1 50 4 https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/318183aac2e671e3d9ae6270ba3f6202.pdf ea48e1d8055cf8c4b0d2e8e4f5ddb9ef PDF Text Text VOLUME III, No! 3 SEPTEMBER, THE SYRIAN WORLD A MONTHLY MAGAZINE IN ENGLISH DEALING WITH SYRIAN AFFAIRS AND ARABIC LITERATURE AN ARAB-SYRIAN GENTLEMAN AND WJ OF THE CRUSADES DR. PHILIP K. HITTI THE GREATNESS OF THE SYRIAN RA REV. W. A. MANSUR THE ORANGE TREE SONIA RUTHELE NOVAK THE SAGE OF WASHINGTON STREET OJv DISPLAY OF WEALTH A. HAKIM TEXT OF THE NEW SYRIAN CONSTITU1 RECENT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COPY 50c. ��II " —HI II- II. THE SYRIAN WORLD SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL, Editor. PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS 104 GREENWICH STREET, NEW YORK, By subscription $5.00 a year. N. Y. Single copies 50c. Entered as second-class matter, June 25, 1926, at the post office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. VOL. III. No. 3. SEPTEMBER, 1928 CONTENTS PAGE An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrier of the Crusades DR. PHILIP K. HITTI The Greatness of the Syrian Race REV. W. A. 3 10 MONSUR The King of Aradus 17 KAHLIL GIBRAN Hassan Speaks (An Arabian Idyl) DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN 18 Arab Wisdom 20 The Orange Tree (A Poem) 21 SONIA RUTHELE NOVAK �I ,* I CONTENTS (Continued) " PAGE The Sage of Washington Street (On the Display of Wealth A. HAKIM 24 From the Harem in Syria Miss SANNIYEH 31 HABBOOB Books and Authors 33 Winds from the Moon 3? DR. NEJIB I. KATIBAH Forthcoming Books by Dr. Hitti Immortality The Syrian Constitution Spirit of the Syrian Press 36 36 37 .....40 Political Developments in Syria 44 About Syria and Syrians 49 Readers' Forum 55 ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE The Castle of Shayzar in Syria General View of Shayzar on the Orontes + VOL. �THE SYRIAN WORLD VOL. III. I ' No. 3. SEPTEMBER, 1928 An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior of the Crusades By PHILIP K. HITTI, PH. D. Usamah was a warrior, a hunter, a gentleman, a poet and a man of letters. His life was an epitome of Arab civilization as it flourished during the early crusading period on Syrian soil. He was a flower of the Arab-Syrian chivalry which found its full bloom later in the case of his patron and friend, the great Saladin. The Memoirs of Usamah are a unique piece of Arabic literature. They open before our eyes a wide and new vista into medieval times and constitute an invaluable contribution to our knowledge of Arabic culture in itself as well as in its relation to Western thought and practice. Three months before Urban II delivered his Clermont speech, judged by its memorable consequences one of the most effective speeches in all history, a boy was born, Sunday, Jumada II 27, 488 (July 4, 1095) in Shayzar, northern Syria, to the Munqidhite amirs, the lords of the castle on the Orontes. This boy was destined to take a prominent part in the future defense of the castle against the forthcoming Franks and to become himself the most illustrious member of a distinguished family many of whose members attained national and international reputation. This boy's name was Usamah, the hero of our story. About fifteen miles north of Hamah (Epiphania), on the north end of the rocky slope by which the valley of the Orontes is bounded on the east, stands the picturesque and strategic Castle of Shayzar. The steep ridge on which it stands is described by �4 THE SYRIAN WORLD Arab authors as <urf al-dik, the cock's crest. The Orontes (al<Asi) issues here from a rocky, narrow gorge and after skirting the contour of the hill on almost three sides it continues its course in an attempt to straighten its normal northward course. Shayzar is one of the most ancient towns of that ancient land, Syria. It figures under the name Senzar and Sezar in the inscriptions of Thutmose III and Amenhotep II and in the Tellal-Amarna letters. It is the Sidzara of the ancient Greeks, the Sezer of the Byzantines and the Caesarea of the Western historians of the Crusades including William of Tyre. By some it is neatly referred to as Caesarea-on-the-Orontes to distinguish it from other Caesareas. In the latter part of the fourth century before our era, Seleucus I settled colonists in it from Larissa in Thessaly and rechristened it after the name of that town, but the old name reasserted itself in Arabic Shayzar. In this form it occurs in a widely quoted verse by the pre-Islamic poet Imru'al-Qays. Sayjar is the colloquial form of the name of the present-day village which lies wholly inside of the walls of the historic castle still crowning a hill precipitously rising above the Orontes on its western bank. An invading army entering Syria from the north would find before it two routes to follow. It could take the route of the maritime plain southward via al-Ladhiqiyyah (Laodicea) and the Phoenician littoral, as Alexander and some of the early Assyrian conquerors did; or, if it took the inland route, it would soon find itself following the Orontes valley and hemmed in on the west by the Nusayriyyah mountains of which the western range of Lebanon is but a southern continuation. In the latter case access to the sea can be effected only at the pass separating the Nusayriyyah from the Lebanon Mountain, or, further south, at the termination of the Lebanon; and the army following this inland route southward, as many of the crusading armies did, would find its passage obstructed by Afamiyah (Apamea) and its southern sister, the Castle of Shayzar. Likewise an invading army from the south, as in the case of the Egyptian armies of Thutmose and Ramses, could not attempt the conquest of the inland without passing by and subduing Shayzar. Hence the strategic importance of the position of Shayzar. In the year 17 A. H. (638 A. D.) abu-'Ubaydah, the conqueror of Syria for the Moslem Arabs, received the capitulation of Shayzar whose people "went out to meet him bowing before ers, �SEPTEMBER, 1928 5 him and accompanied by players on the tambourines and singers," but the town for many centuries after that passed, like a football, from Arab to Byzantine, and from Byzantine to Arab, hands. In the year 999, Basil II (976-1025) subdued it and for the next eighty-one years it remained in Byzantine possession. About 1025, Salih al-Mirdasi, the Governor of Aleppo, granted the Munqidhites, of the tribe of banu-Kinanah, the feudal land around Shayzar. In 1041 we find a Munqidhite, Muqallad, ruling over Kafartab. Later his successor, abu'l -Mutawwaj Muqallad ibn-Nasr, extended his territory down to the Orontes and probably built the Citadel of the Bridge (Hisn alJisr) at the bridgehead below Shayzar; but the town itself, Shayzar, remained in the hands of the Byzantines until December 19, 1081, when Izz-al-Dawlah Sadid-al-Mulk (the grandfather of Usamah) succeeded in acquiring it from the Emperor Alexius Commenus. This Sadid-al-Mulk was therefore the real founder of the Munqidhite dynasty in Shayzar. Upon his death in the following year, he was succeeded by his pious son, 'Izz-al-Dawlah abu-alMurhaf Nasr, a peaceful and art-loving prince, under whom the territory of Shayzar included for a time Afamiyah, Kafartab and al-Ladhiqiyyah by the sea. Even by that time the Byzantines had not ceased to cast a covetous eye on Shayzar 5 for we find them during his rule besieging the castle more than once, but always unsuccessfully. Abu'l-Murhaf died childless in 1098, and the lordship of the castle passed to his younger brother, Majd al-Din abu-Salamah Murshid (1068-1137), the father of Usamah. But this pious man, who was more interested in the hunt and calligraphy, declined in favor of his youngest brother, 'Izz-al-Din abu-al'Asakir Sultan, with a remark which gives us a clue to his whole character: "I shall not, by Allah, accept the lordship, as I would rather make my exit from this world in the same condition as I made my entrance into it." It was this Sultan, now the lord of the castle and the head of the family, who figures prominently in the early life of our Usamah. During Sultan's amirate, Shayzar was the object of frequent raids by the banu-Kilab of Aleppo, the Franks, the Isma'ilites and other enemies all of whom failed to reduce the stronghold. After laying siege to it from April 20 to May 21, 1138, and bombarding it for ten days in succession, Emperor John Cornmenus had to withdraw. Its position on a steep ridge, the fact �___ THE SYRIAN WORLD that the river enveloped it on the north and east and that the site of the castle was cut off from the high plateau which formed its continuation by a deep trench, coupled with the fact that the only passage across the river was the stone bridge, the Jisr baniMunqidh, which was now defended by a citadel, made Shayzar impregnable to those attacks. Usamah was an eyewitness to many of these events. In his account the upper town (al-balad = the praesidium, oppidum, pars superior civitatis of European sources) lay within the Qal'ah (the Castle), whose fortifications were evidently strongest at the north and south sides, as these are the sides best preserved to our day. It had only three gates, one of which, leading to the Jisr (the Bridge), formed the only entrance to the Castle. The Jisr, the Gistrum of European sources, was guarded by a Citadel (Hisn al-Jisr) and around it grew the lower town (alMadinah = suburbium, pars inferior civitatis). Sultan's period of rule furnishes the background for most of the interesting events in Usamah's Memoirs, and it is that period which the Memoirs immortalize. Sultan died in, or a little before, 1154 and was succeeded by his son, Taj-al-Dawlah Nasir-al-Din Muhammad, the last of the Munqidhites. Taj-al-Dawlah perished with almost all the members of his family in a terrific earthquake which overtook them in the midst of a festival and which almost destroyed Shayzar,Afamiyah, Kafartab and their environs. His wife, who was pulled out from the ruins in which she was buried, was evidently the only Munqidhite to survive the tragedy. This earthquake took place in 552—1157 and was known as the Earthquake of Hamah. Ibn-al-Athir tells us that a school teacher in Hamah who happened to be outside the school building when the trembling took place received no inquiry whatever from any parent regarding he fate of any child. Not one parent and not one child survived. The destruction of Taj-al-Dawlah and his children closed the last page in the Munqidhite chapter of the history of Shayzar. The stronghold, however, was in the same year repaired and taken possession of by Nur-al-Din of Damascus. To return to Sultan and young Usamah. As long as Sultan had no male children he took keen interest in Usamah and presided over his military education, singling him out from among his three brothers, one of whom was older than Usamah. He —r- > �SEPTEMBER, 1928 7 often gave him advice regarding the conduct of warfare, entrusted to his care important missions and made attempts to probe his presence of mind during combat. But when Sultan was blessed with male heirs his attitude towards his young protege changed, and his jealousy led Usamah to leave Shayzar, in 1129, and never to see it again after his father's death on May 30, 1137. Next to Sultan's influence, the paternal influence of he father was apparently the strongest single force in Usamah's life. The picture Usamah left us in his Memoirs of his father is that of a devout Moslem who "employed all his time reading the Koran, fasting and hunting during the day, and copying the Book of Allah at the night". His chief diversion was falconry and chase in which he excelled. Usamah knew nobody comparable to his father in this respect. And withal he was no coward or weakling. "It is in my horoscope," once he declared to his son, "that I should feel no fear." One of the very rare and seemingly incredible stories told by Usamah relates how his father in a fit of anger cut, by one blow of a sheathed sword, his groom's outfit, silver sandal, mantle and woolen shawl right through the bone of the elbow. His physical strength was apparently commensurate with his moral courage. Of special interest to us are the remarks throwing light on Usamah's breeding by his father. The young boy once climbed the wall of their courtyard and, under the very eyes of the father, sawed the head of a serpent which had suddenly made its appearance on the wall. He even killed a servant of his father when only ten years old without seeming to bring forth any special discipline from his father. "I never saw my father... forbid me from taking part in a combat or facing a danger," is the way Usamah sums it up, citing only one exception: a hazardous onslought on a lion. When certain Frankish and Armenian hostages held in Shayzar were on their way back home and were waylaid by some Moslem horsemen, the father's instructions to the son were especially significant: "Pursue the ambuscade with thy men, hurl yourselves on them and deliver your hostages." The words "hurl yourselves" especially impressed Usamah. Usamah seems to have been bound to his father by strong bonds of filial affection and regard. He touchingly remarks after making an excursus relating to his father's interest in copying the Koran, "My book does not require the mention of this fact. �8 THE SYRIAN WORLD But I did mention it in order to appeal to all those who read my book to solicit Allah's mercy upon my father." Usamah's mother was made of the stuff of which "mothers of men" are made. One instance opens before us a window through which we can look into her character and life. In an emergency, and when the male members of the family were away, she got hold of her son's weapons, distributed them among those who could fight, put her daughter (an elder sister of Usamah) at' the balcony of the castle and herself sat at the entrance to the balcony ready to throw her daughter over than to see her in the hands of the Isma'ilites, "the peasants and ravishers." Such was the spiritual environment in which the soul of Usamah unfolded itself. Inured to hardihood and struggle and nurtured in the best atmosphere of Syrian chivalry, Usamah, with his passion for adventure, adaptability and many-sidedness, grew up to a robust and military manhood. The land around his native town, unlike the Northern Syria of today, abounded in lions, panthers, hyenas and other ferocious animals. The period in which he lived bristled with problems, difficulties and struggles, with the Franks, Isma'ilites, Batinites and other Arabs, keeping the scene lively and busy. Even when they went out of Shayzar for the hunt, they went out armed, for they "never felt secure on account of the Franks whose territory was adjacent to theirs". Thus Usamah's name has become associated in Arabic annals with war and heroism. Al-Dhahabi calls him"a veritable hero of Islam." Ibn-alAthir attributes to him "a degree of valor beyond which there is no limit." When still a tyro he fought valiantly and successfully against the Franks. In and around Shayzar and Hamah of Northern Syria, in 'Asqalan and Bayt-Jibril of Palestine, in the Sinaitic peninsula and Egypt, in al-Mawsil and Diyar-Bakr he took part in battles against Franks and Arabs, Christians and Moslems. "How many sword cuts and lance thrusts have I received! How many wounds with darts and arbalist stones have been inflicted on me!" exclaims Usamah in his old age, and this was probably no mere rhetorical exclamation; for he lived in one of the most turbulent periods in the history of that land in which more military history has probably been enacted than in any other land of equal size. Even in his old age he laments his passive life and covets action: CO W H Z as O W W a H z N EC CO — O > W �-£• GENERAL VIEW OF SHAYZAR ON THE ORONTES Photo Courtesy of Dr. T. Salloum of Hama. ISehind the Castle may be seen the fortifications of the town which is located on a ridge skirted by the river Orontes. In the foreground a pillar of the old stone bridge is still in a fair condition of preservation. �THECASTLEOFSHAYZAR IN SYRIA v Photo Courtesy of Dr. T. Salloum of Hama. A Close-up View of the Fortified Gate to the Castle which was considered in olden times the gatoway of Syria. �SEPTEMBER, 1928 9 But now I have become like an idle maid who lies On stuffed cushions behind screens and curtains. I have almost become rotten from lying still so long, just as The sword of Indian steel becomes rusty when kept long in its sheath. And through it all, Usamah took his defeat, as he took his victory, with no sense of individual pride or personal resentment but with utter resignation and as an unavoidable execution of the divine will. To him, as to all true Moslems, it is Allah who giveth victory or defeat to whomsoever He willeth, and Who predetermineth the lengths of ages. The reaction of such a philosophy of life on his own behavior can hardly be overestimated. And in his dealings with his adversaries, Usamah astounds us with his sense of chivalry and fairness. "This is not fair," was his tedSHfend uncompromisnig reply to his companion, who evidently suggested resort to a stratagem, as they sighted at a distance a band of eight Prankish knights. "We should rather make an open assault on them both thou and I." And no sooner does he conclude the recount of this experience, in which he and his companion routed eight knights, to his credit, than he starts the narration of another one, on the debit side, in which he and his companion were routed by one footman. (To be continued In the October issue} PROGRESSIVE KNOWLEDGE Said an Arab sage: The proper course to acquire learning consists of five stages: The first in keeping silence; the second in giving attention; the third in remembering; the fourth in practicing knowledge, and the fifth in transmitting knowledge to others. �—^ —.— — 10 THE SYRIAN WORLD The Greatness of the Syrian Race By REV. W. A. MANSUR The Syrian people are realizing their racial greatness through the study of their racial history, the appreciation of their racial talents, and the evaluation of their racial contributions to the progress of mankind. The rise to racial self-consciousness of the modern Syrian race is a revolutionary crisis, a healthy sign, and full of promise. The self-determination and self-realization doctrines advocated during the World War are permeating the races of mankind. Democracy, tolerance, and humanity are fundamental factors in the new social order. Nations are demanding selfgovernment. Races are claiming respect free from color, creed, culure, and race prejudice. Peoples are requesting respect that is due to their religions, morals, and cultures. Groups are appealing for the rights of freedom, justice, equality. The Syrian people are in the vanguard of modern race progress in the Near East. How shall the modern Syrian race meet the struggle between the races? How shall the modern Syrian face those who slander his race? How shall the modern Syrian answer those who have libelled his race? How shall the energetic modern Syrian reply to those who would discriminate against him because of his race? The following thoughts are meant for those awaking to racial self-consciousness, those meeting with religious, economic, or social intolerance, and those struggling with race prejudice. They are meant to inspire race pride, self-confidence, and strengthen mind and heart. /. It Is Im-perative that Syrians Have Intelligent Knowledge of the Origin, History, and Survival of Their Race. Intelligent knowledge of their race is essential to Syrians everywhere. It is necessary to their intelligence, self-respect, and progress. It is fundamental to them in the land of their adoption. "The modern Syrians," says Dr. Philip K. Hitti in The Syrians in America, "are the remnant of the ancient Phoenician- �SEPTEMBER, 1928 . tl Canaanite tribes who entered Syria about 2500 B. C, the Aramean Israelite hordes who arrived about 1500 B. C, and the Arabs who have drifted, and still drift in, from the desert and gradually pass from a nomadic to an agricultural state. With this Semitic stock as a substratum the Syrians are a highly mixed race of whom some rightly trace their origin back to the Greek settlers and colonists of the Seleucidae period, others of the Frankish and other European Crusaders, and still others to Kurdish and Persian invaders and immigrants." Centrally located between Europe, Asia and Africa, Syria became the market place, a battle-field, and a highway for world powers. Here races, nations and peoples plied their wares, domination and culture. Archaeological remains show the intermingling of various cultures. Assyrian, Egyptian, Roman, Greek, Arabian, French and English records of military conquests are found in Syria. Yet the Syrian race survived their conquerors. The rebirth of the Syrian race is on today. Modern Syrians should realize the importance of their survival, remember their debt to their ancestors, and their obligations to posterity. //. The Intelligent Understanding of Syrian Race Virtues Will Enlighten, Equip, and Prepare Syrians for the Struggles of Life. The appreciation of their race virtues will ennoble the Syrian people. Knowledge of these virtues will equip them for race problems and conflicts. They will empower Syrians to meet other races as thoroughbreds. At a meeting of THE AMERICAN SYRIAN FEDERATION OF NEW YORK Dr. F. I. Shatara said Syrians have a mission to America. "Let us contribute," he said, "that kindly, sympathetic and hospitable gentleman, shrewd in business but honest and dependable—his word as good as his bond} industrious but not permitting material pursuits to dim his philosophy of the true significance of life; thrifty but not materialistic, egoistic or selfcentered ; religious but not fanatic; home-loving, but not homedomineering; peace-loving, law-abiding, but willing to be led by majority rule." (SYRIAN WORLD, May, 1927.) In these virtues largely lies the nature of Syrian character. They give a psychological approach to the Syrian philosophy of life. They show what Syrians should know about their race virtues. They reveal the nature of Syrian influence on the social �= 12 THE SYRIAN WORLD order. They show how others see and experience us. SyrianAmerican youth will be more intelligent, noble and daring by the knowledge and practice of these virtues, and be better prepared for life's meaning, ambitions, struggles and rewards. ///. Syrian Race Greatness Is Based on Civilization, Character; and Service, not on Race, Population, or Militarism. The growth, use and benefits of civilization, character, and service largely determine the greatness of a race. Greatness of race is a relative thing. Race greatness based on race stock, numerous population, color prejudice, or military power is illusion, and transitory. Races, nations, and peoples seem to be endowed with peculiar talents. They are great when they recognize, use and bestow their benefits on mankind. What is meant by the greatness of a race or nation? "We apply the term greatness to nations," says Williamson in Problems of American Democracy, "that have made substantial contributions to civilization." "In order that a nation may become great, i. e., make some distinct contribution to civilization, two conditions must be fulfilled. The first condition of national greatness is that the land under that nation's control must be encouraging to man's honest, helpful efforts. The second condition of national greatness is an intelligent and industrious population, willing to abide by the law, and devoted to the building of homes." Syrian history witnesses to the high order of land cultivation, cultural development, and devotion to home making. The greatness of a race is not conditioned by the superiority of the whole race. "The superiority of a race," says E. L. Thorndike, in Individuality, "does not mean the superiority of all its members to all those of the other race." It's the average of the average individual that makes for the relative superiority of a race or nation. It is superior individuals who create the greatness of a race. It is the verdict of history, the result of race study, and the conclusion of sociological surveys. The Editor of THE SYRIAN WORLD is right in saying at the meeting of THE AMERICAN SYRIAN FEDERATION OF NEW YORK, "A few distinguished individuals of each race created the good name and the good reputation for their race." Syrian individuals of the highest order are aplenty in Syria's history. Their prophetic visions became the illumination of n U 1 �SEPTEMBER, 1928 IS mankind. Their achievements opened new paths for human intercourse. They made Syria the motherland of the spiritual life of mankind. IV. The Following Contributions of the Syrian Race Are Symbols of Race Greatness, Indicative of Race Value, and Prophetic of Future Glory. The basis of Syrian race greatness is not military conquest, race aggression, or economic exploitation. The idea of race or national superiority, or supremacy, is a modern European development. "This conception of racial or national supremacy," says Herbert Adams Gibbons in An Introduction to World Politics, "based upon cultural superiority and military and financial mastery, originated during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars, and was developed during the period from 18151848, coincident with the birth of the sense of nationality in Europe and the introduction of steam power into industry and transportation." Eventually civilization, democracy and knowledge will displace militarism, exploitation and domination, and usher in the brotherhood of man. Syrian race greatness is based on the achievements of our Phoenician ancestors, the contributions of our fathers of the Christian era, and the rise of the modern Syrian race and nation. /. Our Phoenician ancestors were the fathers of sea-ship building, navigation, and commerce. Writing of the peoples and kingdoms which dotted Syria-Palestine, James Henry Breasted says in A History of the Ancient Egyptians, "Some of these kingdoms possessed a high degree of civilization. Masters of the art of metal working they made metal vessels, weapons and chariots a great industry. Woolen textiles of the finest dye, rich and sumptuous in design, issued from their looms. These Semites were already inveterate traders, and an animated commerce was passing from town to town, where the market place was a busy scene of traffic as it is today. On the scanty shoreward slopes of the Lebanon some of them, crossing from the interior, had early gained a footing, to become the Phoenicians of historic times. They rapidly subdued the sea and soon developed into hardy mariners. In every favourable harbour they established their colonies, in Cyprus and Rhodes, along the southern litoral in Asia Minor, throughout the Aegean, and here and there on the mainland of Greece." �.1 14 THE SYRIAN WORLD A missionary for over fifty years in Syria says that in the olden time the mariners of Phoenicia, of Sidon and Tyre, Gebail and Arvad, braved the perils of the unknown seas, permeated the black sea, the Atlantic, and the coasts of Spain, and even circumnavigated Africa and in all probability founded the ancient civilization of Central America. Our Phoenician ancestors are the people who developed ship-building, organized for overseas commerce, and emigrated for trade. 2. As descendents of the Phoenicians we lay claim to Tholes the Phoenician, the earliest of the Greek -philosophers. Thales lived about 640-548 B. C. and was counted one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece, and as the wisest of the ancients. Some think he was a native of Miletus, in Ionia, and a member of the leading family. When asked by Periander the Tyrant, "What is your idea of good government?" Thales said, "Where the rich are neither too rich, nor the poor too poor." Thales is the Father of the science of Geometry. He considered water to be the world-substance; from which all things were made. He was versed in the current learning, probably engaged in commerce, and travelled in Egypt. He was acute in mathematics and physics. He is the first man that ever predicted the eclipse of the sun. It took place as announced, and the Medes and Lydians, who were engaged in a great battle, called the "Battle of the Night", stopped their fighting and went home. 3. Our Phoenician ancestors improved the alphabet and gave it to Europe and the world. "Phoenicia gave Europe the Alphabet (whatever the sources of this may have been)," says George Adam Smith in Syria and the Holy Land. It was Phoenician genius for improving things that created the most usable alphabet the mind of man has thought out. For the English alphabet, like all those of modern Europe except the Russian, is derived from the Latin, the Latin from the ancient Greek, and that from the Phoenician. H. G. Wells says of writing in Outline of History, "It was a new instrument for the human mind, an enormous enlargement of its range of action, a new means of continuity." The progress of the Phoenician mind, his developing industry, and his over-seas trade occasioned the necessity for improved writing. The Phoenician alphabet, transformed, modified, and simplified, became a "sound-sign system" and took precedence over pictograph, cuneiform, hieroglyphic and other alphabets. �r SEPTEMBER, 1928 15 "Yet these two Semitic nations," says William A. Masson in A History of the Art of Writing, "the Phoenicians and the Israelites, have influenced more profoundly the western civilization and the culture and refinement of Europe than all the civilizations that have preceded them. The one, through the incomparable literature of the Hebrew Scriptures, has established the underlying basis of all the religions of Europe, while the other has given the basic forms for the written languages of all the nations of Europe and Central Asia." 4. Syria gave birth to two religions and is closely related to a third, Christianity, Judaism, Mohammedanism. George Adam Smith begins his Syria and the Holy Land by saying, "Syria, chiefly because it includes Phoenicia and Palestine, has been of greater significance to mankind, spiritually and materially, than any other single country in the world." The character of the world's religious thinking in the future will hinge on the triumph of Christ, Moses or Mohammed. 5. The Syrian Christians of Antioch, Syria, began the missionary impulse which eventually evangelized Europe, parts of Africa and Asia. The cosmopolitan Christians of Antioch sent the first foreign missionaries, St. Paul and St. Barnabas. E. Stanley Jones tells us of a Christian community in southern India which is the living witness of the Labors of St. Thomas and his successors. 6. Syrians were among the foremost leaders of the °'Church Fathers'* in the early history of Christianity. It was Syrian Christian theologians who guided the way of Christianity for the masses through Greek philosophy. It was Syrian writers who left us the history of early Christianity. It was Syrian oratory that gave wings to the gospel. It was Syrian martyrs who challenged their persecutors. "Justin the Martyr, Eusebius the historian, John Chrysostom the orator, and John Damascenus the theologian—how much poorer the Christian world would have been without them!" exclaims Philip K. Hitti. The directing genius of the Syrian "Church Fathers" probably influenced more profoundly the nature and course of Christianity than any other single group. 7. The rise of the modern Syrian race and nation marks the re-awakening of Syria to a central place in the world. After �16 THE SYRIAN WORLD centuries of apathetic inanation the Syrian race is reborn to its ancient vigor. Syria is again becoming the highway of mankind. The Syrians are again in the pursuit of commerce, and their argosies of magic sails will eventually fill the heavens and the earth. The emancipation of Syria began with the World War. "The ebb of life away from the Near East to the ocean route, which has continued ever since Constantinople fell in 1453, is thus reversed. That stagnant backwater of the world becomes again a way through which the tides of human life are driven," says Basil Mathews in The Riddle of the Nearer East. Syrians, whether at home or abroad, unhampered by religious intolerance, unfettered by political autocracy, and unhindered by race prejudice, will forge their way to the forefront in commerce, education, religion, science and politics. A glorious future awaits the Syrian race. V. The Permeation of Public Opinion, the Education of Syrian Youth, and the Dissemination of the Truth about the Syrian Race Is the Crying Need of the Hour. There is an appalling ignorance among Americans of the truth about Syria and the Syrian race. Though Syria and Syrians are part of Christian literature the whereabouts of Syria is little known to the masses. Syrians are often mistaken for one race or another. They are oftener misunderstood than understood. The molding of public opinion favourable to Syria and Syrians calls for the highest Syrian endeavor. The race conflict still rages under cover, and Syrians are not immune from its ravages. An ounce of intelligent knowledge of Syrian race history, virtues, and achievements is worth a ton of just complaints against race prejudice and discrimination. How shall Syrians create a favourable public opinion? Nicholas Murray Butler says in True and False Democracy, "Public opinion is not very old. It is the child of the art of printing, of modern education, of modern means of communication, of modern democracy." Therefore let us use the printed page, newspapers, books and magazines. Let us use the radio and movie. The church, Sunday School, and religious literature are of first importance. THE SYRIAN WORLD has proven by its high standard, noble �HB^MRnnnHmvwBBRwm 17 SEPTEMBER, 1928 service, and clear vision, to be the best medium for the information of the public, the education of Syrian youth, and the general diffusion of the truth about Syria and the Syrian race. The future welfare of the Syrian race everywhere depends on the education of Syrian youth i.n the things most valuable in the history of the race. Let Syrian scholars write popular histories of Syria for the inspiration of our people. Let biographies of outstanding Syrians be written for the encouragement of Syrian youth. Let Syrian-American religious, patriotic, literary and commercial societies help create favourable sentiment. A Syrian-American Pioneers' Convention will help create a Syrian race personality and solidarity among the races of the new world. The King of Aradus By KAHLIL GIBRAN Once the elders of the city of Aradus presented themselves before the king, and besought of him a decree to forbid to men all wine and intoxicants within their city. And the king turned his back upon them and went out from them laughing. Then the elders departed in dismay. At the door of the palace they met the lord chamberlain. And the lord chamberlain observed that they were troubled, and he understood their case. Then he said, "Pity, my friends! Had you found the king drunk, surely he would have granted you your petition." *?i �/* THE SYRIAN WORLD Hassan Speaks: AN ARABIAN IDYL By DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN I, Hassan, fain would greet the dawn ere its delicacy is roughened by the glare of the sun, And fill my breast with its sweet breath ere it is made foul by the breathing of men. I entered the spring garden with the dawn, With my hands I brushed the night drops from the eyes of the roses, And it was Hassan that the roses saw when their heavy eye-lids were parted. The dawn spreadeth over the eastern heavens like unto peace over a troubled soul, It approacheth with the grace of a beautiful virgin. Its hands are full with the spices of Ind, To its skirts cling the gums of Arabia. Balmy is its breath, and in it there is healing; Fair is the brow of the day, and by the sight of it the heart is awakened and the senses are stirred. But while contemplating the bewildering beauty of Allah's works— Blessed be His name and exalted— I, Hassan, heard a sob from the heart of the garden. It was not the sound of the breathing of the dawn, It was not the sound of the breathing of the flowers, It was not a bar from the morning love-song of the turtle-dove— It was the sound of the breaking of a human heart. And I said: "O, at such an hour let the soul forget its pain! Not with groans, but with song; Not with sorrow, but with gladness; Not with despair, but with hope The birth of light should be met, SEF The And In t I b< �SEPTEMBER, 1928 1Q The coming of a new day should be welcomed." And I, Hassan, looked about me wondering. In the dimness I beheld a sight as fair as the heart of the day, and as delicate as the dawn. I beheld a woman, and the woman was bent with sorrow, deep and painful. I questioned, and the sorrowing woman made answer: i I "We, my beloved and I, made of this garden a dwelling place for tenderness, Beneath its blossoms we lived and loved. Above our heads lived two doves, mates. So in the trees and 'neath the trees affection and tenderness held their court, . And, verily, O stranger, this was a garden of passionate love! But one morning a flock of doves passed over the branches: Among them was many a bright plumage, And the male was lured away from his mate. The female mourned her mate incessantly— O, what yearning her lament did imply, what lonesomeness, what travail! At last the little heart burst, and we found her dead in a bed of flowers And I said to my beloved, 'Wilt thou, O my beloved, be ever allured away from me? Wilt thou ever be drawn away from me by another's glance^ Wilt thou ever seek another breast on which to rest thy headr And my beloved said nay. He swore and made big his oath! But, alas, there came a day when I looked and saw him not, When I called my beloved and heard no answer. Another's charms had filled his eyes and- like the dove He flew to strange abodes and revelry, and I was left to pine and sorrow. But later he bethought him of his love, He returned to the haunts wherein there had been happiness for him, He came back to regain his lost joy. But unto this heart he shall never be pressed again! He hath been untrue, �THE SYRIAN WORLD 20 SEP And I would fain keep love unsoiled, be true to him and love. ' For him my soul doth yearn, but needs must keep him tarj I yield me unto despair, I call for death!" And I, Hassan, said never a word, but plunged me into a bottomless sea of thought. Arab Wisdom Said Muhammad Ibn 'Ubaidallah: "I was once sent by my father to the caliph Al-Mu'tamad on a mission, and the caliph invited me to be seated. I was struck by the great condescension of the Prince of the Faithful and asked to be excused, and the caliph remarked: 'O Muhammad, thy acceptance of my invitation is a better indication of thy good manners than thy refusal.'" Said Ibn Al-Mu'tazz: The mistake of the learned man is like the foundering of a ship—it causes the loss of many others. It is recorded that the Caliph Hisham, in writing to the Byzantine Emperor, began his letter as follows: "From Hisham the Prince of the Faithful to the tyrant king." In due course the reply of the Emperor was received and was found to begin as follows- "I had never believed that kings would lower themselves to the station of the vulgar and indulge in abusive language. I could, if I were to forego my dignity, return your insult by calling you the accursed, but my good manners forbid me •>•> Said Al'Attabi, describing the pen: Pens are the steeds of intellect. If the pen squeals the face of the paper smiles with pleasure.If the master of the house is fond of the tambourine, members of his household should not be blamed for wanting to dance. i �SEPTEMBER, 1928 21 The Orange Tree By Sonia Ruthele Novak When Maar, the woman of winsome woe, Went wending the market place, The day was as drawn as her face , With hours that strained in a tense tableau Through skimmings of wanness dipped from a crypt; And close to her feet, there slinked and slipped A sinuous, writhing, furry hound Whose belly was flat but eyes were round: And Maar knew well that it came from Aar— The marauder ill-famed for years and far. The barren bazars were ambuscades, But covetous merchants, dropping trades, Stood shackled with ecstasy as she went In ragged resentment, unreined and rent. And across the square, a musty ell, There was hung a rusty-lunged bell That never was touched by hand, nor tolled, But it struck one note, and her breath went cold With the long, dead tales of her lives it told. For there in the dusty street, fine snow Came whipping from dunes that no men know, And whined in a veil of familiar threat— And the snow was gone— But her wrists were wet! "Oh, cold is my heart, and cold is my soul— More haggard and cold than a bell may toll!" And her eyes went green with the glint of ice That is scratched by the patter of Polar mice. i The hound moaned once, and she knew the feel Of the thought of Aar, like a barbed steel. �22 THE SYRIAN WORLD SEF Then she loosened a cord of silk at her waist, And garroted the hound with sorry haste j And stumbled the street with steps unfreed, But hampered the more because of the deed, Till she neared a vendor with dumb despair That aroused itself when it sensed him there. His face was an exquisite ivory blur And as she approached him, it seemed to her That his mouth was a delicate Arabic sign, And his brows were asi scimitars formed and fine. "Ho, what are you vending?" she begged him tell, And shivered because of the echoing bell. "I offer my packet for any to search—" So saying, he saw her slowly lurch; And he carried her in his arms a rod With a pity that noted her sway and nod, And compounded a powerful alkahest While she whispered into the beat of his breast: "What is your name, new light of gold? How can you warm unfeeling cold? What is the sunfire in your touch? Golder than gold you are, and much Comelier than the golden rose Close by the minaret that throws Shadows too golden to be a shade! I am of cold and darkness made" Buckled with silence till then, his tongue Answered her slowly, with words unstrung. "I am the vendor of oranges, a fruit None can -produce but many would loot. Born of the wizardry siring my line. It is a secret consummately mine. Is not our traffic the thing that we are? I am Si'iy, and I know you are Maar. You are a dove with tears in your throat And of my arms I shall make you a cote!" th« wh wr "But I am the chattel of Aar!" she cried, "/ garroted his guarding hound, and lied 1 �SEPTEMBER, 1928 23 When I swooned in your reach to be lifted up! So make of an orange a -poison cup, Then give me the cup, Si'iy, and fare In haste from my sight as you would a snare! For ages ago, the North-God's curse Descended upon my soul—and worse— •// made me to live forever with laws In cognizance of each plane and pause! It made me to know each time I've been A harlot, or priestess, or sibyl, or queen! It made me a power of wisdom composed Of all of creation's labor throes! It made me rebel with hatred at birth. And death too unable to free me from earth; From flesh and body and blood and bone; From moving the flesh of men to own The witnessing transiency never to be A jot of the torturing soul of me! From filling his larder for centuries Still higher and higher with such as these!" But Siiy laughed softly and kissed her lips. He kissed her brow and her fingertips. He kissed her temples, and kissed her lids; And much as a father torch that bids The flash of himself reflect from his child, He kissed the flush of her skin, and smiled. Then he quartered an orange, and spilled its gold Through her teeth that chattered with haunting cold; And where they had been sprung a tree in bloom, And its golden fruit was their living tomb; And maidens when mating will always wear A wreath of its buds in their modest hair. An Arab counseled his son, saying: Seek knowledge from the mouths of the wise for they record in writing the best of what they hear, and remember by heart the best of what they write, and repeat orally the best of what they remember. �24 THE SYRIAN WORLD The Sage of Washington Street ON THE DISPLAY OF WEALTH By A. HAKIM It was around six in the afternoon of a sultry summer day, when the streams of workers crossing Washington Street issuing from buildings and subway exits and converging on the ferries of the North River had thinned down to a few laggards. Even the rush of office boys with armfuls of mail headed for the neighboring post office had appreciably subsided. Washington Street was again beginning to assume its natural aspect and revert to the possession of its lawful owners. Children of all ages and all nationalities now began to sworm to the sidewalks and indulge in their games. Mothers stood in the doorways of tenement houses either carrying their babes in their arms or wheeling them in perambulators. Men in their shirt sleeves formed in groups gossiping and smoking. While above the street, on the several tiers of fire-escapes, could be seen more children and parents seeking the evening breeze amidst a setting of clothes-lines hung in gala effect with multicolored wash. When I passed the little store of our sage at that hour I discovered him resting at his accustomed place near the door sipping his Turkish coffee. He could not fail noticing me and his invitation to me to enter, as wholehearted as usual, could not possibly be declined in view of his obvious inoccupation and my strong desire to engage him in conversation. He forthwith reached for an empty cup and out of the still steaming little brass pot poured out the drink that is considered in the East the first offering of hospitality. Contrary to his custom, the sage appeared somewhat pensive and taciturn on this instance. He would in turn sip his coffee and draw on the narbish of his argileh with unusual deliberation. I had seldom seen him in this state of mind and I was at a loss to account for the singular change. I sat studying him for some time trying to reason out the cause of this development while he continued leisurely sipping his coffee and smoking, apparently unmindful of my presence. i «, �SEPTEMBER, 1928 25 "My friend," I said, finally breaking the oppressive silence, "something of an extraordinary nature must be weighing on your mind Never have I seen you in such a condition before, and it is my sincere hope that no serious family or business reason is responsible for the change." The "sage" remained in his attitude but for a moment, then he straightened in his seat with a suppressed sigh and I again saw in his eyes the characteristic sparkle that was ever wont to emit a ray of cheerfulness. "Thanks be to God that my depression is not caused by any personal reason. And thank you a thousand times for your solicitude," was his reassuring answer. "But I have seen today a passing sight that made me ponder some of the vicissitudes of the social development in our colony. I say a passing sight and you may take my words in their literal sense. For only a few moments before your arrival I saw our old friend M. Kamel passing by in his new limousine." I could not help but give a start of surprise at these remarks, and the keen-eyed sage was quick to perceive that he had somewhat struck a discordant note which caused me visible disappointment. . . ,.. "Think not for a moment," he made haste to explain, that I disapprove of anyone enjoying his wealth to the limit. It is everyone's privilege to enjoy the fruit of his labor. And we Syrians do certainly labor hard to win our fortunes. Nor do 1 want you to think for a moment that I am prompted to these remarks by any feeling of envy, for with none of our wealthy Syrians would I exchange my contentment and happiness in return for all their social position and worldly goods. But my disapproval is of the mien some of our countrymen assume upon reaching a stage of financial independence. They take on all the objectionable airs of the newly rich and would want to bury their past in an unmarked grave. Can you believe that many whom I know endeavor studiously to disclaim their origin and would admit almost any racial descent but their own?" And he added: "Perhaps if you will but recall some of your own acquaintances you will find my observations not far from the mark." . . , I then began to see the reason for his earlier statement, and I showed by my expression that I was eager to have him further expound his theory. Now I could see that my friend the sage �26 THE SYRIAN WORLD was again becoming the vivacious, eager and always clear conversationalist. He immediately launched on his explanation. "You know," he said, "how long I have been at this post. You might as well call this little place the Syrian observation tower because from this centrally located point in the heart of the Syrian quarter enabling me to come in contact with all classes of our countrymen I have been able to observe the evolution and development of our different phases of social and economic life. I recall the time when the residential quarter of our "better class" was just around the corner on Carlisle Street, and the time is not long distant when some of our more prosperous and socially ambitious merchants chose to live in Brooklyn and were deemed by the rest of us unnecessarily prodigal and wreckless. Well, we might as well admit that this course was but logical in view of the changing economic and social order of the colony. It is everyone's right, as I have said, to use his wealth in the manner most conducive to his pleasure and comfort. It is for that reason that one toils." Although making his delivery vehemently, the sage here stopped to adjust the charcoal on his argileh and take several deep inhalations to again start the tobacco burning. One of his characteristics is to concentrate on the immediate thing in hand, and now that he had applied himself to the care of his beloved argileh he bent all his energies on doing the thing quickly and well. Presently the argileh began to again emit the fragrant smoke, and now that it was behaving to his satisfaction the sage resumed his interrupted conversation. "What I find objectionable," he said, "in the conduct of some of our nouveaux-riches is that they quickly lose the balancing effect of a reasonable degree of humility. One cannot help deducing from their attitude that they must have once borne a terrible grudge against everybody and everything, and perhaps they blame the world for withholding from them for some time the success they finally achieved. Now it would appear they are intent upon taking their revenge and for that reason affect their offensive air of superiority. The man who passed my store this evening had the air of one whom we used to describe in the Old Country as one between whose head and the ceiling of heaven there is barely space for an onion skin to pass." �SEPTEMBER, 1928 t 27 To my remark that such a class is found in every nationality, my friend replied: "It is perhaps because I am a witness to the modest beginnings of all our present-day fortunes that the contrast between the old and the new seems to me accentuated to the point of aggravation. And please do not for a moment consider that I am making a blanket indictment of the whole race. It is only this particular class of Kamel's type that I refer to. You may know a good deal along the same line which you may not be willing to admit, but your excuse is that you are concerned with your own affairs and perhaps give but little thought to these matters. Nevertheless, I do not consider this the proper policy. A public wrong should be the subject of public discussion and the object for public correction. And right here is where we find the conduct of this particular class most objectionable from another angle. Just bear with me for a few more minutes and I will give you my reason." Here the sage allowed himself another brief respite to add another live piece of charcoal to the dying embers and then resumed. . £ "All immigrants came to this great country in search of wealth, which implies the fact that they all came poor. If this is a generally conceded truth why should anyone be ashamed of his former condition of impecuniosity? Why should not the accumulation of wealth be a badge of honor as a true indication to one's thrift, industry and ability? In such a case one should feel proud in proclaiming his former condition of poverty instead o£ seeking to hide it. For one to have made his own fortune and gained for himself a position of affluence is incomparably better than to have come to it by inheritance. Those of our own people, and of all others for that matter, who shun the mention of their past must have something therein of which they are ashamed. Only to a few of our people, it must be admitted, does such a statement apply. All that they can be accused of, if such be an accusation, is that they began their career as peddlers, and in this there is no cause for shame. The only remaining alternative, therefore, to account for their attitude is a false sense of pride, and this is the very reason and essence of the objection. "Take the case of this man Kamel as an illustration. He would dissociate from his countrymen while unable to associate with the better class Americans. It seems beyond his comprehen- �28 THE SYRIAN WORLD sion that amalgamation must take a logical and well defined course. Only gradually could we be molded into the body social of the American nation, and for the time being we must be content with the realization that we are thoroughly American in spirit, if not in form. Now this Kamel, like all the rest, made his start in business by depending on his countrymen. Being himself once a peddler, he later became a dealer in peddlers' supplies and ended by becoming a very important manufacturer and importer. All this, it is true, testifies to his inherent business ability, but why should he not show his gratitude to the people who made him, who were responsible for his great success, by taking some interest in their welfare and engaging in their activities? Not a church does he attend, nor a society does he join, nor a patriotic movement does he contribute to or foster. During the gravest crisis which befell the Syrians in America, when our people were accused of being of Mongolian descent, Mr. Kamel would not contribute a dollar to the defense of his people's cause, yet when the financial crisis gripped the country during a certain period it was to his people that he appealed and it was they alone who extended him assistance. Is there not in this, in your judgment, sufficient reason for him to be a little less vain personally and a little more considerate of the general interests of his countrymen?" I could see by the manner in which my friend warmed up to his subject that he harbored a genuine grievance against this Kamel in particular and his likes in general. It was also evident that his resentment was inspired neither by social envy nor by any business competition, as in both cases the two men were completely out of touch. It was, rather, a case of disinterested zeal for public welfare and rebellious indignation at what seemed to my friend a flagrant example of senseless vanity. But I was not content with matters as they stood, and I asked the sage for some constructive suggestion for the correction of the situation. This caused him to reflect for a few moments and then he said: "Sometime last year a feature article appeared in the New York American on the history of the Syrians in New York in which the writer, and I believe he is the editor of THE SYRIAN WORLD, suggested that a statue be erected to the enterprising commercial spirit of the Syrian as symbolized by the pioneer �SEPTEMBER, 1928 29 peddler. I should think that this suggestion if carried out in some modified form would result in not only perpetuating the memory of the pioneering spirit of the race but in holding it down to some reasonable degree of modesty. Little book-ends of a peddler's figure should grace every cultured Syrian's home; or a little statuette in bronze could be a graceful and appropriate ornament for every Syrian executive's desk; or still a handsomely engraved picture of the pioneering peddler could be framed and hung in a conspicuous position in offices and homes. This should tend to develop some sense of humility and correspondingly lessen that obnoxious sense of false pride. It would also have the effect of boldly attesting to our moral courage by glorifying achievement regardless of its humble beginnings and means. It would be a wholesome lesson to posterity and produce a sobering effect on those who carry their sense of elation over their success to the point of ridiculous vanity. To such a