The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1929.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1929.

THE PATH OF THIS KEFOIUIKR, Tub ulxlic.'itiun of King Amanullah ol Afghanistan has conic about- in dramatic circumstances. The monarch’s zeal lor reform has cost him his throne. No doubt Anmnullnh meant very well by his people. He made the mistake, considers an exchange, however, of trying to force the pace in an attempt to graft- the customs and institutions of the West upon a country that was in no wise ripe for the acceptance, as compulsory, of wholesale innovations and for the abandonment ot deep-rooted habits and traditions. Having provoked a civil war, therefore, and brought about an intolerable situation by his new decrees, the impetuous young King has been obliged to confess failure, take flight across the frontier ,nnd leave the throne of Afghanistan to his half-brother, Inayatullah Khan. The “enlightened Oriental monarch,” as the West rather patroniinsgly regarded Amanullah, would have educated li-is subjects, emancipated Afghan women from their tradition oi virtual slavery, and developed the life of his country on modern lines. He started on that course considerably before be set out upon his tour of last year for the discovery of what was best in European civilisation and society with a view to the introduction of it in Afghanistan. Apparently the religious factor has been the force of which, to his cost, lie under-estimated tne resisting power. With his removal the country ami its Government will not doubt again be, as in the past, in large degree priest-ridden. A section of tbc German press is pleased to «' cover, as the cause of A.manullali’s downfall, not the opposition to tbc reforms which he instituted, but the calculating policy of Great Britain. This is a mere assumption on its part, providing it with a pretext for the circulation of sinister suggestions, ft is only necessary to recall the manner o. the reception accorded to King Amanullah and his Queen in London in March last to realise how spiteful arc the German insinuations. It is not tne way of the British Government to hold out the hand of friendship, as was done in the case of Amanullah, while all the time playing the hypocrite and working against the interests of its guest. Amanullah was engaged in war against British troops f(> years ago, in the first year of his reign, when lm was a young man of twenty-six, but be was glad to bring the hostilities to a speedy conclusion. His diplomacy since 1922 was concentrated on establishing friendly relations with the world Powers, consistently with the mninteiiaiico of Afghan independence, and on tin cringing of his country into greater touch with modern ideas. Afghanistan is wedged between Bussian territory on the south, ft may be that, as has been suggested, the new ruler at Kabul is less disposed to be friendly towards Russia or amenable to Soviet influence, and is t-lius more amenable to British influence than Amanul’ah. But the new ruler also has had t< step down, and politics in the country are certainly in the melting pot. ftwill take time to clear the horizon. It is (jiiite likely the rebels are supported by foreign interests, and until the internal situation is more clarified, the future of Afghanistan will remain largely a matter of conjecture. As a buffer state it is going to lie the sport of the mischief making Soviet "hi I will endeavour to exercise all the baneful influence it can in the vendetta against. British interests in India.