EX-KING OF AFGHANISTAN

crminally they were put in the charge of Ministers, at

o time in the history of Afghanistan had there been

xore direct and closer control from the Amir. Amanullah

ift no doubt about it* He was to be more than Amir.

[e was to be ruler, keeping his finger on every depart-

lent, and swift in his criticism if it were called for.

The strain was terrific among a people accustomed

o the old Eastern game of graft. There were many

isappointments, and many gloomy shakings of the

Lead among the old campaigners in the profitable

ields of civic corruption. The old rich contractors

>resented themselves before the new Ministers with

heir old promises and their accustomed offers. They

vould bring into use their wheedling voices and

;heir suggestive expressions in the old way of the

East. They had goods to sell to the Government.

They had contracts to be completed. Surely the

Minister knew that there could be a little profit for

ooth contracting parties, a little margin that both could

share ?

It was an affair between gentlemen of the old school,
of course. Nothing need appear on the books. Not a
whisper need spread that a Minister was performing his
task with considerable financial advantage to himself.
Otherwise, how could a conscientious servant of
Afghanistan live ? Surely he deserved something better
than honour, itself unquoted in the open market ? It
had always been so, and Afghanistan had prospered.
Why not now ?

So went the arguments, and those of his Ministers
who resisted these temptations were among the most
valuable of Amanullah's henchmen. They were not in
the majority. However carefully he probed into the
private lives of his servants, there were always many
cases which evaded his search. There were whole