proposition all those who have the real interest of the race at heart should readily subscribe." My friend showed by his every word and gesture that he was desperately in earnest. He seemed to pause only to readjust his position and take breath, and I made no effort to interrupt him but simply awaited his convenience to resume. "This condition," he finally continued, "reminds me of an actual case which took place in one of the principal towns of upper Lebanon and which is widely quoted in my section of the country to the present day. It relates to one of the principal families of the land, the foundations of whose great fortune were laid only a few decades since. The founder, a man of great wisdom and foresight, had kept in his private apartment what was termed by his neighbors the trunk of mystery. Some conjectured that he kept in it vast sums of gold or the deeds of his enormous real estate holdings. The truth, however, was finally revealed and caused no small amount of amazement. In this trunk the wise old man had kept his coarse 'aba, his bob-nailed boots and other paraphernalia reminiscent of his earlier days of hard work and privation. When his several sons had become one a district governor and another a member of the Legislative Assembly and were wont to lavishly squander large sums of money for no public good but simply to maintain an illusionary prestige, he used to invite them to his private apartment and silently and dramatically display to them these eloquent relics �30 THE SYRIAN WORLD of the method in which they came to their wealth. The continued prosperity of this Lebanese house bears witness to the salutary effect of this object lesson." "Now," concluded the Sage of Washington Street, "if such a reminder of our former strenuous days were available to us Syrians in the form, say, of the figure of a peddler, would not that be a potent builder of our national character, a conserver of our hard-earned wealth and a suitable damper to the inordinate and offensive conceipt and vanity of some of our newly rich?" Here the sage seemed to rest his case. The coffee in his half-consumed cup had become cold and the charcoal on the top of his argileh had turned to ashes. He seemed to be transfixed by a distant vision and the hand in which he held the narbish lay limp on his knee. It was evident that the offensive behavior of Kamel had affected him deeply. He was fearful of the contagious spread of the malignant spirit and wished to give expression to his forebodings. He also dreaded the reflection that this objectionable attitude on the part of a few individuals would cast on the whole race. While agreeing with him on general principles, I made plain to him that the common sense of the race was bound to assert itself in the end. Perhaps, I said, it is better that Kamel and his kind be outcasts from their community, and I invoked our familiar saying: No sword will he wield, nor guest entertain, Nor offer succor in times of strain. ORDER OF PRECEDENCE AJ-Musta'si relates that APAhnaf Ibn Qais and Muhammad Ibn Al-Ash'ath called on the Caliph Mu'awiyah at the same time. The Caliph gave permission first to APAhnaf and then to Al-Ash'ath. The latter, however, quickened his step and entered first. When Mu'awiyah beheld him he could not contain his displeasure and remarked, "By Allah, had I wanted thee to enter first I would have given orders to that effect. Know that we are charged with the task of according due recognition to intellectual rank in the same degree we are expected to deal with justice in worldly affairs. Now thou hast given me an illustration to the saying that he who is lacking most in anything seeks it more eagerly." �31 SEPTEMBER, 1928 From the Harem in Syria TO ,THE MEDICAL COLLEGE IN AMERICA * By Miss SANNIYEH HABBOOB I am the first woman who comes from a Mohammedan family to study medicine in the United States. From the Harem to the hospital! From a dependent life to an independent life! From the seclusion of a Mohammedan home to a medical college! Why study medicine and not something else? I had the first chance. I was nine years old. I stayed in school four years. There was great opposition because I was the first Mohammedan girl to enter a missionary school. When I entered school my mind began to grow. I got into the way of analyzing and verifying things. I asked myself, "What is the difference between my Christian sister and my Mohammedan mother and sister? Why is there such a great difference? My mother is perfectly healthy but has no life and no activity. Why am I becoming so attached to my teacher? What is the Mohammedan faith and what is Christianity?" These were the questions troubling my mind when I was only eleven years old. But it did not take me long to find out. When I was thirteen I graduated from the school and was supposed to be a perfectly learned woman with a high school degree, in fact ready for marriage, for that is the perfect age for marriage. Then came the decision. If I married I would have had no more school life. I would have to be a Mohammedan woman for which I was not prepared. I was interested in both religions. I had a special professor to teach me Mohammedanism. I studied it five years which no other Mohammedan woman had a chance to do. Her religion is only the teaching that she should pray five times a day. Finally I did find out the difference between Mohammedanism and Christianity. It is love —the love of God. To study medicine at that time was one of the impossibilities * This short article by Miss Habboob, is reprinted from the May number of the "Outlook of Missions," an American missionary organ published on the Pacific Coast. �32 THE SYRIAN WORLD for a Mohammedan girl. When I first thought of it I had eight years before me. Now it is only three. I came here to take medicine, not only for my interest in it, but to go back and to be with mothers and with little children for whom I can do something—women and children who are shut up behind walls still, with nothing to give them independence to release their minds from being only servants, without hope or outlook. It is these things that make any difficulties to me easier to bear. The interest and pleasure of having in my mind the thought that I am going to be a sister to women, and a mother, not only to one child but to thousands. CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE DR. PHILIP K. HITTI — Historian, scholar and Arabic and English author. Formerly professor at the American University of Beirut and now of Princeton University. REV. W. A. MANSUR — Syrian patriot and scholar, educated in Syria and at present minister of the First Methodist Church in Loretto, Nebraska. He is one of our regular contributors. KAHLIL GIBRAN — Author of The Prophet and other celebrated works and styled by American writers Poet of the Cedars and The Syrian Poet. SONIA RUTHELE NOVAK — Author of "Winds from the Moon" and contributor of poetry to the best American magazines. Mme. Novak is American born but inherits much of her mysticism and poetical gifts from her Tatar and Russian ancestry. DR. N. A. KATIBAH — Arabic and English poet and scholar. Professionally a dentist of Brooklyn. One of our regular contributors. DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN — English and Arabic poet and scholar. Professionally a dentist of Brooklyn. One of our regular contributors. SANNIYEH HABBOOB — First Muslim woman to study medicine in the United States. She comes from Beirut and is now attending a medical school for women in Philadelphia. A. HAKIM — Pen name of an old Syrian immigrant who is contributing to The Syrjan World a special series of critical studies on the Syrians in America. SEP. Win* const sister thou Win! a IOJ come bare; ulty, the < inatc pel ; trast poet �33 SEPTEMBER, 1928 Books and Authors POETRY OF CHARM Winds From the Moon, by Sonia Ruthele Novak. The Century Co., $2.00. Reviewed by DR. NEJIB A. New York, KATIBAH The existence of truth in everything in the universe, and consequently the omnipresence of beauty, the inseparable twinsister of truth, seems to be the basic philosophy and the inspiring thought of Madame Sonia Ruthele Novak in her book of poetry, Winds from the Moon, which has made its appearance this year. Madame Novak is a beauty-mystic, and as such is never at a loss for a theme—never sets out hunting for one. Themes come to her, for everything that meets her eye unfolds itself and bares its soul to her; and she, endowed with a rare intuitive faculty, readily understands the message and spontaneously sings to the object of her attentions and of it. In this, her first volume, the lyrical strain of course predominates, but with a naturalness and facility of expression that compel admiration. The two following citations from her book contrast widely and serve to illustrate our poet's width of range and poetic insight: THE BUBBLE I am any bubble Hiding in a glass. (Only laughing eyes Perceive me as they pass.) i Scintillating, empty, Glimmering with rose, I am tart and oval As the pits of sloes. When I race in luster To the glass's rim, There was never swallow Dipping forth to skim �34 THE SYRIAN WORLD SEP1 Turquoise-chaliced sun-pools Gathered in the sky, Tracing fancied circles Airier than I! But when I have risen, Winged with delight, Life is but a piercing Ecstasy of fright: For I wink a moment, Then I disappear. Blessed were my lot If I were born a tear! Does this not smack of the tender sweetness of Shelley, or the soulful emotions of Keats? THE DEATH OF IGOR "Igor is dying!" The maidens are crying, Vying with jangles Of trinkets and bangles; Spent with their panting From silk bosoms, slanting Curved as the pillowing Tents that are billowing Snatches of singing From Igor, and bringing Sorrow to darken The loyal who hearken Closely to laboring words he is sighing: "This is the quiet from which I emerged Out of creation on noise that surged. This is the vanquishing shade of my shield. This is the victor and lo! I shall yield. Have you not heard it in soughing, old firs, Worried and bowed when a hoary wind stirs? Have you not felt it with fain through the night, Stealthily swooping along in its flight? t " 1 sure pror �I .'i ' SEPTEMBER, 1928 35 This is the spuming of oceans in space. This is the desolate end of my race I" Warriors, scowling, Are grunting and growling, Lost in his going, And maddened with knowing None will assemble In might that will tremble Eager to flatten, To conquer and batten Enemies hounding Their forces, and sounding Doom to the nettle Of Igor's proud fettle... Doom to the fear of his anger and prowling! "This is the hazard and bleakness that wait. You, of the sun, would approach it with hate! Out of the solitude, toward you I slipped Into the ease of your languor, and gripped 'Plunder to strengthen my puissant lot; Breathing an air that was troublous and hot; Flattered by voices, inflated and vain, Empty as those in the nest of the crane; Wresting my trophies with love in the wake... Anything goes to the one who can take I Oh, the chill dawn spreads the mail of its cloak... Tears well within me until I must choke..." While they are failing To rouse him with wailing, An ape whirls and titters Until a tree litters With leaves all the weeping, To mock them for keeping Faith with the dead who is stiffened and paling! This is almost Byronic in movement and vigor. I feel certain that the readers of Madame Novak will treasure her first volume, but will hold it in the nature of a solemn promise. For the book holds for us in expectation a speedy at- �— 36 THE SYRIAN WORLD tainment of that enviable poetical height to which she is destined to arrive. She has imagination, emotion, impulse, expression and power to a remarkable degree; and the expecting public will not wait in vain for a higher and still higher development of this promising poetess. I see the finger of the future pointing to her. FORTHCOMING BOOKS BY DR. HITTI Dr. Philip K. Hitti, formerly of the American University of Beirut and now of Princeton University, is rapidly gaining in the recognition which his scholarly attainments deserve. The publication of as-Suyuti's Who's Who in the Fifteenth Century (Syrian-American Press, New York), which Dr. Hitti published last year in Arabic, has met with the commendation of the foremost Arabic scholars of the United States and Europe. Dr. Hitti has now in course of publication several English works, one of which treats with the history and the religion of the Druzes and is being published in Europe. Another is a translation of the Memoirs of Usamah, the Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior of the Crusades, which will be issued this Fall by the Columbia University Press of New York. The leading article in this issue of the Syrian World is an estimation of Usamah and his works and is taken from the preface of Dr. Hitti's last mentioned book. THE GREAT MYSTERY IMMORTALITY, By Dr. I. G. Kheiralla, New York, SyrianAmerican press. $1.00. This is a profound discussion of the eternal question the answer to which has so far baffled the human, mind. The author characterizes immortality as the "greatest mystery of all ages" and claims that "it has been conclusively proved from scientific and logical standpoints." Dr. Kheiralla, although an octogenarian, is still active mentally and physically. He is one of the first seven graduates of the great American educational institution in the Near East which has developed into the American University of Beirut. But perhaps his outstanding distinction is the fact that he was the founder of the Bahai religion in the United States which claimed at one time thousands of adherents from among the best classes of Americans. This latest book is but one of a series by the same author on similar subjects. �SEPTEMBER, 1928 *t The Syrian Constitution (Editor's Note.—Press dispatches early in August announced the suspension of the Syrian Constituent Assembly by the French High Commissioner owing to differences arising over the framing of the Constitution. Due to the special rights upon which France insists under its mandate over the country from the League of Nations, and the persistent endeavor of the Syrians to ignore these rights, or to place on them a different interpretation than that advanced by France, it is easy to determine the causes which led to the suspension of the Assembly. The Syrian demands, held by France to be incompatible with its mandatory rights, are incorporated In the official draft of the Constitution as promulgated by thj Constituent Assembly and of which the following is a comprehensive summary.) Chapter I deals with the political status of the country and contains four main articles as follows: Article I declares Syria an independent sovereign state whose territory is held indivisible. Article II defines the State of Syria as all lands within the natural borders of Syria seceded from the Ottoman Empire. The State as such is declared an indivisible political unit regardless of whatever administrative changes may have been introduced into it following the World War. Article III declares the Syrian State a representative republic "the religion of whose president shall be Islam" and whose capital shall be Damascus. Article IV describes the official flag to be adopted by the Syrian State and defines it as follows: "It must be twice as long as it is wide and be divided into three equal horizontal colors, the top being green, the center white and the bottom black. The center stripe must bear on an even line three red, five-pointed stars. Chapter II deals with the status of the individual under the law and contains twenty-four articles which may be summarized as follows: All Syrians are equal before the law. No distinction is drawn between one citizen and another because of his racial origin, his language, his religion or his denomination. �THE SYRIAN WORLD 38 Personal liberty is the inalienable right of every citizen. All those who, under the law, are deprived of their personal liberty by the regularly constituted authorities must be notified of said action not later than the second day of the issuance of the decree and be allowed immediate recourse to legal methods of self defense. Torture is declared illegal, as also deportation and exile or the refusal of any Syrian's right to residence in any particular place, or his compulsion to reside in any special place, except under the circumstances and conditions defined by law. Homes are declared inviolable. Personal property cannot be seized except for public interests and subject to a fair compensation. Freedom of worship is guaranteed individuals, the State undertaking to protect all religious bodies in the exercise of their religious rites unless found to conflict with law and order and undermine public morals. Freedom of thought and speech are guaranteed citizens of the State. The press is relieved of all form of censorship. Elementary education is compulsory for both sexes and the State guarantees to provide free education to all. Religious minorities are protected in their legal rights and are allowed to establish private schools to educate their children in their own languages on condition of complying with state regulations. Arabic is the official language of all departments of the State. Chapter III deals with legislative and executive powers and with other conditions governing elections and representation and complete the one hundred and fifteen articles of the Constitution. The principal articles in this section may be summarized as follows: All authority is declared to emanate from the nation. Only one representative body is constituted and is called the Representative Assembly in which is reposed the power of legislation. The executive power is reposed in the President who has the right to appoint a Ministry subject to the approval of the Assembly. Twenty is declared the legal voting age. Balloting is made secret and every candidate for election to the Representative Assembly must be thirty years of age or over, the term of office being four years. «Sfe Sd&Kp '• :. : ".-" - : ' i . :,- '/:, .:: - . �SEPTEMBER, 1928 39 Religious minorities are allowed special rights of representation. Maintenance of order within the Assembly is the sole right of the representative body, and no armed force may enter the premises or be stationed near its doors except by request of the President. The President is elected by a majority vote of the Assembly for a term of three years. He may be elected for a second consecutive term but not for a third except after the lapse of three years since his last term. The oath of office for the President is as follows: "I swear by the Almighty God that I shall respect the Constitution of the country and its laws and guard its independence and the security of its territories." The President selects the Prime Minister and appoints the ministers subject to the latter's recommendation. He also appoints diplomatic representatives to foreign powers and receives foreign diplomatic representatives accredited to the Syrian Republic and presides at official functions. The Council of Ministers is restricted to seven, all of whom shall be responsible collectively to the Representative Assembly for the general policy of the Government, and each of whom shall be responsible individually for the conduct of his own ministry. Amendments to the Constitution are permissible by a twothirds majority of the Assembly at any regular session. No amendment could be made to the present form of the Constitution, however, before the lapse of three years. A national army is to be formed under a special law. A special administrative bureau is to be created for the nomad tribes which shall be guided in its policy by the special conditions and requirements of each tribe. Public religious foundations should be considered purely denominational institutions and shall be governed by special boards elected by the Muslims. The final, and what is termed as a temporary article of the Constitution, vests in the Constituent Assembly the righ to elect the first President of the Syrian Republic for a term of office not to exceed two years. �40 THE SYRIAN WORLD Spirit of the Syrian Press Under this caption we hope to present from time to time a microcoamic picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking writers who are treating the different problems that confront the Arabicspeaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will take no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. Our task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of ihe public opimion as expressed in these editorials. Editor. ISLAM IN SYRIA A NATIONAL DISGRACE There are among us some who profess liberalism and tolerance, but who are in reality plain communists, who should understand that the Lebanese will never subscribe to the principle of Syrian unity, which is purely and simply a religious federation, until Syria becomes the common country of all without distinction. As matters now stand, the Muslims claim the country to be their own to the exclusion of all others of different faiths. They have declared Islam the official religion of the state and furnished the world with positive proof that they have not reached the stage where they could be trusted in carrying out any promise of equality. The Muslims of Syria should have realized that all advanced nations are separating religion from the state in an effort to prove that the country is not the private monopoly of the adherents of any one religion as against all others. The framers of the Syrian Constitution have shown such religious fanaticism as belied their former assertion of but yesterday that "religion belongs to God and the country to all is citizens." We can entertain no doubt that this clause in the Syrian Constitution has registered a disgrace against Syria that will stand for all time. The majority of the population in Syria is Muslim and it is but natural that no Christian, Druze or Jew will be elected President unless the majority choses to elect him to the high office. To make the religion of the president of the republic a condition is, therefore, an unpardonable crime. Republics presuppose equality among the citizens. Here we have the Republic of Turkey which has effected a complete separation between church and state although it is wholly Muslim in religion. Why not we Syrians profit by this lesson and disregard religion in our politics and concentrate on true patriotism as our only religion? Meraat-Ul-Gharb, N. Y., Aug. 26, Al-Hoda, N. Y., Aug. 17, 1928. �SEPTEMBER, 1928 RELIGION OF STATE IN SYRIA 41 borne down under the yoke of economic necessity, slaves to antiquated traditions and the whip of the foreigner cracking over their backs. As-Sayeh, N. Y.f Aug. 27, 1928. Consideration of the past is the only motive prompting the notables of Syria to declare for a monarchical form of government, and it is that very motive which prompts the framers of the Constitution to declare Islam he official state religion. But neither official religion nor mon- COMPARISON BETWEEN archy will bring back former glory. TWO CONSTITUTIONS This, rather, can be achieved through Our brother Syrians have certain compulsory education alone and not patriotic demands which France will through any reactionary methods. It is ridiculous to declare for a surely grant if they prove compatirepublican form of government and ble with reason and conforming to to shackle the liberty of the repub- the spirit of the mandate. They have lic by joining to it an official relig- made an attempt before to gain these ion of state. Republicanism is a demands through force and to that form of government which outlaws end resorted to armed insurrection absolutism, while the association of with the assistance of the Druzes. religion and state is a remnant of But in this they failed and France, absolutism. A republic has no offi- acting in a true spirit of justice and cial religion and if the majority magnanimity, was merciful in her would declare their religion the offi- victory and accorded the Syrians cial religion of the state then any complete freedom in the election of claim of equality between the citi- their Constituent Assembly. They zens of v the republic would become then proceeded to frame a constitution which ignored completely the groundless. It is but a short time since we existence of the French Mandate and heard this same faction which would the authority of the League of Nanow identify the state by an official tions in such manner as would dereligion proclaim loudly their con- clare Syria a fully independent state. viction that "religion belonged to In view of these developments High God, and the state to all its citi- Commissioner Ponsot cannot be held zens." Why then should they now to blame for suspending the Assemrevert to duplicity and false rep- bly acting upon his responsibility toresentation? They should consider wards his government and the that they are framing a constitution League of Nations. Why do the Syrians refuse to not alone for their immediate needs practice moderation in the pursuit of but for posterity. In this considertheir national aspirations and to adation they should look ahead instead mit the established fact of being unof backward. It is evident that the der mandate? France has granted religious restrictions in the Syrian them many privileges which she has Constitution were caused by looking not granted even the Lebanese who backward to a procession of conare admittedly the backbone of the querors and caliphs in a blaze of French mandate in our land. A glory, but of what avail is this past comparison between the former Syrglory when the Syrians of today are �42 ian Constitution and the present Lebanese Constitution will disclose such a wide difference as to prompt a faction of Lebanese to accuse France of showing partiality towards those who oppose 'her by armed resistance. The Lebanese Constitution is the work of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs while the Syrian Constitution is wholly the work of the Syrians themselves. In the Lebanese Constitution there are such clauses as are not forced on the Syrians, principally the clause giving the President of the Lebanese Republic the right to appoint sixteen members to the Representative Assmbly subject to the approval of the High Commissioner. This is more than a third of the total of fortyfive. Surely this is an indication of French tolerance which the Syrians should not fail to take into consideration. As-Shaab, N. Y., Aug. 17, 1928. EFFECTIVE ARGUMENT AGAINST UNITY If it is permitted the Syrian Muslims to declare Islam the religion of state why should not the Christian uphold the Republic of Lebanon and resist every effort to include it into the body politic of Syria, so that he may not become subservient to his brother Muslim in the enjoyment of the privileges of citizenship? Article II of the Syrian Constitution permits of no interpretation other than that the Muslim enjoys complete citizenship while the Christian can claim right to it only in part. This is the great calamity which the Christians have forever feared. We should need no other proof of THE SYRIAN WORLD the validity of the reasons which stand in the way of the Christians acceding to the principle of Syrian unity. The Syr;an Christian is still considered in the capacity of a subject race to whom the Muslims will not concede equal rights. In view of these later developments none but the cowards among the Christ:ans will approve of the provision of the Syrian Constitution in respect to the religion of the sate. Syrian Eagle, N. Y., Aug. 28, 1928. WE ARE AMERICANS We were much impressed with the remarks of Mr. Salloum A. Mokarzel, editor of The Syrian World, delivered at the banquet tendered in honor of Sheikh Joseph Estephan, member of the Lebanese Representative Assembly and now on a visit to his countrymen in the United States. The gist of those remarks is as follows: "We must bear in mind that we are Americans who have chosen America as our country and owe it our fullest loyalty and undivided allegiance. Our loyalty to our adopted country does not preclude, however, our love for our motherland. In this we find our beloved adopted country setting a laudable example by being the first among nations to give out of its great philanthropy not only to Syria and Lebanon but to all needy and weak nations." Yes, we are Americans. We have sworn to uphold the Constitution of this country and give it our undivided loyalty and defend its flag with our lives. Still there is room in our hearts for the love of the mother country where we have relatives and friends and to whose people we are bound by ties of blood. �SEPTEMBER, 1928 • If we love our mother country we gain in the esteem of the people who have welcomed us to their country, but if we love the foreigner, the usurper and intrduder before whom we lay our foreheads in the dust, who can there be among self-respecting men who will consider us worthy of his respect? We are Americans. Yes, and let us learn from our brother Americans that self-respect and dignity which would not tolerate the sacrifice of independence whether personal or national. We would not countenance an attitude of insolence towards those foreigners who are amongst us, but we do say that our respect for them should be within the bounds of reason and not to the point where they begin to think that we are their slaves to whom we are indebted for our lives. Meraat-Ul-Gharb, N. Y.f Aug. 17, 1928. THE SYRIAN WORLD A NATIONAL NECESSITY While visiting some cities of the interior, we were often told by many parents that not infrequently before the publication of The Syrian World did their children deny their nationality. Thanks to the policy of this publication, which strove to give to our young generation bits of history on the motherland of their parents, these same ones who once denied their racial descent came to acknowledge it with pride. We commend the publication of The Syrian World because we believe it is a necessity to all Syrian readers of English whether young or old. We are also of the belief that the duty of Syriam should be carried a 43 step further; they should make to their neighbors and all Americans of influence gift subscriptions of The Syrian World in order to promote a better understanding of the race. Al-Hoda, N. Y., Aug. 17, 1928. DISCARD TURKISH TITLES FIRST The dispatch announcing the discard of the Turkish Fez in Lebanon either by the mandatory authorities or by the Lebanese government cannot fail to cause genuine pleasure among the Lebanese immigrants in America. But we consider this step trivial and superficial. What is needed most is the abolition of Turkish titles which are still in great prevalence in countries liberated from Turkish rule. What can be more ridiculous than that a president of a republic bear the purely Turkish title of Pasha or Bey, which is still the case in Syria and Lebanon, while we pride ourselves on having thrown off the yoke of Turkish rule? Although the Lebanese may have been liberated from Turkish rule, they do not seem to have been rid yet of deep-rooted habits inherited from the Turks. We find them even now scurrying to meet every French official that comes to the land with the same servility as they were wont to show during the times of the Mutasarrefs during Turkish rule. And what is worse, they still practice those detestable methods of information and calumny which were so prevalent in olden times. Discarding the fez is not as important as discardng these old, loathsome methods which we have inherited from the departing Turkish rule. A«h-Shaab, N. Y., Aug. 18, 1928. �44 THE SYRIAN WORLD Political Developments in Syria SYRIANS FRAME CONSTITUTION OBJECTIONABLE TO FRANCE CAUSING SUSPENSION OF CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY. It is one crisis following another in the relations of the Syrians with their Mandatory Power. The appointment of five High Commissioners in seven years is eloquent testimony to the troubled relations which France has been having with the ward entrusted to its care by the League of Nations. The success of the present High Commissioner, M. Henri Ponsot, in having suppressed the armed revolution and initiated the preliminary steps for representative self-government in Syria augured well for a time for his continued success in coming to a final understanding with the Syrians over the issues which caused the successive upheavals in the country. The latest developments in the situation, however, indicate that the fundamental deferences between the French and the Syrians have remained substantially the same, except that armed resistance on the part of the latter has apparently been definitely abandoned. For the last three montihs reports indicated the continued improvement of the relations between the Syrians and the French, due principally to the policy of non-interference consistently maintained by the French High Commissioner. Impressed, as it would seem, with the friendly attitude of France in making no effort to influence the elections and in allowing the Constituent Assembly a free hand in choosing its form of government and framing its Constitution, the Syrians were said to have been won over to the policy of cooperation and to have assured the Mandatory authorities of their readiness to put an end to the disturbances which have gone far in retarding the progress of constructive efforts in the country. During elections for the Constituent Assembly the French High Commissioner took up his residence permanently in Damascus to watch personally over the freedom of the elections, and this action gave rise to rumors that he intended to make his official residence in the Syrian capital for at least six months of the year. In short, everything seemed to be progressing in the most favorable manner towards a better and permanent understanding between the Syrians and the French. But judging by press dispatches early in August, the Syrian Constitution as framed by the Constituent Assembly did not meet with the approval of the French and caused High Commissioner Ponsot to suspend the Assembly for what is termed a "three months' vacation." The High Commissioner is said to have based his action on the fact that the Syrians adopted a Constitution which amounted to a virtual declaration of independence, with utter disregard for its status of being under mandate of the League of Nations, with France as WKKK&KIKm- �I 45 SEPTEMBER, 1928 agent of the League. This the French High Commissioner could not accept in view of his official capacity as Governor of the country under a League of Nations mandate. REASONS FOR SUSPENDING ASSEMBLY 'I II proved to be the ones particularly objected to by the mandatory authorities. The French High Commissioner, while offering no interference to the Syrians in matters of internal administraton, deemed it his duty to take exception to the action of the Syrians on those matters affecting the status of the country's sovereigny, the form of unity, the organization of the national army, the style of the flag and the manner of foreign representation. It is evident that the conflict of interests springs from the fundamental demand of the Syrians for complete independence and full national sovereignty while France, invoking the special rights of the mandatory, insists that Syria cannot disregard the mandate of the League and dismiss it as if it did not exist at all. Press dispatches bearing on this grave turn of affairs in Syria are meagre and conflicting, some stating that the Assembly dispersed calmly while others reporting that rioting had developed in Damascus causing the closing of many shops. Syrian papers had not arrived in the United States by the time this went to press at the end of August, which contained definite accounts of the suspension of the Constituent Assembly. Papers dated up to August 3rd, however, furnished a clear presentation of the causes that led to this action. The full text of the Constitution as adopted by the Assembly was published to the nation apparently without interference by the High Commissioner, but what may be reasonably surmised is that M. Ponsot, finding the Constitution incompatible with his conception of the duties of a country under mandate, attempted at first to negotiate with the Syrian Nationalists controlling the Assembly with a view to inducing them to alter their stand, and finding them firm in their demands, he finally had recourse to arbitrary action and suspended the Assembly. This would be the only logical reason to account for the week or more elapsing between the publication of the Constitution and the final action taken by the High Commissioner. There developed in the Syrian press a lively discussion on some articles of the Constitution which In the comment of the Syrian press on these developments, even before High Commissioner Ponsot took action, it is claimed that the Syrian Constitution was fashioned after that of Egypt which, although under English occupation, enjoys what amounts to full national sovereignty and has tne right to in ierendent diplomatic representation. The army is also cause for gravj disagreement as the Syrians insist on its being a purely native organization while the French maintain that the General Staff be in their control. While information is unavailable on the final political developments in Syria through the Syrian press, a clear idea of the immediate causes of the crisis and the manner of its occurrence is obtainable from short dispatches to the Arabic press of Egypt filed in Beirut on August 8. These dispatches report that upon adoption by the Syrian Constituent Assembly of the draft of the Con- �THE SYRIAN WORLD titution, High Commissioner Ponot, through his political secretary Mogra, officially notified the constituent body of his objection to several articles embodied in the Constitution which he advised should be deferred for later consideration with a view to their possible incorporation in the proposed treaty which is to be negotiated between France and Syria. The High Commissioner's proposal was unanimously rejected by the Assembly with only six members dissenting. A reply was immediately drafted and approved rejecting the High Commissioner's reservations and the President of the Provisional government, Sheikh Tajeddin, left the Assembly hall in protest. It is not made plain in the brief dispatches if the action of the head of the government was taken as a protest against the decision of the Assembly or the move of the High Commissioner, but it may be reasonably surmised that he was prompted to his action by the former motive, as it had been previously reported that he had completely broken with the Nationalist bloc over the national program and was the subject of public denunciation both within the Assembly and without. CLAUSES OBJECTIONABLE TO FRENCH The specific clauses in the Constitution which the High Commissioner is reported to have singled out for his objection are the following: Article 73—The authority of the President shall be confined to the granting of individual pardon, general amnesty being reserved for special legislation. Article 74—The President has authority to negotiate and ratify international treaties. Those treaties, however, which affect the security of the country, and tftie finances of the State, or those commercial treaties which are not subject to annual renewal, cannot become effective unless approved by the Representative Assembly. Article 75—The President selects the Prime Minister and appoints the ministers subject to the latter's recommendation. He also appoints diplomatic representatives to foreign nowers and receives foreign diplomatic representatives accredited to the Syrian Republic; appoints civil officials and judges and presides at functions of state. Article 110—A national army is to be organized under a special law to be considered later. Article 112—The President is authorized to declare martial law, subject to the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, in all places where disorders and disturbances take place. Declaration of martial law must be submitted to the Representative Assembly for confirmation and in case the Assembly is not in session it should be called by the President to an extraordinary session immediately. Exception is also taken by the High Commissioner to the second article of the Constitution which defines the state of Syria as "all lands within the natural boundaries of Syria seceded from the Ottoman Empire. The State as such is declared an indivisible political unit regardless of whatever administratve changes may have been introduced into it following the World War." NATIONALISTS ATTACK TAJEDDIN Excerpts from speeches made by leaders of the Nationalists in the �47 SEPTEMBER, 1928 Assembly published in the Syrian press, together with comment by some influential Nationalist organs, would indicate that the territories ceded to Lebanon are claimed by the Nationalists to be an integral part of Syria and are the particular lands implied by Article 2 of the Constitution. Another interpretation of this article would put in the minds of the framers of the Constitution the broad vision of claiming all lands within the geographical limits of Syria, including Palestine and Transjordania. Severe attacks were directed at Sheikh Tajeddin, President of the provisional government, for his supposed complicity with the French in concurring in the proposal of the High Commissioner to defer consideration of the objectionable articles to the forthcoming treaty. Especially was Fakhry Bey Baroudy, one of the principal Nationalist leaders, bitter in his denunciation of what he termed the sinister and traitrous activities of Sheikh Tajeddin. He accused him in open session of having guaranteed to the French, in return for his appointment, the Assembly's support in framing a Constitution agreeable to them, and in the promotion of his designs he lavishly squandered the nation's money to the extent of "hundreds of thousands of pounds" in order to influence the elections. Failing in this, he then resorted to threats and promises to win over the nation's representatives, and ended by accusing the Nationalists of radical and impossible designs. Representative Faiz Bey Elkhoury objected vehemently to the rservations of the French High Commissioner and expressed surprise that M. Mogra, reputed to be an expert in international law, should hare not felt ashamed of affixing his signature to such a document as that presented to the Constituent Assembly of a nation whom France claims to be educating in the task of independent government. STRONG DEMAND FOR MONARCHY Meanwhile, a spirited campaign was being waged by the advocates of a constitutional monarchy for Syria to force the hand of the High Commissioner to declare in favor of their plan and against a republic. Immediately before the adoption of the draft of the Constitution by the Assembly, four hundred Syrian noables met at the house of Ahmed Bey Rateb in Damascus and adopted the following resolutions: 1—Appointment of a committee to conduct active propaganda for the advancement of the cause of monarchy. 2—Sending of a telegraphic petition to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs declaring that the aspirations of the Syrian nation are centered on the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, principally for the reason that the monarchical form of government is the one best suited for their psychology, temperament and traditions, inasmuch as they have been accustomed to it for centuries. 3—Appointment of a committee to wait upon the President of the Constituent Assembly and advise him that the will of the whole nation is that the form of government to be adopted for the country be declared a constitutional monarchy. The committee did wait upon the President of the Assembly, who promised to lay its demands before �48 that body, but the leaders of the Nationalists who carried the day for the republican form of government were unsparing in their denunciation of all forms of monarchy because "they would never see the country turned over to the personal Ambitions of foreigners." This was interpreted to mean that the Nationalists are fearful of designs on the part of the French to place on the throne of Syria a prince from their North African possessions. Previous to the development, of this crisis over the Constitution, dissension was reported to have developed in the ministry of Sheikh Tajeddin owing to the refusal of three ministers to tender their resignation at the request of the Provisional President. Rumors were circulated that these ministers had refused to uphold their chief in his political ambitions, while from different sources it was learned that this move was intended to placate the Nationalist bloc which had accused the three ministers of abetting election frauds. LEBANON SEETHING WITH POLITICAL UNREST While Syria is grappling with her special problems in the initial stage of laying down the foundations of her national government, Mr. Lebanon, already created a republic, is encountering all the vicissitudes of painful readjustment to a new political life. The ministerial crises, since the formation of Lebanon into a republic, have been many and severe. Only seven months ago what was (hailed as the most constructive change took place when the Man- THE SYRIAN WORLD datory Power acceded to the demand of a powerful faction for reducing the ministry from seven to three in the interest of efficiency and economy. It was evident that the country was heavily burdened with taxation, plus a severe depression in the economic situation, and could not possibly withstand the expense of so many administrative offices which were termed by the advocates of the governmental change as mere sinecures. But the triumvirate had, ever since its assumption of office, an extremely stormy career due, it is claimed, to the efforts of Dr. Ayoub Tabet to introduce radical changes in the administration with utter disregard for accepted and time-honored traditions. It was apparent that he directed his most strenuous efforts at the eradicaion of what he considered the fundamental cause of all governmental ills in Lebanon, namely, representation based on religious denominational considerations. He began by appointing district governors from among the Druzes and Moslems in purely Christian sections, while to the Druze and Moslem sections he sent Christian officials. But notwithstanding this radical innovation he was accused of arbitrary action in all his official acts both as Minister of the Interior and of Public Health. His friends and supporters hailed this policy as a true indication of impartialty on the part of the Minister, but there were others who could not see matters in that light or accept the Minister's reforms as coming from purely altruistic motives. Among these were some of the most influential politicians of the country who resented particularly what they termed the arrogance and obstinacy of the Minister �49 SEPTEMBER, 1928 which found expression at times in the most violent outbursts of temper. VIOLENT SCENES ATTEND DEBATE \ The campaign against the triple ministry reached its climax in the latter part of July, When its opponents secured signatures to a petition for an extra session by a majority of the Representative Assembly which was called by the President of the Republic for August 9. The antagonists of the Government made no effort to conceal their intentions of deposing the triple Ministry, and no sooner had the several Ministers taken turns in defending their records than they were almost howled down by their well organized and determined opponents. Especially were recriminations indulged in between the Minister of the Interior and Representative Abou Nader, and on several occasions there were attempts at physical violence from either one or the other. At one time the President had to declare a recess to avert threatened disorders, but when the session ended the Ministry found its position untenable any further and had to tender its resignation. No detailed accounts are available at this time as to later developments except what was reported in brief dispatches from Beirut to the Arabic press of Egypt announcing the formation of a new Ministry of five members under the veteran Lebanese statesman Habeeb Pasha Saad. This would indicate that the old familiar form of religious representation in the Lebanese government has been put into effect again, as this was said to be the main purpose of the former government's opponents in deposing it. As if to offset the added governmental expense resulting from the increased ministry, it is said that the same bloc which deposed the former government is now advocating the amendment of the Constitution so as to reduce the membership of the Representative Assembly by eliminating government appointees to that body and confining membershhip to those elected by popular vote. ' About Syria and Syrians LEBANESE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE UNITED STATES In the August issue of The Syrian World we announced the arrival in the United States of Sheikh Joseph Estephan, member of the Lebanese Representative Assembly and the official emissary of the Lebanese government to the Lebanese immigrants in North America. Soon after his arrival, however, there reached New York Mr. Raphael La- hood, publisher of a weekly Lebanese paper, who also claimed to represent the Lebanese government in an official capacity and for the same object. Al-Hoda of New York chided the Lebanese government for having sent two representatives at the same time to the same country for the same purpose, and was inclined to discredit the claims of the last comer as he could show no credentials and held no official position in the government- �50 Whatever the case, Sheikh Estephan, immediately after the banquet given in his honor in Brooklyn on August 16, left the city for a limited tour of the United States which took him first to Boston and other New England cities and later to Detroit, Mich. In Boston he was given a hearty reception and was handed a memorandum of suggested administrative reforms in Lebanon, while in Detroit 'his reception took the form of an elaborate banquet at which many poems were read. The Lebanest paper Leesan AlAdl, published in Detroit, printed in its issue of Aug. 28 the text of the Representative's address delivered at the Detroit banquet. As'de from the economic considerations to which we made reference in the August issue of The Syrian World, the visitor gave expression to some of his observations since he arrived in the United States. He deplored the gradual loss of the Arabic language stating that often when he met some American-born Lebanese he discovered that they could not understand his questions put to them in the mother tongue. He asserted, however, that there was no truth to the claim that the Lebanese spirit is dying out and was glad to notice that the Lebanese were proud of their history and exhorted his hearers to adhere to those sterling characteristics of the East which constitute their national heritage. Amplifying on his economic proposals, he said that the Lebanese of the United States possess an estimated wealth of two hundred million dollars. Both from reasons of patriotism and in the interest of good investment, he said, the Lebanese should be able to devote at least 10 per cent, of their total wealth for investment in economic projects in THE SYRIAN WORLD their motherland. This would afford a capital of twenty million dollars whch would work wonders in a small country such as Lebanon. He further intimated that the Lebanese immigrants should themselves take the initiative in launching the economic projects open for development in their mother country- ECONOMIC DEPRESSION IN SYRIA SEVERE Moratorium Declared in Damascus— Syrian Government Takes Measures to Aid Destitute of Hauran. Syria is reported to be in the grip of a severe economic crisis. From all sections of the country comes the cry that old-established business houses are facing ruin while some weaker ones have already gone into bankruptcy. This is caused in part by the prevalence of similar conditions in neighboring countries such as Palestine and Iraq which depended for large quantities of their importations on Syria, but the principal causes of the depression are the failure of crops, the high tariff and the industrial backwardness of the country. The Beirut correspondent of AlMokattam, an Arabic paper of Egypt, quotes the report of the British High Commissioner in Palestine to prove that Syria is losing ground in many industries in competiton with Palestine. Especially is this true of the soap and wine industries and the manufacture of textiles. In Hauran, where the crop failure this season added another heavy burJ . -"-i»'*\a*^ < �Ma SEPTEMBER, 1928 51 den to the country which for two CLARA CANDIANI CAPTURES SYRIANS years was the theatre of the Syrian revolutionary campaign, the Syrian Readers may not be alarmed at Minister of Finance, Jamil Bey the title. Mile. Candiani did not Alshj, caused an appropriation of go to Syria on a military expedi£25,000 to be made for loans to the tion, but she has succeeded in capHauran farmers without interest for turing the Syrians through other a term of five years. He further means. She must be possessed of reduced taxes by 25 per cent, and extraordinary charms, for she is deinduced the government to set aside scribed in the newspapers as the a sum of £45,000 to be spent on pub"Parisian belle." Whatever the case, lic improvements in the country to she has succeeded in gaining a lot afford work for destitute farmers. of publicity. Every Syrian and In Damascus an official decree was Lebanese paper has long accounts promulgated declaring a moratoof her every movement, the banrium, to be extended at the discrequets tendered in her honor, the tion of the courts, to those found manner of her reception whether in unable to meet their debts. This the populous cities or the sparsely is done not alone because of the gensettled dsert. She expressd a deeral conomic depression in the counsire to pay a visit to Sultan Pasha try but also because of the disasAtrash, leader of the Druzes in the trous fire of June 20 which destroyed last revolution, and immediately a one of the principal business streets number of Syrian notables offered of Damascus. to accompany her and place at her Another contributory cause to the disposal their automobiles and Her travels depression is said to be the steady camping facilities. through Syria are described more draining of the country of its suplike triumphal processions, for ply of gold. A leading paper of everywhere she makes her appearBeirut declares that according to statistics the gold supply in Syria and ance she is received with what seems Lebanon in 1925 amounted to £41,- more than the traditional Eastern 000,000 while in 1927, according to hospitality. Mile, must be surely the same source, the supply had fal- endowed with a fascinating personlen to only £13,000,000. The paper ality, because it seems hardly suflays the blame for this gradual de- ficient for her to be the corresponcrease in the gold supply partly on dnt of the Figaro of Paris to be rethe policy of the High Commissariat ceived in such manner. Out of all the long accounts pubin withholding the gold receipts of lished in the Syrian papers about the customs for payment of the OttoMile. Candiani it is possible, after man debt, and partly on the unproall, to extract a little substance. She ductvity of the country and the perseems to have interviewed Sultan nicious habit of taking to everything foreign to the detriment of native Pasha Atrash and to have elicited products and interests. Automo- from him the statement that he supbiles and accessories seem, accord- ports the Syrian Naionalists in the ing to this paper, to be the largest whole of their program, and that single item tending to drain the there was absolutely no foundation to the rumors that he was in favor country of its gold supply. �52 of a monarchical form of government for Syria, or that he was promoting the candidacy of the son of Sultan Ibn Saoud for the Syrian throne. Other than the above, all the long accounts of the movements and the activities of the mademoiselle simmer into nothing. Mademoiselle being an able journalist, it should be interesting to await her own account of her visit to Syria. Will she write for publication her honest impressions of the country and its people in a frank and candid manner, or will she reserve her intimate impressions for posthumous publication? LEBANESE ASK FRENCH PROTECTION IN LIBERIA Previous