The Raymer enterprise., 1921-09-29

prepared BY the National Geographic %.
ciety. Washington. d. C)
Afghanistan, long almost q synonym
for fanatical isolation from the rest oi
the world. Is at last apparently show.
Ing a desire to enter the family Of
nations. The Moslem kingdom, which
even now continues Its old policy Of
exclusiveness pending the outcome Of
Its negotiations, recently sent a dele
CATION Of nobles to Washington to pc.
tition the United States for the es-
tabiishment Of diplomatic relations be.
tween the two countries.
Afghanistans excluslveness Is not
accidental. Situated between the
growing empire Of Russia and
northern-sprpading British India. It
has been the typical buffer state; It's
natural exclusiveness, due to religious
faDaticism. has been accentuated by
the political rivalries Of Its great
neighbors.
Forbidden Lhasa itself 10 no more
exclusive than brooding, suspicious
kabul, the capital Of this isolate, un-
friendly realm Of fanatic tribes, Of
rocks. deserts, irrigated valleys and
towering unsurveyed ranges.
Not q single railway or telegraph
line has been permitted to cross this
hermit country or to run into It, lest
the pernlcious ways of the world leak
In. And the six or seven million people
have been hardly on speaking terms
with any other nation.
Few Foreigners Permitted to Enter.
Night and duy, from stone watch
towers and hidden hooks along the an
cient caravan trails that lead In from
India, from Persia and Russia--trais
used long ago by Alexander and Jen-
ghiz khan-squads of bearded, tur-
baned Afghans, with imported field
glasses and long rifles, have kept
watch against trespassers from with.
out.
Only few Europeans. mostly Brit
ish hut occasionally also an Ameri.
can and now and then few Russians
or Germans, have been permitted to
enter this country and to sOjourn for
q while In Its curious capital But even
on such rare occasions as when a for.
eign engineer. or doctor whose sery-
Ices are badly needed, Is admitted by
the grace Of the amir, the visitor is
subject to.a surveillance that amounts
almost to imprisonment. "SpIendid
isolation" Is a sort Of Afghan tradition.
. conviction that the coming Of the
foreigner will mean tie end of the
amir and Of his unique, absolute rule.
As It is, no other monarch now
wields such undisputed authority or Is
In closer touch with the everyday life
Of his subjects. He personally runs
his country's religion and It's foreign
affairs, and he even snperyises much
Of Its commerce. He also owns ard
censors the only newspaper printed In
all Afghanlstan. Incidentally, he keeps
80 automobiles and he never walks.
Even from one nearby palace to an.
other he goes by motor over short
pieces Of road built especially for his
pleasure.
Though the amir took no active part
In the World wnr. he emerged from il
with singular profits. His old and
once rival neighb0rs, Great Britain aud
Russia. drawn together as allies In the
conflict, left him a free hand. In 1919
Great Britain officially recognized the
political Independence of this much
bufSeted buffer state. to whose rulers
she had so long paid n fat annuity.
Keeps In Touch With the World.
AfghanIstan. with an area of 245,0OO
square miles, is, next to Tibet, the
largest country In the world that Ia
practically closed to the citizens Of
other nations But political life at
wary, alert MOhalnmedan Kabnl Ia In
sharp contrast to the !neditative scclu-
sion and classic alo0fness Of the bud !
ihist Iamas at lhasa. Through agents,
In India and elseahrre Amir Anahai.i i
iah Khan is In closr tnutl with u'
~Orld's current events ;,nI, aS b.,