Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-31

AuQa from I1QulglnR III Ills ldNOIlbE
sport--robbery. When Feisal was pass
ing through Audas sandy dominion the
old chief rode up There was nothing
crude or unSeemly about the hold-up.
Auda explained Just why he felt he was
entitled to the money. Feisal knew he
was cornered and Aude got three thou
sand of the four thousand pounds from
his friend.
Fifteen thousand dollars is lot of
money anywhere and particularly in
Arabia. but the future King of lrak
took the hold-up philosophically and
with good grace. He would not let old
Auda,s Unborn habits of brigandage
interfere with a valuable and, for that
matter, genuine friendship. No turn
in the politics of Irak will provide a
situation more difficult to carry of with
dignity and grace.
Auda admired and loved Feisal and
fought Loyalty under his banner. On
several occasions he saved the day for
Feisal's army / remember the time
when a column of Turkish cavalry was
rushed out from Maan, south of the
Dead Sea. Its aim was to check the adj
vance of the Arab forces and perhaps
souelch the revolt of the desert tribes.
But the reckless bravery of Auda spoil
ed their plan. A few miles from the
head of the Gulf Of Akaba the Turks
water their horses and camp for the
night Bedouin scouts discovered them
and when dawn came Auda and Law
renee had the column completely sur
rounded The Turks had the superior
force. but they had no way of knowing
this and the Arabs, as they SHIPPED
away at them, kept running from one
hill to another, so that their numbers
would seem double what they were.
Arabs Pkg OF Turks.
The Turks could have cut their way
through easily. but all day long they
huddled around the wells while the
Arab rifiemen picked them of. The
commander of the Ottoman column
probably hoped to get his men away
under cover of darkness. But Just at
sunset old Auda Abu Tayi spoiled any
plan of that sort Calling to so OF his
Howeitat tribesmen who were mounted
on camels and horses. he crept up to
within 900 yards of the Turks. Then.
while the rest of the Arabs looked on
in amazement Auda and his men let
out a wild yell and charged.
Straight into the midst OF the whole
Turkish force they galloped. The charge
was so unexpected. and so reckless that
1t threw the Turks into confusion. They
broke ranks when the old chief and his
little band swept down upon them. But
they were not too demoraliZed to return
the fire. One of their bullets nicked
Auda's sword. Another smashed his
field glasses. His revolver holster was
pierced. Bullets went through ms ropes
and flying head cloth, and two horses
were shot from under him before the
fight ended. Auda reared with delight
and declared 1t one of the most en-
ioyable entertainments OF his life.
From the wells of Ahu ell Lissal the |
Arab forces continued their march I
through the barren mountains OF Lava. !
A few days later they captured the .
Turkish stronghold at Akaba. With,
the fall of that port, thanks to the
diplomacy and strategy of Feisal and I
Lawrence and to the fighting prowess |
of Sheik Auda Ahu Tayi, the Arabs |
had won their war and the Turks no /
longer ruled over the Hejaz or Holy
Arabia.
Auda,s personal declaration of war
against the Turks was a superb ex- 1
ample of Arab eloquence and arrogance
He had his tribal scribe write 1t in I
triplicate One copy went to the |
Sultan Of Turkey, one to the viceroy OF |
Syria. Palestine and Arabia. and the |
other to the mutessarif of Kerak. the /
Ottoman governor who resided nearest /
the Howeitat country. 1t read:
by the grace of Allah, l, Auda Ahu |
Tayi warn you to quit Arabia before |
the end of Ramadan. We Arabs want !
this country to ourselves. Unless this ]
be done. by the beard Of the Prophet, |
/ declare you prescribed, outlawed and /
fair game for any one to kill.
So it was through his constant deal |
Ing with desert warriors like Auua that |
=, rs hi clrf nc a
diplomat. But even before the Arab !
revolt this accomplished oriental prince |
had undergone an unusual apprentice
ship in diplomacy as private secretary !
to cunning old Abdul Hamid. No king |
of modern times has had as thorough |
training for his job as F'eisal /, King |
of Irak And he will need all his rare
ability to hold his throne in Bagdad (
once the British withdraw For the
population of Mesopotamia is made up
Of dozen or more turbulent races who
dwell in its cities and villages and be-
yond are the truculent desert tribes
led by warriors of the breed of Auda
Abu Tayi, who would far rather raid
and fight than rebuild the hanging
gardens of Babylon and redig the an
Gent canals They much prefer to dig
holes in their blood enemies.
The blood feud is an institution
rooted in the Arabs soul, and Auda, as
you might expect. had more than bis
share of quarrels, ennities and feuds
to serve. Some he had inherited,
others he had acquired through his
own exertions. To my mind prime
example of that diplomatic genius by
which Feisal has made himself an i'm
portant king in a time when other
monarchs are losing their thrones IS
the skill he displayed in peTsuading the
crtlsty old villain Sto bury the Ratchet
with his blood enEmies and then to get
his tribe to agree TO serve amicably
with enemy tribes i'm the common
struggle against the Turk. Auda didn't
like it. 1t went sorely against his grain
not to shoot at the traditional foes ne
saw around him, but Feisal handled
him with the skill of master.
Audas teeth-Smashing episode is a
perfect illustration of the impetuous
nature both of the Arabs whom Feisal
;Ad to victory during the World War
and the Arabs and other races whom
he now rules from his palace in Bag
dad When the paramount sheik OF
the Howeitat heard that Feisal and his
father and brothers had declared war
on the Turks, he assembled his tribes
men. At Auda's command they
mounted their racing dromedsries and
their thoroughbred Arab horses and oil
they sped across the desert to Feisal's
encampment. There they swore on the
Koran to make Feisal's enemies their
enemies. After that they all sat down
TO a great banquet in honor OF the
occasion. While they were dining
sheik Auda happened to remember
that he had a set Of German made
false teeth in his mouth. With an
oath he Jumped up. rushed out Of the
tent and smashed them on a rock.
when young T. r. Lawrence came
.soU,r, from Egyut not long afterward