Intermountain Jewish news., 1925-12-10

Wv Hi"os S"rf""u'h lhc camp, penc
trated into the tent and demanded that
the Challfa should leave Akaba. retir.
into the mountains and lead them In
a night against the British The,
would I'm every Eulishman who on.
tered MaaH
Hussein promised everything they
asked and sent the captain back TO his
ship. A few hours later, he trans
mitted his reply In very humble let.
ter addressed to King George The
"Chalifn and Commander of tn.
Faithful" reminded the British ruler
once morn Of the treaties signed by
him. Of Hussein's loyalty TO England.
which now prevented open disobedience
He emphasized that be- lad not inter
fered In politics and asked the King
OF England 10 reverse his decision and
allow the old king to die peacefully In
his country.
Chamberlain refused this request
ilussein must 60 into exile.
What Remains Of Former Grandeur
A year ago | had been the guest OF
the king who had just then had him.
self proclaimed Challfa. With what
proud assurance had he then asked me-
who should be Challfa II not II
Which Moslem prince, except myself.
Is still quite independent Of foreign
snpport?' Today ! sit once more by
his side. And all that is left of the
former grandeur are the two small
desert cities. Maan and Akaba, and the
small yacht waiting out there on the
blue waters of the Gulf. And even this
remnant of the power he once had will
only belong to him until the day after
tomorrow, to him, the Chalifa of 200
days.
The King was also struck by the con
trast. He did not try to hide his grief
In telling me that he could not make
me n present TO show his gratitude for
my visit. | looked at him His noble.
handsome face had grown pale and
thin. the hands weak. the voice. often
trembling with tears, was broken. The
old man. who, n year ago could still
spend days on horseback, had become
very old man. There was still ma
jesty in the face Of the Bedouin prince.
but II was the majesty OF suffering.
"TelI the World What Happened Here"
| submitted to the King the greet
ings and gifts of the papers | rep
resent The Chalifa half rose from
his seat and said: Il know You write
the truth because you are capable of
understanding the truth. Tell the
world what has happened here what
has happened TO me. The world can
then judge who is right and who is
wrong. Thank your papers for me that
they have sent you here and that you
will he the chronicier Of my face
And the King started relating his
fate. He began with the days when
Great Britain had asked him to enter
the war against Turkey and Germany.
up to the events of Mecca and Akaba.
Uniiring. the old prince spoke. The
words poured from him like tears I'm
til sunset, until the hour of prayer he
continued and then, after the evening
meal, until midnight. And again the
next morning. He sat in the middle of
the tent, turning his back on the writing
table covered with books. On his right
sat his second son. Abdullah. the Emir
of TransjOrdania, whose domain had
been extended at the expense of that
of his fathers to the sea. next to him |
the generals Arif Pasha and Jemal |
Pasha. On his left. my friend Blum
and !.
The tired voice of the Chalifa filed /
the tent. No one else spoke This was
not an Interview he was granting me-
To me it seemed rs If had been called .
upon to witness how Iiussein, son of |
Ali, the representative of the Prophet |
on earth, was intoning his death song.
The wings of mourning were spread
over the Kings tent. 1t was leave |
taking had come TO see. Nobody knew |
where the British cruiser was taking |
the King. He was going to an ''un- |
known destination Perhaps forever.
The King tells the tale of his treaty
with England. Through the open tent
his eyes are fixed on the sinking sun,
dipping the mountains of the Sinai In
blood. They are fixed on the glttering
masts of the Delhi" which has cast
anchor opposite the Kings tent .. .
Copyright, 1925, Jewish Telegraphlc