AMANULLAH

beginning of the grand gesture to Amanullah, condemned
it whole-heartedly as bad policy. There could be little
benefit, even if Amanullah was to be the lifelong ruler
of his country. There could be a great deal of harm.

The trouble was that Amanullah took every demon-
stration of might and wealth purely as a compliment
to himself rather than as a gesture of power. Though
he was excellently advised, his pride and credulity
rendered all these efforts useless if they were intended
to induce in him a greater respect for the Government
of India, with whom, after all, there rested the greatest
responsibility for the safe and comfortable relations
between the two countries. His arrogance was in-
creased. He was the type of man who instinctively
rebels against the greater authority. He was sensitive
and not a little apt to take offence at purely friendly
gestures. His blind courage made him the natural rebel.
It was a trait in the character of the man, and no
amount of wise counsel would have persuaded him to
bow to the inevitable. Was it to be wondered at, there-
fore, that when he left England's shores, to be honoured
and feted in exactly the same manner by other European
countries, he left with a vague sense of grievance, the
envy of the inferiority complex, and the resolution that
he would show that he could not be patronised ?

Great Britain is probably the wisest among the Euro-
pean nations in her treatment of Orientals. Long ex-
perience in the East, and the ability to call on some of
the knowledgeable brains in the East, has given her a
position and a poise when dealing with powerful Orien-
tals that might well be imitated by other nations. Except
for the regrettable new policy of toadying to temporary
pundits, which has been evident during the last few
years, the history of England's treatment of these sen-
sitive, deep-thinking, and long-remembering people has

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