Evening star., 1937-04-25

rule. Inc ranks OF the new leader
are swelled daily by new dissidents.
Thus the British government has to
cope on the one hand with the pas
sive resistance of Gandhi and the In
dian political parties led by Pandit
Nehru, and on the other with the
elusive, phantom-like bands of the
Fakir Of Ipi who, unless suppressed
Immediately, are likely to incite a
rebellion of greater proportions than
any the British Empire has faced in
its modern history.
And while the Indian situation is
causing headaches in London, the
power of Ibn Saud is of considerable
worry to the officials of the colonial
office. The Arabs have not had
leader OF this type since Mohammed
The Arab chieftain is supreme ruler
OF the vast country from the Gulf of
Alden to the Palestine, Transjordan-
ian and Iraq borders. He has uni
fled the nomad tribes. brought them
under his Jurisdiction, established
law and order in country where
banditry was one Of the principal and
most distinguished occupations.
Reconquered Throne.
Ibn Saud has built his empire by
his own efforts and ability. AS a
child of ten, in 1891, he had to take
refuge with his father in Koweit, on
the Persian gulf. When he was 20
years old, followed by a handful of
| supporters-not more than 40-he
sneaked out of Koweit into the desert,
and by long stages reached Riyadh,
the capital of Nejd, where his father
had ruled years before. They stormed
the city, killed the governor and an
initiated a part of the garrison after
terrific struggle in which no quar-
ter was given or expected. In the
morning the citizens of Riyadh ac-
claimed the youth as their ruler.
From that time on his fortunes rose
until in 1926 he unified the Arab EN-
pire by taking Mecca and Medina
from King Hussein of Hedjaz, the
protege of the British government.
The British, realizing the power Of
the new leader, did not try to op-
pose him but recognized his conquests
officially.
Ibn Saud is called the Woodrow
Wilson Of the East because, though
practically illiterate, after his war
with the all-powerful Imam Yahja of
Yemen he had the wisdom to apply
the Wilsonian ideas Of no reparations,
no compensations, no territorial ag-
grandizement
Yahja is sacrosanct person among
the Mohammedans because he is the
direct descendant of the Prophets
daughter, Fatima. AS such, he lives
secluded life-a more mysterious
being than the Grand Llama of Tibet.
But being human, he consequently be-
came jealous when he realized that
1bn Saud was on his way to becoming
master of Arabia
Soldiers Ran Away.
Disputes arose between the two men
which eliminated in an attack Of
1bn Saud's warriors against the WELL
equipped and trained troops of the
Imam. The results were disastrous for
the Yemen soldiers. Defeated in 1894,
they ran away in state of complete
generalization. The gates OF Yemen,
the paradise of Arabia because Of its
mountain ranges and regular rain
falls, were open to the conqueror. Ibn
Saud sent his most trusted advisers
to see the Imam and in a country
where the principle Of tooth for tooth
and eye for eye prevailed, the King
OF Arabia offered his rival peace con-
ditions as compatible between equal
brothers in Islam" The peace treaty,
which was signed at Taft, never had 4
suggestion of victor or vanquished.
OF course, the policy OF Ibn Saud
towards his somewhat senile rival was
not dictated by reverence for the lat
ter's distinguished ancestry, but by
the desire to unite the loose tribes
which now form the Empire of Arabia.
1bn Saud's chief political adviser
is Sir John Philby, British subject
who has spent most OF his adult life
in Arabia and who has been con-
verted to Islam. Sir John opposed
the policy of the famous Col. Law
renee Of Arabia. He warned the
British government that in backing
King Hussein and his sons it was
backing the wrong horse. That the
man who should have received all the
advantages the Hussein family OBJ
tanned from His Majestys govern
ment was Ibn Saud, the strong man
OF Arabia. His advice was ignored
and he became embittered against his
own government. His friendship for
Ibn Saud is genuine to such point
that he frequently has advised the
master OF Arabia to take drastic steps
against Great Britain.
Between the two men, Ibn Saud is
the more conservative-or maybe the
wiser. The latter believes that the
power OF the British Empire is weak
ening but that it is still capable of
destroying the results of his long and
careful work. Thus he is endeavoring
ut the present moment to refrain from
twisting the lions tail more than is
strictly necessary. On the one hand
he assumes friendly attitude towards
the British; on the other hand he Is
playing in typical Arab way with
Mussolini's representatives who are do
Ing their utmost to win him to II
Duce's side. They are showerine him
with the most welcome gifts: arms.
ammunition and all kinds of war SUD-
plies. There is no danger in that
for the Italians because the Red Sea
separates Ethiopia from Arabia. But
Mussolini's gifts annoy the British
because only frontier line separates
the kingdom of Ibn Saud from Pales-
tine, Transjordania and Iraq.
Wants Large Arab Empire.
Sauds plans are no secret from any,
one. He wants large Arab empire
such as never existed before. He
wants inundated Palestine and Trans
jordania as well as the rich oil and
nominally independent Kingdom of
Iraq incorporated in his empire. But
Saud Is not forcing the pace. Trans
| jordania could be his for the askino