EX-KING OF AFGHANISTAN

He was delighted when I went in front of the plat-
form and took photographs of him. He urged Sir
Francis and Stark to look at the camera. He indicated
that I should photograph the ladies, Souriya among
them. He was chattering like a small boy.

There were foot-races and bayonet-fighting contests.
The flower of the Afghan Army was showing off. There
was a display of arms drill under the command of a
Turkish officer, and we could see how well the troops
had responded, after much pain and tribulation, in the
simpler movements of mass drill. Amanullah was ex-
plaining his military toy to his friends. It was probably
the happiest day of his life.

I found the Russian journalist there too. Talking to
him, I wondered whether he had sensed the interest
that the whole world would take in this day ; whether
he had understood the significance of the King's speech ;
whether he had recognised the drama of that first Parlia-
ment, and the story behind Amanullah's precipitate and
absurd order insisting on European clothes.

He had not. Talking about it, I realised that he
would send nothing from Kabul to the world about the
events that day. He had the use of the wireless to
Moscow, and, if he chose, London news editors would
have the whole story that night. News like that would
flash round the world in a day. He had me beaten by
forty-eight hours if he wished.

I had no chance of using wireless. There was no
opportunity even of using the telegraph line to India,
for this was Legation property, and I was not in favour
in British official eyes. There was no public telephone
line leading out of the country. It seemed that the
only way out for the news was to take it myself by that
road which needed two days and nights before com-
munication with England could be reached.

TTQ