reports that the government of Liberia had placed stringent restrictions on Lebanese traders, prohibiting them from visiting the interior of the country, have been confirmed by dispatches to tde Lebanese papers from their Paris correspondents. The Lebanese society in Paris, acting on the solicitation of sister societies all over the world, brought the plight of the Lebanese in Liberia to the attention of the French Foreign Office seeking redress. The unsaisfactory reply of the Foreign Office was that it had made representations to the government of Liberia and that the latter had replied that the Lebanese had become a menace to Liberians through their commercial initiative, which fact caused it to take action against their further depredations. Lebanese papers are of one mind in blaming France for its indifference in this matter. They argue that THE SYRIAN WORLD France has a commercial treaty with Liberia, and that she has, at the same time, charge of protecting Syrian and Lebanese interests abroad. Of what benefit to Lebanon, then, is this foreign representation if the rights of the Lebanese in such simple matters as commercial interests cannot be protected? MORE THAN 9,000 AUTOS IN SYRIA Recent statistics disclose the total number of automobiles in Syria as being 9,318, distributed as follows: Greater Lebanon 5,613 State of Syria 1,195 Alouite Sate 460 Jebel Druze 195 Alexandretta and Antioch 845 Total 9,318 Economists accuse the Syrians in general of unwarranted extravagance in the use of the automobile. For several years past they have been calling attention to the fact that the country is rapidly burning its wealth in gas, as there are no exports to offset the excessive imports of luxuries. But, according to the expression of the native papers, all these warnings have gone up unanswered "much like a cry in a desolate valley." FOUR GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS IN SYRIA The newspapers of Beirut report that the Mandatory Authorities in Syria propose to erect in the near future four governmental hospitals in Homs, Latakia, Alexandretta and Aleppo. �SEPTEMBER, 1928 i 53 AMBITIOUS FINANCIAL PROJECT FOR SYRIA SYRIANS OF U. S. AID DAMASCUS SUFFERERS Dispatches to the Egyptian paper Al-Mukattam from Paris announce the formation of a partnership between Emir George Lutfallah, M. Henri de Jouvenel and a member of the wealthy Syrian family of Sursuq for the purpose of establishing a commercial bank in Syria and Lebanon to tide these two countries over in their financial difficulties. Commenting on this project, some Lebanese papers claim to discover in this move a clever attempt by Emir George Lutfallah to ingratiate himself with the Syrians and Lebanese for the ulterior motive of promoting his political ambitions. This Emir has been steadily accused of strving to gain some position of power in Syria. During the Syrian revolution he was said to be the main financial mainstay of the rebels, and later he was reported to be conducting an active propaganda for bis election to the presidency of Lebanon. The Lebanese were infuriated at what they termed brazen audacity because the Lutfallahs, in their support of the Syrian revolutionists, had indirectly caused the slaughter of many Lebanese Christians. Failing in direct methods, Emir Lutfallah is said to have had recourse to his latest financial scheme in an effort to win over the Lebanese to his cause, now that they are in the direst financial stress. His taking into partnership of de Jouvenel, a former High Commissioner, together with a member of the leading familities of the country, is said by his opponents to be only a cloak to hide his real motives. Through the initiative of Al-Hoda, a fund of over $800.00 was collected by popular subscription among the Syrians and Lebanese of the United States for the aid of the Damascene sufferers of the great fire which devastated a considerable part of the city last June. Al-Hoda sent the fund to the Relief Committee of Damascus as a token of good will on the part of Syrian immigrants. In its comment on this action it states that in times of adversity there exists between Syria and Lebanon no geographical distinctions. TOURING THE WORLD ON FIFTEEN CENTS The correspondent of As-Sayeh in Canton, Ohio, writes to his paper that a Syrian High School boy of that city, Adib Karam, had just returned from a trip to Mexico which he made on a capital of fifteen cents. He had intended, it is claimed, to extend Irs trip further down to other Central and South American countries but was dissuaded by the American consul in Mexico on account of troubled conditions in those countries. From the same source it is learned that this enterprising boy had successfully completed a trip around the world last year also on a capital of fifteen cents. He even went to Syria and was successful in finding work where there seems to be so much complaint about non-employment and depression in economic conditions. �54 ARMENIAN QUESTION TROUBLES SYRIANS The following comment of one of the leading papers of Damascus is indicative of the attitude which the Syrians hold towards the influx of Armenian refugees into the country. Commenting on the possible grant by the Syrian government of lands for the settlement of the Armenians, Aleph Ba denies the right of the government, being only of a provisional character, to undertake a move of such far-reaching effect before the election of a de jure government. If the reason for such action be humanitarian, the paper argues that there are other nations who should act on this generous impulse because of their better financial standing. But to graft on impoverished Syria such an industrious race as the Armenians would amount to a national calamity. The principal grievance which this paper in particular seems to hold against the Armenians is that they are infinitely more industrious than the Syrians. This, coupled with the fact that in Syria there are scarcely means for the subsistence of the population, would bring matters to an acute crisis. Aleph Ba further laments that the Armenian problem in Syria is far graver than the Zionist problem in Palestine. "By Allah," it exclaims, "we would rather a thousand times face the necessity of struggling with two Jews than with one Armenian, In the former case we know that the main motive of the Jew is sentimental, while in the latter case the motive is purely economic. And the Armenian is no mean competitor in all forms of work." Formerly, it continues, the Palestinian Arabs envied the lot of their THE SYRIAN WORLD brother Syrians in that the latter had only one problem on their hands, that of evicting the invading European, while they, the Palestinians, had a double problem of contending against foreign occupation and Jewish settlement combined. Now the order has been reversed and it is the Syrians' lot to face the double problem of foreign occupation and Armenian settlement, while the Palestinians' problem is easing through a better understanding with the English and the Jews. HAURAN DRUZES SEEK EMPLOYMENT IN LEBANON The failure of crops in the Druze Mountain of Hauran has caused a general exodus of the population to seek employment elsewhere. Beirut newspapers report that the Ministry of Public Works in the Lebanese government alone has given employment to over five hundred of these Hauranian refugees, while many more are scattered throughout the country privately employed. This action of the Lebanese and their government is hailed as an act of charity in repayment to the people of Hauran for their hospitality tendered the starving Lebanese refugees in their country during the trying times of the World War. SYRIAN APPOINTED CHILIAN CONSUL The government of Chili is reported to have appointed Mr. Fouad Issa Halabi, a native of Syria, as its consul general not only in Syria and Lebanon but in the whole of the Near East, including Turkey. Chili is anxious to find outlets for its fertilizers in that part of the world and has entrusted to the new consul this commercial task. He hag chosen to locate in Beirut. �SEPTEMBER, 1928 55 Readers' Forum NEGLECT OF ARABIC BLAMED ON PARENTS / f Editor, The Syrian World: The debate which is now being wage in The Syrian World about teaching the younger Syrians in America the Arabic language, has aroused our interests as much as it has the older people's. The majority of the young Syrians hesitate to express their views and are waiting to see the outcome. I say that because we, the younger Syrians have very little power to accomplish anything alone without the firm support and cooperation of the older people. I shall give an incident which will prove my statement true. In Lansing the young Syrian people, ranging from the ages of sixteen to thirty, organized a club known as the "Young Phoenician Society" whose purpose is to create a better understanding among the young people. Three months ago we decided to take twenty-five or thirty minutes from each club period which we held twice a month, and hold a class for the purpose of learning Arabic The teacher chosen was a very welleducated young man, and an instructor in one of the best colleges in Michigan. Everybody started out very enthusiastically for about four lessons, and after that nobody desired to advance any further. What was the trouble? It was that our parents didn't encourage us any further. They didn't care whether or not we progressed. Some didn't have patience to help their chil- dren, some wondered what good the Syrian language would do them in America, and others didn't approve of it at all, and we ceased learning. Therefore, I believe that the matter should be left to individuals to find means of teaching their children the Arabic language if they desire to, because it will be a tedious task to try and accomplish it universally. RUBY NAKFOOR, High School Student. Lansing, Mich. ARABIC NOT OUR ORIGINAL LANGUAGE Editor, The Syrian World: Five weeks ago, during a conversation with the head of the philosophy department of a large University, we touched on several topics of thought and activity. We became interested in each other and carried the discussion a little further than one might care to go. Towards the close he asked me my nationality, and upon being told that I was a Syrian, he gave a smile of satisfaction. Then he said, "In your country men have much leisure. Due to their inactivity they think a great deal, and produce many philosophers. But the sad part is they get nowhere." How true he spoke. We talk a great deal, we write a great deal and paint pictures of glowing success; but the least obstacle we encounter defeats the end we desire and throws most of us back to our original position. �56 Now the readers are engaged in an Arabic linguistic duel. I want to ask, Is Arabic our original tongue? Indeed not. It was simply grafted upon us by our conquerors. Then what difference does it make what language we employ to convey our thoughts? Now that the original medium is lost must it be our duty to preserve a language not originally our own ? At any rate it is not an important language now, since the Europeans have given the modern world all the progress civilization has. J. J. K. Syracuse, N. Y. TEACHING ARABIC DEEMED UNNECESSARY Editor, The Syrian World: I have read the various articles pro and con on the subject, "Should Arabic be taught to the Syrian-American Youth?" Personally I fail to see any good derived from the knowledge of Arabic as long as one does not intend to migrate back to the mother country, and incidentally I venture that not one per cent, of the SyrianAmericans will ever go back. For those that care to learn it, I'll grant that it is their privilege, but when a leader like Mr. N. A. Mokarzel charges our parents with "criminal negligence" I don't agree with the gentleman, and I really don't think that he meant to make this charge. In the first place, where is the criminal part of this negligence, if there is any negligence on the part of our parents, I suppose that in most cases the fault lies with the children themselves. In my case I had no desire before nor do I have any now to learn Arabic. THE SYRIAN WORLD It has been my observation that our parents are very eager for their children to have as good an education as their means will permit. And even where parents have an opportunity to send their children to "Arabic" schools I do not heartily agree that they are doing their children justice in burdening them with the learning of a language that will be absolutely useless to them in the way of advancing them through life. In this case it appears to me that they are the ones that are guilty of '"criminal negligence." It must be granted as true that if one wished to acquire a broader education even in Beirut, the cultural center of our mother country, one must have a broad knowledge of either French or English. I am told, too, that among the younger generation of Syrians in the larger communities of Syria, they are using the French language as much so as the Arabic. I have interested myself in this discussion from the very first article, and I have been thinking over it very much. During this time I have tried to recall of even one instance where I could possibly need thhe knowledge of Arabic. I do, however, find that I need a broader knowledge of the English, almost daily, and I personally think it will behoove every father and mother to concentrate their efforts on making their children better fitted with English, than to waste their efforts on a language whose only literature is myths, dream stories, and fables, and whose Classics are about the same type of stories as found in the popular American magazines as sold on the streets for a price within the reach of all (five cents). Is it not a fact that our parents left the mother country, left their loved ones, their lands and all be- �57 SEPTEMBER, 1928 cause of the greater opportunities for peace, prosperity, and happiness in the new world? A great majority of our parents are grateful for the change. They see their children advancing in all stations of life, in a manner that would be impossible in the mother country. Then why should it be said that they are guilty of "criminal negligence" if they feel it their duty to make of their children better Americans first and then if they (the children) care to, can fit themselves as better Syrians. The only result I see looming on the horizon is: The Arabic press must consolidate into fewer publications. The Syrian World (more power to it) must increase its circulation commensurate with the demand that will be made on it. Then when the Grim Reaper takes the toll of our beloved parents there will be no more readers for the Great Arabic Dailies. Then they must of necessity cease publication and join their fathers in the happy hunting grounds. With all due respect to everyone's opinion, I present these as my own convictions. I don't expect to have every one agree with me. Only time will settle this question. But again I want to say that only in the case where our parents neglect any and all forms of education then and only then are they guilty of criminal negligence. GEORGE BOWAB. Atmore, Ala. ' , Syrian World which it has been my privilege to read, I do not hesitate to say that for Syrians in general, and the future Syrian generations in particular, this opportunity to obtain so much knowledge about their Mother Country is invaluable. That we are able to put forth such a high class publication in English as our organ is a matter of national pride, and from this great distance we wish to extend you our hearty thanks and congratulations. MARON T. CAHI. Elliot, C. P., South Africa. A CONSTANT COMPANION Editor, The Syrian World: It may interest you to learn of the great benefit I derived from your publication. Having been born in this country I knew very little about the country of my parents. But ever since the Syrian World was issued I became a constant reader of it, and in discussing matters of the old country my parents were surprised at the extent of my knowledge about it. I made the acquaintance of The Syrian World when in New York State, but I have since been married and moved to the Pacific coast, and the magazine has been my constant companion wherever I went. I feel the Syrian-American generation owes you a great debt of gratitude FROM FAR AFRICA for having provided them with this wonderful publication and it should Editor, the Syrian World: So comprehensive is your maga- be a matter of pride on their part zine that I feel that a knowledge of to support it and help it grow. Mrs. John Addy. its contents would be a liberal eduSan Francisco, Cal. cation. From the few copies of The �THE SYRIAN WORLD >» » A BOOK YOU SHOULD HAVE MAKER OF MODERN ARABIA, by Ameen Rihani has proven a literary sensation. Never before has a more accurate, extensive and authoritative picture of central Arabia been presented with as much power. It is an epic of the desert; an up-to-the-minute "close up" of the cradle of the Arabian race. The author of this great work is a Syrian of whom everyone of his countrymen should be proud. A copy of his book should be found in every Syrian home of culture. "Mr. Rihani's picture of the Wahabis is the sort of firsthand authoritative stuff that puts this book above and wholly outside the range of the usual treatises either of travel, observation or politics." N. Y. Herald-Tribune. 'The command over the subtleties of our anomalous language revealed in these pages, is uncanny. To read is to enjoy the pleasure of music. From Ameen Rihani we have what can scarcely fail to be a final portrait of that formidable chieftain, Ibn Sa'oud, by right of conquest King of Mecca." New York Times. ORDER YOUR COPY FROM THE SYRIAN WORLD AT THE PUBLISHER'S PRICE $6.00 postpaid. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Syrian World Newspapers Description An account of the resource <span>To view the finding aid for this collection, </span><a href="https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/ns0002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here.</a> Subject The topic of the resource Arabs--United States Arabic periodicals Newspapers Arab American Newspapers Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials. These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context NS 0002 Access Rights Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies. This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. NCSU Libraries Collection NCSU Libraries Collection metadata Finding Aid Link from https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/ns0002 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TSW1928_09reducedWM Title A name given to the resource The Syrian World Volume 03, Issue 03 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1928 September Description An account of the resource Vol 3. Issue 03 of The Syrian World published September 1928. The issue opens with an article by Philip K. Hitti on Usamah an Arab-Syrian warrior of the crusades. Following it is an article by Rev. W. A. Mansur which discusses the greatness of the Syrian race. There is also a long poem featured called The Orange Tree by Sonia Ruthele Novak. Next is story by A. Hakim about the display of wealth in America. There is also an article by Miss Sanniyeh Habbob about studying medicine as a woman. The last writing in the issue is an excerpt of the Syrian Constitution. This issue is concluded with the excerpts from the Arab press, political developments, and the Reader's Forum. Subject The topic of the resource Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals Arabs--United States--Periodicals Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Salloum A. Mokarzel Syrian-American Press Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New York Public Library Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 104 Greenwich St., New York, NY Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials. 1920s A. Hakim Medical New York Philip Khuri Hitti Poetry-English Reverend W.A. Mansur https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/9489f21307bc72982ae4402f3bc59ff0.pdf af7da620b0317654e419365c801d18e9 PDF Text Text VOL. III. No. 5 m NOVEMBER, 1928 THF SYRIAN WORLD A MONTHLY MAGAZINE IN ENGLISH DEALING m WITH SYRIAN AFFAIRS AND ARABIC LITERATURE m THE LEPER AND THE BRIDE OF GALILEE AMEEN RIHANI AN INTRODUCTION TO SYRIAN WORLD POLITICS REV. W. A. MANSUR JESUS THE SON OF MAN KAHLIL GI BRAN CAN WE RETAIN OUR HERITAGE SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL THOBET AND LEILA DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN RECENT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SYRIA ��rfl I THE SYRIAN WORLD SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL, Editor. PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS 104 GREENWICH STREET, NEW YORK, By subscription $5.00 a year. N. Y. Single copies 50c. Enteted as second-class matter, June 25, 1926, at the post office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. VOL. III. No. 5 NOVEMBER, 1928 CONTENTS PAGE The Leper and the Bride of Galilee 3 AMEEN RIHANI From the Arabic 7 An Introduction to Syrian World Politics REV. W. A. MANSUR 8 Moderation Translated from the Arabic by J. D. 15 CARLYLE Tobet and Leila 16 DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN 18 Freedom BENJAMIN T. HOFFIZ Books and Authors A New Life of Christ by a Syrian Author. Son of Man, by Kahlil Gibran, Jesus, the 19 �CONTENTS (Continued) PAGE A Man From Lebanon Nineteen Centures Afterward 21 KAHLIL GIBRAN The Sage of Washington Street (On the Marriage Problem Among Syrians) 27 A. HAKIM Subterfuge 32 Economic Recovery in Syria 33 The Value of a Reputation 35 Can We Retain Our Heritage? (A Call to Form a Federation of Syrian Societies 36 SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL Arab Proverbs 40 Editorial Comment Recognizing Racial Groups A Syrian University in America Honoring Our Talent 41 42 44 Spirit of the Syrian Press 45 Readers* Forum 49 Political Developments in Syria 51 About Syria and Syrians 54 ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE Jesus the Son of Man Tiberias and Its Lake �HMMMHJ THE SYRIAN WORLD VOL. III. No. 5 NOVEMBER, 1928 The Leper and the Bride of Galilee By AMEEN RIHANI Written especially for The Syrian World. MO country, however removed from civilization, is unchanging; and no people, however rebel]ions, can free themselves entirely of their traditions. This double nature of the law of growth and decay, ineffective in the face of the immutable, is manifest in all nations, who, while yielding to the dominating influences of the times, retain more or less their original genius and one or more of their principal characteristics. A striking example is Palestine. For maugre Zionism and Tel Aviv and the Hebrew University and the Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts, and maugre Arab nationalism and British rule, old Jerusalem, a piece of junk in the Junk-Shop of the East, still remains. A more striking example in Palestine is Galilee. For maugre all the agricultural settlements of Esdraleon—the hay wagons and the jitneys and the little Amazons of Israel in bloomers—the country still retains something of the beauty that appeals both to the spiritual and the sensuous in us. Indeed, and although it is overrun tomorrow by the tribes of Trans-Jordania or by the commercial syndicates of Europe, this beauty will endure. But there are two melancholy notes in it, a shriek and a moan,—a high note and a low;—two cities, the one above, the other below, the sea. The traditional "den of thieves" in which the greatest Exponent of the truth divine was born, casts a hungry look upon Esdraleon while it consoles itself with "the bread �THE SYRIAN WORLD of life"; and the traditional "hot-bed of lechery" in which the austerity of Judaism found voice, wallows in the gutters of charity down below Esdraleon. Nazareth and Tiberias;—the one is a bride in sack-cloth, the other a leper in faded purple. The leper and the bride,—and between them, to feed the one and to starve, though unwittingly, the other, are the wheat fields and the jitneys and the little Amazons in bloomers. No country in the world has had and still has a more varied life, both human and divine, than Palestine;—this Palestine, which holds in the palm of her hand the apples of Sodom and the snow-crowned peaks of Mt. Hermon. Consider one phase of its life. The jitney and the tomb of Maimonedes balance today, in a certain sense, the jitney and Bolshevism. The truth of the present, however, is but a thin crust over the rust of the past. In no part of Palestine is this better exemplified than in Galilee; and in no city of Galilee does the melancholy condition find a more eloquent tongue than in Tiberias. Nature, too, cruel in her constancy, immoral in her indifference, continues to produce her symbols of elegance and depravity as well as of picturesqueness and sloth. The Oshr tree still bears the apples of Sodom, and the "camphire of Engedie" still yields the henna for the Bride in sack-cloth .and for the leper in purple. Historians and sociologists can perhaps fathom the causes and adumbrate the effects of the breach between the people and their surroundings. They can also philosophize about the nature of the bridge, its structure and strength, that should connect the present with the past. For my part whether the bridge be of gossamer or stone, of moonshine or of steel, the facts of the present are overwhelming. They are also tormenting. But the picture, whether fascinating or appalling,—in this instance, it is both appalling and fascinating,—has a certain appeal. For the variety, the beauty and the strangeness of naturephenomena contrasting with the monotony, the ugliness and the indolence of life, are nowhere so striking as in Galilee and particularly in Tiberias. Indeed, despite its new quarter Kiriah Schmuel and its palm saplings and its unfinished sanatorium, Ti.berias still remains a black spot upon the Lake! and between its natives, mostly Jews, and the strenuous Zionists of the settlements there is a chasm as deep and discouraging as that which extends between Mt. Hermon and the Dead Sea, �k\ NOVEMBER, 1928 But considered deeper, one finds a corresponding gradation in the scale of being:—geology co-ordinating with history symbolizes in the different chapters of its story the various stages in the life of the race. It is an epic, which begins and ends in extremes. For whatever may come upon the land, the memory of the Founder of Christianity, as eternal as the hills, rises like Mt. Hermon on the one side, while on the other, down in the Ghor, are the miasmas of nature and man. The chasm between the two is filled with the glaring and bewildering contrarieties in nature-phenomena and historic events. Here is a divine atmosphere shedding its balm upon a black city of disease; there is a vestige—one of many—of the glory of man sanctified with divine sacrifice and the sanctity of truth sullied with human sloth and knavery. Yonder are mineral springs and sweet silvery streams mingling with the waters of the Jordan; and not far from the basalt of Gennesaret is the bitumen of the Dead Sea. These are but a few of the striking values in the canvas. The theory and the fact are one, both in nature and in life, upward and downward in the scale. For although through the temple, in which was heard the word divine, now blow the four winds of poverty, ignorance, squalor and vice; and although the Kingdom of Heaven be transformed into slums and clerical and governmental Juhannams; and although nothing of the spiritual beauty now remains but a melancholy memory, the Tiberias country in Spring is nevertheless a veritable paradise. And Gennesaret is its capricious queen. Gennesaret, the bride of the Jordan, now surging towards him, now receding from him;—panting with love, foaming with wrath;—spending its azure beauty at the chibed and mud-bespattered feet of Tiberias;—throbbing under the morning sun that kisses the brow of Mt. Hermon;—languishing in the afternoon shades of sable hills;—mingling, in her secret moods, in nooks and hollows, with murky sedgy streams;—responsive alike to the barren brindled cliffs and the fragrant sylvan spurs that are mirrored in her heart; —nursing in her bosom the volcanic fire;—reflecting her genius in baleful bogs and riant fields where the papyrus still waves its antique pennant and the oleanders bloom;—teaching her turtle doves the threnody of the years, which bring their flowers every spring to the tombs of spiritual glory and moral beauty that once graced her shores,—Gennesaret gives us, indeed, a scientific guide as well as a book of revelation. �THE SYRIAN WORLD For does she not lead us southward to the first round of the ladder of life, many hundred feet below the sea, and northward to the top, many thousand feet above it? And does she not carry us from the spiritual wilderness around her back to the divine beauty that was once transfigured before? There is in this little spfct of the world, which the scientist, the traveller and the moralist can traverse in a day, the living history of many housand years, the living miracle of Christianity, as well as the living truth of the cruelty of dogma, which is inseparable from mental sloth and human sorrow. For although in the glorious sunrise and in the glowing sunset the inner vision can still behold the prophet's chariot of fire, down in the Ghor of life, in the human abysses, is heard the sardonic laugh of Eblis. Yea, under the blue eye of Gennesaret there is a Juhannam beside which pales any of the slums of the great cities in Europe and America. There is in Tiberias a human misery that evokes no sympathy, awakens no pity j—a misery abhorrent and repellent, which praises Allah for its pillow of filth and sloth j—a miasma engendered by the resignation and hebetude that have outlived many generations. Are then the Jews of Tiberias a refutation of the spiritual truth that was revealed in their own land? Are they the embodiment, in the very cradle of Judaism and Christianity, of spiritual asphyxia and mental and moral cancer? And is the running sore without end? Or is the end coming with Zionism? Zionism, which prates of Maimonedes and Rabbi Afliba in Tiberias, and brandishes the torch of Sovietism in Tel Aviv, and raises a throne to Syndicalism in Jaffa, and applies itself assiduously to the arts and crafts in Jerusalem, while still wailing beneath a Wall of Faith hallowed by the kisses and tears of a hundred generations, does this Zionism know its own mind? If it has not an undivided purpose, a clear and single vision, how long will it be before it breaks up and is dismembered at the crossroads of the Times. There is even a communistic, an all-f or-all community near Baisan; but to Tiberias it is as barren spiritually as Nazareth and intellectually as Esdraleon. It does not contribute a mite in alms. A loaf of bread, in sooth; for the natives of Tiberias have lived and still live by bread alone. To be exact, the Lake itself is one of their many benefactors. It contributes their principal �I___^ NOVEMBER, 1928 fjf j' I 7 food—fish. I wonder if that is why its population pullulates. And like fish, it is insensible to Tel Aviv and Zezalel. Little wonder that the supreme heritage of Galilee is no more to Tiberias than is the oleande bloom to the fish in the lake. Aye, although all around are healing influences, beautiful scenes invoking the noblest feelings, tokens of the strivings and the triumphs of heroic souls, the ichthyophagous Tiberians continue to grope in darkness and wallow in the mires of misery and sorrow. But let us be just. A man with a carbuncle on the back of his neck can not look up to the sky. And the leper in purple has a carbuncle on the back of his neck. Take him to the settlements? He is too lazy to work. Take him to Tel Aviv, or bring Tel Aviv to him? He is too demoralized to utter a cry or to entertain a hope. Take him to the Wall? That perhaps is beter suited to his humor. But we are humanitarians and we wjuld save even those that can do nothing but weep. Very well, cut off the carbuncle. But who is going to do it? Zionism? 1 have my doubts about it. The British Mandate? I am not certain that the British think it worth the trouble. Not «^en the Arabs, methinks, will bother. For although they look upon the natives of Tiberias, of all of Palestine, as thcr brothers, alien to Zionism, they consider any interference with their lot, which is, like that of most Orientals, bound up with their religion, as contravening the fundamental principle of nationalism. The status quo of the natives of the land—Muslems and Christians and Jews—is one of the arguments of the Arab nationalists against Zionism. Tiberias, therefore, will remain what it is until its population, to drop the metaphor, ceases to pullulate. FROM THE ARABIC There are two things the true value of which is appreciated only when lost: Health and Youth. To remain silent until you are invited to speak is much better than to continue speaking until you are silenced. �THE SYRIAN WORLD 8 An Introduction to Syrian World Politics By REV. W. A. MANSUR FTiE Convocaton of the Syrian Constituent Assembly marks the formal entrance of the Syrian nation into the field of world politics. The World War brought Syria into the field of European politics, the Syrian Civil. War into Syrian national politics, and the convocation of the Syrian Constituent Assembly into world poltics. S. A. Mokarzel is right in saying, "The convocation of the Syrian Constituent Assembly, now in session in Damascus, marks the first important constructive step taken by either the Mandatory Power or the Syrians themselves in the logical course fpr the stabilization of government in Syria." (Syrian World, August, 1928} italics mine.) The birth of the new nationalism, the drafting of a constitution, and the aspiration for independence demand the study of world politics by Syrian patriots. A homogeneous nationalism is essential to the unity, stability and progress of a free people. A united patriotic spirit is fundamental to a constitution infused whit the Syrian national soul. The aspiration for independence calls for the knowledge of the history, methods and politics controlling world politics. Intelligent understanding of world politics is necessary to Syria's right thinking, rational understanding, and sound nationalism. Without it, confusion will remain in the background of the people's thinking. Without it, partisanship will govern Syrian leadership. Without it, division will continue to separate the people. Intelligent understanding of world politics will clarify the vision, unite the thinking, and create a cooperative spirit and will help toward the realization of the nation's highest purposes. I. The meaning of World Politics, its power in international relations, and its relation to Syria are vital to Syria's progressive nationalism. The meaning of world politics should be the first lesson Syrians should learn since Syria's entrance into the field of world CO H a < CO < �TIBERIAS AND ITS LAKE Prevailing Conditions in this ancient town of Palestine fall under the merciless indictment of Ameen Rihani. ��NOVEMBER, 1928 9 politics. It is a new lesson for the masses. It is highly technical, unfamiliar, and perplexing. It demands serious thinking, patient study, and careful application. "World politics is the science of government as practiced in international relations, under the influence of real or fancied interests in other than neighboring countries or those with which relations of reciprocal advantage are naturally maintained," says Herbert Adams Gibbons in "Introduction to World Politics.." Referring to the nations he says, "But when they become friends or enemies because of rivalry for political influence and economic advantages in regions where their aim is to enjoy, exclusively if possible, the fruits of economic imperialism, friends and enemies are made, not by natural affinities or by good or evil done *•„ each other, but by considerations of world politics." Lord Cromer tells us in his "Modern Egypt" of the spirit, methods and aims as practiced in world politics. Writing of semicivilized countries where rulers possess incomplete sovereign rights, "In such countries, some European Powers have interests which they wish to safeguard without arousing the jealousy of their rivals by too open an assertion of strength, whilst others are let to claim a seat at the international table in order to assert their political existence and to remind the world that their interests, albeit they are of relatively slight importance, cannot be altogether neglected.." The knowledge of the history of world politics is vital to the Syrian nation. Syrians should familiarize themselves with the foreign policies of France, England, Italy, Russia, the United States and other nations. This will guide Syria's foreign policies, unite Syria's leadershhip, and create a more intelligent nationalism among the people. II. The realization of Syria's geographical -position is necessary to Syria's international relations, political life, and national progress. A study of the world map will show the strategic position of Syria. The importance of this fact is of first magnitude. One cannot understand Syria's history without realizing her geographical relations. Syria's political life is vitally related to her geographical situation. "The influence of the strategic position occupied by these lands of the Near East is not less great in the world of politics. �—-- 10 THE SYRIAN WORLD uZJl *% T WhCr the Crusade" of Western Europe turned their thoughts to the Holy City of the East, these lands haye lain at the crux of all world politics. And the very geographical position which they occupy must perforce continue them at the center of all international relationships. Just as the geographical position determines to a great extent commercial prosperity so also that same position determines political impor"Geography shapes though it does not control history ," says Basil Mathews in the "Riddle of Nearer Asia." Geography shapes the naval policy of the British Empire, the army policy of the French Republic, the foreign policy of the United States. The neglect of the geographical factor will distort the patriot's vision, misshape his international policies, and defeat his highest hopes. Consider Syria's relation to her neighbors on the North, South and East. Consider the interest of European and Asiatic nations in the international politics of these nations. Consider their military and economic interest. Giving the geographical factor the right place in the nation's thinking will largely determine the spirit of its nationalism, the nature of its constitution, thd needs of the nation, and its relations to other nations." III. There must be an understanding of the nature of the interest of European powers in Syria, their mutual agreements regarding the Near East, and the controlling policies of each nation. "Ideals and sentiments of humanity have no place in world politics," says Gibbons in "Introduction to World Politics.." _ The following is a graphic portrayal of Europe's interest in the Near East: "Because the Suez Canal is the route to India, uif «Sn xeTstabl^shed herself ^ Egypt," says William H. Hall in The Near East, Cross Road of the World.." "Because Russia threatened to overrun Persia and encroach upon India the British must needs exercise a controlling influence in southern Persia an dthe Persian Gulf. Because all her northern ports were icebound for half the year, and her only outlet to the south was through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, which were dominated by Constantinople, Russia planned and intrigued and fought for the possession of that city and its adjacent territory. France, Italy, and Greece each marked out for themselves colo- �NOVEMBER, 1928 n nies in Syria and Asia Minor which they wanted when the day of division should come. And Germany and Austria, conceiving their great strategy of a central empire from the North Sea to the Persian Gulf, became profoundly interested in playing the diplomatic game at the Sublime Porte. "Each nation has already secured in one or more of these Eastern lands some special commercial right, some railway, harbor, or mining concession, and each had, little by little, fixed its hold on the particular territory which to it seemed especially desirable." Underneath the attitudes and movements of European Powers is their personal ambition. The history of European nations supports this assertion. It is useless to consider religion, philanthropy, democracy when the pages of history are replete with the imperialism of the nations. And what is true of Europe is likewise true of Asiatic Powers. The basis of the interest of the nations in Syria is upon that of conquest, Europe's "sphere of influence" policy, or that of barter or exchange. Our hope for Syria is that she may enter into mutual understanding with other nations, and such relationship to be based on an exchange of privileges, economic, military, commercial and otherwise. i IV. Thorough information regarding Europe's program of economic exploitation, its place in modern diplomacy, and its relation to Syria. Western civilization is dominated by the passion of exploitation. Three factors brought this about: Europe's increasing population, her industrial revolution, and the demand for raw material. Europe could not do this at home, so she cast wistful eyes abroad. Modern inventions and discoveries accelerated this "While one may claim that international relations have always been affected by outside interests and ambitions," says Gibbons in "An Introduction to World Politics," "it was not until the nineteenth century that Europe began to exploit the rest of the world." Economic exploitation is a first essential in the catechism of. European world politics. Peace, civilization, religion, are secondary factors in her program of exploiting the rest of the world. . a How does this European program of exploitation attect the �12 THE SYRIAN WORLD Syrian nation? George Adam Smith says in "Syria and the Holy Land": "We can feel the acuteness of the problems which thus arise in her administration. They have been complicated by the political envies and intrigues of half Asia and all Europe." And William H. Hall writes of the breakup of the Near East: "Out of this jumble of foreign influence and exploitation—." The Syrian nation must face these realities. These influences must form a vital chapter in Syria's primer of national as well as world politics. They influence her law-making body, her economic policies, and her international relations. The hope of Syria lies in adequate tariff regulations, developing agriculture and dairying, and the establishment of relations that will develop the nation's resources. The happiness of the Syrian people depends on the nation's economic program. Syrian economists should bend every effort to bring about such economic conditions which will make for better living, create new opportunities, and lead to economic independence. V. The Syrian nation must remember the importance of the influences of western institutions ufon her civilization, politics, and education. The West is seeking to infuse the East with its civilization. Its religious, educational and political institutions are scattered throughout the Near East. The West is in practical control of the greater part of the East. The West is trying to "reform" the East. This has come to be a studied, planned, and working program of the West. "In the East, we are attempting to put new wine into old bottles," Lord Cromer quotes Bagehot in "Modern Egypt," "to pour what we can of a civilization whose spirit is progress into a form of civilization whose spirit is fixity; and whether we succeed or not is perhaps the most interesting question in an age abounding almost beyond example in questions of political interest JJ * The renaissance which took place in Europe is now taking place in the Near East. The Syrian race is welcoming every influence that will make for the rebirth of the Syrian people. The reawakening of the Syrian consciousness, the revival of man's powers, and the desire for progress is now going on. The Syrian nation will appropriate from every racial and national culture that which will make for its own betterment. �NOVEMBER, 1928 M The problems of the Syrian nation will rise out of the attempt to adapt the new amidst the old, and adjust the old to the new. The dangers will rise when reforms are made at too quick a pace. But the Syrian is talented in the art of adaptability. The problems of the West are becoming the problems of the East: suffrage, child labor, tariff and taxation, agriculture, education, law observance, capital and labor. Talcott Williams says in an Introduction to Philip K. Hitti's "The Syrians in America": "Syria and Syrians constitute the first land and the first people in Southwestern Asia who have entered into modern civilization. They stand alone in this. If Syria were an islanded land, instead of being for four thousand years a thoroughfare of conquering peoples, swept by many tides, it would be, in its place, as striking an example of progress as Japan." With the aid, experience, and example of Western leadership, Syria will be better able to guide herself to national progress, prosperity and happiness. VI. The contributions of history and integral elements in Syria's national life, in European world -politics, and of Syria's future. We must ever remember that history is a live thing in world politics, especially Syria's world politics. To understand the Syrian soul one must know Syria's history, her relation to other nations, her religious makeup, her geographical position, her great characters, her contributions to mankind. Let us throw into bold relief one historical element whose many ill influences remain to plague the Syrian race. "The Crusades, in reality the first of those imperialistic ventures that Europe sent out to despoil and appropriate the earth, soon came to be as much commercial as religious enterprises," says J. H. Randall in "The Making of the Modern Mind." Because history is alive there are perpetuated many evil influences in Syria's national life, in Europe's schemes and ambitions, and in the nation's thinking. Let us remember that religion is the major problem in Syria's thinking: educationally, politically and socially. There are the following situations: the relation of Christianity and Mohammedanism, the relation of certain groups to European powers, the effects of the Syrian Revolution. History's living factors have fostered religious hatreds, racial animosities, and brought �THE SYRIAN WORLD NOV. about political alignments within and without the nation. A new vision has come to Syria through the rise of democracy. Religious freedom and tolerance should take the place of religious intolerance. "United we stand, divided we fall" should become the watchword of the nation. Nationalism based on welfare for the greatest number will destroy religious, racial and political hindrances to Syria's progress. A universal compulsory public school education in Syria standing for a common citizenship, common ideals, and common human aspirations will do more for the nation's unity and progress than all other efforts combined. The public school is Syria's best solution of her national problems, her economic welfare, and her future progress. The school will free Syria's youth from the ill effects of the past, create a common love for the nation, and unite the nation in worthy human welfare. "The the e that 1 jmpe: 1919 cerne 14 VII. The future of Syria's independence depends upon the cooperation within the nationy Europe's world politicsy and Syria's geographical location. Syria's political future depends upon three factors: the unity of the nation, Europe's diplomacy, and Syria's geographical location. The greatest of these is Syria's geographical location. It is the most important, vital, and critical factor. Without thorough mastery of the geographical factor Syria's political leadership, her foreign policies, and her progress will always be found wanting. "Syria is so placed," J. L. Myers quotes M. Maspero in "The Dawn of History," "that it cannot be independent except on condition that it has no powerful neighbors." This is the key to a wholesome Syrian nationalism, successful economic policies, and agreeable foreign relations. Is absolute independence of Syria politically possible under the present world conditions? The question of Syria's independence is provocative of profound political thinking. Facing us are four factors in Europe's world politics. "First, "When Turkey joined the Central Empires," says Gibbons in "Introduction to World Politics," "the Entente powers were free to use the weapon of self-determination as a war measure to destroy the integrity of the Ottoman Empire." Second, "If Turkey had to go by the board there would be no emancipation of subject races, but a division of the Ottoman Empire into spheres of influences." Third, worL ing r greal and pend best �NOVEMBER, 1928 ; 1$ "The secret treaty of London marked the abandonment, before the end of the first year of the war, of the generous idealism that had seemed to make the conflict of principles rather than of imperialistic aims." Fourth, "The treaties signed at Paris in 1919 and 1920 so far as most of their territorial clauses are concerned, simply fulfilled bargains made during the war." Syria is confronted with possible military invasion, Europe's world politics, and the most important period of Syria's developing nationalism. Syria's present need is a condition assuring the greatest probability of national security, peaceful independence, and material prosperity. Therefore, will Syria's absolute independence, or her association with some world power, secure the best conditions for the nation's present and future progress? Moderation Translated from the Arabic by J. D. Carlyle How oft does passion's grasp destroy The pleasure that it strives to gain? How soon the thoughtless course of joy Is doom'd to terminate in pain? When prudence would thy steps delay, She but restrains to make thee blest; Whate'er from joy she lops away, But heightens and secures the rest. Wouldst thou a trembling flame expand, That hastens in the lamp to die? With careful touch, with sparing hand, The feeding stream of life supply. But if thy flask profusely sheds A rushing torrent o'er the blaze, Swift round the sinking flame it spreads, And kills the fire it fain would raise. I �___________ 16 THE SYRIAN WORLD Tobet and Leila By DR. SALIM Y. * 1 I 1 (i ALKAZIN A RABIA, thy parched sands, had they Not been accursed and doomed to give no life Or issue yield, the blood that flowed in streams— Enriching not thy veins—would spring again, Not in the shape of grass to feed or reed To sing, but in the shape of crimson tongues That would denounce the deeds of men when they, For love of self, call right what suits their ends. Or had thy lonely hills the pow'r to speak, What sweet, heart-soothing tales our ears would hear, Of simple love—the God-created love— That stirred the hearts of hardy desert sons, And dainty maids—wild flow'rs from nature's heart, So fresh, unsoiled by human cultured touch, Or thought—sweet tales that ended happily! And what heart-rending tales of love that flared And blazed like thy fearful sun, and, like It still with its consuming heat that stirs No life but kills what life there is, hath choked The struggling hope. Of such a fate I speak:— * NOVL * Once upon a time (as Arabs would A tale begin), a struggling caravan Its weary way was picking thru the sand, Which heaved, and, shifting, piled in heaps then rolled With deadly sweep to pile anew and roll, Like to a peaceful sea when angry winds Would lash her back, her thousand heads would raise In rage, and stretch ten thousand arms and charge. Behind, no trace was left—so wipes the hand Of fate fond hopes! In front, all former trace Of man and beast was gone; yet on, and on The weary caravan pursued its wayLed by the setting sun. I n �NOVEMBER, 1928 "Howay! Howay!" The leader cried, and stopped. And every man Around him pressed, to find him gazing at A form—a man—half buried in the sand. "Not dead, he lives!" And eager, anxious men For water rushed. The swollen lips were seen To move, the eyes were opened wide, wherein The flame,—the dying flame of life, was seen To waver 'neath the chilling breath of death. A sigh, a mournful groan escaped his lips, Then words—the soul was starting on its flight From that mean cage in words: "If Leila will Salute, my bones, tho' hid beneath a pile Of stones, the greeting will return, or from My tomb a voice will surely cry Salaam!" He spoke and died. "Know ye the mkn?" one asked. "Who knows him not? Lives there the man who hath Not heard of Leila's Troubadour? AlasWho after thee shall sing of love and give His passion form and clothe it now in bright, Alluring silks, and then in gruesome shrouds; Or march it like a bride with joyful, hopeful song, Or lead it to its grave with moan and wail? There lies a bard, a lover true? Alas For song! Alas for unrequited love! Enough, and let the man that knew no rest To rest be wedded now, and may Allah Be gracious to his soul." On sea and sand Alike, the dead find grace where'er they hap To die. A hole was dug, and rocks were piled To mark the lonely grave. Long years rolled by. One day a dame on camel-back was led By horseman bold. Hard by the pile they passed. There sleeps a liar false," the husband sneered, " 'Tis he who sang mv gracious wife to fame." "And why a liar he?" "Salute that grave And prove that he who said: 'If Leila will Salute, my bones, tho hid beneath a pile 17 �18 THE SYRIAN WORLD Of stones, the greeting will return, or from My tomb a voice will surely cry Salaam!' Spake true! Now, by Allah, thou shalt salute." Then Leila: "Peace, may peace with thee abide!" Antf lo! a rustling noise, and from a hole An owl appeared and, screaming, flopped its wings And soared. The frightened camel reared and threw Its load. Thus Leila met her end, and thus The two, whom life had sternly held apart, One grave in peace received with open arms. Freedom By BENJAMIN T. HOFFIZ (Inspired by Ameen Rihani's poem published in the October issue.) Q FREEDOM, what a pow'r divine, Thou Lord and Master of our lives 5 Before thy grand and holy Shrine I pledge my spirit, soul and heart. Thy cause immortal is my joy, Thy glorious end is my desire. May thy eternal power destroy, The pow'rs infernal and their thrones. For thy beloved cause and right I fight the battle, till at last, The shouts of victory with delight Shall ring throughout the universe. Awake her children strong and brave And hoist her banner 'neath the stars! Fear not the battle, nor the grave And crown the queen of freedom high. O torch divine, our souls inflame And fill our lives with pow'r and grace, O set the hearts of men aflame That all may worship at thy Shrine. �19 NOVEMBER, 1928 Books and Authors A NEW LIFE OF CHRIST BY A SYRIAN AUTHOR Jesus, the Son of Man, by Kahlil Gibran, New York. A. Knopf, 216 pp. Alfred $3.50. TO call the new book of Kahlil Gibran a life of Christ would be a misapplication of the term. The book is not a chronological narration of the life of the founder of Christianity. No attempt is made by the author to analyze disputed facts or clear obscure circumstances surrounding the life or the actions of Christ. In fact, the book does not concern itself with the life of Christ as such in the academic sense. And still it is a life of Christ as interpreted by His words and deeds on the tongues of many characters. In this respect it is unlike any other book that has so far appeared on the personality of Jesus, notwithstanding the multiplicity of such works in recent years. What may be said of Gibran's book is that it follows a novel scheme which is unique in its treatment. It is an attempt to portray the character of Jesus in His role of spiritual teacher as seen through many eyes from various angles and by the light of different philosophical tenets and under various spiritual reactions. For this purpose the author calls on seventy-seven characters, friends and foes alike, men and women of all nationalities who were contemporaries of Christ and had occasion to see Him or hear of Him. The final character is the author himself who sings the virtues of Jesus in a masterly poem, rather a prayer, well befitting the mood of a spirit which would interpret the words and the deeds of the Great Master. "Jesus the Son of Man" is the culmination of the work ot Gibran in