The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15th, 1928. AFFAIRS IN AFGHANISTAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 December 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15th, 1928. AFFAIRS IN AFGHANISTAN.

Tin', domestic trouble of which wo have l.ooii hoaiiim; in Afghanistan lias assumed tlio dimensions of a civil war on a more or loss serious scale. It has no doubt been simmeriii.e; for a eood time, but the outbreak aniono some o! the tribesmen, accompanied by tire that has lately been reported, war a I'Ocent oecurreuee. It seems.

s:iys :i ry. to Ito an <>utcome of Ki ng Ama mil lull's vipomas iiistitntion, .subsequent to his I*' u rujx'iin tour, of a programme of reform which provides for the modernisation o( his kingdom and its insl if ntions and for the abolition of not a few of the old customs. The voting King lias, not itnnatiirally perhaps, encountered opposition among the more conservative elements of tin l people, whose beliefs or interests make them hostile to change. He has taken for his model the new Anatolian State governed by the strong hand of Alustapha [venial. In duly last King Amanullah summoned a Great Council of representatives of the nation, and. after denouncing the practice of polygamy, warned his officials that any additions to their harems would henceforth not he tolerated. An innovation that was more seriously resented than this \vns the King’s proposal for the abolition of the veil among Afghan women. This aroused, it is refolded, so much indignation on the part of the old-fashioned Moslem divines that the King was obliged to corn-

promise with the adoption of Europea u veils bv the ladies of the capital. Sumptuary laws have been passed limiting the retinues of officials and abolishing ceremonial uniform and dress; schemes for the reform of the judiciary and for the foundation of a national hank have been formulated, and edneaLion has been made compulsory in the locus. In short, there are many different causes over which it is possible for a fanatical opposition to King Amaniilluhs’ policy to excite itself. The Afghan monarch has a more difficult task to carry through than that which confronted the dictator in modern Turkey, where oven the introduction of a new alphabet is apparently being accepted by the people in a pliilosopnic spirit, lint, as compared with the Afghans the Turks are a disciplined race. and. moreover, they are lar more in touch with Western civilisation. Tine Afghan motmlutiiieer’s temperament is a little difficult Tin' progress of his country lias been retarded by I lie hick of good internal and external communication;*. The tribesmen in regions most difficult of access, tilling it into their beads to bo a law unto tlicrnselves, may give King .'i man ii Ila It and bis army considerable trouble. It is said that they are led by a mullah or priest. S'omo of the .Moslem clergy, who acquire a local following. have resented the proposal to limn, the right to preach to trained and competent theologians. These mullahs are described as in most cases turbuettfc religious zealots who have Ircquntly rog; hated themselves as the rightful lenders of the people and have looked with suspicion and jealousy on any increase of the prestige and power of the monarch. That they have been largely instrumental in stirring up sedition among some of the Afghan tribesmen is highly probable. King Amanulhih may have a task of some difficulty before him. Evidently, however, he is in no mood to brook such opposition or be deterred from his modernising courses.