The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-10-29


against the fierce Bedouin fighter
within.
The tenets Of Vandalism today seen
the mere husks of Wahab's teachings
No tomb can have a cupola; one must
wear no articles of silk or use above
the barest minimum of silver and
gold as ornaments; valuable rugs and
other fittings smacking of luxury are
taboo In mosques; and above all to-
bacco must not be used. Surrepti-
tious smokers have been killed on the
spot by fanatical Wahabis.
Es-Saud Now Their Ruler.
The present ruler Of the Wahabis is
Es-Saud, a man about thirty-fve years
of age. He rules like despot at his
desert capital, Rad, in the heart Of
from the Persian gulf. On that body
Of water he also possesses a port,
Ojair. But though Es-Saud is despotic,
he is in turn dominated by the ia
naticism of his followers and must
live up to their demands. Incidental
| ly the hitherto much maligned Wah-
abs are coming in for admiration,
often secret, from Arabs even in the
non-Wahabi coastal kingdoms, since
they are looked upon as the most pow
erful nucleus for a free and united
Arabia.
The most striking feature of Es-
Saud's plain palace Is a white-tiled
reception hall, where he sits under
kerosene lamp of great size binding
the eyes of all who face him. Phon-
ographs, like pipes, are forbidden in |
the Nejd. In contrast to this are the |
thousands Of wrist watches worn by
the soldiers.
The young ruler never has more
than four wives at once, changing all
except the eldest wife every three
months. The latter died two years
ago. sincerely mourned by her much
married spouse. Recently two Ar
menian girls were in the encourage,
quite content with their future of la
ter joining the harem of some favor
lite officer.
Tobacco is struggled into the coun-
try, where the mortal danger Of using
It adds to the pleasure. The back
slider puffs his cigarette alone in a
closed basement. A fire Of brush and
damp palms is then made to stifle the
telltale fumes in smudge.
The Wahabis are not entirely I'M
tutored Bedouins of the desert.
Though most Of them are nomads-
they claim 300 fighting banners, each
with 1000 men, frequently three gen.
erations together, boys Of ten and
Twelve years with their fathers and
yrandfathers-they also have their .
.eachers and men of the cities.
Nationalism Is Growing.
In the back of the Arab mind is al
Ways an ambition again to rule that
PORTION of the world which once was
lis. Since the war and the arbitrary o
lividing Of more of his lands, that I
ceiling has been intensified. 1t Is il
avorite saying that the Arab thinks f
f himself first, his religion second, il
nd his country last Now a spirit n
( nationallsm is growing which may 8
everse the order. f
Inc ATdD WOTiu is VAST, stretching
rom the Arabian peninsula on the
asst, across all of north Africa. to the
.tlantic. Once Il was united under
ne Saracens; now 1t Is divided into n
lany tribes; but fundamentally they O
ave the bond of race and language. Il
ven stronger than this is the bond of ii
,ligion, a devotion Of Mohammedan- b.
m which unites all Arabs and forms b.
tie with other millions nvi of their
ice or their tongue.
The followers Of the prophet are d.
ded into many sects ano many
eeds, whose rivalries are the most VI
tolerant of any religion. These diff OF
rences are temporarily forgotten al
hen another religion comes nto con- 80
ct. -,
To all this has been added, largely :.
nee the war, new and broader
md, a sympathy between the Orient IN
I'd the Mid-East, resentment Of ne
orld domination by the white races 10
the Occident to