Evening star., 1947-07-06
King Forouk's Popularity Runs High
Egypt's Ruler Provides
Sanctuary for Many
Royal Exi|es
By Mox Boyd

CA1RO.-1n the cafes Of Morocco
they talk about the refuge he grant.
ed Add Ell Krim, the aging Rif1 war
rior.
In the Arab villages of Palestine
they are grateful for his sanctuary
to Hal Amin Ell Husseiny, the exiled
Mufti Of Jerusalem.
In Saudi Arabia they remember
his visit to King Ibn saud, who vel.
coined him as a son.
In Lebanon his name recalls en-.
couragement to = president undel
French arrest.
In all the Arab states he Is known
for bringing together their kings
princes and presidents, some for the
first time since their fathers fought
one another.
A King Since 16
King Farouk I OF Egypt, whose
reputation has spread In this man.
ner among the $4,000, 600 Arabic.
speaking people of the Middle East
and Northwest Africa, is robust
ruler only u years old.
Farouk has been a king since the
age of 16, when he came home from
school in England at the death o.
his father, King Fouad.
Farouk is sportsman who like.
to shoot, fence and swim. He is &
crack shot vino starts out at $50 ir
the morning when hunting Is on tn.
program.
The King speaks five languages
Arabic, English, French, Turkish
and Italian-plus American idioms
He is keenly interested in archeo-
logical discoveries throwing new
light on the highly y-developed civili-
zation of Egypt thousands of years
ago. He is frequent visitor at the
home OF DR.. Etienne Drioton, the
French director of the Egyptian an
tiquities department.
The young monarch owns a vast
estate reclaimed from the desert at
Inchass, to which he invites other
landowners to see his farming
methods and medical facilities pro-
vided for the peasants.
Famous for His Humor
He has q workshop in Abdine
Palace. testing the idea of small in
dustries for Egypt.
He likes automobile races and all
shows, is interested in flying and
automobile mechanics, collects old
weapons and historic documents
and spends a good deal of time with
his army. He is famous among
Egyptians for his sense of humor.
In 1888, a few weeks before he was
18, the monarch married Farida
Zolfukar, daughter Of a judge OF
Egypt's mixed courts. She was q
friend of his beautiful sisters, Prin-
cess Fawzia. Empress of Iran. and
Princess Faiza. Three daughters
have been born of the marriage
Princesses Ferial, Fawzia and Fadia
The heir presumptive is Prince
Mohamed Ally, elderly cousin of the
King, who was one of the three re-
gents during the first year Of Fa-
rodks reign.
On his birthday in 1912. the King
visited the Aswsn and Luxor dis
tricts of upper Egypt. where a ma
laria epidemic was raging. He gave
about $4,000 to assist the stricken
and, returning to Cairo. called ir
the ministers concerned to give
them instructions.
Sailed With Ibn Saud
1t was during the same year that
the King took the first of the steps
that have led to his name being
linked with Arab independents.
movements beyond the borders ol
Egypt. When French authorize!
arrested the President of what wa
then French-mandated Lebanon, h,
sent a message to the imprisoned
of1icial expressing sympathy ane
predicting liberation. Arab ma.
tionalists in Lebanon distributed
thousands of copies Of his telegram
Within a short time the Lebanes.
President was released.
Farouk's next step was as con.
ciliator among representatives o.
the Arab states who gathered ir
Cairo to establish the Arab League
OF seven Middle East states-Egypt
Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria
Trans-Jordan, 1raq and the Yemen
To win King Ibn Saud as ar
enthusiastic partner in the league
King Farouk paid a visit to Saud
Arabia in 1945. In the royal yacht
unaccompanied by governmental
ministers, he sailed to the port OF
Yenbo orr the Red Sea. There the
Egyptian monarch, then Is, wa:
greeted warmly by Ibn Saud, wht
was past IS.
Called Palestine Session
One of the men who was with
Farouk I during this visit recall,
that on the second day Ibn Sauo
said for publication:
You may say that from today
the Arab League has become real.
ity. What King Farouk will accept
I will accept. What he will refuse
I will refuse"
King Ibn Saud, one of the mos
powerful figures in the Arab world
Flood