what appears to be his preconceived scheme originating with The Madman (1918), continuing in The Forerunner (1920) and leading to his great work The Prophet (1923) With every succeeding work Gibran made progressive amplification ot his theme. And as he proceeded an ever increasing number of admirers followed with tense interest his steady development until it could be safely said that with the publication of The Prophet he was well intrenched in the high esteem of thousands of readers �20 THE SYRIAN WORLD not only in America but throughout the world. The Prophet enjoys the distinction of having been translated into more than twenty languages. His latest book may well be destined to enjoy just as much if not more popularity. No review, no matter how lengthy, could give an adequate evaluation of this latest monumental work of our great Syrian author. Each chapter may be termed a book in itself, so charged are the words with weighty meaning and inspirational import. For not alone has he attempted to give the impressions of the different characters on Jesus, but he has also gone to the extent of paraphrasing the words of the Master Himself. In the chapter on "The Sermon on the Mount" there are many deviations from the accepted dogmatic text as adopted by the Christian churches both in the Sermon and in the Lord's Prayer. In this as well as in many other instances Gibran interprets the words of Jesus in terms of his own. This may not meet with the sanction of the custodians of the Christian faith, but, although failing to abide by the strict dictates of dogma and even avoiding any reference to the divinity of Jesus, Gibran's interpretation cannot be said to detract from the spiritual apppreciation of Jesus' character. Rather, in his own conception, it tends to enhance it in the light of modern spiritual development. The literary quality of this latest book of Gibran is in the author's well known masterly style. It is his rare gift to be able to clothe his meaning in words that have the rhythmic sound of music. It is unnecessary to single out any particular passage for illustration, because the whole book bears the stamp of the master's consummate technique. The book contains thirteen illustrations in the famous Gibran style, two of which are in color. The publisher's claim that "for the first time in twenty centuries a countryman of Jesus of Nazareth writes of His words and His deeds" holds true only if we take into consideration the patently novel nature of the work. In other respects the claim could not be substantiated nor do we believe it is so meant. For the Disciples were of His Countrymen as were the Fathers of the church, who not only wrote and spoke of His words and deeds, but carried His message to the ends of the earth. Their role, it may be explained, plausibly enough, was that of commentators and apostles. They accepted the divinity of Christ and believed implicitly in the revelation of His words. His person was so sacred �21 NOVEMBER, 1928 I that they would consider only the divine in Him and almost overlooked the human side. This is the direct opposite of Gibran's conception of Jesus in his latest work wherein the Master is treated wholly from the side of His divinely human qualities, hence the qualification, JESUS, The Son of Man. Indicative of the spiritual stimulus in which the work was conceived, and revealing the author's true appreciation of the character of Jesus, is the closing chapter which is here reproduced in full. A MAN FROM LEBBANON NINETEEN CENTURIES AFTERWARD By KAHLIL GIBRAN Decorations by the Author. Master, Master Singer, Master of words unspoken, Seven times was I born, and seven times have I died Since your hasty visit and our brief welcome. And behold I live again, Remembering a day and a night among the hills, When your tide lifted us up. Thereafter many lands and many seas did I cross, And wherever I was led by saddle or sail Your name was prayer or argument. Men would bless you or curse you; The curse, a protest against failure, The blessing, a hymn of the hunter Who comes back from the hills With provision for his mate. �22 THE SYRIAN WORLD Your friends are yet with us for comfort and support, And your enemies also, for strength and assurance. Your mother is with us 5 I have beheld the sheen of her face in the countenance of all mothers j Her hand rocks cradles with gentleness, Her hand folds shrouds with tenderness. And Mary Magdalen is yet in our midst, She who drank the vinegar of life, and then its wine. And Judas, the man of pain and small ambitions, He too walks the earth j Even now he preys upon himself when his hunger finds naught else, And seeks his larger self in self-destruction. And John, he whose youth loved beauty, is here, And he sings though unheeded. And Simon Peter, the impetuous, who denied you that he might live longer for you, He too sits by our fire. He may deny you again ere the dawn of another day, Yet he would be crucified for your purpose, and deem himself unworthy of the honor. And Caiphas and Armas still live their day, And judge the guilty and the innocent. They sleep upon their feathered bed Whilst he whom they have judged is whipped with the rods. And the woman who was taken in adultery, She too walks the streets of our cities, And hungers for bread not yet baked, And she is alone in an empty_ house. And Pontius Pilatus is here also: He stands in awe before you, And still questions you, But he dares not risk his station or defy an alien raceAnd he is still washing his hands. NOV. Even Andl Mast Mast They And A sig Buti Youi And Thei And Age And The The Wit! Nay The The And The Anc Ma The The Yet Th( Th< An< �NOVEMBER, 1928 23 Even now Jerusalem holds the basin and Rome the ewer, And betwixt'the two a thousand thousand hands would be washed to whiteness. Master, Master Poet, Master of words sung and spoken, They have builded temples to house your name, And upon every height they have raised your cross, A sign and a symbol to guide their wayward feet, But not unto your joy. Your joy is a hill beyond their vision, And it does not comfort them. They would honor the man unknown to them. And what consolation is there in a man like themselves, a man whose kindliness is like their own kindliness, A god whose love is like their own love, And whose mercy is in their own mercy? They honor not the man, the living man, The first man who opened His eyes and gazed at the sun With eyelids unquivering. Nay, they do not know Him, and they would not be like Him. They would be unknown, walking in the procession of the unknown. They would bear sorrow, their sorrow, And they would not find comfort in your joy. Their aching heart seeks not consolation in your words and the song thereof. And their pain, silent and unshapen, Makes them creatures lonely and unvisited. Though hemmed about by kin and kind, They live in fear, uncomraded; Yet they would not be alone. They would bend eastward when the west wind blows. i They call you king, And they would be in your court. �24 THE SYRIAN WORLD They pronounce you the Messiah, And they would themselves be anointed with the holy oil. Yea, they would live upon your life. Master, Master Singer, Your tears were like the showers of May, And your laughter like the waves of the white sea. When you spoke your words were the far-off whisper of their lips when those lips should be kindled with fire; lou laughed for the marrow in their bones that was not yet ready for laughter j And you wept for their eyes that yet were dry. Your voice fathered their thoughts and their understanding. Your voice mothered their words and their breath. Seven times was I born and seven times have I died, And now I live again, and I behold you, . The fighter among fighters, The poet of poets, King above all kings;, A man half-naked with your road-fellows. Every day the bishop bends down his head When he pronounces your name. • And every day the beggars say: "For Jesus' sake Give us a penny to buy bread." We call upon each other, But in truth we call upon you, Like the flood tide in the spring of our want and desire, And when our autumn comes, like the ebb tide, High or low, your name is upon our lips, The Master of infinite compassion. Master, Master of our lonely hours, Here and there, betwixt the cradle and the coffin, I meet your silent brothers, The free men, unshackled, �I JESUS THE SON OF MAN Frontispiece of Kahlil Gibran's New Book of the Same Title. ��NOVEMBER, 1928 25 Sons of your mother earth and space. They are like the birds of the sky, And like the lilies of the field. They live your life and think your thoughts, And they echo your song. But they are empty-handed, And they are not crucified with the great crucifixion. And therein is their pain. The world crucifies them every day, But only in little ways. The sky is not shaken, They are crucified and there is none to witness their agony. And the earth travails not with her dead. They turn their face to right and left And find not one to promise them a station in his kingdom. Yet they would be crucified again and yet again, That your God may be their God, And your Father their Father. Master, Master Lover, The Princess awaits your coming in her fragrant chamber, And the married unmarried woman in her cage; The heart of the world quivers with the throbbing of your heart, And the nun in her cloister who has no husband j The childless woman too at her window, Where frost designs the forest on the pane, She finds you in that symmetry, And she would mother you, and be comforted. Master, Master Poet, Master of our silent desires, The heart of the world quivers with the throbbing of your heart, But it burns not with your song. The world sits listening to your voice in tranquil delight, But it rises not from its seat To scale the ridges of your hills. �1 26 THE SYRIAN WORLD Man would dream your dream but he would not wake to your dawn, Which is his greater dream. He would see with your vision, But he would not drag his heavy feet to your throne. Yet many have been enthroned in your name And mitred with your power, And have turned your golden visit Into crowns for their head and sceptres for their hand. Master, Master of Light, ' Whose eye dwells in the seeking fingers of the blind, You are still despised and mocked, A man too weak and infirm to be God, A God too much man to call forth adoration. Their mass and their hymn, Their sacrament and their rosary, are for their imprisoned self. You are their yet distant self, their far-off cry, and their passion. But Master, Sky-heart, Knight of our fairer dream, You do still tread this day; Nor bows nor spears shall stay your steps. You walk through all our arrows. You smile down upon us, And though you are the youngest of us all You father us all. Poet, Singer, Great Heart, May our God bless your name, And the womb that held you, and the breasts that gave you milk. And may God forgive us all. �NOVEMBER, 1928 27 The Sage of Washington Street ON THE MARRIAGE PROBLEM AMONG SYRIANS By A. HAKIM ]W[Y first impression of my friend the sage on my last visit to him was that the greatest experiment in life seemed to hold for him no terrors. Not that he appeared to fail in appreciating its great significance and import, for he is already married and boasts a large brood. But to him, whom I know to be a steadfast exponent of optimism in life, the woes of a bad situation could be lessened by one's predisposition to cheerfulness, just as they could be magnified to a harmful degree if allowed to have their sway unchecked. By the same process of reasoning, according to his philosophy, a little beam of joy could be made into a radiant sun with the same cheerful disposition and a little straining of the imagination. On this last visit the conversation revolved on the subject of matrimony in general and the marriage problem among the Syrians in particular. The occasion was propitious and the subject suggested itself spontaneously. The sage, on this occasion, appeared in unusually buoyant spirits. I had stood at the door for some time observing his actions before he became aware of my presence, and the expressions of his face, even his every movement, suggested cheerfulness bordering on hilarity. At times he would hum a gleeful tune, and then would veer to whistling. There was spring in his step and even the snapping of the cord with which he was tying the numerous small packages pyramidically piled on the counter in front of him was in rhythm with his vocal music. Perhaps he fancied himself a conductor wielding his baton to an imaginary orchestra represented by the pile of packages. He was a little abashed when he became conscious of my presence but soon regained his composure. He hastened to assure me that he was practically done with his work and that my visit should by no means be construed as an intrusion. "You see," he explained, "this is intended for local delivery and needs no further attention. And, what is more, it is intended for imme- �28 THE SYRIAN WORLD diate consumption. The event will take place in but a few days." I showed by my attitude of curiosity that I would welcome any further explanation which he may volunteer, and he was not slow to understand. "You must be curious to know," he said, "the reason for my extraordinary jubilation while I am engaged in the drudgery of my everyday task. Let me explain to you, in the first place, that this has not been an ordinary task. It has been a special and very pleasant task which gives joy to the heart and strength to the arm. It is concerned with some approaching wedding festivities, and these packages contain the mulabbas, codami, salted nuts and seeds, etc., which are requisites to the auspicious celebration of the happy event. As for myself, I take joy in preparing the means of other people's enjoyment as much, or even more, as if I were participating in them myself. And especially is this particular occasion cause for deep satisfaction. It is a perfect love match between a well mated couple—both parties being of the same standard of breeding and culture and well adapted to face together the problems of life in perfect understanding and cooperation. Unlike many other matches between Syrian couples, this was not brought about by mere parental arrangement. The daughter was not treated like so much chattel totally subservient to the will of her father and mother. Old customs in the case of this couple were completely ignored and the modern method of personal choice, with the sanction and approval of the parents, was accepted and acted upon. I dare venture the prediction that this will be an ideal marriage because the couple involved are acting in full realization of the step they are taking." Not with any intention to contradict him, but merely to draw from him a further elucidation of the point he referred to as marriage of personal choice and not of parental arrangement, I asked him if he were alluding to any particular cases which stood out in bold contrast with this apparently perfect match. I well realized that in our period of transition brought about by our sudden transplantion from one soil to another, there had been curious instances of marriage by arrangement. But realizing the wealth of information our sage had stored through many years of observation and experience, I was anxious to hear from him his own account of his reactions on this acute Syrian problem. I felt sure that his analysis would be both original and interesting. "We must realize," he began by way of introduction," that �NOVEMBER, 1928 29 all our traditions lean heavily to the side of restricting women in their personal liberties. Women throughout the East, especially in countries influenced by Moslem teachings and customs, are rigorously secluded in their homes, forbidden to meet strangers of the other sex, and when compelled to appear in public are required to be heavily veiled. It is only in these latter years that a movement has been inaugurated for the emancipation of women in the East, but when this is brought about we may rest assured that it will not be with the sanction of the older generation of conservatives, but rather in spite of them. We can imagine the bitter struggle that is bound to ensue between the two opposing factions before the old system dies out and the new one establishes itself. Already women appearing unveiled in some cities of Syria are being insulted by some zealots who even throw acid on them to disfigure them. In some instances, although very rare, men relatives resort to extreme measures to vent their resentment on their women folks whom they accuse of acts of impropriety not in accord with their own conception of the ethics of conduct. And these acts would not come from husbands, but even from fathers and brothers. Such are the stringent moral rules laid down by men on women in the East. "Now these customs had their inception in special conditions surrounding the life of nomadic tribes thousands of years back. Why they persist is because living conditions in the East have been extremely slow in changing. Perhaps this same reason will cause the prevalence of such customs in those sections where the influence of modern civilization is slow in penetrating for a long time to come. "This is by way of explanation of the origin and the cause of persistence of such customs in the East. But why such customs should prevail amongst us in America may be a source of wonderment to some of us. This is easy of explanation. You cannot effect a transition from one extreme to another without the painful travail of readjustment. The old generation still believes in the conventional modesty of women and resent any manifestation to the contrary. In their advocacy of modesty few there are who would disagree with them. But many are they who disagree with this class in their definition of the term. This is altogether relative. Where a man of the East would consider it immodest, even immoral, for a woman to uncover her face, a man of the West sees nothing immodest in a woman displaying her legs. And our �30 THE SYRIAN WORLD men of the older generation in America find themselves in the uncomfortable position of having to discover a middle course between these two extremes. "From these deep-rooted traditions springs the custom of marriage by arrangement. The father sincerely believes that he is acting in the best interest of his daughter when he promises her in marriage to a man of his own choice. He is still acting on the assumption that a woman's lot in life is to look after the well-being of her lord and master and enjoy whatever comforts he is able to provide. To him any idea of independence on the part of the girl is rebellion. She would have her promptings to independent action, he reasons, only by such motives as would spring from perversion and lead to dishonor. And this is in diametric opposition to all Eastern conception of modesty. "I have been witness to so many pathetic marriages of arrangement among our people that I rejoice over seeing the consummation of a perfect love match where every requisite of training, breeding and general outlook on life points to ultimate compatibility. Not that I place all our marriages in this class, but it must be certainly admitted that sufficient of this type still takes place that it may be rightly called a racial problem." I began to form a clearer idea of the object of the sage in going into such details in laying the ground work for his argument. He must, I thought, be having in mind the fact that New York had become the notorious matrimonial ntert of a certain class of our countrymen in quest of brides. I would not, however, prompt him to the discussion of any specific idea, but confined myself to a request for more detailed information. "The prevalent custom in our mother country," he ventured to explain, "had been, up to,the time of my departure, the timehonored tradition of agreement between the parents on the marriage of their children. They were rare instances, indeed, where especially a girl thought of marrying against the wishes of her parents. The father's choice of a mate must be deemed the best and only choice. The girl, in defying parental authority, ran the risk of becoming a social outcast. And we should bear in mind that in the quasi-patriarchal life the Syrians still live in their native country, defiance of paternal authority meant disinheritance and grave distress. This applies more forcefully to the son, and where opportunities for gaining a livelihood are so �NOVEMBER, 1928 31 meagre, it can be readily seen how difficult it must be for one to take the drastic step. "Now here in America we are not confronted with such an economic problem. The wealth of our immigrants was gained through sheer industry and personal initiative. Inheritance is no longer a factor in our marriage problem. "But other factors still remain to be reckoned with, principal among which is our consciousness of class which manifests itself in obnoxious fashion among some of our newly rich. Then there is the dilemma of inter-racial marriage which is becoming all the more acute in proportion to the progress of the evolutionary process which we are undergoing in our soil of transplantation. And not least is the economic element which seems in these latter days to be hopelessly entangled with our marriage problem. All these should be considered from a new angle and in the light of our gradual adaptation to our new surroundings. For it is necessary to constantly keep in mind the fact that we are still in the transitory, evolutionary stage. We remain the first generation immigrants and neither has our stay been of sufficiently long duration to bring about a complete acclimatization, nor has the young generation become numerous and influential enough to cause the engulfing of the old in the invading tide of the new. "But this indecisive state is the most dangerous state. It may spell disaster if the course of our readjustment to our new surroundings is so shaped as to lead to a safe and beneficial result. Now in particular is the time when our every energy should be bent to steer clear of degrading and deteriorating influences and direct the course of our racial evolution in such channels as will be productive of the best results for our own kind and for the nation of which we have become a part. Marriage, which is the foundation of happy family life, which in turn is the basis of the prosperity and progress of the nation, should be our principal concern in our present stage of transition. For upon the outcome of our efforts along this direction will depend either the improvement of the status of the race or its deterioration. A careful analysis should be made of the situation and constructive recommendations made as to the correction of whatever deficiencies may be found to exist. I have long wished for some able1 leader or patriotically inspired organization to deal with this problem in the serious manner it deserves. This is a question that should be to us of the most vital importance, and what I �32 THE SYRIAN WORLD observe almost every day of the serious consequences of our present aimless course in regard to this serious matter makes me all the more convinced of the imperativeness of immediate action." By this time I fully realized the large scope of vision of our sage in dealing with this problem. I could not help but admire his patriotic spirit and his earnest solicitude for the welfare of the race. His buoyant spirit which I first observed now revealed to me the true cause of his happiness over what he termed the consummation of a perfect match. It was a case where he felt that such matches, being unmistakable omens of happy homes, meant the addition of solid constructive elements in the body social of the nation. I could further see that although he was readily susceptible to manifestations of joy over matters which conformed to his ideals, he was, none the less, deeply conscious of the serious nature of our social problems and earnest in dealing with them. Our conversation having run its regular course of time, and realizing that I could draw from our sage further valuable observations on the marriage problem which he seemed to deem of such fundamental importance, I asked the privilege of a further and more detailed discussion on the subject at a later date. This he promised to do and I in turn promise to report it in due time. SUBTERFUGE Al-Yamani relates the following dialogue between the great caliph Al-Ma'Moun and a bedouin who intercepted him on one of his journeys in the outskirts of Baghdad, when Al-Ma'Moun happened to be in a sportive mood: Bedouin—O Prince, I am a true Arab. Caliph—This is not surprising. Bedouin—I wish to make the pilgrimage. Caliph—The road is wide open. Bedouin—But I have not the necessary expense. Caliph—Then you are under no obligation. Bedouin—I am asking your assistance and not your legal opinion. The caliph laughed heartily and rewarded him. �( NOVEMBER, 1928 M 33 Economic Recovery in Syria Based on reports from Vice Consul Paul H. Ailing, Beirut; Consul Harry L. Troutman, Aleppo; Consul J. H. Kelly, Jr., and Clerk D. F. McGonigal, Damascus. (Note—This survey covers the year 1927 and is taken from Commerce Reports of September 24, 1928. While present economic conditions in the country may not be as healthy as those of last year, this summary of consular reports should be found of value in following up the fluctuations of conditions in the country) f "THE year 1927 in Syria was one of general recovery from the depression of 1926. Foreign trade showed a marked expansion, agricultural returns were fairly satisfactory, and industries were active. Exchange improved, and larger budget expenditures are anticipated for productive purposes. Preliminary data for 1927 indicate that the harvests were generally equal to those of the previous year, though certain cereals, especially wheat, are reported to have fared less favorably than other crops. The fruit crops were better than in 1926, and production of cocoons is estimated at 3,200 metric tons as compared with 3,160 metric tons in the previous year. Reports of agricultural returns from the Damascus district were more favorable than from the other regions, owing to the more stable conditions in that territory. The planting of mulberry trees, many of which were cut down during the war, continued at a satisfactory rate. Leading industries registered a general improvement over 1926, especially for textiles in Aleppo and Damascus. The tanning industry also reported a more favorable year. Syria is primarily an agricultural country, but the increased demand for the products of these small establishments is a favorable indication of the gradual return of the country to more stable conditions, following the unsettled period of 1925 and 1926. The credit situation was less stringent than in 1926. Although difficulties were encountered by textile importers in Beirut in meeting payments, because of the appreciation of the Italian lira, in general, a gradual expansion of normal credit operations was noted. The discount rate in Damascus varied from 6y2 per cent to �34 THE SYRIAN WORLD 12 per cent, while in Beirut it ranged between 9 and 10 per cent throughout the year. The budget for 1927 showed a balance of receipts and expenditures at 1,508,630 Syrian-Lebanese gold pounds (1 gold pound equals 20 gold francs); the total for the States under the mandate amounted to 2,775,790 Syrian gold pounds. For 1928 the budget of Syria is balanced at 2,343,608 Syrian gold pounds, the total for the mandated territory being 3,881,898 Syrian gold pounds. The increase over 1927 is accounted for by expenditures from special funds for productive purposes, especially along agricultural lines. The Syrian pound (£S), which is based on the French franc and is the official currency of the country, averaged $0,785 in 1927 as against $0,648 in 1926. The Turkish gold pound (£T), which circulates principally in Damascus, was quoted as low as $4.32 (par $4.40). Considerable road construction work was undertaken during the year, particularly in the northern parts of the country. This work was made possible through the release of funds collected fpin customs duties and set aside to guarantee payment of the portion of the Ottoman public debt allotted to Syria. Important construction during the year included a road between Latakia and Aleppo. Beginning with the second quarter of 1927, automobile traffic throughout the Damascus district became practically normal, following the military disturbances in this region. Shipping statistics for 1927 show a slight increase in tonnage over 1926. There visited Syrian ports in 1927 a total of 820 steam and 2,283 sailing vessels of 1,830,363 aggregate tons as against 817 steam and 2,343 sailing vessels, of 1,768,744 aggregate tons, in the previous year. Foreign trade during 1927 showed a marked expansion over the previous year, but with a slightly larger adverse balance. Imports amounted to $50,300,000, as compared with $41,055,000 in 1926, an increase of 22.5 per cent; exports totaled $21*4-86,000 against $17,652,000, or 21.7 per cent increase. The increase in imports is accounted for principolly by larger purchases of cotton and cotton goods, livestock, industrial oils, and metal manufactures. Increased shipments of cereals and olive oil were chiefly responsible for the better showing in exports. �NOVEMBER, 1928 1 : 35 France displaced Palestine as the leading country of destin? tion for exports and re-exports, taking 15.8 pepr cent (14.7 in 1926) of the total; the United States was next, with 13.5 per cent (12.8); Palestine, with 13.3 per cent (16.7); and Egypt, with 11.5 (15.3). France was again the chief source of imports, furnishing 15 per cent (19.9 in 1926) of the total; it was followed by England with 13.9 (13.6); Turkey, with 9.6 (9.5); Italy, with 9.4 (11); and the United States, with 6.8 (7.3). Imports from the United States in 1927 were valued at $3,431,000, as against $2,987,000 in 1926, an increase of 14.8 per cent. Automobiles and accessories, agricultural apparatus, textiles, and petroleum products constituted the principal imports. Exports to the United States had a total value of $2,905,886, as against $2,261,580 in 1926. As declared through the American consulates, exports to the United States totaled $3,690,000, against $2,890,000 in 1926. Exports consisted chiefly of wool, licorice root, sausage casings, and nuts. THE VALUE OF A REPUTATION A nomad bedouin once sought the hospitality of Hatem, reputed to be the most generous among Arabs, and for some particular reason Hatem refused to entertain him. The bedouin had to spend the night in the open hungry and cold. In the morning the bedouin mounted his camel and rode away. But Hatem intercepted him and askd where he had spent the night and how he had fared. And the bedouin replied: "Last night I was the guest of Hatem who slaughtered a shecamel for me and provided me with the utmost of convenience and offered me the best of wines." Then Hatem said: "I am Hatem and you shall return with me and enjoy all that which you have described. But you must tell me your reason for having deliberately lied in this manner." Said the bedouin: "Your fame for generosity has gone far and wide throughout the land. If I were to recount my true experience people would not only ridicule me but would perhaps treat me with violence. It is, therefore, not for your sake but for my own safety that I would not attempt to discredit your reputation." �36 THE SYRIAN WORLD Can We Retain Our Heritage? A CALL TO FORM A FEDERATION OF SYRIAN SOCIETIES By SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL QURING the past two years there has been increasing evidence of a healthy awakening of racial consciousness among the younger generation of Syrians in the United States. From every section of the country comes news of the formation of new societies of our young people among both sexes. Where once there had been a suspicion of indifference, even hesitancy and reluctance to admit ^ one's racial extraction, we have in these societies proof positive that our young generation is beginning to show genuine pride in its origin. The truth seems to have dawned upon our youth that while it is the duty of every loyal American to hold America first in his or her love and esteem, there is no travesty on one's Americanism to know and to proclaim one's extraction. After all, the American nation is a conglomeration of various racial strains. Almost every element of the human race is represented in its makeup, and because this was brought about in such a comparatively short time racial origins are still markedly defined. Rather, there has appeared insidious attempts by one so-called element at monopolizing all the credit and all the honor for contributing all that there is virile and worth-while in the American nation. And by imputation, even by plain accusation, they ascribe to other racial strains all that is apprehensible in America. It is a destructive policy which this element, in its blind selfishness and narrow-minded views, fails to appreciate its harmful results. But we Syrians, as well as other races who are not classed among the so-called Nordics, want to prove that we are a valuable element in the composition of the American nation. We want to claim our rightful place and to express our resentment at the imputation of inferiority. The ultimate result of such a policy is bound to react to a better understanding and homogeneity in the American nation. It is much more constructive Americanism than that advocated by that short-visioned class who arrogantly claim the country as exclusively their own, and would �NOVEMBER, 1928 37 seek to substitute hatred and class prejudice for cooperation and understanding. The broad purpose underlying the establishment of SyrianAmerican societies is, therefore, to help bring about this understanding. It would help us first understand ourselves where this understanding has heretofore been woefully lacking. Our young generation had not in the past what it is now beginning to show of its appreciation of its splendid background. This was a negative situation which not only did not help to breed self-respect, but rather tended to destroy it. A correction of this condition seems imperative, and one of the proper methods of approach to such a result is the encouragement of cooperative action through the establishment of organized bodies. Once this result is achieved substantial progress could be made toward taking the next logical step which would be to diffuse knowledge of our race, through the coordinated, collective efforts of these societies, among the general body of the American nation. Nothing nobler than such a purpose could be conceived in view of the expected beneficial results. Then it would be that we will not feel ourselves secluded and misunderstood and misjudged, nor would Americans remain in that state of ignorance about us as to cause their resultant lack of appreciation of us. Ignorance fosters fear and mistrust. America, above any other country in the world, needs the cementing influence of mutual understanding among her heterogenous elements. There are already some organized bodies, fostered by far-visioned, benevolently disposed Americans, doing splendid constructive work along this line. This could be strengthened and brought to more fruitful results and fuller success by cooperative effort on the part of the different racial groups along the same line. The Svrians should prove themselves willing to do their part. A recent case in point may well be cited as an illustration. During the course of this year the editor of this publication was asked to attend the annual celebrations of three local Syrian societies in Connecticut, namely, in Torrington, Waterbury and New London. In each case the Mayor, members of the City Council, judges, newspaper representatives and prominent citizens were invited to attend. And in every case there was an unfailing response. The subject of discussion was invariably along the line of the necessity of better understanding between the Americans and the more recently immigrating racial groups. The city �h 38 THE SYRIAN WORLD officials and other representative citizens expressed in every instance their gratification at the opportunity for a better understanding of us. They hailed in us a valuable addition to the American nation. They came to know us in the light of our splendid historical background and of our recent constructive achievements in our adopted country. So it may readily be seen that it is incumbent upon us to make ourselves known in order that we may be appreciated. This was splendidly illustrated in the patriotic action of the Syrian and Lebanese societies of Connecticut. Such efforts as those mentioned above could be successfully duplicated in every city of the country. Let our people become conscious of their racial merits and claim their rightful position in the body social and politic of America. Once they fulfill this prime requisite for understanding no lawful credit would be denied them. But now a broader duty suggests itself, entailing cooperative action on a national scale. It is a plan that has been successfully followed by other racial groups and brought much power and prestige to them. It consists of forming a national federation of Syrian-American societies in the country for the purpose of promoting policies of general interests to the race as a whole. Local organizations would retain their independent status, simply adhering to the general policy of the Federation in national affairs as affiliated members. They would become the individiual units which go in the building of the general organization. Is not the time now ripe for such an effort? Judging by present indications, one is inclined to believe that it is. The numerous communications published so far in the SYRIAN WORLD prove the existence of such a tendency. What seems to be lacking is a central agency to act as a clearing house of information and interchange of ideas on the general plan. In the absence of any organized body for such a purpose, the SYRIAN WORLD willingly offers itself as this necessary medium. To this end we would submit the following propositions: 1. Every Syrian or Lebanese society in the United States, operating under whatever name but having for its purpose the promotion of the welfare of the Syrian race in America and willing to join in the proposed Federation, is requested to send in its name to the office of the SYRIAN WORLD together with what- �mmmmsm NOVEMBER, 1928 39 ever data it wishes to furnish on its objects, date of its foundation, number of its members, etc. Organizations of purely local or restricted nature, such as local church societies and others restricted in their objects to the interests of special towns, naturally could not be eligible to membership in the Federation. 2. Although there may be an expressed or implied wish to join the contemplated Federation, the responding societies are not obligated in any way by their replies. The present move is not an actual formation of the Federation, but a survey of the possibilities for a definite move towards that end. 3. From time to time a report on the progress of this preliminary work will be published in the SYRIAN WORLD, as well as any suggestions or opinions that organizations or individuals may wish to advance on whatever phase of the proposition. 4. The preliminary work of canvassing the sentiment completed, a convention would be held of the representatives of the constituent societies to form the national body and to meet at whatever place and time will be decided upon by tentatively pledged members. It is apparent from the above that for the present we are only making a bid for national unity. We are fully aware of the difficulties besetting the path of such an undertaking never before seriously attempted among the Syrians. But we have faith in the rising generation which we believe is becoming more and more conscious of the urgency of this duty. It is upon them that the task falls to carry forth the torch bequeathed to them in precious legacy by their illustrious forebears. They have a priceless heritage the maintenance of whose memory will urge them to more noble efforts if they would but develop an adequate consciousness and appreciation of its importance. Those progressive, virile societies which have so far displayed a tendency along this line may be depended upon to help carry the movement on to a successful culmination. It is the hope and the prayer of every well-wisher for the future of the race that our young generation will prove itself appreciative of the benefits of collective action and rise to the opportunity now presenting itself to it. Syrian-American clubs and societies exist almost everywhere in America and the patriotic motives prompting their formation could best be accomplished by a na- �40 THE SYRIAN WORLD tional federation. Details of organization, such as regional councils, conditions of charter and other matters could be discussed at the general convention. There is immense benefit in Syrian societies joining together in a federation such as is now proposed for bringing about the solidarity of the race, promoting its prestige and working for its more adequate understanding. There is also added benefit in the closer contact that would be inevitably established among the scattered elements of the race. Constructive propositions brought before the conventions of the federation would have a much greater chance of being acted upon where now they fail to materialize for lack of sufficient support. We would suggest that every Syrian and Lebanese society to whose attention this proposition is brought make it a subject for consideration at an early date. It is our hope that in be coming issue of the SYRIAN WORLD a substantial list of responding societies could be published. It should be realized that cooperating societies will go down in history as having built tho foundatoin of the future glory of the race. Arab Proverbs He who preaches and fails to practice is like a bow minus a string. You are known by your speech because every man is hidden underneath his tongue. The three unfailing characteristics which elicit love and admiration of a man are his fear of God, his humility and his generosity. The sweetness of success effaces the bitterness of struggle. Many a silence may be much more eloquent than speech. The worst type of man is he who becomes indifferent to the opinion of others. �41 NOVEMBER, 1928 EDITORIAL COMMENT RECOGNIZING RACIAL GROUPS their unstinted loyalty to America whether in volunteering I for active service or in subscribing to the Liberty Loans. This same condition is repeated in political campaigns when all parties bend every effort to make the most capital out of race appeals. 'THE destiny of the American nation is that of ultimattely being molded into one homogenous whole. That it is still under the necessity of recognizing racial strains is due to the fact In some sections of the counthat the rapid increase in the try certain racial strains are population ,was brought about known to predominate and the by accretion through immigraappeal for political support is tion rather than by a natural modified to suit the particular process of reproduction. The leanings or traditions of these ultimate- result will come when stocks. Secretary Hoover is sufficient time had elapsed for known to have rendered valuthe obliteration of all racial vesable aid to the war orphans of tige in the nation so that nothGermany and this is stressed to ing of the present condition will its greatest possible advantage remain except as a distant memin the Republican bid for the ory. so-called German vote. While In the meantime the existon the other hand Governor ing situation cannot be ignored. Smith is one of the outstanding Racial groups are still so sharpchampions of the application of ly defined that they are recoghuman interpretation to the ennized by the foremost exponents forcement of the law, having of amalgamation. The men in committed himself to the interwhose hands the destiny of the pretation of immigration laws nation is placed are in the vanon this basis, and this is made guard of those who appeal to the foundation of an appeal for the different racial groups on his support on the part of all the basis of their ethnological immigrants. extraction. Both Presidential candidates This condition becomes more evident in the stress of every receive representatives of racial national emergency. During groups as such and feel no scruthe war a direct appeal was ples in recognizing them and made to racial groups to prove making a direct bid for their �42 support on this basis. Both National Committees have organized bureaus at their headquarters for the prosecution of the political campaign among the different racial groups We read of rallies of citizens of certain extractions bemg sponsored by both parties and addressed by official representatives of each of the political bodies. Foreign language newspapers are allotted a share of paid campaign publicity. It may also be recalled that during the war the Federal Government of the United States deemed it necessary to institute a bureau for the promotion of war work among foreign-born citizens as a regular branch of the government. This bureau was later continued as the Interracial Council with the tacit approval of the government. THE SYRIAN WORLD tion of true American ideals through the best available methods for cooperation. And as such it should be exploited to its fullest capacity to the end of promoting understanding and insuring the bringing about of a fusion based on complete harmony and compatibility. A SYRIAN UNIVERSITY IN AMERICA pOR some time a certain visionary has been publishing a series of articles in the Arabic press of New York urging the founding.of a "Syrian University" in the United States. The idea in itself is not new. Several Syrians within the last twenty years have urged the establishment of such an educational institution. But we may In all this it is plain that there excuse earlier efforts or proposiexists a condition in America tions of this nature because of which cannot be consistently de- the peculiar psychology of the nied. It is aggravated, or rath- Syrians at the time. It may be er made more palpable, in times frankly admitted that in those of stress and national emergen- days they had not ripened into cies. If it is not manifestly en- 1 00 per cent Americans. They couraged it is at least condoned. were still laboring under the This state of affairs is bound to idea that they owed their uncontinue for an indefinite time. stinted devotion and the best of, It should, however, not be in- their loyalty to their mother terpreted as disloyalty to Amer- country and native language. ica. It should, rather, be inter- They only thought of making preted as the most natural and their fortune in haste "here" logical course for the promo- and enjoying it at leisure "over �NOVEMBER, 1928 43 evitable and accept the fact that Arabic cannot be perpetuated in America except as an academic language. Arabic is, indeed, a beautiful language full of priceless treasures, but this can be appreciated onlytii by the scholar-ri ly few. It would be preposterous to expect our young generation in America to accept it as a medium of general utility, Commenting on the proposition, Meraat-Ul-Gharb cornpromises by advocating the establishment of a chair for Arabic in one of the principal American universities. Let us explain that such facilities for learning Arabic exist in most universities and could be increased if there should develop sufficient demand to warrant such action. The fact is that To now witness the revival whatever demand there exists of such an impossible proposi- for learning Arabic does not tion as that of the establishment come from Syrian students but of an Arabic or Syrian Univer- from Americans striving for a sity in the United States may be scholastic career. indulgently looked upon as the What may be given some last gasp of a dying hope. The consideration is the establishundertaking, in the first place, ment of a center, in cooperation is too ambitious. It takes more with one of the American unithan a paltry few thousand dolversities, for Arabic culture. lars to found and endow a uniThere is already several such versity. Furthermore, the cliunits connected with Columbia, mate of America is inclement the latest addition being the for such a purely foreign establishment. Even if success Casa Italiana. Even such a project, while should be met in giving birth to nowhere as ambitious as the such a child of fancy it would founding of a whole university, soon die a miserable anaemic. We may as well admit the in- may be difficult of accomplish- there." They gave little thought to the future of their children in this country and lulled themselves into the belief that they could pattern them after their own designs. But conditions have DUL now I1UW LUliuiuuiio "»'v un•—dergone a complete change, Such designs as heretofore entertained by most Syrians in the earlier period of their immigration are now dismissed as ridiculous. There were those who still dreamed of the possibility of return even up to the close of the war, but those of this class who did return were quickly disillusioned. It took but a brief stay to convince them that the atmosphere of America was more congenial to their temperament. �44 THE SYRIAN WORLD ment. We need first to develop sufficient pride in our racial culture and traditions to prompt us to serious efforts to perpetuate them. To our mind, this latter scheme seems to be not only the most plausible but the most valuable. What may also be taken into consideration is that in such an undertaking support could be expected not only from Syrians in America but from individual Americans interested in Arabic culture and possibly from the governments of Arabic-speaking countries. HONORING OUR TALENT one of our New York Arabic dailies, suggests the celebration of Kahlil Gibran's silver jubilee as a writer. It points out that the influence of our celebrated author and artist has been such as to prompt in us a certain feeling of pride in his achievement. This pride could not be more fittingly expressed than by a public testimonial. The SYRIAN WORLD heartily subscribes1 to the above proposition. Gibran has been one of. our most potent moral forces. Honoring him is honoring ourselves and by holding a fitting public testimonial we would be expressing our due recognition ^S-SAYEH, of, and pride in, our racial talent. The sponsors of this jubilee have as yet made no announcement of any definite plan. We trust, however, that they will prosecute, the matter actively and be able to make some form of a definite announcement in the very near future. This same sense of recognition o£our native talent was in rnind^ when we planned to hold a reception to our distinguished author and traveler, Am;een Rihani, upon his return to the United States. We failed to make announcement of our intentions owing to the indefinite time of Rihani's arrival. Now that we have definite information that he is in England, and that his arrival is but a matter of weeks, we may at least make announcement of the fact tentatively. The form the reception will take and the exact date and place of holding it will be determined by circumstances following his arrival. Most probably the affair will be in the form of a banquet. Pending the formation of definite plans, however, we would invite those interested in joining a movement for honoring Mr. Rihani to communicatte with the office of the SYRIAN WORLD so that they may be advised directly of whatever plans may be> formulated. �__________*____————, 45 NOVEMBER, 1928 Spirit of the Syrian Press Under this caption we hope to present from time to time a microcosmic picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking writers who are treating the different problems that confront tha Arabicspeaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will taka no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. Our task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of the public opimion as expressed in these editorials. Bditor. ALLENBY IN NEW YORK WHERE are the sons of Jerusalem and of the hills of Judea and Galilee? Where are the inhabitants of Damascus, the Baka' plain, Horns, and Allepo ? Where are they ? And what may be the reasons that prevent them from doing honor to the deliverer of Palestine and the liberator of Syria from the yoke of the Turks? Where are the brave sons of Lebanon whose deliverance was due in part to the rapid advance of the English armies from Egypt? Why do not the immigrants in the United States coming from those countries rise to welcome and hail this great historic figure who drove the Turks beyond Allepo and delivered the country of a great scourge? The great victory of Lord Allenby may have been neutralized by later events in Syria. It may be true his deliverance of Palestine was simply in the nature of a service to the Jews. Furthermore, we cannot help but resent the perverted policy which raised the Arabs of Al-Hejaz to the position of rulers which had the effect of bringing about confusion bordering on anarchy in our country. Nev- ertheless we believe that it is incumbent upon us to do honor to the visiting Lord. To us he represents true heroism and of him it may be said that he has written his great deeds ineffaceably in the history of liberty. It is not his fault that succeeding events took an unsatisfactory course. We would, therefore, recommend that proper honor be given Lord Allenby notwithstanding the objection that Palestinians may make to the effect that the great conqueror only transferred the country from one servitude to another. We earnestly trust that they will rise above these considerations and look only at the true heroism in the man. —As-Sayeh, N. Y., Oct. 3, 1928. IN EMULATION OF COLUMBUS We do not believe in placid contentment and sterility. We are not satisfied with things as they were simply because of tradition. We are rebels against reaction in favor of progress. �46 THE SYRIAN WORLD We abide by all laws even those that we believe are not just, but those falling in the latter category we shall strive to correct or have repealed with all lawful means. We believe in those who believe in progress and the necessity of sacrifice just as Columbus believed and had the courage to declare his belief in spite of all persecution. When we celebrate Columbus Day we do honor to that great progressive spirit which had the courage to venture in search of the unknown and succeeded in discovering a veritable paradise for men. He is a humanitarian saint. The country he has discovered became populated by men whose love for liberty is a passion and whose great industry has placed them in the front rank of the nations of the world. To them it is the sterling character of the great discoverer that counts, and they do him honor regardless of the fact that he was of the Catholic faith or that his reputed parentage was Jewish and his extraction Spanish or Italian. Columbus ranks among the greatest of heavenly messengers, and it is for that reason that we celebrate his day with joy as we would the greatest among saints. Columbus succeeded in achieving victory over ignorance and superstition. He brought forth conclusive proof that he who seeks earnestly and with determination is bound to find. His case is a palpable illustration of the axiom that no difficulty can stand in the way of will power guided by knowledge. —Al-Hoda, N. Y., Oct. 11, 1928. FRENCH REINFORCEMENTS TO SYRIA We have been aware for some time of the dispatching of French reinforcements to Syria. The explanation given at the time was |that France was apprehensive of aggressive designs on the part of the Turks on the northern borders of the mandated territory. It now transpires that these reinforcements are designed to check any new move by the Syrians at rebellion. This we learned from no less a source than one of the militaristic French papers. We may hasten to assure France that Syrians contemplate no further armed clashes with disciplined and well equipped French military forces. The Syrians are sane enough to realize that they could not meet France on an equal footing on the field of battle. This, however, should be taken as no proof that they will desist from claiming their independence. This natural right for freedom is something that neither bayonets nor bullets could kill in the breast of a live nation. The Syrians have learned a lesson in the insurrection of 1925 and 1926. They appreciate that armed conflict brings in its wake, aside