<^лл^l^<^t^t^^^C^?<^<^<^<^ AMANULLAH breeches, tuid. startling epaulettes of an army that might well have been commanded by Mr. Harry Welchman on the battlefields of the Gaiety Theatre. They could not fail to impress the doubters, but their wearers were nevertheless often hungry and despondent. The uniforms, naturally enough, were from Turkish sources, and were painfully unfitted for the work which Afghan soldiers might be expected to perform. But they surrounded the King in an aura of majesty, and he congratulated himself on the fact that the Court of the first King of Afghanistan surpassed in splendour any previous entourage of a mere Amir. And to compensate for the extravagance the tax-gatherers were bidden press their victims with an even greater relentlessness. The peasant eventually had to pay for his own im- provement. Similarly, the Exchequer found it hard to satisfy the contractors who were concentrating all their energies on State schemes. Many of the road-builders held bills on the State worth thousands of Afghan rupees. They worked feverishly, completing roads which would last for at least six months, in their efforts to pile up a mountain of debt which would give them an invaluable hold on the Government* On every month's work, they made a fortune on skimped labour and short materials. Never before had there been such a reward for enterprise. And with a pathetic trust in the security of the Government, the contractors regarded with satisfaction the unpaid accounts mounting up to their credit. Amanullah did not care. Those who urged him to put the brake on wild extravagance, were warned that their temerity did not justify their manhood. This was not the spirit which would rebuild a nation. It was necessary to risk much to gain the respect of the world. And the 82