Evening star., 1932-01-10
Mecca Now Goes Modern

! one sixth the size Of the continental
| United States and is about equal in
! size to Texas, New Mexico and Ari-
zona. 1t has a population of 1000 ,000
not more than two persons to q
squal mile. Two thirds of these are
Eedawi, or desert nomads.
! Practically No Exports.
| Mostly a barren waste, the Hedjaz
! has few material economic resources
! There are practically no exports ex-
! cept few hides, skins and pearls, at
| the most amounting to S250,000 a year
| It derives nearly one-haf its income
from the pilgrim trafflc to the holy
cities OF Mecca and Medina, which en-
riches the state Golfers by about
! Sl0000,0 900 in an average year.
This sum dropped last season-from
January through May-to 40 per cent
of normal because Of the worldwide
hard times But an ordinary year
brings about 100000 devout Moslems
to this arid country. and each "hadji'
or pilgrim, leaves behind an average OF
5000 One-half of this may be con-
sidered as a net profit to the govern
ment in the form Of fees and taxes
The other half forms the means of
livelihood OF large part OF the popu-
lation of Jedda, Mecca and Medina
Last year only 10000 pilgrims made
the trip, and they. accordingly left
but $8,00o,000 in the country. 1t is
believed that during the present sea-
son, which opened last week, only
sc, 900 will find the wherewithal to ac-
compliSh the supreme event of their
lives and win eternal salvation.
America has never before had any
consular representation in this coun-
try Before the war when the Hedjaz
and the Yemen were provinces Of the
old Ottoman Empire, we had consul
lar agent at Hodeida. the port of the
Yemen, who was German. and who
was under the direct supervision of
the American consulate at Beirut,
Syria. In pre-war days We sold cot
ton sheetings-known as "Americani"
all up and down the Red Sea littoral.
and "Al Yaman" did a f1ourishing
business with us in coffee.
The duties of our agent-himSelf an
exporter of coffee-conSisted of sending
to Beirut consular invoices and, at in
frequent intervals, methodical and
quantity worded reports on "revolts in
the Yemen or tribal outbreaks in the
Hedjaz," and in d. time the news
sifted back to WaShir gton that "the
IdriSsi warriors were be ng hit by heavy
cannon balls and all quickly running
into the tops of the big mountains" 3"
The location Of the biz mountains was
often a matter of con lecture. Shortly
before the war our representative at
Hodeida, having done well in coffee,
went back to Germany to spend the
rest Of his days, and the flow Of con-
sular invoices and political reports to
rQY, 10 hrrnY ArNl
japanese Statesmen Compete.
After the war Japanese statesmen
went up and down the Red Sea, and in
a very short time Dragon" sheeting
had driven "Americani" out of these
markets. But another product, more
difficult than "Americani" for European
competitors to replace in quality and
value, gradually edged its way into
Arabia's deserts.
In 1925 a progressive and wealthy
Hedjazi went to Cairo to sell his pearls.
Here an Egyptian representative of an
American motor car manufacturer
bought some of the pearls and then
showed him how one of their truck
chassis, with locally built body, could
pillow through the sand tracks of the
Libyan Desert with IL to Is passengers
and their baggage aboard. The pearl
merchant invested in a few and got
them to Jedda, set up and running. in
time to carry the first crop Of pilgrims
Of the new season to Mecca and
Medina.
The venture was profitable. During
the next four years the inventor of the
"hadiiby-motor" idea and half
dozen other local agents brought into
the country 1,500 American cars and
trucks. The life of each car was just
one Season-four or five months-but
their owners, charging high rates for
the last leg Of journeys from the ends
Of the earth, could afford to dismantle
them and buy new ones. And. Of
course, spare parts, accessories, tires,
gasoline and lubricating oils of Amer
lean make followed in their wake.
European motor manufacturers tried
to get in on the ground floor Of this
profitable outlet for their wares, but
their cars and trucks could not stand
the gaff over these sand and flint
tracks. The Hedjazi made his clean
up during the season and laid his iron
horse" up for the rest of the year: if
it lay down and refused to bulge when
traffic was at its peak the owner was
just out of luck until the following
year Now there are 20 native Syndi-
Gates in the Hedjaz operating TOO cars
and buses in this racket-and the ma
chimes are 100 per cent American.
American Officials Call.
During 1880 and 1891 representatives
from one of our Department of Com
merce posts in the Near East made
trips to Jedda. They were the first
American oficials ever to visit the
Hedjaz They called upon the cabinet
and other high government officials,
who treated them courteously and gave
them their arguments in favor OF
American recognition Of their country
Having samples, catalogues, descriptive
literature and price lists, they received
visits from the leading importers and
merchants who were keen to know
what the Americans would sell in their
country: pumps windmillS, road max
ing machinery, lighting plants, electric
refrigerators, outboard motors aroused
their interest and stimulated their
ina gination.
The Hedjaz government has nc
budget and no accurate record Is kept
Of its receipts and expenditures. The
gathering and filing OF statistical data
value is gradually being understood
But these American trade scouts asked
questions Of every one-ofhctals, i'm
porters, motor transport owners, steam
ship agents, shopkeepers, both native,
and foreign, and they took notes oi
what they saw and heard. And IN a
short time Washington had picture
of the political and economic situation
in the country.
Most Of the business is in the hands
of the Hedjazis themselves. In Jedda
unlike other ports of the Levant and
the Red Sea, the ubiquitous Leyantlne
! Greek, Armenian and Jew are con-
spicuous by their absence. Ihere are
not more than SO or so Europeans IN
all Of the Hedjaz and perhaps dozen
RESORTS.
HAVANA CUBA,