from the loss in lives, irreparable economic waste. For this reason the leaders of the nationalistic party have decided on the wiser course of amicable negotiation to gain as much of their demands as they possibly can for the time being. —Meraat-Ul-Gharb, N. Y., Oct. 20. LEBANON NOT FOR SALE In Lebanon there is complete separation between church and state. The constitution of the country does �, ' NOVEMBER, 1928 > 47 not recognize any official religion for charge of murder, arson and theft. We have been among the strongthe government. Whoever is best fitted may be elected to the highest est exponents of dealing strict jus: office within the gift of the nation tict in th s case. But when we discover that there is so much readiregardless of 'his religious belief. We believe there are now in Leb- ness between the interested parties themselves to effect a reconciliaanon many outstanding personalises who are fitted to assume the high tion, rather than stand by legal office of the presidency. Suffice it to rights, we can but hail this pacific mention such well-known men as spirit and express the hope that it Habeeb Pasha Saad (Maronite), will be of long duration. We earnestly trust that Christian Premier of the present r >vernment; Sheikh Joseph Al-Kazin (Maronrite), and Druze will live as two brothers the fearless member of the Repre- under one patriotic flag discarding sentative Assemb'y; his colleague their old enmity and rancor. It is our equal hope that the MosEmir Fouad Arslan (Druze); Sheikh Mouhammed Al-Jiser (Mos- lem and Christian will cooperate as lem), President of the Representative loyal partners by way of promoting Assembly, and other national leaders. the welfare of their common country. A primary requisite to such a These are but a few men each of whom is better fitted to assume the blissful condition is that former aghigh office than Emir George Lut- gressors should feel thorough repenfallah whose only claim to fitness tance for their past depredations. They should eradicate not only from seems to be his great wealth. It would be a sorry state of af- their own hearts but also from the fairs, indeed, if the country is reduc- hearts of their children the effects of ed to such a condition where it would long standing religious prejudice and ; have to sell away its highest elec- bitterness. Th- s should be done in tive office. It does not behoove Leb- the interest of preventing the repeanese traditions to place the Presi- tition of such conditions in the fudency of their country on the mar- ture. The past should not repeat itket, that it may be within the reach self by having these reconciliations in of a man who is using his great the nature of a temporary and make wealth to corrupt civil officials and shift expediency. —The Syrian Eagle, N. Y., Oct. 18. religious dignitaries by way of propaganda for his cause. —Ash-Shaab. N. Y., Oct. 13, 1928. WHY WE ARE DEMOCRATS RECONCILIATION We read in the Syrian Press that through the efforts of the French administrative investigator and the Mayor of the City of Zahle and others interested in the case of the Rashayya sufferers, a reconciliation has been brought about between the Rashayyites and those of the Druzes who are held for trial on the In the present political campaign Al-Hoda wishes to declare itself for the Democratic party for many reasons, principal among which is its desire to uphold the Constitution of the United States which recognizes no state religion. By this we would be giving our adherence to the principle of religious tolerance and political and social equality without distinction. �48 THE SYRIAN WORLD We furthermore believe that Gov. Alfred E. Smith is the man of the hour in American politics, whose ability, as proven by his great record, should be recognized by raising him to the highest office within the gift of the nation. We entertain great admiration for Gov. Smith in having displayed the moral courage of declaring for the right of personal liberty and advocating the repeal of prohibition which has given rise to disrespect for all laws and caused an unprecedented increase in crime. Gov. Smith's proposals for a humanitarian application of the immigration law is also one of the outstanding issues for which he deserves support. —Al-Hoda, N. Y., Oct. 20, 1928. RELIGION IN POLITICS Technically there is no religious question in the United States such as exists in Mexico, but actually there has been injected into American politics what we may call the question of religious intolerance which is being fanned more and more into flame by the action of Protestant ministers. The Republican Party denies that it is opposing Governor Smith on religious grounds, but anyone following the trend of plitical events in ceive that many Republican leaders the American press can readily perare seeking to make the most capital out of the religious issue. The whispering campaign that if Governor Smith is elected we would have in the United States a clerical government is not only false but malicious. Governor Smith has been governor of the Empire State of New York for four terms and never has he shown in his appointments preference for those of his religious creed or was governed in his actions by religious considerations. The religious issue was raised by the Republicans because they felt that they could not defeat Governor Smith otherwise, and it may be taken for granted that if he is defeated it will be only on religious grounds. —Ash-Shaab, N. Y., Oct. 4, 1928. THE ARMENIAN/ DANGER The rumor that the Mandatory Power was considering permitting the entry of two hundred thousand new Armenian refugees to Syria caused the Syrians to protest direct to Paris and to the eLague of Nations and had the effect of eliciting a formal denial from the Mandatory authorities in Damascus that any such move was contemplated. In the o;cial statement the authorities asserted that they were only concerned with improving the living conditions of the Armenian refugees already admitted. We fail to see the reason for such We fail to see the reason for such excitement among the Syrians over the so-called Armenian influl. We do. however, see symptoms of grave danger in the continental differences arising among the Syrians themselves. In their present political evolution they seem to have lost sight of the fundamental conditions which make for the stabilization of the country and lead to its permanent welfare. We would, under the circumstances, urge that the Syrians direct their attention towards the elimination of their internal differences which have the effect of retarding the progress of the country. —Syrian Eagale, N. Y., Oct. 29,1928. �NOVEMBER, 1928 49 Readers' Forum Now, should we have a national prganization of young people? We should, and why? To understand each Editor, The Syrian World: other better, and to understand the I was exceedingly impressed with traditions of our ancestry, and to do the discussion on the question of a away with some of the traditions national organization of Syrian sowhich are not worth while in this day cieties in the October issue. and age; to be better young men and It seems to me that some of our women; to have sound Christian young people are disposed to deny character; to be better American citithe fact that they are Syrians, and zens (for, after all, this is our counwhy? They know of nothing they try) and to always be proud of our can be proud of in being Syrian. ancestral blood. These are just a Most of them haven't the least idea few of the reasons why we should where Syria is located on the map get together. of the world. Syria has no flag, no The next question is, "How are we national language (I do not believe going to get together?" There are that Arabic could be called the naseveral ways in which this could be tional language of the Syrians, as done. I would suggest that the Syrmany other people speak it, and ian World employ a young people's Syrians are often confused for Araeditor. Before anything could be bians or Turks when saying that they speak the Arabic language), accomplished, the idea must be creand is not a self-governed country. ated in the minds of the people everyAll of these things are a handicap where. If public opinion is in favor to Syrians when explaining their of it, and I am sure they will be, the nationality to any one. However, next step is easier. Why not have let us forget these things for a while, all the different societies in the and see what Syria really stands for. United States get in touch with the Syria is the birthplace of Chris- Young People's editor and give them tianity. It was in Antioch of Syria or her their views? Or have the that the people were first called different branches send delegates and "Christians." Christ, the greatest hold a state meeting and let the man that humanity has ever known, different state officials get in touch was born in Syria. Isn't this some- with the editor of the Syrian World. thing to be proud of ? What is there Through the editor they can decide in the world that is greater than upon a meeting place, and set a Christianity? Christianity is the date for the place, and then hold a basis of civilization and of all that is national convention; set up a constiworth while in this world. If Syria tution, elect officers, and decide upon stood for nothing else, this is enough. a name for the organization. I would Every young Syrian should be proud suggest that the national convention of his or her background, for we be held in a centrally located city, have claim to the greatest birth in one that can be reached from all points of the United States with the the world, even Christ- IN FAVOR OF A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION �50 least difficulty. Of course, this is merely a sug-gestion. There may be others who have different and better ideas. Nevertheless, I think the Syrian World should start a discussion on this subject and get the general public acquainted with the idea. I think that the different Syrian newspapers in the country ought to do their part in this. If we want the next generation to be a success, we must help educate the young folks, as the young people of today are going to be the men and women of tomorrow. Young folks, keep this in mind— we are Americans, it is true, and of this fact we should be proud, but all Americans are only an offspring of one nation or the other, so are we an offspring of the Syrian nation. Therefore, we should not only be proud of what we are now, but we should take pride in our ancestral background. Let us do our best, and help in this great national movement of unity, for where there is unity there is success. This is going to be a great task, and it will take time and leadership to accomplish it, but as the old saying is, "Where there's a will, there's a way." Let us hear your opinion on this question. I think that some of our older folks should take an interest in this, and give us their opinions. I am hoping that we will have a lively discussion, which will bring results in the near future. If this unity does not occur at once, we should not be discouraged, but we should be patient and optimistic, and if all give their wholehearted support to this cause, we know that there is nothing but success ahead. Do you want to be a good Ameri- THE SYRIAN WORLD can—be a good Syrian first! MARY SOLOMAN. Mishawaka, Indiana. " ADMIRER OF SYRIANS Editor, The Syrian World: I have learned to admire the Syrian race to whom I have been attracted by their history and traditions. The Syrians whom I personally know I have found to be citizens of the highest type whose love for their mother country does in no way detract from their loyalty to their adopted country. In reading your very able editorial in the October issue on "Religion in Politics" I am prompted to extend you my compliments and express the hope that such lofty ideals be given their due consideration for their inevitable reaction to the benefit of mankind. DR. CHARLES BORDA. Atlantic City, N. J. AN AMERICAN OPINION. During the two years that I have been a reader of the Syrian World I have been deeply interested as well as instructed upon many points. The history of ancient empires and ancient races is good reading always, and truly the Syrian people should read with pride their splendid magazine, The Syrian World. In your editorial comment of October "Religion in Politics" is worthy of note and should appeal to every American citizen with a mind open to receive. The poem "Wine Lyric of AlFarid" is full of inspiration, wisdom and mysticism. I s'hall have to read and re-read it in order to reach its depths. JOSEPHINE M. CRICK. Niagara Falls, N. Y. . I �NOVEMBER, 1928 51 Political Developments in Syria Syria is still awaiting the outcome of the High Commissioner's visit to Paris. The latest semi-official news seems to put at rest the rumors that M. Ponsot will be substituted for a military man or even a civil official. The report that former High Commissioner de Jouvenel will succeed Ponsot proved erroneous, because the former had staked his return upon his success in inducing the Foreign Office to consider the appointment of Emir George Lutfallah either as a ruling prince or as a president in Lebanon. Now it has come to be known that the Foreign Office refused to entertain any such proposition from the aspiring Prince because of his former activities in sponsoring the Syrian revolution. Other seemingly authentic reports indicate that the return of M. Ponsot was set for the middle of October, he having come to an understanding with the Government on a definite course of action in Syria, Although the details of the new plan have not been divulged, they are supposed to contain the maximum of what France is ready to give to the Syrians. Meanwhile speculation in Damascus is rife during the recess of the Constituent Assembly. There are still the firebrands who refuse to entertain any solution except on the basis of complete independence for Syria, but the responsible leaders appear to be willing to enter on some sort of compromise. A public statement by Ibrahim Bey Hanano, chairman of the Constitution Committee in the Constituent Assembly, would indicate that the Nationalist element has no quarrel with High Commissioner Ponsot who is said to have accepted the draft of the Constitution in full and made the reservations to the six objectionable articles only at the express command of the Foreign Office. Hanano maintains that an amicable solution will still be reached with France. Another influential Nationalist leader, Fouzi Bey Gazzi, is reported to have expressed extreme surprise at the comment of the French and English press on the supposedly strained relations between France and Syria. He is said to have taken particular exception to the unfounded claim that the Syrians feel bitterly the attitude of France and could never be reconciled to her mandate over their country. The country that would enter into a treaty of alliance and amity with another cannot be accused of being the other's enemy, he said. This same leader praised unstintingly the diplomatic conduct of the High Commissioner and his assistant M. Maugras, and accused those spreading reports of the Nationalists' dissatisfaction with M. Ponsot of being reactionaries aiming to deprive the country of the advantages of an understanding with France. Paris advices are to the effect that the Chamber of Deputies had passed by a majority of one the bill reducing this year's appropriations for Syria ten million francs, and by the same action defeated the Socialists' proposal to cut down the appropriations 74 millions. The strong argument that swayed the Deputies was that France could not afford, at �52 the present stage, to lay the mandated territory open to another insurrection such as that of the Druzes, while England has decided on laying the pipe line for the petrwi of Mosul within its own mandated territory in spite of the extra expense this undertaking entails, because it claims that French territory is seething with disturbances and consequently deemed unsafe. The break between the Provisional Government and the Nationalist Party is now complete. The President, Sheikh Tajeddin, who had been once affiliated with the Nationalist Party and on the strength of this relation received his appointment pending the decision on the final form of government for the country, was accused of having deserted the Nationalist cause during the sessions of the Constituent Assembly. Later he was said to have resorted to intimidation to break the resistance of the Nationalists. The climax of the struggle was reached early in October when the editor of Nizam, a newspaper supporting the government, was set upon and beaten. He accused the Nationalist leader Fakhri Bey Baroody of having sent hired thugs for the attack, and on the following day the editor personally attacked Baroody and when the latter attempted to defend himself was restrained by a policeman. This action was interpreted as resulting from a conspiracy hatched by Sheikh Tajeddin and the Natinonalists immediately called a mass meeting of protest. When the gendarmerie attempted to disperse the crowd and met with resistance several men were arrested. This action infuriated the Nationalists who sent telegraphic protests to High Commissioner Ponsot in Paris and to the THE SYRIAN WORLD Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The next day the business section of the city was closed and in press dispatches this was represented as a protest on the part of the Syrians to the reported decision of the League of Nations to send some two hundred thousand additional Armenians to Syria. The government of Sheikh Tajeddin is reported to have been forced to resign as a result of the ensuing disturbances. SITUATION IN LEBANON The situation in Lebanon seems to have been reduced to that of administrative readjustment. Following the induction of the new Cabinet the principal elective post to be filled was that of the President of the Representative Assembly whose term of office expired in October. As usual in such cases, there was a lively discussion as to which religious denomination should have the post and the matter was finally settled by reelecting the Moslem President Sheikh Mohammed Al-Jesr. A serious situation arose between the Lebanese Government and the Mandatory authorities as to Lebanon's share of the customs' receipts. The Lebanese Government claimed a sum of £S.600,000 gold pounds which the French refused to allow on pretense that the reduction in the tariff will result in diminished receipts. The 1929 budget for Lebanon, however, had included £S.310,000 on the strength of the High Commissioner's promise that this amount would be forthcoming to Lebanon. This amount was finally agreed upon as Lebanon's share from the customs' receipts for the coming year. , , The President of Lebanon, Charles Dabbas, made a tour of the country �53 NOVEMBER, 1928 and was enthusiastically received everywhere, especially in the Bekah plain. It is suspected that this move was undertaken in view of the approaching elections which fall next May and the desire of the President to sound the sentiment for his candidacy for a second term. Another plausible reason mentioned in connection with this tour is the desire to test the loyalty of the territories annexed to Lebanon which previously had been a part of Syria. This was said to have been demonstrated in the most satisfactory manner. As a result of this tour, it is also claimed, a decisive blow was dealt to whatever aspirations Emir George Lutfallah still entertained to become President of Lebanon. The agitation for Lutfallah has been taken all too seriously by all classes of the Lebanese. Because there were reports that this Emir had made a pact with former High Commissioner de Jouvenel to promote some sort of financial scheme for Lebanon, it was said that de Jouvenel was seeking reappointment as. High Commissioner for Syria primarily to aid the Emir in the pursuit of his ambitions. This had the effect of arousing the Lebanese to an unprecedented degree, even the Maronite Patriarch making a public statement that he would never give his approval to any such designs. Another Maronite dignitary, Archbishop Mubarak of Beirut, both in his public speeches and in his statements to the press, asserted that he had taken the matter up officially with the French Foreign Office and with the High Commissariat and was assured that the candidacy of Emir Lutfallah could never be seriously considered by them. It now seems that this matter has been definitely set at rest by what is tantamount to an official repudiation of Lutfallah by the French authorities. The perennial question of religious representation comes up again in Lebanon in a different form. Now it is a Moslem paper of Beirut claiming the right of the Presidency for a Moslem. It explains that while the Christian element in Lebanon was in the majority before the annexation of the new territory, it has now become predominantly Moslem by reason of the annexation. Judging by the tone of the Lebanese Moslem papers, the Moslems of Lebanon would wish nothing better than to merge the whole of Lebanon into the body politic of Syria. STAND OF THE DRUZES The remnant of the Druze fighting forces who sought refuge in Transjordan and are now settled in Wadi Sirhan are reported to be in great distress, issuing repeated appeals for funds. Sultan Pasha Atrash, their leader, has declared in favor of union with the central government of Damascus, but in this he is said not to represent the wishes of the majority of his people. Being chiefly farmers, and having had a succession of bad seasons and failing crops, they are said to prefer retaining their autonomy and paying only nominal taxes rather than have to pay the almost prohibitive taxes levied on the farmers of Syria. Road building and other improvements continue on a large scale in the Druze Mountain as well as in other sections of the mandated territories. �54 THE SYRIAN WORLD About Syria and Syrians RIHANI COMING TO THE UNITED STATES Ameen Rihani, author of "Maker of Modern Arabia," -Which has come to be considered a textbook of hitherto unavailable information on King Ibn Saoud and his country, is now in England on his way to the United States. The Syrian press announced his departure early last month at the invitation of The Central Asian Society to address it on his experiences and observations while traveling in Arabia. Mr. Rihani is not a stranger to America. Besides being an American citizen, he has lived in New York most of his life. His frequent trips abroad in later years have been for the purpose of seeking the quiet atmosphere of his birthplace in Lebanon for rest and study, as well as for enriching his experience by many adventurous journeys into the heart of Arabia and throughout the East. Prior to his departure for the United States Mr. Rihani rounded out his interesting travels by undertaking an extensive tour through the Druze country and other little frequented sections in the interior of Syria. What makes the experiences of Mr. Rihani singularly interesting is that besides enjoying the advantages of a western training as observer and writer, he is a native of the language and has a wide reputation as patriot and reformer, which fact opens to him many places inaccessible to others. We understand that Mr. Rihani brings with him the full-blooded Arabian horses with which King Ibn Saoud presented him from the royal stable. COMING DRIVE FOR THE RED CROSS The annual drive for the Red Cross will be launched early in November. As usual, the Syrians are expected to be liberal contributors. A novel arrangement for this, year's drive is that racial groups are asked to turn in their contributions collectively. This may be designed as a means of healthy competition among the different communities of foreign extraction, and as such it should be hailed with pleasure by the Syrians because we feel confident they will make a splendid showing. Mrs. Alkazin, wife of our popular dentist and literateur, is chairman of the Syrian Committee for Greater New York, while Dr. Philip K. Hjtti is honorary chairman. The names of the other members of the committee will be announced later in the Syrian press. Solicitors in the field will undoubtedly be many, but inasmuch as it is the express wish of the Central Committee to have contributions come from racial groups, it would be well for Syrians to favor their own solicitors with their donations. We understand that a large volunteer force will be organized to cover the Syrian field and it is confidently hoped that our support of the Red Cross on this occasion will be more liberal than usual owing to the extraordinary demand which developed this year. �55 NOVEMBER, 1928 ACTIVITIES OF NEWLY-FORMED SYRIAN JUNIOR LEAGUE The Syrian Junior League makes its debut in the life of the New York Syrian community with an interesting program. On Thanksgiving Eve it will give a dinner-ball at the Hotel McAlpin, and on January 18 it will hold a reception in honor of Madame ilalide Edib, the well known Turkish feminist, novelist and reformer, now in the United States, who had the distinction of being the first woman of any nationality to be officially invited to address the Institute of Politics at Williamstown. The League is composed of a large group of Syrian young women of New York "who are interested in a program of self-development and usefulness to themselves and to the community." We learn that members of the League will be active in the coming drive for the Red Cross. Mrs. Jos. W. Ferris was particularly active in furthering the idea for this organization among our society buds. TYPICALLY PHOENICIAN COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE Senor George Shahdan, a Syrian merchant of Argentine, took up aviation as a sport and made several successful flights, taking for passenger the President of the Aviation Club. Being a Wholesale merchant, and inheriting the pioneering commercial instinct of his ancestors, the Phoenicians, he soon decided that his knowledge of aviation should be exploited to its fullest advantages. As a consequence, he is now acting as his own traveling salesman and steal- ing a march on all his competitors by showing his samples to customers in the interior long before others through the use of the airplane. The National Aviation Club of Argentine has commended the action of our highly enterprising Syrian merchant as being the first in the country to use the airplane for commercial salesmanship. AMERICAN COLLEGES IN THE NEAR EAST By Berneice Griswold A special benefit matinee, the first of the season, has been arranged for Friday afternoon, November 16, when Madame Maria Jeritza, supported by Giacomo Lauri-Volpi and Guiseppe De Luca, will sing Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York to aid the work of the six American colleges in the Near East. The colleges have been established by prominent New York families during the past century for the purpose of giving young men and women in Balkan, Near and Middle Eastern countries a modern, scientific education which will help them to develop school, sanitary and medical systems in their own countries. More than 3,000 homes in twenty odd countries are influenced each year through the students enrolled in these colleges with the result that they are well known and highly regarded in even remote districts of Persia, the Soudan, among desert tribes and in isolated towns and villages of Turkey and all of the Arabic speaking countries. Leading families of all faiths number one or two members at least who have been educated at one of these colleges and �I 56 rulers' of many of the Near Eastern countries are personally interested in the colleges. The Shah of Persia Who resided in Beirut before he ascended the throne is extremely interested in the American University of Beirut and has appealed to President Bayard Dodge for assistance in establishing a modern elementary educational system in his country. Through his influence a Persian girl has entered the School of Nursing at the University this year, the first Persian woman to take up the profession. King Feisal of Iraq for several years has "Ibeen sending students to be trained at the University of Beirut for government posts. King Fuad of Egypt, the Queen Dowager Marie of Roumania, King Boris of Bulgaria, and others rulers are staunch supporters of these colleges. Mustapha Kemal Pasha, president of the Turkish Republic, and his Prime Minister, Ismet Pasha, are both interested in the American colleges in Turkey, the latter having a brother in the senior class of Robert College. The sons and daughters of many Turkish deputies, provincial governors and diplomats are enrolled in the two Constantinople colleges—Robert College for men and the Constantinople Woman's College. MRS. LINDBERGH TO TEACH IN BEIRUT The Constantinpole correspondent of Al-Ahrar, one of the leading dailies of Beirut, capital of the Lebanon Republic, informs his paper that Mrs. Lindbergh, mother of Col. Charles Lindbergh, will spend next year in Beirut teaching in the American School for Girls. This year she is THE SYRIAN WORLD teaching in the Women's Constantinople College, also an American institution. Mrs. Lindbergh is reported to have professed great admiration for the culture of Eastern peoples and to have made public her intention of visiting the Holy Land next summer with her famous son. They will make the trip from Constantinople by airplane as the mother, like her son, is an air enthusiast. On htr recent trip across she took the steamer to Naples and from there went by air route to Constantinople. We are also pleased to note that upon leaving the United States she booked passage through the office of our Syrian steamship agents, A. K. Hitti & Co. DOROTHY DIX BACK FROM THE DESERT Miss Dorothy Dix, the foremost American writer on love and kindred matters, is back from a trip to Syria and the desert. She is reported in the American press as having made some very valuable discoveries, principal among which is that the sheikhs of the desert are not what they are represented to be by fiction writers and that none of them had asked her advice on love. Miss Dix made the journey from Damascus to Baghdad by motor through the heart of the Syrian Desert and is said to be the first American woman to have made the supposedly perilous trip. Her escort is described as a six-feet-six native in his sandals, which is quite some size for an Oriental, but he was chivalrous and every night is said to have made an appearance, fully armed, at the tent of the American NO] write gestu Un good in Sj ing 1 tion tion also to n the ] well glori EXE W dep* vers Coh last in t Beii ing Ass the whi �57 NOVEMBER, 1928 writer and her lady companion as a gesture of reassurance. Undoubtedly Miss Dix will have a good deal to tell of her experiences in Syria and the East. Besides helping to dispel the prevalent conception of the country gained from motion picture presentations, she must also have many interesting accounts to relate of the settled sections of the land, of its flourishing cities as well as of its wonderful relics of a glorious past. EXHIBIT OF WORK OF ARABIC LINOTYPE When Prof. A. T. Olmstead, of the department of History of the University of Illinois, was teaching in Columbia University in New York last summer, he became interested in the study of the Arabic Linotype. Being an Oriental scholar and having delved deeply into the study of Assyrian history and civilization, the work of the Arabic Linotype which he saw in the plant of the Syrian-American Press fascinated him. He therefore secured some linotype slugs together with copies of the different Arabic newspapers composed by the Linotype process and, upon returning to Urbana, made an exhibit of his collection at the Oriental Museum of the University of which he is curator. In reporting this exhibit, The Daily Illini, student newspaper of the University of Illinois, makes special mention of As-Suyuti's Who's Who in the Fifteenth Century which was edited by Prof. Philip K. Hitti of Princeton and published by the Syrian-American Press of New York, noting that it is the first scholarly work in Arabic to be set on the Linotype. It was made a part of the exhibit. The publication of the account having been made in the issue of the Daily Illini appearing on Dad's Day had the effect of attracting large numbers of students and their parents to the exhibit. CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE AMEEN RIHANI—Internationally known scholar and traveler. Author of "Maker of Modern Arabia" and of many other works of poetry and prose. REV. W. A. MANSUR — Syrian patriot and scholar, educated in Syria and at present minister of the First Methodist Church in Loretto, Nebraska. He is one of our regular contributors. KAHLIL GIBRAN — Author of The Prophet and other celebrated works and styled by American writers Poet of the Cedars and The Syrian Poet. DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN — English and Arabic poet and scholar. Professionally a dentist of Brooklyn. One of our regular contributors. A. HAKIM — Pen name of an old Syrian immigrant who is contributing to The Syrian World a special series of critical studies BENJ. T. HAFFIZ — Preac her and scholar, resident of Washington, D. C. �TATEMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT. CIRCULATION. TO, REQUIRED BY THE ACT OF CONGRESS OF AUGUST 24, 1912. 01 The Syrian World published monthly at New York, N.Y„Oct. 1st, 1928. STATE OF NEW YORK. COUNTY OF NEW YORK, Before me, a Notary Public, in and for the state and county aforesaid, personally appeared Salloum A. Mokarzel, who, having been duly sworn according to law, deposes and says that he is the publisher of the The Syrian World, and that the following is, to the best of his knowledge and belief, a true statement of the ownership, management (and if a daily paper, the circulation), etc., of the aforesaid publication for the date shown in Che above caption, required by the Act of August 24, 1921, embodied in section 411, Postal Laws and Regulations, printed on the reverse of this form, to wit: 1. That the names and addresses of the publisher, editor, managing editor, and business managers are: Name of— Post office address— Publisher, Salloum Mokarzel 104 Greenwich Street. Editor, Salloum Mokarzel 104 Gisenwich Street. Managing Editor, Salloum Mokarzel 104 Greenwich Street. Business Managers, Salloum Mokarzel 104 Greenwich Street. 2. That the owner is: (If owned by a corporation, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereunder the names and addresses of stockholders owning or holding one per cent or more of total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, the names and addresses of the individual owners must be given. If owned by a firm, company, or other unincorporated concern, its name and address, as well as those of each individual member, must be given.) Salloum A. Mokarzel 104 Greenwich St. 3. That the known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders owning or holding 1 per cent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities are: (If there are none, so state.) None. 4. That the two paragraphs next above, giving the names of the owners, stockholders, and security holders, if any, contain not only the list of stockholders and security holders as they appear upon the books of the company but also, in cases where the stockholder or security holder appears upon the books of the company as trustee or in any other fiduciary relation, en; also that the said two paragraphs contain statements embracing affiant's the name of the person or corporation for whom such trustee is acting, is givfull knowledge and belief as to the circumstances and conditions under which stockholders and security holders who do not appear upon the books of the company as trustees, hold stock and securities in a capacity other than that of a bona fide owner; and this affiant has no reason to believe tfhat any other person, association, or corporation has any interest direct or indirect in the said stock, bonds, or other securities than as so stated by him. 5. That the average number of copies of each issue of this publication sold or distributed, through the mails or otherwise, to paid subscribers during the six months preceding the date shown above is. (This information is required from daily publications only.) S. A. Mokarzel. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2nd day of October. 1928. [SEAL.] EDNA M. HUCKER, (Mycommission expires March 30, 1929.) • By si Ente ;VOI A A L � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Syrian World Newspapers Description An account of the resource <span>To view the finding aid for this collection, </span><a href="https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/ns0002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here.</a> Subject The topic of the resource Arabs--United States Arabic periodicals Newspapers Arab American Newspapers Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials. These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context NS 0002 Access Rights Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies. This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. NCSU Libraries Collection NCSU Libraries Collection metadata Finding Aid Link from https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/ns0002 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TSW1928_11reducedWM Title A name given to the resource The Syrian World Volume 03, Issue 05 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1928 November Description An account of the resource Volume 3 Issue 05 of The Syrian World published November 1928. The issue begins with an article Ameen Rihani wrote for The Syrian World titled "The Leper and the Bride of Galilee," a discussion of the cities Nazareth and Tiberias. Rev. W. A. Mansur's "Introduction to the Syrian World" is featured next, and it opens with the Convocation of the Syrian Constituent Assembly, marking the formal entrance of Syria into world politics. There is also a poem by Dr. Salim Y. Alkazin titled "Tobet and Leila," followed by another poem inspired by Ameen Rihani's poem "Freedom" from the October issue. Yet another poem titled "A Man from Lebanon Nineteen Centuries Afterward" by Kahlil Gibran is surrounded by illustrations by the author. A. Hakim's "The Sage of Washington Street" is also continued in this issue with a discussion on the marriage problem among Syrians. There is also a report on the 1927 economic recovery in Syria based on reports from various Consuls. The last article is by Salloum A. Mokarzel, titled "Can We Retain Our Heritage?" relates to the assimilation of Syrians into American society. The issue concludes with excerpts from the Arab press, the Reader's Forum, and political developments in Syria. Subject The topic of the resource Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals Arabs--United States--Periodicals Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Salloum A. Mokarzel Syrian-American Press Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New York Public Library Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 104 Greenwich St., New York, NY Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials. 1920s A. Hakim Ameen Rihani Immigration Kahlil Gibran New York Palestine Poetry-English Reverend W.A. Mansur Salim Alkazin https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/2e8f671f1b207769d7bcf6a98045cc70.pdf a25a958641daf805faa8aac48ed9a14c PDF Text Text 30'29F VOL. IV. No. 3. NOVEMBER, 1929. TTTF SYRIAN WORLD A MONTHLY MAGAZINE IN ENGLISH DEALING WITH SYRIAN AFFAIRS AND ARABIC LITERATURE I i i a OFFICIALDOM AND THE GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL A DESERVING INSTITUTION HILDA FOX RIHANI—THE MAN AND HIS WORK ELIZABETH P. MACCALLUM ESS A LEGEND OF THE NILE DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN I SUCH WAS FATE! (A SHORT STORY) LABEEBEE A. J. HANNA jHjJ i THE COPY 50c ��THE SYRIAN WORLD SALLOUM A. Tublished monthly by MOKARZEL, Editor. THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS 104 Greenwich St., New York, N. Y. By subscription $5.00 a year. Single copies 50c Entired as second-class matter June 257^192671uf the post office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. VOL. IV. No. 3. NOVEMBER, 1929 CONTENTS PAGE In This Issue 3 Officialdom and the Gentlemen of the Press 5 SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL A Deserving Institution Miss 14 HILDA FOX Riharii—The Man and His Work ELIZABETH P. 20 MCCALLUM To the Mm With the Hard Eyes (Poem) 28 BARBARA YOUNG A Legend of the Nile (Poem) DR. SALIM Y. 29 ALKAZIN �.IDII —°— —m CONTENTS (Continued) PAGE Such Was Fate! (Short Story) LABEEBEE A. J. 32 HANNA Editorial Comment Racial Consciousness Variety 38 40 Letters to the Editor 41 Spirit of the Syrian Press 42 Political Developments in Syria 46 About Syria and Syrians 50 ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE President of Lebanon Entertains Publishers President Charles Dabbas of Lebanon Sheikh Bishara Khouri, Premier of Lebanon Farewell Luncheon to Lebanese Editors Ameen Rihani in Arab Costume The Valley of Freike Partial View of Freike �IN THIS ISSUE ELIZABETH MACCALLLTM is a serious student of foreign affairs, being on the research staff of the Foreign Policy Association. The early struggles and achievements of Ameen Rihani, both in the literary and the political realms, hold a strong fascination for her. She made a thorough study of his life and works and wrote an illuminating article on the subject which was published in the November number of the SURVEY GRAPHIC. It is but proper that THE SYRIAN WORLD, to which Ameen Rihani has contributed so freely, reproduce this authoritative appreciation of him by an American writer of standing. Miss MacCallum, it may be recalled, is an authority on Syrian and Near Eastern affairs, she being the author of the "Nationalist Crusade in Syria." Her article on Rihani, as well as the accompanying illustrations, are reproduced by special permission of the author and of the SURVEYGRAPHIC. * * * SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL writes for this issue another chapter of the account of his recent tour in Svria. In this installment he tells of his interviews with the President and Premier of the Republic of Lebanon, and with the acting French High Com- missioner. Not alone do you get an estimate of the character of each of these high officials, but some pertinent information on various governmental affairs in the country. Besides, the writer takes you on a tour of the newspaper and printing establishments, and recounts his personal experiences and contacts with the members of the newspaper fraternity. * * * DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN spent several years in Egypt while a youth and became well versed in the mystic lore of that ancient country. He contributes to this issue a fascinating legend cast in poetic form and having all the gripping interest of a mystery tale. The reader can follow the moving narrative as easily as he can an easv-reading short story. * * * LABEEBEE A. J. HANNA contributes to this issue an original short story, whose scene is laid in America and whose theme is a phase of Syrian life. Surely the cosmic force of love moves all men alike, but the new factor of immigration coming into the lives of the Syrians and causing the breaking up of many a home makes the plot of Miss Hanna's story possible. While she initiates you into certain forms of Syrian social activities in New York, �she holds your interest until the final denoument which reveals a tragic incident in a Syrian couple's life. * * * BARBARA YOUNG, the wellknown American poet, is a loyal friend of the Syrians and THE SYRIAN WORLD. She has contributed many an original poem before and makes of her present contribution a further proof of her continued interest. * * * HILDA FOX, General Secretary of the Lebanon Hospital for Mental Diseases, writes on the history and needs of this, the only institution of its kind, in Mt. Lebanon. Syrians interested in the progress of humanitarian endeavors in their mother-country will find it most profitable to acquaint themselves with the indispensable work of this institution, supported so far solely by American and British philanthropy. * * * REGULAR DEPARTMENTS are being improved and added to constantly. Political Developments in Syria continue to hold the center of the starre in Near Eastern affairs. The Arabs are prosecuting vigorously their claim to a place in the sun and have so far succeeded in creating a tremendous impression. To follow the epoch-making events now taking place in Syria and Palestine is to read history in the making. These develop- « ments are concisely and conscientiously summarized in every issue of THE SYRIAN WORLD. * * * The Spirit of the Syrian Press in this issue is as informative and as indicative of public opinion among the Syrians as ever. Passions seem to be aroused to an unusual degree over many political matters under controversy. The comments are faithfully reproduced as they appeared, our purpose being to give an adequate picture of what transpires in the Syrian press. * * * Letters to the Editor in this issue seem to concentrate on one subject. We invite our readers to express themselves freely on all current matters. Criticism and suggestions for improvement are equally welcome.*** The News Department in this issue is enlarged and contains a wide variety of material. Readers can add to its interest by sending us news of all matters of public concern occurring in their localities. Our readers surely share with us the satisfaction of making an appreciable gain in overcoming the delay in our publication schedule. This issue appeared only three weeks since the publication of the last. We trust to be able to continue this gain so as to overcome the discrepancy with the second issue following. �—. — I, .,., ,._,.,, ..., T1TF SYRIAN WORLD VOL. IV. No. 3. NOVEMBER, 1929. Officialdom and the Gentlemen of the Press A Chronological Record of the Editor's Trif Abroad By SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL III. QF the month I spent in Syria a little over ten days were spent in Beirut, though intermittently. I could have profitably spent many more but for the limitation of time. For Beirut is not only the capital of the Lebanese Republic, but the emporium of Syria, its principal seaport and, perhaps, the chief cultural and educational center of the whole Arabic-speaking world. Its ranking educational institutions are the American University and L'Universite de St. Joseph of the Jesuit order, while its colleges and schools of lesser rank may be counted by the score, some under native and others under foreign direction. Beirut, besides, does not lack of historical or legendary importance. It was a flourishing center of commerce and learning both before and during Roman rule, and through the stormy epoch of the Crusades it played an important role. The Bay of St. George, where the valiant Christian knight slew the dragon and saved the maid, is one of the chief beach resorts of the city, while the valuable archaeological discoveries made in the city proper and vicinity, have enriched the National Museum to the point of making it the foremost museum in the world in Phoenician relics. The invaluable sarcophagus of King Ahiram, unearthed in Byblos in 1924 and �,A 6 THE SYRIAN WORLD bearing the earliest inscription ever discovered in Phoenician characters, is in the possession of the Museum of Beirut. This is but part of what gives Beirut its claim to intrinsic historical importance, while the additional distinction of being the seat of the French High Commissariat since the mandate, enhances its position as a political center. Having been shown exceptional courtesies by the native government, my first act was to call on the President to pay my respects and render due thanks. President Charles Dabbas was courteous to receive me at an early hour. He is at his desk during summer punctually at eight. When I was ushered into his office at about nine he had cleared his desk of the morning mail leaving only a huge pile of local and foreign papers untouched. My companion on this occasion, as on most of my other formal calls, was Joseph Mokarzel, publisher of Ad-Dabbour. But in the company of President Dabbas one immediately feels the unnecessity of all formalities. My first impression of him was that of a clear-visioned, affable diplomat, hiding under a screen of suppleness a firm tenacity of purpose. He is eminently fitted for his exalted post both by character and training. Being a lawyer of note and having held high administrative posts in the native government before the inauguration of the republican regime, he is master of all details of administration. Perhaps he excels in the role of conciliator and mediator, and this first impression I had of him was later confirmed at the time he acted as host in his official residence to a group of the leading publishers and editors whom he invited to a luncheon and reception he was gracious to extend to me. What I witnessed at the time, when he handled one of the most difficult situations with infinite tact and adroitness, convinced me of his supreme fitness for the honor of being the first president of the first republic in the Arabic East. President Dabbas expressed the greatest solicitude for the welfare of Syrian and Lebanese emigrants in America. He would like to see the bond of relationship further strengthened between them and their mother country. Not that he would expect them all to return, but that they should not disrupt definitely their relations with the motherland and lose all interest in its welfare. Now that Lebanon is entering upon a new era of progress and expected prosperity, the President believes that Lebanese emigrants could not only contribute substantially to the acceleration of the advance movement, but that they could profit materially �NOVEMBER, 1929 I I 7 by the promotion of basic industrial enterprises. The audience with the President lasted for over an hour. He was anxious to get first-hand information on America and I of the motherland. Prominent personalities among Lebanese emigrants were not unknown to him. He particularly inquired after the well-being of my brother, publisher and editor of AlI-loda of New York. "The country," volunteered the President, "owes Mr. N. A. Mokarzel a lasting debt of gratitude for his signal services in his long and constructive career. I trust you will be good enough to convey to him these sentiments as expressions of the deep appreciation of his motherland. Through him our thanks may be appropriately transmitted to that vast number of generous emigrants who so splendidly responded to his call to aid the motherland in its times of trial and affliction." The President was referring to the numerous occasions when Al-Hoda, through popular subscriptions, raised thousands of dollars in money, clothing and foodstuffs in aid of Syrian and Lebanese sufferers. It may be parenthetically stated that this sentiment of appreciation and gratitude to the editor of Al-Hoda was prevalent throughout the land. I heard it expressed in the President's office, in the Maronite Patriarch's see, in District Governors' bureaus, as well as in the public squares of the remotest and most isolated villages. To the common people he was the ideal patriot, fearless in his championship of the nation's liberties. He was everywhere proudly and lovingly referred to as the "Tiger of Lebanon." The conversation with President Dabbas encompassed all vital subjects from the economic, to the social and educational. Politics, however, were only lightly considered. It was perhaps best to exclude this topic from consideration in the highest executive office of the country when every other place in the land seemed to teem with it. The very atmosphere of Lebanon appears to be impregnated with politics. Before I had gone through half of my first day I had come to the conviction that no group could be together for more than five minutes before the conversation veered to politics. There was something or other wrong with everything and everybody, and all was wrong with the government. Alas! if only the people directed their energies to some constructive effort, what a change could be wrought. And this condition, I must hasten to state, does not apply �<m«*r* ** - 8 THE SYRIAN WORLD only to governmental circles and the people of the capital j it was epidemic throughout the land. You could not possibly escape it even if you "sought seclusion on the mountain top," as the Arab adage goes. For even there the goatherd will come to you with his complaints and grievances, and your native companions would find excuses to revert to politics in the question of reforestation, road-building, taxation, petty graft and a score like matters. From the President's office we stepped into that of the Premier, adjoining. Sheikh Bishara Khoury had been in office only a few months but even then was considering to resign. Politics in Lebanon is the most trying of games and it would seem that the most honest and capable must of necessity devote the major portion of his time and energy to maintaining himself in office instead of applying himself to his duties. One's first impression of the Premier is that of a man of extraordinary capability and energy. His clear, blue eyes have depth and firmness. He greets you with the affability and dignity of the born aristocrat. His every movement denotes decision. The Premier was as solicitous for the Lebanese emigrants in America as was the President. Our conversation ran along almost identical lines. When asked for his photograph he wrote across it a beautiful message to the emigrants. For if the former conception of the emigrants remaining an integral part of the mother country is gradually giving way, it is doing so reluctantly. All classes of the population appreciate to the full the contributions of the emigrants to the maintenance of the motherland— their continued remittances are an immense invisible item in the revenue of the country, while the large amount of emigrant capital invested in industrial enterprises is helping materially in its economic progress. The Premier lauded as a most helpful move the promotion of tourism. From the office of the Premier we crossed the hall to that of M. Solomiac, simply as a matter of formality, he being the liaison officer between the French High Commissariat and the Lebanese Government. While on the subject of formal calls, I may here mention that some of my newspaper friends advised my visiting M. Tetrau, the acting High Commissioner in the absence of M. Ponsot. The audience was arranged through John Bey Ayoub, director of the Bureau of the Press in the High Commissariat. To M. �• I P T i n « T *» I T •" a 1 f» I P <! (1 i PRESIDENT OF LEBANON Guests at the official luncheon given by President Charles D From left to right: Shukri Baccash, Bishara Khouri, Gibran karzel, Gabriel Khabbaz, President Dabbas (central figure tany, Kheir Eddin El-Ahdab, Wadih Akel, Joseph Souda, Jo O "i r» o5 *<: i i i p v n n w ENTERTAINS PUBLISHERS abbas of Lebanon in honor of the Editor of The Syrian World. Twaini, Alexander Riashi, Michel Zakkour, Salloum A. Moin white), Mohammad Al-Bakir, Assad Akel, Alexander Bisseph Mokarzel. �PRESIDENT CHARLES DABBAS OF LEBANON From the autographed photograph given to the Editor of The Syrian World. �_ SHEIKH BISHARA KHOURI Premier of Lebanon 4# '>: u,o To my In tion of wishes return. TRANSLATION OF THE PREMIER'S INSCRIPTION ON HIS PHOTOGRAPH friend, Mr. Salloum Mokarzel, remembrance of his visit to the Lebanese homeland and in recognihis services to this country, coupled with greetings and sincere best to Lebanese emigrants. May God grant them prosperity and safe Beirut, August 21, 1929. BISHARA KHOURI, Premier of Lebanon. �lUflli1" -J* FAREWELL LUNCHEON TO LEBANESE EDITORS The sixth figure from the left is Sheikh Bishara Khouri, Premier of the Republic of Lebanon. Immediately at his right, wearing a tarboush, is Ahmed Showky Bey, poet Laureate of Egypt. The second from the left is Sami Effendi Shawa. MMMMMMHH t M t->* !- aa il /-* rt i 3 **M �MrtlWWlHUU l.i.l.lh.'fl NOVEMBER, 1929 Tetrau I explained the purpose of my trip and stressed the project of encouraging tourism to Syria and Lebanon. 