tn me
sn@iom, the amir fearing that steel
I highways would make isolation impos
{ s.t,e.