Evening star., 1921-07-19

envoy from Afghanistan. now perhaps
the most mysterious country in the
world. seeking the recognition of his
diplomatic relations with the United
States, seems to indicate that the
policy Of absolute isolation from the
erest Of the world. long followed by
this Moslem kingdom, is to be modi-
fied. Light on conditions in this little
known region is thrown by the fol-
lowing 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 'keSp out sign. a
white men and Christians. The land
ID .posted'-to use a poacher's phrase
posted against trade and conces-
sion hunters. against missionaries
and against all military and political
hunters In particular.
And the keep out sign Is still up
Today the foreigner is no more wei
come in Afghanistan than he was
hundred years ago. Forbidden LhaSa
itself is no more exclusive than brood :
ing, suspicious Kabul. the capital OF
this isolate, unfriendly realm of ia
natic tribes. of rocks, deserts, irri-
gated valleys and towering unsur-
Veyed ranges.
Almost Imprison Visitors.
For reasons of foreNn policy the
amir has long felt tte necessity of
secluding his little known land to
the greatest possible extent from the
outside world. Only few Europeans,
mostly British, but occasionally also
an American and now and then a few
Russians or Germans, have had per-
omission to come into this country and
Z to sojourn for while in it's curious
capital. But even on such rare occa-
sions as when a foreign engineer, or
a doctor whose services 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.
Splendid isolation is sort of
Afghan tradition, a conviction that
the end of the amir and his unique.
absolute rule.
To-day no other monarch anywhere
wields such undisputed authority or
Is in closer touch with the everyday
life of his subjects. He personally
RIMS his country's religion, its for
eign affairs and he even supervises
much of its commerce. He also owns
and censors the only newspaper
printed in all Afghanistan. Incl
dentally, he keeps fifty-eight auto
mobiles. and he never walks. Even
from one palace to another he goes
by motor over short pieces of road
built especially for his pleasure.
From the world war. though he took
no active part in it. the amir emerged
With singular profits. His old and
Once rival neighbors, Great Britain
and Russia, drawn together as allies
In the world conflict, left him a free
hand. and In 1919 Great Britain Off
pendence of this much-buffeted buffer
state, to whose rulers she had SO
long paid a fat annuity.
Power in MOhnmmedan World.
with an area of 245,O0O square
Hefiles. AfghaniStan is. next to Tibet,
Z the largest country in the world that
Is practically closed to the citizens
Of other nations. But political life at
wary, alert Kubal is in sharp con-
trast to the meditative seclusion and
classic aloofness of the pious lamas
at Lhasa. Amir Amanullah Khan.
where. is in close touch with the
worlds current events; and, as the
last remaining independent ruler of
a Moslem country, now that the
power of the caliph at Stamboul is
broken, he wields a far-reaching in
fuence throughout the Mohammedan
world; also, because his land happens
to lie just as 1t does on the map of
the world. it is plain that for long
time to come he will be an active
force in the political destinies of
middle Asia.
alike Menelik of Abyssinia, Queen
Lii of the Hawaiian Islands, or the
last of the Fiji kings. this amir, re-
mote and obscure as his kingdom is,
stands out in his time as a pic
turesuue world figure.
ITO keep the wires of politics, of