1 ventured the opinion that it would be a profitable move to issue suitable literature in English for the purpose, the which could be distributed among the American traveling public. M. Tetrau replied that this had been done; that a few thousand descriptive pamphlets had been printed and distributed, but how and where he could not tell. He searched in his desk for a copy and gave it to me. It was a diminutive thing that would compare ill with any piece of literature a steamship company issues to advertise a single cruise. No copies of the small edition, to his knowledge, had been sent for distribution in America. But in French literature the tourist trade of the country fared better. The acting High Commissioner showed me the latest product of French effort along this line. It was a pretentious book by Col. Jacquot, an officer of the French army of occupation, on the Alouite State. I had seen the book before through the courtesy of the purser of the S. S. Providence while making the crossing and admired its scholarly information. The High Commissioner obligingly informed me that the book was on sale at the Jesuit Press in Beirut, where it could be bought for forty francs, as it was privately printed to the account of the author. I took the hint and bought a copy, which I consider well worth the price, but I could not escape the conclusion that this was poor propaganda for the country. The High Commissioner, however, further obliged me with an explanation as to the reason for the reluctant attitude of the French toward the encouragement of tourism. In his statement he left nothing for inference. His words were clear and indicated a well-defined policy. "Under prevailing conditions in the country," he said, "we do not want to encourage tourism. Hotel facilities are not adequate and we fear that by inducing tourists to visit the country in its present stage their reactions will be such as to bring injury to the tourist industry in the future. Our concern at present is to provide first-class hotels equipped with all modern conveniences. We plan to have such hotels erected at strategic points throughout the country, in a line running from Beirut, to Tripoli, to Aleppo and Damascus. The railroad companies are raising the necessary capital for this project and we expect to have a number of hotels opened in the principal cities within a few years." I was not inclined to enter into an argument with the acting �*'? 10 THE SYRIAN WORLD High Commissioner. I was seeking information and got it. The stand of the French authorities on the question was clear and they gave their reasons unequivocally for so doing. But I could not help asking myself the reason for such a divergence of policy between the French and the native authorities. Here was the Lebanese Government making annual appropriations for the encouragement of tourism and the promotion of Lebanon as a summer resort, while the French expressed the fear that until the completion of the contemplated hotels the country would be more hurt than benefited by the tourist trade. How can the two viewpoints be reconciled? I not only put the question to myself but put it to others to native political leaders who seem to have developed an uncanny perspicaaty in delineating French motives. Here was their explanation: "The French are in the country primarily for their own interests. If the tourist trade is to be profitable the profit must be theirs. It will not be theirs so long as they have no capital invested in the hotel business. They are, therefore, biding their time in the promotion of tourism until the railroad interests, which are French, are ready with their plans, all other excuses notwithstanding. We have in Lebanon better equipped and managed hotels than any in Palestine,—better even than the government-built hotel in Latakia. But Palestine does not seem to suffer from any harmful reaction of its tourists. The truth of the situation is that the country's progress is being sacrificed to French greed." This is the pro and con of the situation. I am neither indicting nor defending. What I can frankly and unreservedly state, however, is that I heard grumblings against this policy of the French in every section, mostly, rather, in northern Lebanon, which is supposed to be the bulwark of French influence in the country. While on the subject of officials, I could not pass a general reference to many French officials in various parts of Syria who entertain genuine solicitude for the welfare of the Syrian people, and who have succeeded in establishing themselves firmly in the love and esteem of all classes. Wherever such are found they are fast repairing the damage done to French prestige by the overbearance and arrogance of their predecessors. I shall relate my pleasant experiences with these officials in due course of these accounts. �NOVEMBER, 1929 11 Some of my most pleasant memories of my experiences in Beirut are those of my contacts with members of the newspaper fraternity. The editors had been most hospitable in their reception and kind in their treatment of me. I had known everyone by his work and came to evaluate his true character. I could expect fairness from them all at all times, but never dreamed that they would carry their generosity to the extent they dealth to me. Our relations were not only those of genuine cordiality but of sincere mutual helpfulness at the same time. In their political views they may be irreconciliably divided, as would be natural, but on one particular point, that of admiration for the emigrants and appreciation of their generous help to the mother country in times of need, they are of a single mind. They sought of me information on the conditions of the emigrants covering every phase of life, while I was immensely enriched by their wealth of experience on general conditions in the motherland. I am happy over the privilege of being the medium of transmitting to my fellow Syrians and Lebanese in America the high opinion of them entertained by the representatives of the intelligent public opinion of their mother-country. Learning of my interest in making a study of the progress of the printing industry, the publishers of (Beirut gave me free access to their printing establishments. I must confess that I had hoped to see the industry in a more advanced state for a city of the educational and cultural importance of Beirut. With a little more initiative and technical knowledge, a modern press could be established in Beirut which the city and the country at large could well support. It would be the means for cultivating the sense of the beautiful in the printing art which is an unfailing sign of a nation's progress. On my visits to the American and Jesuit Universities, I was given beautifully printed year books and other pieces of literature on the two institutions, but the work was done in France! Almost all the newspaper establishments of Beirut are identical in equipment. A cylinder press, and in a few cases two, of European make fed by hand; one or more job presses; a paper cutter and any number of old-style type cases which the Arabic newspapers of America have discarded entirely after the advent of the Linotype. Even the folding is still done by hand. One would think that with the cultural and educational leadership of the city the printing industry would be more progressive. The two best equipped plants are those of two foreign mis- i �12 THE SYRIAN WORLD sionary institutions: L'Imprimerie Catholique of the Jesuits and the American Press. In the latter establishment I was pleasantly surprised to see an automatic-feed American Kelly press and the latest model Arabic Linotype. The manager expressed his complete satisfaction with both machines. He was particularly elated over the advantages of the Linotype which he characterized as a boon beyond value, enabling them, as it does, to set type not only in various Arabic faces but in all European languages. At the time of my visit the operator, a graduate of the American University of Beirut, was turning out English composition of a technical nature. He said he was in love with the machine. Another well-equipped plant which is capable of enormous production is that of Al-Hoda. All its equipment is of American make comprising two Linotypes, two folding machines, one Miehle Press, and several cylinder and pony and job presses. The principal public occasion in which I had the good fortune to meet the leading editors and publishers of the country as a body was the reception and luncheon with which President Dabbas honored me at his summer residence at Aley on July 30. Those present were: Joseph Souda, editor of Ar-Rayat and member of the Assembly; Wadih Akel, editor of Ar-Racid; Kheir Eddin El-Ahdab, editor of Al-Ahd Al-Jadid; Alexander Bistany, editor of Lisan Ul-Hal; Assad Akel, editor of Al-Bairaq; Mohammad Al-Bakir, editor of Al-Balagh; Gabriel Khabbaz, editor of L'Orient; Michel Zakkour, editor of Al-Marad and member of the Assembly j Alexander Riashi, editor of As-Sahafi AtTaih; Gibran Twaini, editor of Al-Ahrarj Bishara Khouri, editor of Al-Barq; Shikri Baccash, editor of Zahle Al-Fatat and Joseph Mokarzel, editor of Ad-Dabbour. These editors represented not only all religious creeds but all political alignments. The President, himself a former editor, lived up to the highest ethics of the profession and drew no distinction. One of those invited had his paper under suspension even then for attacks on the Premier. But throughout the afternoon the President manipulated the conversation so that it would steer entirely clear of politics. Lebanon weather, unlike that of America, being outside the pale of discussion as a ready excuse, the President discussed poetry. For ingenious diplomacy this could be termed a master stroke, because once you mention poetry, you touch the Lebanese's tenderest spot. They are poets all in Lebanon. �1 7== NOVEMBER, 1929 13 The other occasion was when the above editors, with a number of others, accorded me the honor of attending a farewell luncheon given at the seaside cafe of Alphonse on August 21. The additional guests included Prime Minister Sheikh Bishara Khoury; Ahmad Showky Bey, the poet laureat of Egypt, styled "Poet of the Prince and Prince of the Poets"; Sami Shawa, the celebrated violinist; Halim Dammous the poet; Joseph Sader, editor of Al-Hokouk; Joseph Nasr, editor of Ar-Rakib of Tripoli; John Bey Ayyoub, chief of the Press Bureau at the High Commissariat; and John Faggaly and Toufik Mokarzel of AdDabbour. On this latter occasion neither the discussion of politics nor the flow of poetry could be stemmed. Halim Dammous's poem in praise of the emigrants was expressive of the loftiest sentiments. Forced by the circumstances to act as spokesman of the emigrants, I attempted to state our position in terms that would permit of no misinterpretation and admit of no ambiguity: The emigrants have definitely chosen America for their home; they owe but one political allegiance and that is to the country of their adoption; their return as a body is beyond all hope; their interests and that of their children is better served by banishing forever any illusion in this respect. Under the circumstances, our brothers of the mother country should view the loss of the emigrants as a fait accomfli. But this does not preclude sympathy by the emigrants for the mother-country and solicitude for its progress and welfare. This interest should not be confined to the first generation immigrants but should be transmitted to their children. It is the assumption that knowledge of one's historical background makes of him a more self-respecting and useful citizen; while indirectly this appreciation by the new generation of their ancestral background will keep alive the interest in their ancestral country's welfare. The publication of THE SYRIAN WORLD was one means to such an end; encouraging tourism to the ancestral land another. A newspaper man's weakness is talking shop, and I find myself inclined to indulge perhaps at too great length in accounts of my experiences with the fine group of confreres I met in Beirut. I must, however, overcome the weakness for the present. Cominrr accounts will deal with other topics. i . �- 14 ——-— ., - & ,, , ;- ' THE SYRIAN WORLD A Deserving Institution By Miss HILDA FOX General Secretary, Lebanon Hospital for Mental Diseases r; Editor's Note.—While in Lebanon this past summer, the editor had frequent occasion to pass by the Lebanon Hospital for Mental Diseases, commonly known as Al-Asfuriyeh. Limitation of time prevented an extended visit to the institution, but the trim buildings, the well-kept grounds, and the apparently contented inmates gave indications of efficiency and benevolence in management. The following paper by the General Secretary of Asfuriyeh, however, supplies that information about the institution, its history, facilities and general management which we would have liked to obtain. We are glad to publish it not only for its information value, but also for the appeal it contains to the human sympathy and national conscience of Syrian emigrants who should appraise the true value of such public institutions. We trust the appeal will not go unheaded. In her private note accompanying the article, Miss Fox makes the following remark: "Syrians, so far, have given no funds to enlarge this Hospital, although a very few have contributed to current expenses—it has been done by Europeans and Americans—and yet we feel that there must be many Syrians, whose affairs have prospered in the New World, who would like to do something for their country's needs to whom this work might specially appeal. But it is difficult to find them." In a supporting letter from Mr. F. Hourani, a prominent Syrian of Manchester, England, the writer also makes the following pertinent remarks: "For several years I have had the honor of serving on the Committee of Asfuriyeh in London, and as I know also intimately the Director in Syria and have visited the Institution itself, I can testify from personal knowledge that the whole organization is worthy of the sympathy and support of all thoughtful Syrians. Indeed I know of no other institution which is served by such a devoted band of men and women and with such zeal and efficiency. Surely the time has come for Syrians to take part in the upkeep of such places, otherwise the question may fairly be asked 'Why should British, American and Continental people provide such hospitals for the use of our mentally afflicted people?" The editor wishes also to testify to the great interest displayed by Dr. C. Asid Corban in the maintenance and progress of Asfuriyeh. Dr. Corban, a psychiatrist of New Zealand, is in a position to appreciate ths needs of such institutions. Although Dr. Corban was born in New Zealand, the call of his Lebanese blood is still strong and is accentuated in this cas? by general humanitarian considerations. The Syrian World wishes to declare itself in hearty sympathy with the principle of the Syrians helping themselves whenever and to whatever extent possible. The appeal in the case of Asfuriyeh is timely and deserving. �NOVEMBER, 1929 75 The editor would be happy to serve in an intermediary capacity between prospective donors and the Committee. )N the foothills of the Lebanon Mountains, about six miles from Beirut, is to be found an institution which should have the proud support of the whole Arabic-speaking world. Of all of the afflictions that come to man, surely the worst and most pitiable is that form of illness which affects the mind. Every country has its host of sufferers, and Syria, Palestine and Egypt are no exception. Indeed, although there are no statistics available, the number of mentally deranged people in the Near East seems to be increasing. The old idea of insanity as possession by the devil dies hard, but, thanks to the work of three pioneer Hospitals in the three countries named—the Lebanon Hospital for Mental Diseases (Asfuriyeh, near Beirut, Syria), the Government Hospital for Mental Diseases near Cairo and the Jewish Mental Hospital near Jerusalem—all founded about 30 years ago, more scientific and more humane views have gradually spread throughout the Near East. And now it is at last beginning to be realized that insanity is indeed an illness, comparable with physical illness and equallv susceptible of cure. The earlier that skilled medical care can be given, the more likely is it that the cure will be complete and permanent. Of the three countries mentioned above, by far the worst provided for now, so far as mental illness is concerned, is Syria (see the table at the end), and therefore it is for Syria that this special appeal is made—an appeal to increase the number of beds at Asfuriyeh. The Hospital has had an uphill task. Money to purchase the land and build the necessary houses one by one all had to be raised, and as Syria was unable to do it, the funds had to be found in Europe and America from the charitable public. This took many years of hard and devoted work on the part of the founder, Theophilus Waldmeier, a Swiss missionary. His work in Abyssinia and later in Syria had impressed upon him the appalling need for a hospital of this kind, and thanks to his efforts for these afflicted people the hearts of many kind people in England and other countries were touched, so that men and women formed themselves into committees and laboured to raise the necessary money. The land was bought in 1898 and the Hospital opened �-- THE SYRIAN WORLD 16 in August, 1900, with 10 beds, gradually being increased to 157 beds. And now there is urgent need for further expansion, and the General Committee in London appeal to Syrians and all who speak the Arabic language, the world over, to band themselves together to provide the cost of a new house. Present Position of the Hospital Come and visit Asfuriyeh in spirit. It Was spring time when the writer was there, the time of almond blossom, when the ground is strewn with scarlet anemones and pink and white cyclamen, as many of you who read this must have seen it. The little colony of white stone, red-roofed buildings looks most attractive and homely, set on the hillside above the sea. The present stage is interesting. For 15 years (since 1914) there has been no new house built at Asfuriyeh. Instead, a policy of steady perfection of the existing buildings has been pursued, with the result that now all the dilapidations and depradations of the War have been made good; the houses have been fitted with an excellent sanitary system; the laundry has been enlarged by the addition of a large drying-room, and washing machines are being installed for the heavier work; an ampler water-supply will, we hope, be available this winter, owing to a new artesian well which is being sunk; the grounds have been planted with olive, fig and almond trees, and otherwise improved; power houses, pumps and workshops are working efficiently. Altogether, with its solid and spotless buildings, beautiful grounds and trees, its laboratories, pharmacy and lecture hall, the Hospital is a medical unit of whose efficiency and completeness those who have helped to found it may well be proud. Visitors are always struck by its well-kept appearance and scientific equipment. Future Policy This stage is now practically completed, and a new policy of expansion is clearly indicated. The place is getting painfully crowded and demands for admission continually grow. Patients often have to be turned away for lack of room, and it is becoming impossible to take the slight or early cases which would be the easiest to cure. As there is nowhere else for them to go, this is a very serious thing for the country. During the last year a new upper story has been added to . .,:;. • - :..,...,..;..- .. aSBKMKjKS ',-.- �ill I NOVEMBER, 1929 17 one of the women's houses, at a cost of £900, and a row of eleven single rooms for acute women patients is now being built, mainly with funds from America, connecting two of the other women's houses (cost £800). The comfort of these single rooms for some of the more restless and noisy patients will be indescribable. When these two additions are finished, the number of beds should be increased from 157 to 185. This is indeed a great thing. But it is not enough. To meet the need, two, if not three, new pavilions of 30-35 beds each must be built. We shall try to raise funds for one of these in Europe this winter, but we think that the second ought to come from the Arabic-speaking world. The cost of these houses is unusually moderate, owing to the excellent building stone available in the adjacent ground and the fact that our Medical Director can build without employing expensive contractors. A charming bungalow for 30-35 patients can be provided for £3,000, complete with marble floors in the corridors, tiles in the rooms and a red-tiled roof. The best type of house is E-shaped, and contains three dormitories and ten single rooms, besides lounge, dining rooms and bathrooms. There is ample space for new houses without in any way spoiling the amenities of the present ones. Moreover, once the new houses are built, it is likely that they will be largely self-supporting, for all patients pay what they can and for the destitute the French Government now pays a small capitation fee. Social Life at Asfuriyeh We were struck by the delightful open-air life led by the patients. The bedrooms all have large windows, and one gets a sense of light and air everywhere, as well as of order and kindly care. There are many shady spots for rest, and a great variety of beautiful views, down over the Beirut River, or out to the sea beyond, or across the Damascus Road (which bounds one side of the estate) to the-Lebanon Mountains. There are also many pleasant walks within the grounds which cover 36 acres. To watch the motors flying up and down the Damascus Road and the leisurely trains of camels and donkeys is also an endless interest. There are no walls round Asfuriyeh, and no gate at the entrance. Such things are unnecessary as well as unkind. People rome here and stay here because it is here that they find the best understanding and help in their illness. �'" 18 1.1 '. ' THE SYRIAN WORLD In a large group of people like this, there are sure to be some who like to work and some who do not. Some lead a very busy life, helping with the meals and the cleaning, chopping wood, sawing, preparing the special mattresses used, sewing, ironing and washing, gardening, helping with the pumping machines, doing carpentry and smithy work. Perhaps three-quarters really do definite work, and they are all encouraged to be as active as possible, as work has a curative as well as a moral value. There are people of every class and variety, of many religions, numerous nationalities and races, and every kind of temperament. Some are suffering from melancholia, some are feebleminded (such as an old negro man found on the streets, without name or home, who sleeps most of the time), there are many young people who have had shocks which have split their personalities, many men and women who are misfits in life and cannot be kept in ordinary homes, degenerates, drug and alcohol addicts, some criminals, some obsessed by one idea, several who believe that they are the Creator or some earthly potentate. Some are rich and of old family; others have not a penny in the world, nor any home. Some are silent and some are exceedingly noisy. Some alternate between the two. Many look absolutely happy in these nice surroundings. Sad though it is to see them, one's uppermost thought is thankfulness that Asfuriyeh exists, to care for them and help them, and that so much devotion and skill is being lavished upon their welfare. Many get perfectly well, and still more go out improved. In the short time that the writer was there quite a number of new patients arrived, some brought bound by the military, others in the charge of friends. The first thing always done is to loose them from their shackles. Our A p-peal The appeal of such a Hospital is wide and comprehensive. It commends itself to all who feel the need to relieve human suffering, whether Christians, Jews or Moslems; to all who wish to promote international co-operation and good-will; to all who love the Holy Land, as the original h«me of their faith or as their native land; to the scientific and medical mind, for this hospital is not only carrying out treatment on the most approved and modern lines, but is also a centre for training and research. Its Director (Prof. Watson Smith) is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Beirut, and his students (Syrians, Armenians, Jews, Turks, Arabs, Africans, Persians, etc.) go to the Hospital IB NC eve ing all spei froi for< this and late era! Cor T] EG m PA: SY1 Cor �NOVEMBER, 1929 ;p every week for theoretical and clinical teaching and are spreading more enlightened views and treatment of mental disease all through the neighbouring lands. The Hospital must also specially commend itself to those who have friends suffering from this particular form of illness. The members of the General Committee in London therefore beg all who read this paper to join with them in helping this voluntary, international hospital. The need is very great and very urgent. Give now, and also remember the Hospital later on. Contributions will be most gladly received by the General Secretary in London (Miss Hilda Fox, Lebanon Hospital Committee, 139 Marylebone Road, London, N. W. 1.) SOME FIGURES BEARING ON THE PREVALENCE OF MENTAL DISEASES IN THE NEAR EAST and the Number of Beds provided in Mental Hospitals EGYPT Population 13^4 million Beds: Abbassiyeh (Government) 1,900 Khanka (Government) 1,000 2,900 beds = 1 per 4,500 of the people PALESTINE Population about 1 million Beds: Bethlehem (Government) Jerusalem (Jewish, voluntary 60 79 139 beds = 1 per 6,000 of the people SYRIA Population 2>y2 million Beds: Asfuriyeh (voluntary, international) Damascus (French Government) 159 57 216 beds = 1 per 16,300 of the people Compare ENGLAND AND WALES Population 38 million Beds 141,000 = 1 in 270 of the population (Syria is larger than England, Scotland and Wales put together) �ft THE SYRIAN WORLD 20 '!' t t \ 1 ' Rihani —The Man and His Work l ( By ELIZABETH P. c t MACCALLUM < ""THE seeker after knowledge, bending low over the tray marked "Palestine," fingers a wealth of titles in the catalogues of our libraries. But if these are English titles, he will find few of them concerned primarily with the history, the traditions or the philosophy of the Arabs, who have been in occupation of Palestine for the last thirteen centuries. Most of the titles concern Christian and Jewish traditions. We all may have gloried in the romantic, if somewhat bloody, progress of Joshua through the land of Canaan. But few of us have ever read that other story, epoch-making and equally as romantic, of how Omar of Arabia conquered the same country in the seventh century. And yet the name of Omar is a household word throughout much of the Near East. xAgain, we know in our own time more about the hopes and the program of organized Zionism than we do about the hopes and the program of amateur Pan-Arabism. The Arab idealist expresses himself in a language adequate to his immediate purpose. And that language is seldom English. A great desert of silence thus interposes itself between the American reader and the peoples of Arab culture in the Near East. But there are a few oases in this desert of silence which the American may find for the seeking. The springs of one of them, strangely enough, have gushed at the very gates of the New World. They are the sparkling waters of information and understanding to be found in the writings of Ameen Rihani—who was born of Arabic-speaking parents in the mountains of Lebanon in Syria but who early tasted life in a crowded immigrant colony in Lower Manhattan. New Yorkers who know Washington Street, with its hawkers, its greengrocers, its sweetmeat-venders, its numerous children, its untidiness, its occasional hubble-bubbles and backgammon boards, and its constant array of handsome black mousta- BWWMHM "*88nBMBMHBMWHB r i i i i $ t a c c t 1 f ^ r c t F t 2 c a I t t r r b ' tJ �NOVEMBER, 1929 21 chios, are not apt to associate with it the refinement of spirit which gives birth to reflections such as Rihani has set down for the consideration of his readers in The Book of Khalid, or in The Path of Vision. The ordinary New Yorker thinks of Washington Street not as a training school for poets, artists or philosophers, but merely as a first foothold for new-comers to this country, and more particularly for those from the Eastern Mediterranean, the majority of them Syrians. Yet from Washington Street has come more than one philosopher, more than one poet. And it was in Washington Street that this particular philosopherpoet spent one of the highly impressionable periods of his life. The secret of this interpreter, who makes the Arab ideal intelligible to Americans, lies in the fact that both Arab and American are intelligible to him. "The West for me means ambition," he writes, "the East contentment: my heart is ever in the one, my soul, in the other." He has divided his time between two continents—between New York and his home at Freike in the Lebanon, high over the rocky pass on whose walls Rameses the Second, Sennacherib, Esarhaddon and Allenby inscribed their successive victories. But there is a difference between Rihani and the majority of those who are bound by a double allegiance to two distinct civilizations. He is not a mere commuter between the lands of his first and second births. He has participated in establishing communication between the two. He has not only experienced the contrasting moods of contrasting civilizations j he has expressed them. And the shafts of his description are feathered with a poetic reflectiveness which carries them straight to the heart of the inquirer. With many Arab leaders he is on terms of friendship, both in Syria and in the Arabian peninsula. On the platforms of capital and provincial town, in the intimate conversations of tent and hall, from the columns of newspapers and pages of books his message in the Arab tongue has always been the message of those who desire above all things an opportunity for their people to live today in a political strength devoid of fear, and of the resort to violence which is bred of fear—an opportunity which will make possible the blossoming anew of an ancient culture. Unrest in the Arab world, north, south, east or west, has been a familiar because frequently recurring phenomenon of this first quarter of the twentieth century. From the mountains d �22 THE SYRIAN WORLD of Morocco to the deserts of Iraq, and from the green valleys of Yaman to the covered bazaars of Aleppo there has come from time to time news of uprisings and riots, of bloodshed and revolt. Whatever aspects the disturbances may have assumed, whatever the precipitating factors may have been, the underlying cause has always proved to be one and the same. The Arab would be free. Whether it is Turk or Englishman, Frenchman or Spaniard who wields the scepter of authority, the Arab would wrest it from him. Inheritor of a living and vivid tradition of former supremacy, discontent weighs heavily upon him at the spectacle of his present subordination. Like other people who remember a past more glorious than the present, he would return to that past. Or, to speak more accurately, he would re-create in the present the condition of political independence enjoyed in the past in the hope that the future may see a recrudescence of the material and cultural wealth of bygone centuries. The Arab, like the Jew, is convinced that there is a direct relationship between the happiness and productivity of a people and its enjoyment of free nationhood. He will remind you that if the West borrowed straight from the Arabs such words as "algebra" and "alcohol" it was not just because Arabian mathematicians and Arabian physicians of the past imposed those words on a docile Europe. It was because a free Arabia contributed to the fund of common human knowledge hitherto undiscovered facts and theories which the West was eager to utilize in the realms of mathematics and medicine, as well as in the realm of astronomy. Nor was Arabia's contribution confined to these three branches of science. It included religion, too, and philosophy and poetry. If in the past Europe was hospitable to the science of Arabia, as Asia and Africa have been to its religion and poetry, why, the Arab asks, should not the contribution of an Arabia Rediviva be equally acceptable in the future? Living as we do in a quarter-century which is far excellence the quarter-century of new nationalisms, the point of view of any nationalist is familiar to us in some degree. We understand the nationalism of Americans, of Canadians, of Mexicans, of Nicaraguans. We have watched the growth of nationalism in Italy since Mazzini, in Turkey since Enver, in Czechoslovakia under Benes, in Poland under Paderewski and Pilsudski. The Jew rebuilding Zion is motivated by as profound a devotion to nationalism as the Irishman battling for the restoration of Erin. And both are understood. Nothing, in fact, is more taken for granted i �'Wtmttmmmamtmmmmr NOVEMBER, 1929 23 today than the existence among all peoples of that combination of ambition and self-esteem which goes to make up nationalism. But what form does nationalism take, and in what guise does it appear to a people with whose writings and whose manner of life we are not familiar? Rihani answers this question with particular authority with respect to the Arabs, not only because he knows the Arabs of the mandated territories—Syria and Greater Lebanon under French mandate, Palestine, Transjordania and Iraq under British—but because he has also travelled extensively through Arabia itself. These travels are recorded in two new volumes which will stand for all time as classics, along with the works of Niebuhr and Palgrave, Burckhardt and Doughty, in the literature of Arabian exploration and travel. The lands in which Rihani has journeyed are not all remote. The Book of Khalid, containing a rare portrayal of immigrant Jife in New York, is evidence enough of this. But whether near or far he engages in exploration of those immediate and subtle realities of life which so often escape the attention of even careful observers; he expresses them in language one does not easily forget; he follows everywhere the quest for a reasonable life, whether in the shade of Lebanon's old cedars or behind the staring windows of New York's newer skyscrapers. And it is such an interpreter whom the American reader seeks. For the American reader it is especially advantageous that this interpreter should have known his West almost before he recaptured his East. Ameen Rihani came to Washington Street a small boy, very much like any number of the black-haired, blackeyed ten-year-olds who swarm on the street of early evenings today, or whom one may see going to confession of a Saturday afternoon, kneeling at the altar-rail for an interminable four minutes of devotion before swinging out, on two bare feet, into the noise and vivacity of Washington Street. Even in those days, old St. George's probably had banks of white paper lilies to gaze upon, and pillars twined with green and pink crepe paper. But there must have been at least this difference between Rihani and the lads of today—that whereas the latter are taught to pray to St. Anne to obtain for them both a knowledge of their sins and sorrow for them, Ameen Rihani refused to do anything of the sort. Instead, he tells us that he shot craps around the corner. Neither is it recorded that he prayed, as his successor today does, for a faithful and constant observance of his state of life. Rather, he tells us again, did he use the tainted gains of �24 THE SYRIAN WORLD his crap-shooting to buy books for himself—English books, books from the second-hand dealers in the shadow of Trinity. And with the help of these books he avoided the constant observance of his own state of life; rather he succeeded in passing rapidly from one state of life to another without finding that ideal state which faithful supplication would doubtless have helped him to achieve. He didn't like working in his father's commercial world. He wanted to read. He didn't like keeping books. Nor beinglectured about his shortcomings. Falstaff he loved better than all the fat men who came to talk about business, and Jean Valjean better than all the law-abiding immigrants whom the day's routine brought to the establishment. Neither did he like to live in a dark basement down a flight of stairs from the level of the street. Still less did he enjoy the business of pumping water out of the basement which was his home. But he had to continue to do these things; for the Irishman who at that time lived in the upper stories of the Washington Street tenement houses refused to admit Syrians to anything better than lodging below street level. Meanwhile the city authorities were as helpless as Canute before the high tides of winter, which annually overwhelmed all the basements of the district. In the excess of his unhappiness the boy ran away from home four times. At seventeen he went on the stage with a travelling stock company, which had the misfortune to fail somewhere in the Midwest, an unconscionable distance from home. Back he came, though reluctantly, and worked again at columns of figures. At night he went to class until finally he was admitted to the New York Law School. The Law School was to have been the gate to Paradise and freedom. But he found when he got there that it was only a window-casement from which he looked forth on a world as barren and forlorn as the world of trade and barter he had just tried to quit. He wasted no more time than he could help on this second dismal prospect. He escaped. And physical misfortune was the means of his escape. The repeated inundations of his cellar and the constant dampness had by this time affected his lungs. He was sent back to Syria to recuperate. This was only the first of a number of long visits paid to Syria by Rihani. It proved, moreover, to be the very gateway to Paradise which he had vainly sought in the New York Law School. For now, having learned his literary Arabic at the hands of �— AMEEN RIHANI IN ARAB COSTUME MMBBMB^BH �.1 THE VALLEY OF FREIKE, VIEWED FROM RIHANI'S HOME ^i Mi JK- . -^J*^ 1 . / - 1 - ' VLl. ':, i H V Partial view of Freike showing the Rihani home with the massive arch in the centre background. i -. -- ' '' . -:r.y.- �I *~^ NOVEMBER, 1929 25 competent teachers in the Lebanon, he began in his spare time to translate Arabic poetry into English. Returning to New York, he continued this work in the intervals between tspeaking engagements. Thus came to light The Luzumiyat of the Arab poetphilosopher Abu'1-Ala, a forerunner of Omar Khayam. Rihani's literary career had begun. His next task was a greater one. From translating poetry out of one language into another he turned to the task of interpreting an entire civilization, both to its own children and to the people of another hemisphere. To examine the writings which now appeared is to discover what Rihani found both of good and evil in the culture of the Arabic-speaking world. It is to discover, too, the concern felt by a great body of Arabs, whom he fittingly represents, lest what is good in Arab civilization be overlaid and smothered by the West, or lest the undesirable features of Arab civilization grow more pronounced through the conflict between East and West. Endowed as he was with a strong belief in the virtue of Arab culture, and imbued as he was with a living hope that this virtue might some day find an unhampered medium for self-expression, free from the inhibitions and the silences imposed upon it by the unhappy circumstance of foreign domination, it is not surprising to see Rihani visiting the Arabian Peninsula itself in 1922 with a definite objective in view—an objective quite different from that of his illustrious predecessors, Doughty, Palgrave, Burckhardt, Burton and the rest. Arabia to Rihani was not merely a tilted tableland to explore; its kings were not peripatetic curiosities hiding behind barriers which only the intrepid might overleap and then boast of knowing for the remainder of their days. Arabia was to him a land of living human beings, speaking the language he had spoken in early boyhood (and which now he used with a noted grace). It was a land with whose traditions he was not unfamiliar, a land in which he hoped to find sources of vitality that might be put to the service of a vigorous and useful Arab civilization rather than continue to fritter itself out on activities devised to meet only tribal expediency. It was a land which, unlike the mandated territories, was for the most part free from foreign control. But it was a land where civilization and education lagged far behind the standards prevailing in Syria. It was a land where those who hoped for intelligent participation in reviving Arab culture could find much to do as missionaries of peace and propagandists of an ideal. �26 THE SYRIAN WORLD When Rihani actually reached Arabia he found situations there which affected him strongly. "The first thing that repelled me," he said—and it must be remembered that his visit to the Hedjaz took place before Ibn Saoud assumed control of that country: "the first thing that repelled me when I went out of Jeddah halfway towards the Holy City (Mecca) were the armed Arabs. Not a herdsman, not a Bedouin in rags, but carried a rifle. Ignorance in arms! And not a hand to control it, and not a head to direct it to its own good. They were all out for loot, and they cut each other's throats for it. Ignorance in arms! I turned away from it both in anger and in sorrow. "But in the Yaman, as we made our way from Aden slowly up the mountains of San'a, the situation was in a sense even worse. There we were confronted with Ignorance and Fanaticism in arms. The Imam of the Yaman," he went on to explain, "was making war on his neighbor, the Idrisi, because the ancestors of the latter had come to Arabia a little later than his own, and because the Idrisi belonged to a different Moslem sect, and because the Idrisi was grateful to the British for making him a present of the seaport town of Hudaidah, which the Imam of the Yaman himself coveted." Indeed, traditional rivalry and traditional enmity, traditional fanaticism and economic pressure were at the bottom of almost all the disunity he had come to Arabia to try to counteract. But he believed that Arabian rulers would respond to statesmanlike proposals for the composing of Arabia's differences and that, now that the hand of Turkey had been withdrawn, it might be possible to set up in Arabia itself a confederation of friendly states which ultimately might include even the countries now under mandate in the North. And so the Pan-Arab dream of reviving the activity of an almost dormant Arab culture through establishing an era of peace might be fulfilled. No longer may it be said of the* nomad tribesmen of the Arabian hills and deserts that there is not a hand to control them, nor a mind to direct them to their own good. Ibn Saoud has controlled them j Ibn Saoud is directing them—and hitherto at any rate his direction has been immensely to their advantage. Rihani tells how Ibn Saoud conceived the idea of domesticating the nomads in order to keep them under control. Every tribe or section of a tribe was allotted an area of land near a water-spring, where the sheikh moved with his people and began to build villages and to till the soil. They were ordered to sell their camels. They fought for Ibn Saoud when there was need of fighting. I f • �_*lKSfe NOVEMBER, 1929 27 But when there was need of peace they had to be prevented from engaging in forays of their own as they had always been accustomed to do in times past. Besause they were zealous adherents of the puritan Wahhabi creed, Ibn Saoud was able to send missionaries among them, in the name of Islam, to preach the doctrine—backed as it was by ancient though neglected tradition—that a rich believer were better than a poor believer. They were encouraged to accumulate wealth in a way they had never done before. Interest in forays grew less keen. Raid and counter-raid have ceased except along the extreme borders of Ibn Saoud's dominions. And in the towns, never was such security in the memory of living man. No one dare touch what is not his. But Ignorance is still there. Ibn Saoud is inaugurating a new era in the Arabian peninsula which so many centuries have found and left unchanged. Iraq is developing a national life of its own with prospect of being admitted shortly to membership in the League of Nations as a self-governing and independent country. Representative institutions have been established in the Lebanon, and among the people of Transjordan. Syria, after a two-year rebellion, is hoping to achieve a parliament (although just what basis of agreement it can find with the French authorities is not yet clear). In Palestine, alone, of the Arabic-speaking territories of the Near East, no progress seems to have been made yet toward achieving even a minimum of autonomy in national government. Here, too, however, there are leaders among the Arabs whose goal, like that of Rihani, is not the freedom of anarchy but the freedom of ordered government. International pressure has prevented their object from being attained hitherto; but disappointment has not stampeded them into militant obduracy. These leaders await an opportunity to discuss the affairs of Palestine with British and Zionist officials in the spirit of moderation. It is to be hoped that the service they are prepared to render their country will not be ignored by champions of repression on one side or of violence on the other. �28 THE SYRIAN WORLD To the Man With the Hard Eyes By BARBARA YOUNG CHE said, "What is that in your hand, A golden piece? You say that I shall have a valleyful Of golden pieces. You say that I shall have a coach and castle, And you will make it so That all the lovely maidens and gay young lords Shall come my way, and stop within for feasting} And I shall be raimented as a princess is. "No. I have a copper penny in my scrip. I have a worn brown cloak. I know a man in a hovel on a hill. I will go to him there. He looks upon the world With laughter and great sorrow in his eyes. I like laughter and sorrow and copper pennies and worn cloaks. The man on the hill has words that warm me Like fire on a cold hearth. I will go there. The pilgrims come along that way, And the wandering minstrels. We shall set out for them and us a bowl and plate} And you may keep your valleyful of golden pieces. I should grow very weary counting them." ^^S^^W^ 1 gwJSj^!w^^A )yVwKA^J3sk!w3| �——mmm NOVEMBER, 1929 29 A Legend of the Nile OR AN EGYPTIAN SCARAB/EUS By "" DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN J^AST night I woke from out a dream For I had wandered far Into a strange and ancient land, Led by a silver star. I dreamt I stood on Soudan's soil, High, on a mountain crest; A dusky maid with silken curls Was leaning on my breast. "Where yonder river wends its way Through fertile fields below, A desert stretched its leafless plain, Three thousand years ago. No trace of beauty graced the earth Save in the Pharaoh's pride; He built rich palaces and tombs His honored crimes to hide. "Green vines and cypress trees grew near Within the garden close, And rarest lilies rich and sweet Were blooming with the rose. Within the carven corridors Where musk perfumed the air, Fair statuary graced the walls, With hangings rich and rare. "Twelve mistresses had walked its halls And shared the Pharaoh's bed; Twelve mistresses were cast aside And numbered with the dead. One day a priest of Osiris Had gained the palace walls; " in in �THE SYRIAN WORLD 30 I met him in a frightened mood Half-crouching in the halls. "He caught my arm, 'Queen Semuta, 'Tis time for thee to fly, For Pharaoh brings another bride, And thou art doomed to die. Hark! thou canst hear the marriage-guests Already on the stair.' He caught my fainting form and cried, 'There is no time for pray'r!' "Down through a secret way we went To 'void the mocking throng; Yet in my half-unconscious state I heard the Pharaoh's song. I paused within the arbor's shade And brushed aside a tear. The good priest fanned my aching brow And tried to soothe my fear. "The roses hinted as we passed With their delicious breath, The utter loneliness before; The gloomy wings of Death. I thought of loved-ones far away Beyond the barren plain; I thought of him, of whom I loved, But ne'er could see again. " 'Dear child, Osiris will not leave You to a cruel fate, But he will lead your feeble feet Close to the open Gate. An alternative waits for thee But it is cast in gloom. One, is the desert for escape, The other is the tomb.' "And so I chose the desert plain And journeyed long and far; I Hi f£x% i. WH W iagaMiMMl! �r- NOVEMBER, 1929 My guide by day—the rising sun; By night—the evening star. But thirst and hunger brought me low, Though hunger was the least, For in my wild deliriums I dreamt of many a feast. "I saw rich gardens sweet with flow'rs, And vainly did I call; I heard the babbling of a brook, I saw the fountain's fall. And even in my dreams I plead, 'Osiris hear my cry; One goblet of that sparkling rill; Just one, before I die!' "But mercy was not meant for me, And so my life swept on, Into a fairer, brighter realm— In Paradise 'twas born. But from my bed, a river sprang And laughing danced along. With snowy ripples on its breast; Its shallows full of song. "It grew and grew, a mighty stream Beneath the azure skies, And in this ancient land, it proved A blessing in disguise. This scaraba;us you wore, dear friend, Was placed upon my breast, And shows Osiris can give The weary, peace and rest. "It shows a bit of history Of a once noble race, But like a 'brand' it marks the shame Upon its Pharaoh's face. And could your eye decipher it, (Though 'tis not worth the while), You'd find half-hidden in the clay, This legend of the Nile." 4 31 �THE SYRIAN WORLD 32 Such Was Fate ! (A SHORT STORY) By LABEEBEE A. J. HANNA DABE ALDON carried her twenty-five years becomingly and was at the point in her career when she was in love with life. And everyone was in love with Babe. Was Babe in love with Buddy Hazzar? He certainly cared for her—enough to pay for her expensive diamond. Soon Babe and Buddy would be married and they would go home to visit her mother. Poor Mother! Alone for four years. How she would be longing to see Babe! Oh, well! Soon! Babe wondered concerning Buddy's folks, and their home in Virginia. Would Roanoke be as lovely as they say? She knew Buddy's father would love her, for hadn't Buddy said that her eyes were like his father's—the same depth, the same twinkle? Buddy rarely spoke of his mother, except to mention that she hadn't wanted him to do a certain thing, and she hadn't wanted him to do a certain other thing. Nicholas Handar, too, cared for Babe, but in spite of his secret attachment he continued shy for a long time. The closest he had approached her up until April was to ask her to play "The Vagabond Song" on the piano at the club rooms. She had looked at him—and there was a song in her heart, she knew not why. In turning over the music sheet, their fingers touched, and at the sudden thrill each, frightened, pulled his hand away. No opportunity presented itself. However, his feelings could not long be hidden, and especially since he had a close friend in George. Why, George knew the meaning of every movement of Nicholas. — And now he was worried concerning his friend. Nicholas Handar and George Manam, on their way to the club rooms one evening, fell to discussing Babe—at first awkwardly, and then,—quite naturally. Nicholas was thinking of Babe. He would see her this night. But, Babe was engaged to Buddy. "Come," said George, "snap out of it, Nick! You're making us all sick! Why don't you talk to Babe? I think she likes«you " "Well, I love her. But I just can't talk to her." "Not talk to her! Of course you can! She loves you—and �~*% NOVEMBER, 1929 33 you're making yourself and your friends sick thinking of her." "Possibly. But what of the man whom she professes to love —to whom she is engaged? I can't stab him in the back like a gutter snake!" "It isn't stabbing him in the back! And whatever you did .you wouldn't be a gutter snake. We all know that. Where's your nerve?" "I don't know. But she's engaged now—and I believe she's happy. She loves him and I have no right to interfere." The conversation was interrupted here by the appearance of a tall, handsome young man whose most prominent feature was a Roman nose. "Hello, Buddy!" both boys hastened to exclaim. "Hello, Nick! Hello, George! I didn't know you two boys were in town—or that I'd meet you here in the subway. Coming to the club? "Well, thought we'd drop over," said George, nonchalantly. "Aren't you bringing Babe?" asked Nicholas, somewhat gloomily. "Babe is taken care of. Eddie and his sister will bring her in. She spent the week-end with her cousins on Seventh Street in Brooklyn. I called up before coming to remind her to bring some music with her. She promised." "Will she sing?" asked Nicholas. "Perhaps." Buddy eyed Nicholas curiously. At Boro Hall the three young men got out of the subway and soon after were in the club rooms on Schermerhorn Street. The three looked around for one person—whom they knew would, nevertheless, have not come yet. Two young men were busily arranging tables for bridge. A young girl and'young man were leaning against the piano—waiting—they didn't know for what and didn't seem to care. At a little distance away from them was a laughing group of girls in pretty pastel shade dresses, occasionally throwing side-long glances at the boys at the piano —but the boys were not interested. Babe wasn't there. Nick, George and Buddy went up into the Men's Parlor to smoke. Meanwhile, groups large and small arrived. Some were inclined to mingle with the rest, while here and there a few kept to themselves. Long about eleven o'clock two young girls, one �34 THE SYRIAN WORLD in black, the other in purple, arrived, escorted by a tall, muscular young man. The girls were smiling at everyone and no one and seemed to draw many friendly glances. The girl in black seemed well poised and gave one the impression of being taller than she really was; while the other seemed to shrink back a little in silent admiration of her friend. "There's Babe," said someone, and not a few looked up. The girl in black smiled. "Here, Isabel," she said, "as usual we're late for bridge. There will be dancing shortly. That, of course, suits you." The girl in purple drew her lovely white fur piece from about her neck and smiled as she followed Babe up the stairs. "We won't be long, Eddie!" both girls called back over their shoulders. "Right into my arms, Babe!" someone said, and Babe looked up to find Buddy smiling down at her. She said inimitably, "Always, dear!" and both laughed for no reason at all. "See you later, Bud!" after both girls had been helped with their wraps, and went into the parlor to repair their persons. Bridge over, there was a short entertainment by the club talent. Needless to say, Babe Aldon sang—and accompanied herself. Nicholas was thrilled to find she included the "Vagabond Song." Somehow he knew it was for him. Then there was dancing. Babe was rushed. She was, of course, all attention for Buddy—but she quite obviously enjoyed her dance with Nicholas. Buddy was all smiles to his friend, Nicholas, but Nicholas was awkward in Buddy's presence. That night was the last for a few months that Buddy would enjoy with his friends, for the next day he was leaving for Pennsylvania where he was representing his father's firm. With Buddy Hazzar in Pennsylvania, George Manam suggested that Nicholas see Babe Aldon. It was a dirty trick. Nicholas could not do it. Two months passed. One stormy night, towards the end of April, Nicholas called up Babe. "May I see you?" he asked bluntly. "Why? Oh, is something wrong?" "No, Babe, I just have a little time and I would like to see you •» �NOVEMBER, 1929 35 "Why, er er, where are you, Nick?" "Oh, at 51st and Broadway. I'm leaving for Boston tonight and since the boat trip has been cancelled on account of the storm I must go by bus. It doesn't leave until ten. May I come?" "But, I'm way out at 119th! You won't have time!" "Oh, yes I shall.. Say I may!" "Well, all right, come over if you must." Nick Handar was happy. But why? He was going to see a girl who was engaged to somebody else. He called himself a cad and all sorts of things. But he couldn't hold back now. There was no harm in seeing a girl! The Fifth Avenue bus? No, that was too slow. The subway? Certainly not when one