Evening star., 1928-12-23
SOVIET IS LINKED
TO AFGHAN REVOLT
Outbreak Is Disturbing Fac
tor in London and Mos
cow Relations.
BY WARRE B. WELLS.

BY Radio to The Star and the New YORK
Herald-Tribune, Copyrlsht 1928
LONDON. December 22.-With At
ghanistan. the land of fanatical priests
and fiery tribesmen, and a buffet state
between India and Soviet Russia
afiame with revolt against King
Amanullah, not only does the fate OF
the royal reformer and his beautiful
consort, Queen Souriya. hang in the
balance. but new disturbing factor
is injected into the worldwide clash
between London and Moscow.
The uprising is a tragic commentary
on the reforming zeal of an intelligent
monarch. Thirty y-six-year-old King
Amanullah returned to his capital,
Kabul-the historical key city to West
ern Asia, through which all the great
conquerors have paSsed-from his pic
turesque European tour a few months
ago with passionate desire fully
shared by his Queen not merely to
weSternize his still half savage country,
but to civilize it and give it a place
in the sun.
Religious Leaders Fight.
Amanullah believed firmly that what
Mustapha Kemal had done for Turkey
he could do for Afghanistan But the
royal reforn1er forgot the great differ
tween the Turk and the Afghan. Life
in Afghanistan-a fanatical Moslem
state-is so bound up with religious
customs that every reform introduced
is necessarily blow to the religious
leaders. Local mullahs or priests have
been for centuries not only the advisers
but to q great extent the real rulers
Of the people.
The Kings DEGREES ordering the
wearing of European dress, the use of
seats and the abolition of national and
Moslem headdress, although small
changes to the Western eyes, are, in the
opinion of the conservative Afghans,
most revolutionary and sweeping re-
forms that could have been devised:
The chief cause of the Islamic die
hards' revolt, however, is the abandon
ment of the purdah or seclusion for
women, with Queen Souriya herself
setting an example. The removal of
the seclusion of MoSiem women aims
the greatest blow so far launched
against the rigid teachings of the
Koran. The mullahS naturally oppose
DEGREES which if imposed would break
forever their power and influence and
even their livelihood.
The attempt of Amanullah to make
his subjects don hats and take seats
instead of Squatting while their women
coincidentally doff the veil and their
daughters are sent to school has run
up against another snag which the
Turkish dictator, whose methods the
Afghan King sought to emulate, had
not taken into account. He has not
only underestimated the obstinate re-
Sistance Of the semi-independent tribal
chieftains and the immense power of
the priestly caste.
Army Fails Him.
He has also been unable to rely, as
could Mustapha Kemal upon the sup
port of the army for the imposition of
his will. The Turkish dictator is wor-
SHIPPED as a national liberator and he
held and still holds the army in the
hollow of his hand. The Afghan King,
on the other hand, in his zeal for the
expansion. education, provision for hos
pitfalls and medical services, road making
and other amenities of civilization, has
allowed the army appropriations to fall
In arrears and the underpaid troops
appear to some extent to have failed
him at the critical moment of the clash
between the modernist royal reformer
and in the insurgents flying the banner
Of the conservative Moslem reaction.
BritainS interest in the clash is not
limited to a concern for the fate of the
forceful and sanguine Oriental monarch
and his attractive consort, who seem
cast for the role of reformers before
their time, but also extends to the pos
sible international reactions from the
struggle between the King and his re-
voting subjects
This country has learned from bitter
experience that the passions which are
aroused in Afghan feuds are liable not
to be confined to Afghan affairs There
is hostility to the Turks and the Rus
SLAMS, the former of whom are not only
credited with being the inspiration of
the Kings social and religious reforms,
but supplied a military mission which is
reorganizing the army in connection
with the hated conscription, while So
Wet airmen are training an air service
which has been used to bomb rebellions
and tribesmen.