The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-21
FIERCE AFGHAN
HILL men WAR
ON CIVILIZATION
Savage Tribes Ready to
Die TO Preserve Their
Ancient Customs.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sIMMS

BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIAIAS
Foreign Editor ssripps-HowaEd Newspaper
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-Tile
Afghans. amongst the fiercest peo-
pie inhabiting the earth, already
have had three kings in week and
before the hubbub is over they may
have one or two more.
In Kabul, capital Of forbidden and
forbidding Afghanistan, that rocky
and mountainous kingdom situated
Between Russia and India, two
revolutions. one within the other,
have come to a head in the last
few days
The main revolution which broke
In the country outside the capital
seems to have been born of the ter
rible wrath Of the native menfolk
when they saw their women initial
ing their pulehritudinous Queen
Souriya, King Amanullah's wife, who
last summer, while on visit to
Paris, decked herself out in the
manner Of the Rue de la Paix.
That, and their determination not
to let the king bring in lot Of
new-fangled ideas he'd picked up
during his tour of Europe.
Second King 0usted
The second upheaval was a sort
of palace revolution. Prince Ina
yataullah, taking advantage of the
general disorder, seized the throne
for himself. He was the second
king.
The third is the rebel leader and
former outlaw, Bacpa Sakao, which
in the vernacular, means water
boy"
Not caring for this humble handle,
he has proclaimed himself Hablbul-
lab Khan, which, freely translated,
means Goods darling governor"
Incidentally, Habibullah was the
name Of King Amanullah's father,
Amir, murdered in 1919.
Nasrullah Khahn, the murdered
mans brother, succeeded the amir,
but by quick coup, Amanullah, the
son, deposed him and took the
throne himself.
Amanullah and his wife are re-
ported safe in Kandahar, South
Afghanistan. Also Tnaytaullah, king
of four days. With the royal stand
ard flying over the palace there,
the brothers are reported as rally
ing their followers for comeback.
Other Nations Watch
Meantime, both Moscow and Lon
don are watching events in Kabul
with something more than casual
interest. Afghanistan is Russia's
gateway to India and the future of
Britain'S O0,O00,000 Indian subjects
depends to a considerable extent
upon whether friend or foe sits
upon the Afghan throne.
Afghanistan is q trif1e smaller
than Texas. Though in about the
same latitude as southern Califor-
MIA, it is snowbound three months
Of the lear, owing to its situation in
the Himalayan chain. 1t averages
higher than Denver.
The Afghan tribes number about
100000 people, mostly Moham-
medans. They are extremely war
like, clans fighting clans and fani-
lies fighting families almost all the
time. In a recent case two clans
killed each other off until only a.
man on one side and a woman on
the other were left 60 carry on the
feud Dressed as a boy. the woman
went out after her man, and got
him.
May Main Wife
Although the men slaughter one
another apparently on the slightest
pretext. it is disgrace for a man
to lift his hand against a woman,
even though she belong to hated
clan. "A husband may strike his
wife. however, if he catches her so
much as talking with another man.
According to tribal law, he even
may cut off her nose and the mans
foot, but as ne may not kill either,
the husband frequently takes his
wife to the nearest doctor for treat
nent and burns the stub of the
mans leg to prevent bleeding to
death.
Archeologists believe civilization
marched past Kabul on its way
from central Asia to Persia, Pales-
tine, Greece and Rome. Thus it
may be said that while progress
used Afghanistan as its corridor, it
left little trace of it behind.
The women cover themselves from
head to foot, even the little peep
holes left for theiv eyes being filled
with a lattice-work of lace. Abol-
ishing the veil was one of the edicts
which brought about King ANA
nullah's fall