goes to see Babe. Nothing short of a luxurious cab! There was one just outside the Pennsylvania. He jumped into it and was off! The car went on swiftly for a few blocks, then stopped. Why will they have these horrid signal towers? Can't they know he is going to see Babe? He turned his head to one side. Crowds, crowds, windows, displays, signs, other cars, officers, crowds, crowds, crowds. Could they hear the song in his heart? Oh, they were going again! After all, these traffic conditions are a darned good thing—but why don't they go faster? It was a long ride, a long time. He seemed to be emerging out of a dead past when he came out of the cab and found himself ringing Babe Aldon's bell. Soon he was in the parlor. She was there in a trim suit of dark blue. How alert she looked! She had only been in this country four years! Or is it that they are already far ahead of us there? "How do you do, Nick?" she greeted. "All right. In a rush, I guess!" Both laughed. "Well," he began to explain— . "Do sit down," she interrupted. He chose a hard chair near the piano. He was too nervous to sit back comfortably in an easy chair. "You look tired," she went on. "Oh, no, Babe! Not that." "Well, what is it?" "Why, nothing much. Thought I'd drop in. — You must be very lonely since Buddy went away." �36 THE SYRIAN WORLD "Why, not so frightfully." She laughed nervously. "Still, I'm able to catch up with my studies a bit now." What a delightful voice! Almost unbelievable that she was really new in this country. Barely a trace of an accent—just enough to give melody to a naturally soft voice. "However, Babe, you'll allow me to escort you to the Junior League affair next Saturday on my return? That is, if there is no one else?" "I was thinking of staying home." "Why do you want to stay home?" Feebly she answered, "To study." "Not really to study? And miss a perfectly wonderful timer Let me come for you and I'll take as good care of you as any brother would." Babe wasn't certain. It was finally decided that he would call up on Saturday at seven to find out if she had decided to go. She went to the piano, and as she played "The Vagabond Song" he felt the thrill which came to him when at the club their fingers had fortuitously met. On Saturday night the latest arrivals at the club were Nicho las and Babe Aldon, and Isabel, Eddie and George. Not a few looked their way and wondered. Thus it was that at the first Nicholas and Babe were together in a group. They were together again and again throughout the remainder of April and through May, but more and more they were alone, indeed. Buddy was expected soon. Babe wondered at her lack of enthusiasm in his return, this time. For two weeks now, no letter had come from her mother, but she did not seem worried at that. She was thinking too often of Nick. On May 23rd there came a letter from Buddy, a humorous, happy letter. He would be back the thirty-first. She criticised herself for not caring whether he came soon or late. On May 27th there arrived a letter whose border was black. Back to earth came Babe. What was the tragic news? Buddy's father. Surely not—dead? Her own father, so her mother had told her, had died long before she was born. She had hoped to gain a father through marriage. Poor Buddy! He would be rushing home to Roanoke. She must go, too. He will need her. A hurried good-bye to Nick over the phone, He would �NOVEMBER, 1929 37 gladly escort her. She felt it best to go alone, but promised, if she had need, to call him. On the train, she thought of her own father. She remembered his picture in her parlor at home with a little colored American flag in the left lapel of his coat. He had been 23. How sad her mother had always been concerning him! How often her mother had looked at Babe's eyes and remarked, "How like your father's, Babe!" At Roanoke, the body she saw in the candle-lighted parlor was that of a man who had been tall and muscular and very handsome. There was something vaguely familiar about him. She tried to put that fact out of her mind. Perhaps it was just that Buddy resembled his father somewhat. But, no, there was something more. She could not put it out of her head. Later, Buddy Hazzar arrived. He had had a longer distance to come. The poor boy was shaking. She felt very close to him somehow, and realized that in some way it was not on account of love. There seemed a newer bond—a different bond between them. Babe felt an immediate dislike on the part of the mother for her. She herself, thoroughly disliked the mother on sight! Both, however, were civil to each other. On the night of the funeral, when all the pictures were uncovered in the house, Babe was aghast to see the picture of a handsome young man on the wall directly over the spot where the body had lain. There was an American flag in the left lapel of his coat. His eyes were like hers. It was the same picture her mother had often stood in front at home in her own front parlor, of the father whom her mother told her had died so long ago. "Buddy!" exclaimed Babe. "Buddy, who is that?" Buddy looked at the picture. Dismally, he said, "That is my father when he was young." "He has only just died!" exclaimed Babe, aghast. "I have attended my own father's funeral," she murmured at the picture. Buddy looked at Babe. For a minute he forgot his great grief. Babe puzzled him. That evening Babe and Buddy had a long discussion. They sympathized with each other. They were to say nothing whatsoever to Buddy's mother. Brother and sister could not marry. Babe called Nick. �e THE SYRIAN WORLD 58 EDITORIAL COMMENT RACIAL CONSCIOUSNESS ("\VER ten years ago, the editor of THE SYRIAN WORLD, who was then publishing a monthly magazine in Arabic, ventured what was considered at that time the radical prophecy that the Syrian mothertongue, as a spoken language, could not survive the first Syrian generation in America. He based his statement on the general law of evolution as manifested in the blending of the different races of this country into one homogenous nation. He expanded his prophecy to include even the Eastern churches in the matter of their rituals. In support of his views he gave what he considered valid arguments. At that time, although not so far back, his supposedly radical opinion was received with astonishment bordering on dismay by the Arabic-speaking elements in this country. Some even characterized it as blasphemy and treason. How can a publisher of an Arabic organ be so disloyal to the cause of his mother-tongue? Instead of championing its cause, could it be possible for one in such a position to sound its doom? There was even at the time a movement on foot to create sentiment among the Syrians in favor of establishing an Arabic University in America, in the hope of stemming the tide that threatened the Arabic language with extinction. This view was challenged, and a public debate arranged by the Syrian Educational Society of New York on the question. The affirmative side, taken by the editor, lost the decision. Some of the judges even engaged in the debate before retiring to consider the evidence and proclaimed with a good deal of vehemence the virtues of the Arabic tongue and the necessity of perpetuating it. But the last decade has brought about a surprising adjustment to the supposedly radical view then expressed. Especially during the last four years, discussion of the Syrians' future in America as a racial entity is indulged in openly and with amazing frankness. Arabic-language newspapers themselves now make the bold assertion that their span of existence is becoming more and more contracted. Now it seems to be taken for granted that Arabic, as a spoken language, will not survive the present generation. At the same time, there is evident a strong racial consciousness that is ~fc»-j �NOVEMBER, 1929 i growing in proportion to the extent that the use of the language is diminishing. The intelligent element of the younger generation, those to whom the language has the least appeal, appear to be the strongest factor in bringing about this revival of race consciousness. They are, to be sure, as true and loyai Americans in spirit as can be found. Their allegiance is not and cannot be divided. But in this matter it is with them a question of selfrespect, of a firm belief in themselves as good material of American citizenship as can be found. They are awaking to the realization that they come of good stock, that they have valuable contributions to make to the culture of America, and for that reason they resent being classed among the inferior and unfit. We believe this to be the more logical, appropriate and enduring view. Language could be preserved only to the extent that it serves a cultural purpose. Language, after all, is but a medium of expression and understanding, and now that we are definitely settled in America, the language of the country should serve all our practical purposes. It is the easier to acquire and the more utilitarian. Knowledge of the mothertongue or any foreign language is a cultural accomplishment. 39 But adequate appreciation of one's genealogical descent is quite different from the preservation of one's mother-tongue. The American nation is drawn from many racial roots, and for it to be more fully moulded into one homogenous whole there must be appreciation and understanding by each strain for the qualities of the others. This could be brought about without violence to the American principle of homogeneity. One can prove his worth without maligning his neighbor. Rather, it should better serve the common cause of true Americanism that all efforts to bring about a better understanding between the component elements of the American nation be encouraged instead of suspected and misinterpreted. But the Syrians have ever been a proverbially divided race. This shortcoming is accentuated in America by the fact that they are widely scattered and have jiot had so far the benefit of a sufficiently strong unifying influence. This condition will result in many a young Syrian being lost to himself and to his race, whereas if he were brought to the proper appreciation of his racial heritage, he would be spurred to do bigger and better deeds. Pride, in its nobler sense, can be the source of untold good. �,. THE SYRIAN WORLD has those who share our belief in been striving ever since its ap- the vitality of the mission of pearance to awaken in the the magazine to assist us in young Syrian generation in carrying out this mission in America an appreciation of full. their racial background and cultural heritage with the single VARIETY purpose of strengthening their belief in themselves in an ef- "THE position of THE SYRIAN WORLD is singular in that fort to bring forth the best that it is the only periodical in is in them. Self-respecting citizens are the only desirable citi- English published for the Syrzens, and once this consciousness ians. As such it must cater to of rational self-evaluation is a variety of tastes and encombrought about, concerted efforts pass all possible needs. Hence would be exerted to dispell any our policy to make it as general misunderstanding of the race. in its topics as compatible with Some deplorable evidence of those needs. Literature, polithe prevalence of such misun- tics, economics, social topics and derstanding was had only a few news of current events have months since when the Syrians their departments. And with were derogatorily referred to all these efforts we cannot claim to fill every want. on the floor of the Senate. We have, nevertheless, some THE SYRIAN WORLD shall continue to serve this cause of critics, — friends who would better understanding with the have the publication conducted double purpose of enlightening along the highest standards the Syrians about themselves known to the profession, exand enlightening others about cluding all but the choicest litthem. The management of the erary products. Their contenpublication only regrets that tion is that we owe it to our these efforts towards creating a racial standing to make the pubbetter understanding are not lication a fitting indication of sufficiently far-reaching—they our culture. This would make of the are limited by the circulation of magazine a highly specialized the publication which is restricted almost to the Syrians them- organ, and we doubt that as selves. This, of course, serves such it would find more supone side of the double purpose, port than the meager amount but the other side is equally as it is now receiving. Perhaps important and should not be such high hopes might materneglected. It is incumbent upon ialize in the future. THE SYRIAN WORLD s . - •: -,: I �41 NOVEMBER, 1929 Letters to the Editor customs inspector. I can't refrain from saying (and this is complimentary in every sense) that his publication is well-named Ad-Dabbour, (The Bee), and that his ability is equal to its title. I' have an idea that you will put your travels between two covers. They should be kept together for future enjoyment and reference. Edna K. Saloomey. Bridgeport Conn. TRAVELING COMPANION Editor, The Syrian World: * * * I have enjoyed the September issue of The Syrian World, notably the first article about our voyage on the steamer Providence. My nephew and I read it with great interest and lived over again many of our happy experiences. I was also interested to learn of your experiences in Palestine. May I ask you if you could speak to the Men's Club of St. Andrew's Parish on Palestine and Syria? You will have a large attendance of very interested and receptive men, for the most part New York business people who would give you keen attention. Your talk on the subject on the S. S. Providence was much appreciated. Rev. F. C. Todd. South Orange, N. J. FOREKNOWLEDGE NECESSARY Editor, The Syrian World: Having made the trip to Syria last year, I have thoroughly enjoyed your description of the first leg of the voyage. Such accounts should be appreciated both for their entertainment and instructive values. In any profitable trip to Syria a foreknowledge of the historical background of the country is essential. Such a visit undertaken under these conditions should prove a source of great cultural wealth to Syrian-Americans. Ruth Shadid. Elk City, Okla. COUNTRY OF EXOTIC LURE Editor, The Syrian World: * * * I have enjoyed so much the two issues of The Syrian World which have come to me and have road with great interest the account of your journey thus far. Your description is so vivid that one sees v/ith you the beautiful sights and hears even the distinctive noises of each place—or it may be enjoys the silence of the more tranquil places. One is imbued with a great desire to see these self-same places which intrigue one's interest with an exotic lure. Isabelle Howard. Rochester, N. Y. A SUGGESTION Editor, The Syrian World: * * * I had a fine time accompanying you upon your arrival at Beirut. I particularly enjoyed the encounter your cousin had with the French ACCOUNTS INSTRUCTIVE Editor, The Syrian World: * * * I find it easy to follow you through your trip. You make the picture quite clear. I refer to a map also—it is extending my knowledge of geography. The entire volume is interesting to me as well as instructive on a country and people of which I had been quite in the dark. The great beauty and intensity of the Arabic poetry as well as the many other distinctive features of the publication are equally appreciated. Sally E. Skiflmgton. New York. I ,:.:;%aws»«w �42 THE SYRIAN WORLD Spirit of the Syrian Press Under this caption we hope to present from time to time a microcosmic picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking writers who are treating the different problems that confront the Arabic-speaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will take no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. Our task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of the public opinion as expressed in these editorials. Editor. SYRIA AND PALESTINE, HAITI—PHILIPPINES The Syrians are Orientals. So are the Palestinians and the Haitians who are African Orientals, and the Philippinos who are Asiatic Orientals, and in the countries of all these peoples there are now disturbances and conflicts. Hauran only bides her time to make new demands and embark on new wars. Damascus seeths as a boiling caldron. In the Philippines there is unrest and unconcealed dissatisfaction. In Haiti there are strikes and bloody encounters. Oriental blood is what accounts for this all, for reasons both known and unknown. We wish to go on record as being firm believers in the principle of evolution—in rebelling against all that is rotten in the Old. We believe that reform cannot be brought about by mere adherence to traditions, for the simple reason that such would shut out beneficent development. But we believe just as strongly that reform cannot be brought about by anarchy, license and communism. It is a historical fact that the Irish are originally Orientals because they are mostly descendants of the Phoenicians. But the Irish have achieved a certain degree of independence because they sought it through courage, knowledge and right. The Philippinos are not in the same category, because they demand independence on grounds of fanaticism and ignorance. They ar.d the Hauranians, the Syrians and Palestinians, are in the same class. But this is a subject on which we shall not dwell at the present time, because our principal object is to comment on the disturbances now taking place in Haiti, a republic of blacks, whose people were only up to a short time ago actual slaves who could be bought and sold in the market and who now are in control and direction of the destinies of the country. There is no gainsaying the fact that the United States is a nation of charity freedom, democracy and material and scientific wealth. For that reason it must be taken for granted that it has no ulterior motives of colonization or exploitation either in Haiti or the Philippines. Rather, her main purpose is that her neighbors, such as the Haitians, �43 NOVEMBER, 1929 pretend patriotism while seeking only their selfish ends. Orientals should remain under liberal "Occidental mandate" until such time that they become fit for independence. It is axiomatic that undeveloped children are in need of conscientious and learned mentors. Al-Hoda, N. Y., Dec. 10, 1929. , be under the protection of her benevolent power. Besides, she wishes to have law and order respected by her neighbors for the simple reason that they are her neighbors, and for the added reason that she will not permit them to disturb the peace because of their perverted understanding of liberty and their aptitude to use their independence in a manner that will spell injury to the interests of other peoples. And because the education of such peoples has not become sufficiently ripened for the exercise of self-control and national independence, their situation is like that of swamps which breed disease-bearing mosquitos and are a menace to the wellbeing of mankind. ARAB OVERTURES TO JEWS REPORTED It must be understood that these people are loud in their shouting for liberty only to use it as a weapon to stifle the liberty of others. Or else, unwittingly, they would work injury to their own cause of orderly and lasting liberty. The Philippines realize full well that once the United States withdraws they will become the slaves of the Japanese. The Hauranians and the Damascenes clamor for independence only to smother the liberty and the independence of the Lebanese. The Palestinians befriend their enemies only to become their slaves smarting under the cruel lash. All these are facts which can be readily proved. This newspaper is Oriental in everything but fanaticism and license. If, therefore, we advise the Haitians to remain under American mandate, the Syrians and Lebanese under French mandate and the Egyptians under British mandate we should not be accused of treason, as in that case we would be combatting the treachery of those who -— :^:\:/:^^:.^'-.^^ .-, r:: \ ^<^ .' "Sheiks of fined villages ask Palestine refugees to return to plow.— Promise to protect them.—While the boycott of Jews in cities throughout Palestine is growing stronger daily, the Arab peasant is beginning to show repentence." Under this heading and lead, the New York Times of December 18 published a wireless despatch from its Zionist correspondent Mr. Levy giving plain evidence of Zionist ingenuity at subtle propaganda. On the face of it, this can be taken to mean nothing more than an appeal for funds in the most deceptive manner. The Jews are the ablest people in inventing lies and harping on imaginary occurrences in an effort to influence public opinion. Their whole history testifies to the truth of this statement. But people cannot be deceived any further with these subtle methods to which the Jews are wont to resort. No one believes them any longer. The above wireless dispatch is but an appeal to the Jews of the world to bear up further and not give in to despair, but to respond to the call of their needy coreligionists in Palestine. And because the Jews are miserly and unwilling to spend anything unless they have complete assurance against loss, this correspondent hastens to assure them that the • �44 Jews of Palestine are now enjoying complete security and that the Arabs will not molest them any further. All financial help, therefore, coming from the Jews of the world will be spent in the proper channels. He also makes an ingenious appeal to the Jews by picturing to them the increasing force of the Arab boycott. This is meant to arouse the Jews to contribute further funds for the relief of their Palestine brethren. We wish to call the attention of Mr. Levy to the obvious truth that it is easier for the Jews to reach the moon than to gain possession of an Arab country. Al-Bayan, N. Y., Dec. 19, 1929. LEBANESE REPRESENTATIVE IN FAVOR 01' umTY There are recurrent evidences that many Lebanese leaders have been converted to the principle of complete union with Syria. The latest such evidence is the statement by Representative Michel Zakkour, made at a political gathering held recently in Beirut to the effect that "all his constituents approve of the principle of union with Syria," and that "if we love France, it is because we want to be free men and not slaves." This shows plainly that the Lebanese are losing confidence in their state of isolation from Syria. We had been in the vanguard of those who advocated Syrian-Arab unity in the old country, but following the events of the last revolution which proved to us the continued existence of sinister fanaticism, we were convinced that it would be better for Lebanon to remain separated from Syria until such time that religious bigotry and intolerance died out in the country. In view of the change of policy of Lebanese leaders, it would seem that a readjustment of the political situation is opportune. These may THE SYRIAN WORLD be taken as portents of a new spirit of tolerance now overtaking Syrian and Arabian countries. Under these conditions, and in view of the manifest desire of the Lebanese to effect unity with tneir brothers of Damascus, why not hasten this end by dissolving the Lebanese republic? We must take the statements of Lebanese leaders at their face value, or they would be open to an accusation of duplicity to which they should not stoop. Syrian political leaders have been most frank and outspoken in proclaiming their stand. They have made plain their demands and have stood by them under the most trying situations. The Lebanese should be credited with as much honesty. Syrian Eagle, N. Y., Dec. 18. 1929. COST OF A NEW DEPARTMENT Now that the majority of Syrians and Lebanese in the United States have become naturalized, forming an integral part of the American nation and engaging in all forms of industrial and commercial activities, it becomes necessary for the Arabic press of the United States to cater to their needs from this special angle. Syi'ian papers must not overlook the radical change that has taken place in the social and economic position of the immigrants, and because many of these still do not have an adequate knowledge of the English language, they naturally look upon the press of their native language to sunply them the information their new conditions require. Especially is this true of the economic situation. The editor of this paper has personally ascertained this need through personal knowledge during his frequent travels in the interior. For that reason we would only be too glad to devote a page of our paper to the discussion �NOVEMBER, 1929 45 of economic developments in the are not, therefore, free and indecountry as suggested by one of our pendent in the full sense of the term, readers. But to create this new de- because they are helpless to prevent partment would entail a weekly ex- the United States from meddling in pense of thirty-five dollars as salary their internal affairs, or otherwise for a third assistant editor, and this unable to go counter to her will. additional outlay we find too large Now we would ask: what differin the hard times prevailing at ence can there be between this conpresent. We find that many work- dition of the power of an unwritten ingmen subscribing to the Syrian mandate and the prescribed mandate papers are now out of work, with in Palestine, Syria, Iraq and other the consequence that these papers countries placed under mandate by are called upon for increased ex- decree of the League of Nations? penditures while returns are dwindl'rhere may be a difference in form ing. But if we should receive in ' ; in spirit. Because by the 0A, creased returns through subsc*- \/o^ v* t: ight that England is charged tions we shall be glad to inaugural s'.*^ AN le mandate over Palestine r further improvements. A"?t Rnce over Syria and Lebanon, Ash-Shaab N. Y., Dec. 9, 1929. scr^e United States exercises the same right as regards Central American countries, even to the extent of resorting to military occupation, alMANDATES ARE ALIKE though she may not be charged with No sooner had the papers an- any official mandate by a legally nounced the start of a revolution in constituted body. But the exercise of such power Haiti than we heard that it had come to an end, thanks to the mili- is most beneficial when it is intended tary steps taken by the United to guide the weak to the point of States. We must not, however, becoming self-sustaining and capimagine that these steps entail the able of independence. The perempmobilizat:on of all the military re- tory application of such power is sources of the United States, be- unjust only when it is meant by the cause all the American forces in strong to use the weak for his selfHaiti do not exceed 1200 men. But ish ends. it is due rather to the conviction The presence of American maof the Haitians that they cannot rines in Haiti may be interpreted or>pose such a power as the United by the powers as military occupaStates that they hastened to give tion incompatible with the right of their submission. They have before the Black Republic to independence. them the example of Venezuela But in the view of humanitarian Santo Domingo, Nicaragua and powers, such action by the United other Central American republics to States is a boon to the population realize that the United States will of that country because it brings not tolerate any unwarranted dis- forcibly to their attention that the turbances by its neighbors. This, in place of small nations is to keep fact, is the application of the Mon- the peace, otherwise they would be roe Doctrine which means nothing exposing their independence to loss other than what we have come to in this age when the small is at the understand in more recent diploma- mercy of the big in every phase of its national existence. tic parlsvce os the rijrht of mandate. These Central American republics Ash-Shaab, N. Y., Dec. 10, 1929. �- THE SYRIAN WORLD 46 Political Developments in Syria PALESTINE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY CONTINUES ITS INVESTIGATION — POLITICAL SIT UATION IN SYRIA UNCHANGED — REFORM PROGRAM IN LEBANON APPROVED. PALESTINE Unquestionably the most important development of the month bearing on the Palestine situatiov 'he " 4> joint statement of the thr of the Palestine manda. ie, Lloyd George, the Earl o t a 0* and General Jan Christian I g '^'hadvocating a new and sweepj^.-vestigation into the whole operation of the mandate. The Balfour Declaration, it should be borne in mind, although issued by the Earl of Balfour, was not a hasty step taken on that British statesman's own initiative. It was the result of a well-considered British policy representing the decision of the whole cabinet. Lord Balfour, as the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, was only the instrument for issuing the declaration. Now the three men responsible for th's political document which is bringing to the British such unpleasant results have declared to the world that their action has miscarried and they would advise methods of correction. Following is the gist of their new decision embodied in a joint statement published in the London Times and reported to the New York Times in a dispatch dated December 19. "As members of the war cabinet which was responsible for the Balfour Declarat:on twelve years ago, and for the policy of a national home for the Jewish people which it foreshadowed, we view with deep anxiety the present situation in • Palestine. On the events of last August which are now the subject of an inquiry by a special commiss 'on we forbear comment. But it s clear that whatever the finding of the commission may be on the risibility of the outbreak, the to which Britain set her hand at the close of the war is not proceeding satisfactorily. "The Balfour Declaration pledged us to a policy; the Palestine mandate entrusted us with vital administrative duties; but causes which are still obscure have impeded the task of administration and consequently the full carrying out of the policy. "In these circumstances we would urge on the government the appointment of an authoritative commission to investigate the whole working of the mandate. The commission at present in Palestine was aDpointed with linrted terms of reference to inquire into specific matters. This commission, in our view, must, as soon as it has reported, be supplemented by a searching inquiry into major questions of policy and administration. Our pledge is unequivocal, but in order to fulfill it in the letter and spirit a considerable readjustment of the administrative machine may be desirable. "Such a commission would be an advertisement to the world that Britain has not weakened in a task to which her honor is pledged and at the same t'me an assurance to Jews and Arabs alike that any proven defects in the present system of government will be made good." �NOVEMBER, 1929 Meantime, the commission of inquiry is proceeding with its task. Recent developments indicate that its methods of procedure are causing resentment by both Arabs and Jews. As a result, th.2 Arabs are being- further emboldened in their accusation of the British of baing the instruments of carrying out the Zionist policy of making Palestine a Jew'sh homeland, while the Jews, according to testimony given before the inquiry commission by Harry Sacher member of the Palestine Zionist Executive, "condemn the Palest'ne government for weakness in policy during the outbreaks, and also for lack of sympathy toward the Jews ever S'r.ce British occupation." One of the princiral witnesses was the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Ameen El-Husseini, who insisted on the observance of an old Turk:'sh prerogative which allowed the heads of religious communit'cs to testify in their own residences. The commission, with counsel, did not ins'st on his appearance before it in regular court for fear of raising another issue. This action was severely criticized by members of the English colony in Jerusalem on the ground that it affects British prestige not only in Palestine but in the whole East. The Grand Muft;, in his testimony, insisted that he not only did not incite the outbreaks but sought to pacify the turbu'ent element and prevent bloodshed. He blamed Arab unrest on the unkept promise of England to grant them independence as a reward for their participation in the war. He introduced as evidence a letter from Lord Balfour to King Hussein, dated 1918, thanking the Arab leader for his aid to the Allies and stating that the pledges of independence made by Colonel Lawrence would be fulfilled. 47 Following the Arab witnesses the Jews among them members of the Palestine Executive, were called by the commission. The Chief Rabbi of Palestine, Abraham Isaac Kook, in contrast to the action of the Grand Mufti, waived the right to give his testimony at his own residence. His explanation to the commission of the reason for his action is that he wanted "to pay due honor to those sitting in judgment, because in ancient days, when the Temple existed, the Jewish priest, when called to testify, always appeared before the judges." The Chief Rabbi further made an indirect attack on the action of the Mohammedan relIigious d gnitary by quoting an old Jewish saying that "the truth is neither shy nor afraid." Testimony bearing on the origin of the August riots has been contradictory, each sde incriminating the other. The Grand Mufti, for instance, testified that he attempted to Check the riots and that he has always worked for peace and order. He claimed that he was officially thanked by the government on many occasions for exerting his calming influence. The cause of the outbreak, he maintained, is the des're of the Jews to influence the new British Labor Cabinet to change the status quo in their favor. This decision, 'he intimated, was reached at the Zurich congress. Jewish testimony, while disclaiming all guilt for the outbreaks, has been so far mostly directed toward proving the economic benefits of Jewish immigration to Palestine. Harry Sacher, a member of the Palestine Executive, insisted that the public revenue of the country ultimately is dependent on Jewish immigration and Jewish resources. Speaking of the aim of Zionism he declared that the "Zionists did not seek a Jewish state, but wished a �48 Jewish majority in a national home under the aegis of Great Britain," whatever that may mean. Sigfried Hoofien, general manager of the Anglo-Palestine Company, asserted that the Jews have so far brought $225,000,000 into Palestine. He further stated, according to a dispatch of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, that Jewish immigration had materially benefited the Arabs, as much of the money brought in by the Jews passed into the Arab economic system through the Jews paying for rural and urban lands, for goods, services and rent. As an example he said that the annual rent bill of the Jews of Haifa to Arab landlords reached $270,000. The Arabic papers of Beirut report the discovery, the latter part of November, of a supposed Jewish plot to smuggle arms and ammunition on a large scale into Palestine. The designs of the smugglers were frustrated by the vigilance of the Beirut police who arrested the ringleaders and seized great quantities of arms in the plains of Shweifat, on the southern coast of Lebanon. The booty included several machine guns and a large number of old Turkish army rifles. Some native Syrians were in conspiracy with the Jews but all those arrested disclaimed ownership of the weapons and claimed that they were in the vicinity by chance. One of those apprehended is a Palestine Jew who is supposed to have come to Beirut to negotiate for the purchase of the war material. This incident drew a formal protest from the President of the Arab Executive Committee of Palestine to the British High Commissioner. In his complaint, the Arab leader reminds the authorities that this is not the first time the Jews have attempted to smuggle arms and ammunition into Palestine for the ob- THE SYRIAN WORLD vious purpose of attacking the Arabs. He also charges that the Jews have well-disciplined secret military organizations which the authorities apparently sanction, as they have done nothing to suppress them. The direct accusation that the President of the Arab Executive Committee makes is that this lenient policy toward the Jews on the part of the British authorities is what led to the unfortunate outbreaks of last August. On the other hand, the Daily Mail correspondent in Palestine accuses the Arabs of arming themselves to an extent heretofore unknown for a coming struggle with Great Britain and the Jews. Large quantities of arms and ammunition are being smuggled across the Transjordanian and Syrian borders in a systematic manner proving the existence of well-laid plans. The correspondent charges the British authorities with gross neglect for not taking the necessary precaution against a recurrence of the bloody outbreaks of last August. SYRIA Nothing of importance has transpired in the Syrian political situation during the last month. Unconfirmed rumors stated that She'kh Taj Eddin, the Provisional President has resigned, giving no details. Other rumors were to the effect that the,, French High Commissioner had replied to the memorandum of the Nationalists in a conciliatory manner. About all that has an appearance of authenticity, however, is that the High Commissioner is pursuing his well-known policy of deliberate and unhasty action. He :s meeting with leaders and is supposed to be formulating plans for a final proposal which is hoped to be acceptable. The Nationalists are �NOVEMBER, 1929 abiding their time and endeavoring to maintain their hold in the face of growing activities by other political factions who aim to profit by the present political confusion. The question of the French mandate in Syria came up for discussion in the French Chamber of Deputies on December 13. The advisability of continuing this expensive experiment by France was questioned by one of the deputies of the Left, but the War Minister replied that the mandate was a task entrusted to France by the League of Nations which made France honor-bound to live up to the trust. A vote was taken on the issue raised and the government was upheld by a majority of 330 against 247. The proposal for reducing French military appropriations for Syria by forty million francs was also voted down by 325 against 249. LEBANON The much discussed reform program of Premier Eddy's cabinet was submitted to the Legislative Assembly on November 22. It proved to be a long document dealing with every phase of national life and suggesting logical reforms. Its proposals were said to have been well received by the Assembly but on a motion from the floor final decision was delayed for a fortnight to give the Assembly time for more mature consideration. Premier Eddy makes no attempt to conceal facts. At the outset he admits the existence of an economic crisis which if not corrected immediately and effectively will lead to dire consequences. The principal remedy he prescribes is economy in the cost of government. Instead of sixteen administrative districts in the country he proposes the reduction of the number to only five, effecting thereby considerable savings in salaries. He further proposes re- 49 organizing the educational system by concentrating on teaching of applied subjects and the inauguration of a form of civil service examination for teachers in an effort to choose men of proven fitness. The judicial department is also scheduled for a readjustment in favor of efficiency and economy. The additional proposal is made for a more equitable levying of taxes that they may be more proportionate to actual values. The savings thus made will be used for road improvements and for the promotion of irrigation enterprises which would enhance materially the prosperity of the country. What may be considered the most radical feature of the program is the demand of the Premier for what is tantamount to dictatorial power for the enforcement of the reform provisions of his program. He has asked the Assembly for absolute authority for a limited term that he may put his reforms into effect by administrative edict to insure speed. This feature is what caused the Assembly to request the delay for giving its approval so as to have time for mature consideration. Following the publication of Premier Eddy's program, representatives of the State of Syria are said to have impressed upon the High Commissioner the inadvisability of terminating the tobacco monopoly which was a concession held by the French since the old Turkish regime. But owing to the fact that public feeling in Lebanon was running high against the continuation of the monopoly, Premier Eddy later prevailed upon the High Commissioner to consent to its cessation. Henceforth tobacco cultivation and manufacture will become an open privilege in Lebanon. This is expected to improve materially the economic conditions of the country. �THE SYRIAN WORLD so About Syria and Syrians RIHANI S DECEMBER SPEAKING PROGRAM Speaking both under the auspices of the Foreign Policy Association and other organizations, Mr. Ameen Rihani is making a wide circuit of lecture engagements. The fact that this issue of The Syrian World is published the latter part of December makes it possible for us to list the speaking engagements which he has filled this month. From the first to the fifteenth he spoke nine times in as many different cities before large American audiences. In Northampton, Mass., he spoke to the Mass. Progressive Club Forum; in Amherst at Amherst College; in BronxviHe at Sarah Lawrence College; in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Women's City Club; in Gambier, Ohio, at Kenyon College; and in Cincinnati Columbus, Buffalo and Rochester for the Foreign Policy Association. In most of the cities he visits Mr. Rihani is being extended popular receptions by the Syrian communities who are anxious to do honor to the man who is bringing so much honor to the Syrian name. On many occasions he is also called upon to address special meetings of Syrians on political and other topics. EDITOR SPEAKS TO SYRIAN ASSOCIATION The American Syrian Federation of New York, the principal Syrian organization of the city, asked the editor of The Syrian World to address its members on general conditions in Syria, calling for the purpose a special meeting. The audience was drawn from the leading :.-. - -. : business element of the city who were most interested and receptive. Questions from the floor on economic, social, political and educational conditions stretched the time of the talk to an hour and a half. CONCERT IN BOSTON FOR SYRIAN RELIEF (From our correspondent) The Syrian Relief Assoc:ation of Boston held its annual concert on December 8 at the Municipal Building, West End, which was attended by nearly one thousand, some coming from Lawrence Worcester, Brockton, Lynn and other Massachusetts cities. President Faris S. Malouf gave an outline of the Assoc'ation's activities and spoke of future plans. Mr. Nassour Abraham entertained with his witty and typical Arabic verses. Young Peter Solomon of Prov;dence, gave an unexpected treat with his playing of Arab:c songs on the violin. Mme. Fedora Korban, styled the Syrian Nightingale, fully justified her reputation by the veritable song feast she gave to an appreciative aud'ence. She has the voice of a nightingale indeed! There is a ring in her voice, coupled with a charming mannerism, that held the breath of her audience. Mr. Isiah Seligman, famous p:anist in Europe and America, accompanied Mme. Korban. His solo offerings were exquisite, and many wished that he had more experience in the playing of Arabic selections. The concert was a financial success. �L NOVEMBER, 1929 SYRIAN PRIESTS ATTEND CARDINAL'S ANNIVERSARY A correspondent of Al-Hoda in Boston reports that on December 8 three hundred clergymen of various ranks attended a banquet in celebration of the seventieth anniversary of Cardinal O'Conncl!, amons' whom were four Syrian priests serving parishes in the Boston diocese. The correspondent delights in stating that while none of the Syrian clergymen were assigned to speak on this occasion, the cardinal noticed the fact and had the chairman call on Msgr. Estephan Eldowaihy. the Maronite priest of Boston, whom he had known in Rome. Msgr. Eldowaihy made some impromptu remarks interspersed with expressions of good wishes in Arabic which delighted the audience. Then two other Syrian priests, Father B. Bellama and Archimandrite Peter Abouzaid, were called upon by the chairman and their remarks were equally well received. This, according to the deduction of the correspondent, proved to the learned audience that in the Eastern churches there are priests who live up in every respect to the high tradition of the Catholic Church. ORTHODOX BISHOP DIES OF GRIEF Aleph Ba (Damascus) reports the death, early in November, of the Orthodox Bishop Boulos Abou Adal, of Jebail and Batroun. His death, according to the report of the paper, was hastened by grief over the dissension developed in the Orthodox Church of Syria over the election of a Patriarch. The dead church dignitary had journeyed to his native city of Damascus expressly to attend the conclave of bishops, but had to follow the proceedings 51 through oral reports while confined to his bed. When the meeting was adjourned and the bishops dispersed without reaching a conclusion, Bishop Abou Adal was so affected that he could not survive the shock. The dead prelate was most active in promoting educational facilities in his diocese. He succeeded in founding three boarding schools and 25 parochial schools, besides twenty-five new churches. SYRIAN GRANDMOTHER TAKES UP PROFESSION Ambition, as proved in the case of Mrs. N. Haick, a Syrian woman of Brooklyn, N. Y., is not confined to youth. Although a grandmother, this ambitious woman took up the study of chiropractice for several years and graduated with high honors. She now has a successful practice from among Syrians and other nationalities. Dr. Haick was born in Mt. Lebanon and immigrated while young to the United States. She received her early education at an American missionary school in her native town. While her children needed her care she could not engage in any professional study, an ambition which she always cherished. She succeeded in taking this branch of the medical profession after she was a grandmother. ARAB SCENE WINS FAVOR The students resident at International House in New York gave an entertainment on Saturday, Dec. 7, which was participated in by most of the national groups. The Arabicspeaking group, mostly Syrians, staged what proved to be the most popular piece. It represented a des- �. 52 ert scene wherein all the characters appeared dressed in native costumes. The author of the play is Emile Dumit who also played the leading part. The cast of characters is as follows: Sheikh of Anezi Tribe—Tamir Shibly The Poet—Emile Dumit The Musician—Rafik Asha The Scribe—Habib Kourani The Sportsman—Raja Hourani Religious Head—Fadel Jamali Sword Dancer—Jamal El-Kourdaji American Tourist and Guest of the Tribe—Philip Du Bois. Fortune Teller—Mrs. Lois Naylor Star of the Tribe—Miss Rose Mokarzel Miss Alice Mokarzel gave Oriental piano selections. SYRIAN EDUCATOR ADDRESSES AMERICANS Dr. Philip K. Hitti, the well-known Syrian educator and scholar, spoke to over two hundred members of the Sorosis Club at the Commodore Hotel in New York on December 9 on the Syrians' contributions to civilization. Dr. Hitti finds time amidst his many duties at Princeton University to deliver frequent illuminating talks on Syria and its history, and in this he is rendering his country and race signal services which are highly appreciated by the discerning. SYRIAN WOMAN EDUCATOR ARRIVES IN AMERICA Miss Marie Kassab, founder of the School Al-Ahliah in Beirut, arrived in New York on the S. S. Berengaria in mid-December. She comes to visit relatives and to study the principles of the American educa- THE SYRIAN WORLD tional system for possible application to her own school. She will visit some of the leading American Universities by previous invitation and will travel across the United States to the Pacific coast. Although Miss Kassab's school has been founded only thirteen years ago it ranks high among the educational institutions of Syria and is attracting students from all parts of the Arabic-speaking countries. Miss Kassab plans to remain in the country for about six months. STREET IN ARGENTINE NAMED AFTER LEBANON The city of Jonin, numbering eighty thousand inhabitants, has named one of its principal streets, formerly known as that of Entre Rios after the Republic of Lebanon, according to a special dispatch to the Arabic newspaper As-Salam published in Buenos Aires. The dispatch further states tihat the City Council of the Argentine city took this decision unanimously, because of the high esteem in which the Lebanese community of the city is held. SYRIAN MEMBER OF BOSTON WELFARE COUNCIL The Boston correspondents of tihe Arabic papers of New York report that Mr. Assad Mudarry, a wealthy Syrian merchant of the Hub City, has been appointed by the mayor a member of the Welfare Council. Mr. Mudarry has long been a resident of Boston and active in its civic affairs. He is a graduate of the American University of Beirut and for several years took up teaching in the Orthodox High School of Damascus. In Boston he was for �I NOVEMBER, 1929 several consecutive terms president of the local branch of the Syrian Educational Society and of the Orthodox Society of St. John. RANKS SYRIANS HIGH IN ANCIENT CULTURE Archaeological finds that raise the accepted standard of ancient Syrian art to a level hitherto unknown were described on December 17 in a lecture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Eustache de Lorey, director and founder of the French Institute of Islamic Art and Archaeology at Damascus, according to the New York Times. M. de Lorey arrived recently to lecture at the Chicago Art Institute, Princeton, Wellesley and the College Art Association. With the aid of lantern slides M. de Lorey described the uncovering by a delicate process of an area of 2,600 square feet of mosaics in gold, mother of pearl and tinted glass which he was satisfied were created under the direction of Caliph Walid I of the Ommiad Dynasty, who reigned from 705 to 716 A. D. The mosaics were found under the stucco on the walls of the Mosque of Damascus. Prior to their discovery small fragments of mosaics had been discovered about the age-worn walls, but since the Mohammedans were believed not to have tolerated any decorations of this nature in their places of worship, archaeologists had concluded that the bits found had come to be there by accident. M. de Lorey remained skeptical, and, with, the assistance of a staff of experts, removed the outer covering of stucco, revealing representations of landscapes and of fantastically shaped buildings in colors as brilliant as when they awed the "-- ' 53 Arabian pilgrims twelve centuries ago. He said that they wera probably a form of Byzantine mural decoration that came into vogae during the period of iconoclasm, when religious images were forbidden. The artistic merit of tha work he declared to be superior to similar mosaics found in Jerusalem. The graceful palmette trees, undulating acanthus vines, and other flora depicted as arising from classic urns or along the bank of a river were more life-like than any hitherto discovered, he said. He suggested that the large quantities of tinted glass tubes that went into the work were those which, according to Arab chronicles, were shipped to the Caliph Walid by the Byzantine Emperor. M. de Lorey is directing a general archaeological survey of the Islamic monuments in Syria. He has made other discoveries in the last two years in the cities of Damascus and Aleppo. He became interested in the work while first secretary of the French Legation in Teheran. POSTPONING ELECTION OF ORTHODOX PATRIARCH The conclave of the bishops of the Syrian Orthodox Church which met in Damascus the latter part of November having been adjourned, the secretary of that body issued a formal statement in which he gave the reasons for the action taken as being the undue interference by the people of Damascus to influence the members in electing a candidate of their choice. Later the bishops met in one of the monasteries of Lebanon hoping to resume their labors in a more quiet atmosphere. This also resulted in failure and again the meeting was adjourned, this time for an indefinite period. �~1 THE SYRIAN WORLD 54 LARGE ENROLLMENT AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY By Bernice Griswold I Fourteen hundred and thirtyseven students, representing twentysix nations in Asia, Africa, Europe, North, South and Central America and Australia, and belonging to nineteen different religious sects, are enrolled this year at the American University of Beirut, the Preparatory, Elementary and Music Schools under the administration of the University. A recent statement from Beirut on the registration says that the students, "by mutual interest and daily contact in classrooms, on the campus and in the Brotherhood Society, are laying foundations of international friendships which may be an important factor in solving present and future problems in the Near East." The students come from all of the principal cities of Egypt — from Alexandria and Cairo to Asslout and Suez; from all parts of Iraq — from Busra and Baghdad to Mosul; from Teheran. Kermanshah, Hamadan, Urumia, Tabriz, Bushire, Shiraz, Barfrouche and other cities in Persia which have become world famous among collectors of Persian rugs and carpets; from Constantinople, Turkey; from all the cities and towns in Syria and all of the principal cities and towns in Palestine, from Nazareth to Beersheba and G; :a; from Amman, Transjordan; tr nrincipal cities on the Island of Cyi as and from Bahrein and Kuweit in the Persian Gulf; from Aden, . uthern Arabia; Addis Abeba, Abyssinia; Dar-es-Salaam, East Africa; Khartoum and Omdurman, Soudan; Renmark, South Australia; Mendoza and Jujuy, Argentine; Catragena, Columbia; Quito, Ecuador; Mexico City and Tempico, Mexico; Boston; Washington, D. C; Waterbury, Conn.; New York City; Cleveland Ohio; Flint, Michigan; Hartford, Conn.; Philadelphia and Los Angeles, hi the United States; from Cebu in the Philippine Islands and from Shanghai, China. Bayard Dodge is president of the American University of Beirut, which was founded in 186G. i S\RIAN WOMAN LAWYER VISITING UNITED STATES A prominent Syrian visitor in the United States since last summer id Mme Sa'yba Garzouzi, one of the pioneer women of the law profession in the East and a resident 01" Egypt. Mme. Garzouzi was invited to speak at the Williamstown Institute of Politics, where she acquitted herself creditably and gave a comprehensive account of the emancipation movement of the women of the Arabic-speaking countries. She is now staying in New York to fill lecture engagements. She spoke at the Town Hall to a crowded house early in December. The following report of her address was prepared by one of our correspondents. SYRIAN WOMAN LAWYER ADDRESSES LARGE AUDIENCE By T. H. K. Rezmie A vivid picture of the conditions prevailing in the Near East, especially of its womanhood, coupled with a strongly argued appeal for the freedom of Arabian nations, evoked vigorous applause for Mme. Sa'yba Garzouzi, noted Egyptian lawyer, who addressed a large audience at the Town Hall, in New York. "The women of the Old East," said Mme. Garzouzi to the members ^ ^^ H I i �T« I NOVEMBER, 1929 of the League for Political Education, "are rapidly advancing in education, sanitation, nation-building and emancipation. And, strange as may seem, their men are encouraging them in their efforts." As examples of feminine advancement in Egypt, Mme. Garzouzi cited the large number of professional women, who are members of the Egyptian Women's Union, Which a^ one of its activities takes care of 1,400 patients a day in its Dispensary. "The recent bold and patriotic achievement oi: the women of Palestine, who shed all their age-old traditions and marched to the High Commissioner's Unices demanding freedom of their country," said Mme. Garzouzi proudly, "is the sample o± the way in which Syrian women have progressed." Mme Garzouzi declared that the mutilation of Syria after the war has created new obstacles in the way of national development of the Arab peoples, and appealed for the liberation of the country of her birth from "French Dictatorship." Before the Great War, Syria was one single state, autonomous under the Turks. Now she has been mutilated and sliced off into four parts— Syria, Palestine, Transjordania and Mesopotamia—one under France and three under English dictatorship. "The French in Syria have killed 60 000 (?) men and women since the end of the War—2,000 women and children in the city of Damascus alone," she charged, and denounced the MacDonald Draft of the Treaty with Egypt as an instrument "which would simply screen the British Occupation forces in a desert paradise costing the Egyptian Exchequer five mil!ion dollars and would deprive Egypt of an appeal to the League of Nations for twenty-five years more." 5S She appealed for a readjustment of the relations between the Eastern and Western peoples, "not on the basis of the old refrain 'East is East and West is West,' but on the new and higher ideal that 'God s is the Orient and God's is the Occident.' " SYRIA—IRAQ, AIR PASSENGER SERVICE Only a few years ago travel by automobile across the Syrian deserc to Mesopotamia was a pioneering attempt. Now it not only has become a common practice but an improvement is planned by the introduction of regular air service. The papers of Damascus report that the Eastern Transport Co. has purchased a passenger plane capable of accommodating twelve persons with the purpose of inaugurating a regular air service between Syria and Iraq. The initial flight is scheduled for the middle of Decerabi r. SYRIAN'S INVENTION FOR FUEL ECONOMY The invention of Mr. Wm. M. Malouf for economy in fuel oil was given a demonstration on Tuesday December 17, before officials of the Health and Police Departments of the City of New York and newspaper representatives. The invention consists of a cage and ball cvfnstructcd on what is claimed to V !':a heretofore unknown scientific Principle. It is capable of revolving • t a terrific speed without gearing* or lubrication, and, by virtue of its special construction, is capable of increasing the mileage of an automobile 49 per cent, while decreasing the amount of fuel consumed 33 per cent. �56 It also practically eliminates carbon monoxide and smoke, according to the results of the laboratory tests published by the inventor. According to the published prospectus, a company has already been formed to exploit the invention which is destined to revolutionize the automotive industry and greatly benefit humanity. Mr. Malouf perfected his invention in collaboration with Mr. Ros; M. Lynn. He originally immigrated from the town of Kfarkab, in Mi. Lebanon. PRIME MINISTER OF IRAQ A SUICIDE Press dispatches of November 16 announced the death by suicide of Abdul Muhsen Bey Sadoun, Prime Minister of Iraq. The Syrian press arriving with the latest mail carries long accounts of the tragedy and the effect it had on the people of Baghdad. Contrary to former reports, the suicide of the Premier was not induced by financial worries. Rather, it would seem that, out of sheer patriotism, he wished to give the people of Iraq an illustration of the tragic results of indiscriminate attacks on their faithful public servants. It would seem that in discussing certain features of the Speech from the Throne some Deputies misinterpreted a remark by the Premier to mean that the country would resort to force in gaining its legitimate demands from England, instead of his more peaceful words to the effect that unless the British fulfilled their promises by 1932 energetic means would have to be pursued. Moreover, the Premier had been for some time past showing signs of an approaching nervous collapse THE SYRIAN WORLD as a result of his arduous labors. On the day of the tragedy, he retired to hi3 study and wrote a note to his e'dest son, now a student at Birmingham, asking his forgiveness and importuning him to care for hi;; younger brothers. When later his wife noticed him taking out a revolver from a secret drawer, she suspected his suicidal designs and flung herself at him in an effort to stop him, but he threatened to shoot her if she interfered or raised a cry. When the wife could finally call for help the Premier had already expired. All Baghdad was closed as a sign of national grief.King Faisal called in person at the house of his faithi ful friend and is said to have wept copiously. He comforted his family by saying that the Premier had died a martyr in the discharge of national duty, as a soldire would, and may therefore be deemed a national hero. The body was carried through \ densely packed streets on a gun carriage, but before reaching the cemetery a number of lawyers insisted on carrying the body the remainder of the way on their shoulders. After interment, the Bar Association of Baghdad passed resolutions asking the government to buy the dead Premier's residence and make of it a national shrine. POET UNDER TRIAL FOR APPROVING BEER Marouf Ar-Rissafi, the ranking poet of Iraq, was summoned to court by order of the government following a decision of Parliament to that effect. The charge against him is that he published derogatory remarks about the wife of the Prophet and interpreted the sayings of some Ulemas of the Moslem faith to mean that drinking of beer was permissible. mmtmmmmmsmmsmm - � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Syrian World Newspapers Description An account of the resource <span>To view the finding aid for this collection, </span><a href="https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/ns0002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here.