CHAPTER VIII

I GO TO KABUL—A LONG KOAD IN A HOT SUN—%% BAERED TO

JOURNALISTS "—STRANG
• —A FORSAKEN VILLAGE

AJJNLr JttUAil UN A J1UJL J3UJM—

JOURNALISTS "—STRANGE BEHAVIOUR OF A CHAUFFEUR

EVERY word of Amanullah's in Europe; every
visit he made to a statesman, a king, or a poli-
tician; every formal trip he undertook to fac-
tories of arms, of aeroplanes, of tanks and ships of war;
and every speech made to him in flattery by the elect
of the Western world; all were faithfully reported back
to his friends and his enemies in the East.

The Afghan Ministers in India hastily and unequiv^-
cally denied rumour that sought to suggest that there
was trouble brewing in Kabul. Every minor politician
interested in the new policy of Afghanistan sought to
outdo his neighbour in inspired prophecies of the future.
The mass of propaganda, of which a large proportion
was actually accredited, formed the greatest ballyhoo
campaign that has ever been conducted for the further-
ance or fall of a nation.

There was, however, so far no serious hint of trouble
in Kabul* The rumour seemed to have been false.
Kabul was quiet, and the legations in the East reported
progress and prosperity over all the land.

I decided to see for myself*

It seemed, however, that to obtain a visa for visiting
Afghanistan was not a mere matter of applying for it,
In spite of the encouragement said to be given to tourists,
it proved to be a different matter when a newspaper
reporter wished to make the trip. Even the British

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