Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-17
Afghanistan Princess
Sees First Vaudeville
Possessor of Worlds Second
Largest Diamond Sees San
Francisco Night Life
En- Route to England
BY ELLIS H. MARTIN.

| odH rEdHClSCO, july lO.-EVen
though but fragments of the lines
and none of the slang of the Ameri-
can vaudeville are understood, this
popular form of American amuse-
ment has its appeal to royalty Of far
off Afghanistan.
To determine this fact, the writer
played host at theater party to the
Princess Fatima, sultana of Afghan
istan, and her three sons, Sirdars Ha-
SHIN, Azim and Akbar, when they
visited this city recently en- route to
London, where the young princes are
to be educated.
1t was apparent from the first that
the princess and the princes have an
unusually keen sense of humor.
Though she speaks no English, the
princess caught the point of many of
the jokes and laughed heartily when
they were idiomized in her native Ian
guage-Assyrian-by her eldest son,
Hashim.
Ford Jokes.
Some Ford jokes were caught BY
the royal visitors without the neces-
sity OF translation, for these cars
have penetrated Afghanistan and al
ready the Afghans have their jokes
about them.
Perhaps the greatest amusement to
the royal visitors was given by an
act least calculated to do so. It was
an American office scene portraying
gruff American business man, his
son and petite stenographer.
When the father referred to his
boy as his "wife's son" and the phrase
was translated to the princess she en-
joyed hearty laugh.
A fast-moving musical comedy of
the tabloid type, featuring girls, won
the admiration of the younger prin-
ces, but the princess had no COM
ment to make, although she appar-
emily enjoyed the dancing.
Musical numbers won their ap-
rroval. Late American jazz songs
caught their fancy, and rendition
of my Old Kentucky Home" by
two male voices was termed "very
good--a most haunting melody" by
Prince Hashim.
Marvellous Nerve.
A black-faced comedian who made
merry of the hardships of an ocean
voyage, pleased the visitors immense
ly.
The last act on the bill, however,
drew from all members of the royal
party expressions of wondermcnt and
astonishment.
1t was motorcycle act in which a
lady performer rode a motorcycle
within steel globe, man standing
in the center and lodging the hur-
ling machine as it sped around the
steel ball.
Marvellous nerve," said Prince
Hashim, who inquired particularly
as to the material from which the
cage was constructed He is stu
dent of engineering and this part ap-
pealed to him.,
It was the only act on the bill |
which drew the applause of the
princess and princes.
1t took the cafes and gay night life
of San Francisco to remove for the
first time the veil-which customs Of |
her country DEGREES she must wear
from the face of Princess Fatirna,
sultana of Kabul, Afghanistan. Words
mere words-the princess said,
would never express her regrets for
not having visited San Francisco be-
fore she did. Not only does Princess
Fatima like American meals and
service, but she likes to dance. to
jazz music.
America Unknown.
A startling fact revealed by Prince
Hashim was that in Afghanistan
America or the United States is prac-
tically unheard of and the few who
do know of it refer to it as "the
new world" IF / were to write my
friends from here they would not be-
lieve me and would think me crazy"
said the prince.
After completing their education in
London the three royal sons hope to
return to their native land and bring
about several beneficial changes in
their country. Afghanistan, accord
ing to Prince Hashim, is practically
because of lack of modern
connections or communications with
other outside countries. A network
Of highways, railroads and bridges
would be great advantage to the
country, which is rich in fruits of
all kinds and minerals, and it is the
dream Of the three royal brothers to
educate themselves along engineering.