</a> Subject The topic of the resource Arabs--United States Arabic periodicals Newspapers Arab American Newspapers Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials. These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context NS 0002 Access Rights Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies. This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. NCSU Libraries Collection NCSU Libraries Collection metadata Finding Aid Link from https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/ns0002 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TSW1929_11reducedWM Title A name given to the resource The Syrian World Volume 04, Issue 03 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1929 November Description An account of the resource Volume 4 Issue 03 of The Syrian World published November 1929. The issue begins with Salloum A. Mokarzel's continuation of his travels into Syria, where he specifically details interviews with the President and Premier of the Republic of Lebanon, and with acting French High Commissioner. Hilda Fox, General Secretary of the Lebanon Hospital for Mental Diseases, wrote about the history and needs of this institution in Mt. Lebanon. Then Elizabeth MacCallum's "On Ameen Rihani" is featured. It discusses his life and works as a frequently featured writer in The Syrian Word. The Barbara Young's poem titled "To the Man with the Hard Eyes" is included in the issue, followed by yet another poem titled "A Legend of the Nile" by Dr. Salim Y. Alkazin, a mystical poem that tells of Egypt from the perspective of Alkazin who spent much of his childhood there. Labeebe A. J. Hanna is yet again featured in this issue for her original short story titled "Such Was Fate!" a love story set in the United States focused around the life of a Syrian couple. The issue concludes with Letters to the Editor, excerpts from the Arab press, and further information on the political developments in Syria. Subject The topic of the resource Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals Arabs--United States--Periodicals Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Salloum A. Mokarzel Syrian-American Press Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New York Public Library Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 104 Greenwich St., New York, NY Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials. 1920s A. Hakim Ameen Rihani Edward B. Karam Kahlil Gibran Labeebee A.J. Hanna New York Poetry-English Syria Travel https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/7817bf7f737e9861155846112a1ca2a4.pdf 5080f93777a7bed6f649a9f76fc4fe39 PDF Text Text 'OL VI NOVEMBER. 1931 NO. ��npxrp SYRIAN WORLD Tublished monthly except July and August by THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS 104 Greenwich St., New York, N. Y. By subscription $5.00 a year. Single Copies 50c Entered as second class matter June 25, 1926, at the post office at New lork, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. VOL. VI. NO. 3 NOVEMBER, 1931 =•= CONTENTS The Coming Generation of Syrian Leaders SALLOUM A. 3 MOKARZEL Affluence, (a Poem) 9 EDNA K. SALOOMEY The Deeper Pain 10 KAHLIL GIBRAN Conditions in the Near East __ __ 11 BAYARD DODGE True Arabian Tales The Slave Girl Whom the Grand Vizier Could Not Buy. 14 �CONTENTS (Continued) PAGE Poetry, Edited by BARBARA YOUNG Soil, by JOHN STERLING HANEY New Poetry To Our Lyric Poets Rubaiyat Au-Tayeb, by AMIN BEDER Ode, by THOMAS ASA A Moslem Saint of Damascus H. I. ..... j8 19 2n ........ 22 23 24 26 KATIBAH Books Received -,, Seek and You Shall Find (a Short Story) 32 By CHARLES J. SASSEN Our Younger Generation 30 Edited by A. HAKIM Conflicting Standards in the Syrian Home in America Youth Speaks Beyond the Sun ,(a Poem) 38 ,, 43 BARBARA YOUNG New Egyptian Minister in A merica 44 The Traveler's Cloak, (a Poem) 47 DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN Editorial Comment AQ Political Developments in Syria TQ Syrian World News Section 53 i �SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL, Editor VOL. VI. NO. 3 NOVEMBER, 1931 The Coming Generation of Syrian Leaders BREAKING THE BOUNDS OF AGE-LONG TRADITIONS THEY SEEK TO LEAD THROUGH ENLIGHTENED AND CONSTRUCTIVE EFFORTS. By SALLOUM A. MOKARZEL ALTHOUGH the French might be partly responsible for the of pet " ^? ^ °f °Utl°°kthat °" Some their pet traditions traditions, itr ,s, nevertheless, incontestable these youths themselves have by their own process of reasoning reached the mo mentous conclusions that are now carrying them^n the crest o, aTX mWnal ^f0^^ ^ A of Syria and Sbano, are becoming practical. They are seriously applying themselves to oe Sft a"d aPP1,Cat]°" of methods that/in comparison withIheir age-old traditions, might well be considered revolutionary^ What » more significant ,s that this change of outlook is evident not only among the masses but also amone the classes Th7\ A ' nrfinlN, kL-,' .. r , to classes, the leaders are actually blazing the way for this renaissance which augurs such a nght future for the country. Enlightened leadership may wel ^considered an almost accomplished fact not in the very disTant Where it had been the time-honored tradition to rely upon anmaintain family prestige on the old accepted lines of hered tarv leadership and authority, the scions of the nobility, so-ca led are fitting themselves by industry in the acquisition of the technica �4 THE SYRIAN WORLD knowledge and training to improve their own conditions and those of their followers. This radical transformation in viewpoint I was able to observe in three widely separated sections, but with unmistakable signs of a singleness of purpose. * * * * Early in August, 1929, while visiting Latakia, capital of the Alaouite State of Syria, I met Emir Muneer, son of Emir Jaber AlAbbas, President of the Legislative Council of the State and hereditary chieftain of the whole Alaouite nation by virtue of his being the head of the principal clan in the country. It was through this meeting that my interest was first aroused as to the attitude and disposition of the younger generation of leaders in the country. The aspirations and ambitions of the young man were a revelation. Yes, he would succeed his father as the leader of his people. Such was his hereditary privilege which he would not dream of relinquishing. But he would by all means justify his claim by enlightened leadership. The country is in a state of an ephocal transition and transformation. Its population is almost completely homogeneous and its land is capable of great productivity. Its resources must be exploited and husbanded and its political rights maintained. Hence his sense of prime duty to equip himself for the task of true leadership—leadership that would guarantee his people their rights and privileges. And to that end he was taking up the study of international law. It was a voluntary task he had set for himself, and he was determined to carry it through. He positively will not follow it as a profession because he was amply independent in his own right. But it was for the purpose of protecting his people in their rights that he was foregoing a life of ease for one of study and research. Already he has graduated from the law school of the Syrian University in Damascus and was now going to Paris for further study. He was to be in Paris that very year. Muneer Al-Abbas is in his early twenties but observes the strict tenets of his religion, indulging neither in smoking nor in drinking, but for all other appearances he does not differ from the well-dressed Parisian of the boulevards. Unlike some others, he was not reticent in giving his political views. He believes in the necessity of the mandate and in a policy of understanding and cooperation with the French. Independent political actions, he also was frank to state, will not be productive until the country achieves a decided improvement in its economic �NOVEMBER, 1931 and social status. He entertains no delusions as to the actual need of the people in this respect, and his self-imposed task is to safeguard the rights of the country during this period of transition. * * * Another young Syrian leader is iimir Hasan Al-Atrash, scion of the psincipal Atrash dan in Jebel Druze and the titular leader of the country. I met him in Sueida, capital of the mountain Syrian state and found him to be equally determined as to his future ambitions. Although a faction of his people is still nominally at war wit,* the French, he believes that war is destruction if not actually hell, and he would apply himself to practical, constructive methods for improving the conditions of the country. Am- since agriculture is the principal industry in Jebel Druze, Emir Muneer A I- Abbas he is engaged in the conduct of agricultural experiments on a Young Hereditary Leader of the large scale on his vast lands near Alaouites Who is Studying Sueida. He has already bought International Lazv. several tractors and other modern farm implements which, once he proves their value, he will recom mend for general use in the country. The topography of TeTl Druze and its individual agricultural problems wouJdseem to^u! before reaching a decisi ^hXlinr/r'r -~ & metnoa or kind of machinery is most suitable Lmir Hassan Al-Atrash also is in his early twenties He makes no secret of the fact that his literary properties are Tot that TFMTZE to nis particular problems. k6en TJ-t SS m what Swith Like his people, he is endowed ttlrl°f C°Ur^e Whkh b°rders °« recklessness ATL en gaged in the war against the French in its earlier stages but came to realize that the interest of the country would be b'e 'served by a �6 THE SYRIAN WORLD policy of understanding. Hence his present relations of amity and cooperation with the French. To one who had only book knowledge of Jebel Druze and its people and rulers, the natural expectation was to see a prince in full panoply and brilliant entourage moving about in state among his subjects, especially that Druze princes in their forlorn mountain still rule according to accepted feudal practices. Not so, however, was the appearance of the young Atrash prince. The charger gave way to the speedier and more reliable and comfortable automobile; the flowing bedouin robes to European attire and the costly and pompous entourage to a single attendant. Democracy and the spirit of sportsmanship went further with our young Emir—he himself was always at the wheel and his attendant did not appear in livery or bear any outward mark of difference from his master. The night my companions and I spent in Sueida we were, together with the Emir, guests for dinner at a Christian notable's house. The Emir appeared not to have the least consciousness of rank. He doffed his coat and rolled up his shirt sleeves and sat to the board in the accepted native fashion. He is not of the 'Ukkal, and consequently had no scruples about smoking or drinking. Nor was he unduly prudish. Everybody knows about his youthful romance with the Jewish dancer which caused him to knock down the French superintendent of the school he attended in Beirut and escape over the fence, so why not tell it himself in its true details. And he did tell it with apparently little remorse, rather with much relish. It was but a youthful escapade and his view of it was typically modern. * * * * The third promising young leader is in the Lebanon. Although still in his teens he has very decided opinions of his future career. What if his forebears once were the absolute rulers of the country and his branch of the family still holds an undisputed position of leadership. He will deviate from the path of his ancestors and shape for himself a course of his own. Not for him a life of empty dignity that spells inaction. He will rehabilitate his fortune by industry and blaze a way of marked economic improvement in the country by the promulgation of modern producing methods. If he himself, due to his tender age, does not express himself altogether in such terms, his mother acts as his spokesman with evident authority, because, in truth, she is the one primarily responsible for his training along these lines. �NOVEMBER, 1931 Front Viev> of 'he Palace of Sitt Nazira Janblatt in Lebanon, Which u the Scene of Much Industrial Activity Along Modern Lines. Kamal Bey Janblatt, son of Sitt Nazira Janblatt, who is concededly one of the outstanding feminine figures in'the Eas s doubly fortunate for being the scion of one of the principal Druze families in Lebanon and for having such an able and e, lightened mother to guide his footsteps. Ever since the child's infancy, when a cruel fate struck down her husband in the discharge of his duties as the governor of the southern district of Lebanon, she not only has acted as mentor and guardian to her children but strove to maintain and bolster the position of the family. Nay, she has succeeded n materially enhancing its prestige and improving its means. And this despite the restrictions of her social status as a Druze woman. So much, m fact, has been her success that she is pointed out as a pioneer in many economic enterprises and a paragon and champion of the Eastern woman's emancipation. One of the enterprises of Sitt Nazira was the installation of a hydroelectric plant utilizing the abundant water brought to her palace at Mukhtara from a great distance and hitherto gone almost total y to waste. With the power generated she is now able to run a mill and a carpentry shop besides illuminating the palace and a part of the town Her enterprise and energy deserve special treatment which will be given in an independent chapter. �.la^B-v-f- -J^_ 8 THE SYRIAN WORLD But the mysterious generation of electricity and the wonders of transformation it has wrought captivated the imagination of her son who now resolved on seeking a career in electrical engineering. The boy's mind is completely wrapped in his selected calling. His mother often sends him in state to attend some official public functions which she, out of deference to her people's traditions, wishes to avoid, and at which she feels her family should be represented. But the boy's interest in these ostentatious functions is perfunctory. His passion is electricity and its application. He even avoids play to study on the subject. Sitt Nazira led us from one of the elaborate reception salons facing the spacious open court into the nursery. And there was the boy Kamal Bey, unnaturally grave for a boy of twelve, watching over his younger sister. He appeared to take but a mild interest in his mother's enthusiastic and admiring explanations. Rather it was the attitude of one who resented intrusion on his pet subject and its being held up to public discussion. The look in his eyes was more in the nature of an appeal to his mother to spare him in his chosen profession, but his good breeding forbade any articulate objection. * * * * As good fortune would have it, my first visit to Damascus afforded me the opportunity to meet and study a typical young son of the desert leaders in the person of Emir Fowaz, son of the celebrated Nouri Shalan of the tribe of Rowla. In him, too, were very evident the signs of the great transformation, but not along the lines manifested in the others. He was just a colt let loose and he well acted the part. With a number of Damascene notables we were having dinner at the roof garden of the Hotel Victoria Annex, which in appointment and atmosphere is but another edition of a high-class Parisian cafe. It is reached through a circular hall where many of the principal social functions of the city are held. That night it was the scene of a musicale and dance. Men and women in fashionable evening dress packed the room, among them being a large representation of foreigners. But there was a solitary figure in glowing Arab costume who moved about with the nonchalance of a habitue. A handsome young face protruded from under the folds of a silken headdress with but a faint trace of a black moustache. Only his patent leather pumps and silk socks indicated a concession to European dress. He was none other than Emir Fowaz of the Rowla tribe, and although I did not personally interview him, �f WOVE MB ER, 1931 9 I learned from my Damascene companions that he had a town house in Damascus and is frequently seen at social functions. ' He once almost caused an unpleasant international incident when, true to Arab temperament, he fell violently in love with an English concert dancer and took the shortest cut to possessing her by kidnapping. He ceded her back only after several months of exciting life of romance in the desert. But for the present, at least, the nomad Arabs of the desert do not seem to form an integral part of Syrian life. Nevertheless, they are beginning to feel the inroads of modern influences, and if one of their young leaders maintains a city home and engages in social activities on such a large scale, a change is bound to come into their life. Already they have modernized their methods of warfare and use automobiles in conducting their raids; other radical changes will not be long to follow. * * * * A change looms on the horizon in Syria. It is bound to prove more productive, and will surely be highly accelerated, through the serious efforts of the young leaders who are fitting themselves constructively for their future tasks. Affluence By EDNA K. SALOOMEY I shall embrace my poverty, and bless Fate for willing me not the Midas touch. Thus, am I spared from having to confess Futility, a craving for death, and such Desires as satiety brings to men. When all need is fulfilled, what need to live? What pleasure shall await to-morrow, then, If today credit all life has to giver From the vast depths of Stygian of the dawn. Man's gratitude for the beauty of the dawn. �f ' THE SYRIAN WORLD The Deeper Pain By KAHLIL GIBRAN Editors Note—Through the courtesy of Barbara Young, li erary executor of Kahlil Gibran, some of Gibran's original writings in English will be published exclusively in the Syrian Wor'.d from time to time previous to book publication.The following is the first of the series. To burn but not to shine, that is indeed great pain, but to burn not at all is the greater pain. To have a full heart and an empty hand is pain indeed, But to have both heart and hand full, and no one to receive is greater pain. To be a cripple at the foot of the mountain of your heart's desire is a great pain, But to reach the top of the mountain and find yourself alone, that is the deeper pain. To have a song in your spirit but not the voice to sing is to know great pain, But to have both the song and the voice, and none to listen, is the greater pain. Once I stood, a beggar, at the gate of the temple. Night veiled all things, and my hand long stretched forth, was still empty. At that hour, my friend, I knew pain. After seven moons I stood again in the portico of the temple to tell of Spring in the forest, And Spring in the heart of a maiden, And Spring as the beginning of the race, And behold, there was not one who listened to me. That was the deeper pain. - �D NOVEMBER, 1931 // ! Conditions in the Near East By BAYARD DODGE President, American University of Beirut (Excerpts from President Dodge's Annual Report for 1930- -31) IKE THE rest of the world, the Near East has suffered from the commercial depression, which has been the principal feature of the past year. Overland trade through Syria has been cut down, the tourist business in Egypt and Palestine has been at a low ebb, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf have been unable to sell their pearls. Persia has been making a heroic effort to introduce a gold standard of currency, which has envolved such a large readjustment, that the trade of the country has been seriously affected. Worst of all, there has been such an overproduction of cotton, that Egypt, the Sudan, 'Iraq and North Syria have endured heavy financial losses. Ever since the University was founded, the surrounding districts have been sending thousands of emigrants to the West, and these adventurers have sent back a constant stream of money to their relatives in the East. The present economic crisis has stopped these remittances, with a corresponding share of hardship for many old parents and unfortunate children. Furthermore, emigration itself has been stopped to such an extent that the- poor can no longer seek their fortunes in more prosperous parts of the world. Mankind seems to be learning that war brings poverty and peace gives prosperity. Like America, Egypt did not feel the ill results of the war, while the fighting was going on. The cotton crisis of the past year has enabled the Egyptians to appreciate what serious readjustments war envolves. In Syria, 'Iraq and Palestine the situation is very different. A few weeks ago a friend said to me:—"We Syrians are the luckiest people in the world; We've alreaciy struck the bottom, so that what ever happens in other places, we can't go any lower." The Mosul oil project, the exploitation of Dead Sea chemical deposits, the new harbor at Haifa, plans for overland railroads to "' '' ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^m �12 ft THE SYRIAN WORLD bind together the Euphrates valley with the Mediterranean the presence of foreign institutions, and the promotion of new industries are brining new hope for reconstruction. A spirit of cooperation is springing up between the neighboring states and in cooperation lies the future of the Near East. Men are beginning to dream that some day there may be new irrigation systems and new cities, along the Orontes and the two rivers of Mesopotamia, where civilizations once bloomed and populations multiplied. It was the wars of the Sassanides and the Tartar invasions that wrought havoc and left behind a wreckage of broken canals and ruined towns. Twelve years of peace have already made it possible to develop overland motor routes and to open up new channels of trade so that it is reasonable to believe that continued security and increased cooperation will result in reconstruction. t The Near East is the cradle of our monotheistic faiths. Oriental forms of religion are so old that they have become too much matters of ceremony and sect, and too little a concern of the spirit I he University does not wish to increase the confusion by adding a new sect, but rather to rear up men and women, who are filled with spiritual enthusiasm and anxious to make religion a bond of fellowship, rather than a basis for hostility. The states of the Near East have tried competition and war tor over five thousand years. They have become so impoverished that they form a great contrast to the states of the new world which have developed prosperity as a result of team work. The 'contribution, which it is worth while for America to give to the Levant is this idea of team work. The city of Beirut is like the hub of a wheel, to which students come from a great radius seeking education. Even in the third and fourth centuries of the Christian era there was a great law school at Beirut, which drew students from the Mediterranean provinces and Western Asia. The Roman jurists, Ulpian and Papinian were professors there. Nonnus, the poet; Saint Gregory of Neocesaria the Miracle-worker; and the famous Saint Gregory of Naziansus were students. Two of the professors, Dorotheus and Anatolius, helped the Emperor Justinian to prepare his code of law East and West; North and South; Anglo-Saxon and Latin: Semite and Greek; Muhammedan, Christian and Jew; Roman i>i > �\\ NOVEMBER, 1931 13 £5°liCK aud °rthodox> have * and still meet on the bridge g of land, which joins together Africa, Asia and Europe PU,t> the M r ~SS chlldren re ill Syria haVe SCattered a11 ov er tQ study .n ^ ^ d and thee wo world C aSt studv\: Be0m;Cindepr6SSi0n °f ,thG Pthan W study at Beirut greater numbers ever *«faS before. have corned The first essential for reconstruction in the Orient is to teach the young men and women that thev cannot catch m, 7 V of the West by political agitation 'and ^T^ V^ZfZ working so hard, that they can measure up to theinteU^ at' tainments of Europe and America ""eiiectual atmic of mur sards' standards of made the courses France During 1 haS ad T^vV ? UniVCrsity °Pted the ^deNew York State as minimum requirements and in medicine and pharmacy as long asXv are"n the past year French and British Ictors from of "he Schqooianof M dtine "^ aSSiStCd Wkh th£ 2-1 S-SS . inC S of Europt ' ° ^ f° aSSUre Standards e<iual to those boundaries will be dead, dogmas Slt^dT^^^ The development of character and of consecration to spi-it ual things on a campus radiant with friendship and g good wU 1Ss" the ideal of a modern university. ' R ^AtuBeiJUt thTe 1S "° sectariai'1 religious society, but rather a Brotherhood, in which men of all races and creeds havean eaual Q share to join in social service work and common worship and women stand shoulder to shoulder in /h f ^ these "These things shall be,—a loftier race Than e'er the world hath known will rise With flame of freedom in their souls, And light of knowledge in their'eyes." V - "Nation with nation, land with land _ Unarmed shall live as comrades 'free • In every heart and brain shall throb The pulse of one fraternity." Tn �14 THE SYRIAN WORLD I THE SLAVE GIRL WHOM THE GRAND VIZIER COUID NOT BUY \^HEN the caliph Haroun al-Raschid was on one of his visits to the city of Al-Basra, his famous vizier and boon companion Jaafar Ibn Yahya the Barmecide, was in his company. Jaafar, however, could well afford to neglect the business of state and follow his natural bents in seeking his personal pleasure due to the extraordinary confidence he enjoyed with the caliph. So immediatey upon the arrival of the royal caravan to the city Jaafar called to him Isaac Ibn Ibrahim, the famous singer and entertainer of the caliph, and bade him seek information concerning a reputedly extraordinary slave girl the fame of whose charm had reached the capital Baghdad. Isaac enlisted the services of the foremost slave dealer in the city who readily gave his expert opinion about the unsurpassed qualifications of the girl in question, but added the further information that her master would never consent to exhibiting her in public, and will let her be seen only in private and at his own house. Jaafar, undaunted, said that he would seek her wherever she might be, be she in a palace or in a hut, in the city or the wilderness, because his heart was set on viewing her vaunted beauty and hearing her reputed unexcelled art in singing and playing the <oud He therefore, immediately ordered that preparations be made for the visit, and not long thereafter the three parties to the conversation in disgu.se, were wending their way through the narrow, tortuous streets of the city towards the house of the girl's master In one of the poorer sections the slave dealer stopped at the door of a dilapidated house and knocked. A young man, emanated in form and with hollow eyes and pallid complexion, reluctantly it �NOVEMBER, 1931 that his robe was of a coarl m ,' -f7 n°tlCed Parti larly Finally the slave dealer eTvereT* • *"? aPPare»t]y very old sion and ask to l^Z^ltl " * ^^ ** miS" exPre^7oTdgee7;uffel\n°hereP,ly-, **} *? d h S Way to room from which^shortly H a*eirl T* ' VVIULIJ, snoruy aft-w afterwards, emero-eH ^ ,xrU -d an u^ an *e ntost bLutifultXTwhe ttr £ EZ^faTf iT^ A2X Ana what SUCh l0nS tad £ t0appear ^ aftCr ""P^onship,in tad fan perpetually self-renewing our relauonsh.p now become exposed to the dans" of rupture through ageaanger Never stall I forget that what now appears old was at at one time new; Nor that the house which is now deserted was once teeming and gay with life; U? t0 mC A/T° ,' ^ the dearest that ever trod on soil • And I m my We, have consumed myself f„ the effort to make myself worthy of your attention The girl could proceed no further She t » H • • • , robe, and reentered the inner room For a wh L .T'^ ? ^ -^i^n^tfr-f^SSr companions waited a reasonable time and the, decided t"" " robe, and while be V^Sg&SZ^g 5* �16 THE SYRIAN WORLD with the light of a strong determination. It was he who broke the oppressive silence. "You are my witnesses that I have set her free," he said, "and that I now take her as my lawfully-wedded wife." Jaafar was much grieved and disappointed at having lost the opportunity to purchase this extraordinary slave-girl, but controlled himself sufficiently to ask the young man the reason for his action. The latter remarked that his story was a long one, but that he would be willing to tell it if they were disposed to isten. They readily assented. "My father was one of the notables of the city," he began, "and we lived in great opulence. To this the slave dealer will testify. My mother had a large number of slave-girls, and because I had access to the hareem quarters I had occasion to mingle with them all. The girl whom I have just freed was one of them. She was young, intelligent and vivacious, and as we grew together I came to love her passionately. We were tutored together until such time that my mother decided she would give her a musical education, but because I could not bear parting with her we took up musical study together. Then came a time when my mother decided to sell her because of the high price she would bring, and no sooner I realized her intention than I begged her to reconsider her decision as I could not bear to live without the girl who had been my life companion and had now become the very essence of my existence, and once my mother realized the situation she readily granted her to me and we lived happily for a number of years, during which time my father continually begged me to marry whomsoever I chose of the daughters of the leading men of the city, but I persistently refused because my heart would countenance no substitute for the slave girl, although my father interpreted my action as one of chastity. And in time my father died and I came into such wealth that I thought would never be exhausted, and I spent and squandered foolishly. The inexorable sequence is the plight in which you now find me, with nothing more than this single robe which she and I share between us." The three men appeared transfixed with his story, and particularly did Jaafar feel pity for the gifted girl who was now reduced to such pitiable circumstances. The young man cast searching looks on them, as if to learn if they were interested in having him continue his narration, and when they requested him rather impatiently, to proceed, he took up the trend of his story as follows: "I well realized that the situation could not be borne any furQ �NOVEMBER, 1931 I ther, and when I heard that the caliph had come to the city I broached to her the idea of a sale, explaining that I could not further suffer subjecting her to such wretchedness. But when you came to negotiate for her purchase and she realized that the hour of parting was drawing near, she came to me weeping, in the manner in which you have seen her, and reproached me that if I only reciprocated her feeling I would not be willing to part with her. " 'But would you be willing to share my misery to such an extent when you realize to what straits I have been reduced?' I pleaded. 'However, since this is your wish I will free you and marry you legally,' I hastened to explain. " 'If your love is true, this is what you should do,' she replied. And immediately I agreed to free her and take her as my legallywedded wife, to which you are now asked to stand witness.' " The situation was tensely dramatic, and the three disappointed visitors made their way silently out of the house. Said Isaac Ibn Ibrahim. "After having ridden a long way in silence, I thus addressed Jaafar: 'You, O vizier, whose bounties have flooded the land and saved many a destitute, will your heart not take pity on these two lovers now that you have witnessed their pitiable situation?' " '1 es,' replied Jaafar, 'but my mind has been completely distracted by the natural and acquired gifts of the girl.' "Then turning to the slave dealer he asked; 'How much do you carry?' " 'Three hundred thousand dinars,' the latter replied. " 'Return immediately and give the whole sum to the girl's master, and bid him come to see me on the morrow,' he ordered." In giving an account of what followed, Isaac Ibn Ibrahim said that the young master went into transports of joy over this turn of fortune, and when he appeared on the following day to express his gratitude to the vizier, the latter presented him to Haroun AlRaschid, giving a complete account of what had occured, and the magnanimous caliph was so pleased that he added the young man to his retinue and made him gifts and grants that insured his happiness forever after. ma&m n 17 �smssmm^ 18 THE SYRIAN WORLD I BARBARA YOUNG, l°thnVv the dictionary a dml f j y ° ° ^ Editor nin and W nder with a dash ° > of KAHLIL GIBRAN Poetry is for the ears and not for the eyes. old custom of the minstrel, the bard, reading or market-place is one of the lost delights. Today compares of human beings who still reap a rich aS,0n Whe W ^ublXr The enchanting chantW in hf there L small g rnerbg f"m " ^^ " ">^ud, if, som" a d the ractice be extLZ^noT? ^ ^^ ^ if and Pcriticism-the "light be extended not for i°° the purposes of discussion time is moth-eaten with these two pastimes-but for she^r enjoyment and relaxation. There are certain poets and certain poems reahPmrem th! S° * t*^ *"* *' ^ * sickening I'd "treshment that.a of actual economic value, notwithstanding the somewhat general opinion to the contrary. Ahalf hour of 1 tin b* to certain portions of Brooke or Masefield, Frost or Kipling No"! or Gibson will add a sense of zest and vigor to the day wtichTe ati n f the atd accelerate?tT S5 MtS *" Vibl ° ° not with ^ and accelerates the H blood-but poetry read" aloud, the eves a one for only ^ h „ y ^ & J y o± the muse communicated. �By JOHN STERLING HANEY The soil is my mother J am the child of the mountain I am the son of the cleft in the rock MTbr th ndIJn!.0f th£ swifdunning plain jy sisters are the young vines of the uplands Heavy with grape. >/ The soil is my mother, I shall not fear. She speakes to me out of thec mnntu, £ ^h« ,,Q r . mouths or men And the fingers of her hands Are the longings in the heart of the crowds Her voice is the words of men When they are silent. I am one with my fellowmen, It cannot be otherwise. All men are one with me, The soil is our mother. I and they shall return to her They and I shall lie down together When she calls. �20 THE SYRIAN WORLD New Poetry "PRELUDES FOR MEMNON" by Conrad Aiken, (Scribl ners, $2.50) is a book for a small company of the elect It is a volume of some fifty-odd cantos which record with minute and meticulous detail the daring intellectual adventure into a realm far beyond the region of intellect. The poet-has not hesitated, as indeed why should he? to plunge into the labyrinths of the soul's darkness seeking to pierce its gloom. The theme of the work seems to be clearly stated in the following stanza: "What did you see? —I saw myself and God. I saw the ruin in which godhead lives: Shapeless and vast: the strewn wreck of the world: Sadness unplumbed: misery without bound. Wailing I heard, but also I heard joy. Wreckage I saw, but also I saw flowers. Hatred I saw, but also I saw love. And thus, I saw myself. —And this alone? —And this alone awaits you, when you dare To that sheer verge where horrors hang, and tremble Against the falling rock; and, looking down, Search the dark kingdom. It is to self you come,— And that is God. It is the seed of seeds: Seed for disastrous and immortal worlds." Here is unequivocal and final pronouncement of the poet's philosophy of life. It is a splendid and sweeping gesture The great self of man is the supreme self. There is no mistaking the clarity and the definiteness here. Unfortunately, this clarity does not prevail throughout the length of the poem. Mr Aiken is a master of subtleties that often rise up and defeat the communication or his thought. There is too often a wordiness that amounts almost to incoherence, as if the poet were over-intoxicated with his own ecstasy. The steed that he has mounted appears frequently to run away with the rider. There are passages in which we perceive the poet's meaning not because of his fabulous expression but in spite of it: they seem to struggle for breath, to wrestle for release. % * �NOVEMBER, 1931 21 ^^arealso ^ fpurepoetry;pureth la„gl^ed:fhere "" ^ «- - *- which are not poetry in my The world centripetal—" And these: 'What is a symbol? t* » +u~ t pS shar To clutch a paper tha 1 WS m the L St°° P wind It is the Wnf i" in the W Light?^ corset?* , "<' ^ lf ^ '" IS £ &££* t * * ** of^thea waning fire. There is ^aSS , T h friend befo cerned with a Tale of ZeX^' **,*" P°Cm is nat morL sons. than our paltry three dimenConrad Aiken's is a powerful nen T^ • the poet himself is not e^TlyZn^d The ran th 0^P"d' ck and "'"'"^ °tbm * -reives d he burdock a ^ht r'C e: th "' P And all that welcomes rain"" ' he Sp°tted st° . th °»8h �20 THE SYRIAN WORLD New Poetry "PRELUDES FOR MEMNON" by Conrad Aiken, (Scribner's, $2.50) is a book for a small company of the elect. It is a volume of some fifty-odd cantos which record with minute and meticulous detail the daring intellectual adventure into a realm far beyond the region of intellect. The poet has not hesitated, as indeed why should her to plunge into the labyrinths of the soul's darkness seeking to pierce its gloom. The theme of the work seems to be clearly stated in the following stanza: "What did you see? —I saw myself and God. I saw the ruin in which godhead lives: Shapeless and vast: the strewn wreck of the world: Sadness unplumbed: misery without bound. Wailing I heard, but also I heard joy. Wreckage I saw, but also I saw flowers. Hatred I saw, but also I saw love. And thus, I saw myself. —And this alone? —And this alone awaits you, when you dare To that sheer verge where horrors hang, and tremble Against the falling rock; and, looking down, Search the dark kingdom. It is to self you come,— And that is God. It is the seed of seeds: Seed for disastrous and immortal worlds." Here is unequivocal and final pronouncement of the poet's philosophy of life. It is a splendid and sweeping gesture. The great self of man is the supreme self. There is no mistaking the clarity and the definiteness here. Unfortunately, this clarity does not prevail throughout the length of the poem. Mr. Aiken is a master of subtleties that often rise up and defeat the communication of his thought. There is too often a wordiness that amounts almost to incoherence, as if the poet were over-intoxicated with his own ecstasy. The steed that he has mounted appears frequently to run away with the rider. There are passages in which we perceive the poet's meaning not because of his fabulous expression but in spite of it: they seem to struggle for breath, to wrestle for release. �KOVEMBER, 1931 21 Yet there are also passages of pure poetry, pure thought "Then came I to the shoreless shore of time J* here never summer was nor any tree, £or sound of water, nor sweet light of sun "y-tWngand the shoreXo£b? Above, around, below, and in my heart." language" f "" ""* *« *S lhe world centripetal And these: Aese ** are not poetry in any " "What is a symbol? it is the 'man stoops sharp To dutch a paper that blows in the wind- P S bendi in th wi LhL rOCUS '«with <= »<V the laght, S^l that breaks on \ the water waves 'the Wing, that <aeh,eve in the gust unexpected.' > review^ V ££ bS «SS% ^ to ,he <°°ls °f *. waning fire. There L^^^tiTeV ,! tr *""" ^ ' cerned w,th a Tale of somewhat mo^tha! U1 ^r our L rv SfJ? ^ sions. paltiy three dimen- ! he dipTt^'y^ SSi?* .««• - -* in the ink reason of overw^i ,g such w rds as "l? ""ST*"." T^ * Ventricle ..5ometmKsHy oterltklaSn'0" '"^ meanmg^t^on5:^ LrfiXbf d°7f *"* ** *e "Beloved, let us once more praise the rain. -Let us discover some new alphabet, . The r 'S ^ °fuen, PI"aised' and be ou^lves The ia,n, the chick-weed, and the burdock leaf . lhe green-white privet flower < »,« *I J ' And all that wdcoLTJ ' "* SP°"ed stone> �22 THE SYRIAN WORLD "Forget the proud in wisdom, those who fear To know the things they do. We are the sons Of that bright eight that knows no turning back; We the prometheans who never die j The crucified who scorn their crucifixion, Because we know our fate was in ourselves. We are the Jesus and the Judas, too." To Our Lyric Poets The world that listens to John Masefield, poet laureate of England, embraces a vaster population than the world that listens to plain John Masefield, poet. It is a good and gracious event when a man who has wise and wholesome recommendations to make to a people, finally achieves the eminence from which he may be heard. What he says from the heights is precisely what he had been saying in the valley of his quieter days; but now the faces are upturned to his face, and they wait for his lightest word, who were before, fully occupied with their own words. To The New York Times Herbert W. Horwill, writes from .London : "John Masefield suggests that there is a fine opportunity waiting for some of our enterprising young poets to-start poetry entertainments in London. According to his plan, poetrv written especially for the purpose would be read aloud in small halls The poets would be writing directly for their public, and this would re-suit in vigorous, vital work. They would have the advantage of seeing its effect on an audience—an invaluable guide which is denied entirely to the man who writes for books." _ _ Why not this plan also for young American poets of Syrian origin t ' �NOVEMBER, 1931 23 Rubaiyat Au- Tayeb Translated from the Arabic 1 By AMIN BEDER «-»- \f Y, %_^ ^ u Cj Vj ^ ^vi ^ ur ^, ^, ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ i- v u ^ ^ I neither blame the hand of fate, nor praise The urgent guest who steals awa our days It wants but little till we shall pass on From earth to earth, for life is but a maze Entongis.this life. ...the sages know And yet the,r wisdom melts like April- snow AnW 7 S02n/°rget 'tS witcheries arc false' And Lo! we find them actors in the show. \\—^Vl Uj| tj* C53 fjL-5" cT 'iT uij High aspiration is for thee a pest, My soul, if thou be greedy in thy quest, A A t YriY IS the one «"* suffers mostAnd 'neath the curse of sickness it must rest'. ;-ix« cT Beauty that's false is surely in the lead, Endeared to women like a noble steed1 o me the real appears a golden trait • No dye nor paint will enter in my creed > ^ �m** 24 THE SYRIAN WORLD Ode {From BOOK ON NATURE) By THOMAS ASA Thou hast reclaimed the world's lost loveliness 0 wand ring dryad from Pierian bow'rs — Revived rich beauty with thy soft caress Imparted sweet perfume to scentless flow'rs And stirred the dormant zephyrs with thy laughterRestored the music of the sylvan streams — 1 hy time today, and not the morrow or thereafter No crude awak'nings in this life of dreams. Ah! would I soon forget the world of men, Io follow thee where'er thou mayest lead: And through thine eyes divine the woodland ken, And with my lips drink deep thy sacred mead i-ead thou my spirit to thy safe retreat, Show me what mortal eyes have never seen: Reveal the secret of those silent feet That walk the carpets of the woods unseen— And now the sun has gone its wonted way Teft o er the hours to twilight and the night, And soon the earth in dreamless slumber lay lo wake again but with the morning light— ' But in that mystic region of no sleepBut in that fabled realm of life unseen, Which from the world its hidden borders keep, And vanishes within the forest green Beneath the drooping lilacs lost in sleep, 1 he woodland elves a noiseless revel hold Arch schemers they, how sharp the vigil keep! I hat no intruders might their sight behold. Oh how delightful was that moonlit glade Where reigned Queen Titania with her tr'ain, And on her vernal throne of Flora's shade Unseen by men, and ever thus remain. �NOVEMBER, 1931 Fresh as the dew-drop on the morning rose, basr as bright Hesper in the evening sky,— And would thine eyes but for a moment close, And all the world of beauty then would die bam would I make my presence known to thee, O wondrous queen of this sweet land I see Now through the woodland sounds a trumpet note lJear to the fairy queen it seemed to be Might I have known it issued from Love's throat, When came King Oberon his queen to seel Immortal ruler of a cherished race' With thy fair queen in lasting glory spend Unnumbered days within this favored place Ldemc peace and gladness without end And never may the toll of future doom find thee, sweet Myrtle, weeping dewy tears, As thine oblatwn to the saddened gloom Of crumbling Eros shrines that Venus rears ' ' And there bright Phoebe through the swaying eaves Illumes with its soft gleam, the sylvan throne: And with the faint rustle of Autumn leaves Gentle Zephyrus sings its soothing moan All this have seen, but not with earthly eyes Hut m the inmost regions of the mind' Where dwells the impish Genie of surmise, Which rues the thoughts and wishes of mankind Long shall I rove the verdant fields of thought By gliding-streams of Love and Beauty steep ' My inward soul, until old age has brought Me to the verge of unawak'ning sleep *> i 25 �-.IT' . I,U,III.U / 26 THE SYRIAN WORLD A Moslem Saint of Damascus . AN INTIMATE GLIMPSE INTO THE DAILY ROUTINE OF LIFE OF THE FOREMOST MOSLEM TRADITIONIST OF THE AGE • By H. I. KATIBAH JF SOMEONE had met you on the street and told you: "Meet brother AbeJafd, just coming out from his lectures at the Priory of Maisoncelle", or just as casually: "Let me present you to Saint Ansdm, celebrated schoolman and author of the Proslogion » you would realize something of the surprise which was mine when I was presented, two years ago last summer in Damascus, to "the Greatest Traditionist, Our Master Badr-Ud-Din al-Hasani. For I had always associated a traditionist in my mind with musty tomes of yellowed leaves and with the misty past of Moslem history when both schoolmen and traditionists ruled the dav and were influential figures in the world in which they moved. As I pored over some ancient Moslem hagiographv such as arf frUTu°USre,7v.yah' °r Kitab ul-Luma'> or ^rned the rich pages of the Ihya of al-Ghazzali, the vivid descriptions of the lives the manners and idiosyncrasies of those spiritual paragons and ponderous pundits of Moslem learning seemed to conjure them to life in my imagination, and their quaint figures rose to meet me through those yellowed leaves from the glamorous past to which they had receded. ' Vaguely I realized that there were such men still living today Somewhere m Mecca, in Baghdad, in Samarkand, in Kerbala, in Nishabur and in Damascus itself, solitary men in their silent meditations were still saying their wirds, (devotions) or squatting on a worn out mat reading their Qoran with a gentle sway of their bodies Just as I knew that here and there in the moss-covered monasteries o± Europe there were still monks whose outward appearance and daily habits remind us of the days of St. Francis of Assisi and of 1 homas Aquinas, but I had met in person neither the former nor the latter and they had remained in the world of my mental visions enveloped by their aura of mystery and antiquated charm -1 �— NOVEMBER, 1931 27 It was therefore with some justifiable thrill and flutter th*t ot'of rSfiedtthr0U^ DamaSCUS after an ^senceSIte to meet in person one who V "a ' Z£t7£%^T ^ "- lbMalik A?i ^Modern ?"*>" a celeb^ed successor of Sw^oStnlfcl ,anbaJ-' Abu-Ha"ifa -d the rest of 0skm tradltl0 nnn,W 1 !l • ^ ts and theologians. He was to the Pope m the world of Christendom. Slmnite Moslems re cognize no ultimate source of authority, save the Goran S S the a,id ^ to *? *» °l of ^life "^ on of Haet and their their application the "* exigencies from generation^ generat.on lies m the hands of the .radMonun, amo./whom Bad ? 0 tHC mynad tl world woHd'overT' " fsupreme °f His fo"—«nd admire s me over, is most andJ exalted. imagine an ordinary two-story buildine- of che un^ , Damascus rather dilapidated and its mud pwLg^Toff A ,h OU8h a MS S« SS3&» " ^* To one of those cells on the upper floor we ascended the stone sta,rs and were ushered first to "the man" of Shaykh Badi ud D n Shaykh Yahya al-Maktabi by name. He was hTspXnt nts agent his publiast, and occupied a position simila tTthat Gfa secretary to a great celebrity with us. He was the buffer that stood between the saintly master and the mundane world My -nend, an instructor at the American University of Beirut and myself sought to interview His Eminence, Shaykh Badr ud Ehn al-Hasam on a burning issue that had agitated nVonly Syria and the Near East but the whole civilized world. For it was fo f S mCr 1929 SfwaUW^Tc T ° r r ' ' -cl thTname 5S MostmSnty^- ** ""* - *« " �/ iff; 2R "THE SYRIAN WORLD v, We made our mission known to Shaykh Yahya al-Maktabi an affable gentleman with a typically Semitic face and neatlv tnmmed characteristic dressTf aa M«£ Moi em el black beard Hej wore the ^ ^ r Igl0US m d we comed ug Damascene congeniality of spirit which made us feel that we had W known the man and had met him on familiar term before He excused himself and went to another cell on the same row then mtLas"S Mbr" he„retUnied SSSUrillg US ** *^*t minutes uur Master" will receive us o-lirH,, u • i making Turkish coffee for us S^ ml^cdL as he requested us to wait until "Our Master" was through wi h his dors or lecture. He squatted on the mat-covered floor totl v unfurnished but for a few rush stools, while we sat on a nuple one ^^^r fete flM ff£ gleaming with reverent pride, "and the rest of his time he spends between the House of Tradition and the Umayyad Mosque'? «. h Lon ^befr,the *" ^" he continued, «heri£ up to to the Umayyad Mosque, which is only a few paces away to attend £e dawn prayer with the congregation. AfrJ that he goes to the House of Tradition and prepares for his lectures which star n he morning, and at noon he goes out again for prayer at the mosque Then again he returns to his lectures, and in the afternoon after" the prayer, a large circle of worshipers forms around himThe ex pounds to them some topic from the Qoran or Tradi IT Back again to his lectures he goes, and after the sunset prayer he breaks his daily fast and immediately afterwards pores olhis books S long after midnight, when after a few hours of sleep L rises UP again and so begins another round of daily studies Pand prayer? Hardly anything else occupies his mind or diverts his atfendon » The coffee by this time had boiled over and we sipped it be with age with an innocent ruddy face, almoft child lle Ld a sparce little white beard. His attire consisted of a shabbybut clean striped cotton kimbaz, open partly near the neck and held in nlace with a simple white woolen girdle. A towel was tuckedIk heup M it i �NOVEMBER, 1931 29 name of ^„, •ffl^itS.*' f^ spun socks and native yellow shoes SftZSffi?^^ homeno attendant with him and nobody to SI fc^W W ^ ^ crossed the threshold of the door He ', Th° had a,ready Badr-uI-Din al Hasani hW^whS fame for l r "^ S>kh had spread from China to the'ij, i d sSL^^TS^. ^ Si^'k *** Severs ^ tm lacTtoYah ""an aXi^e^t^X^^ Wa to move higher to a more^spectabl ^ '*"" ^^ g S Ws ^ ^" Sun, or ^ammadan'm:^of D^" ** 'I0 "31 ^ °f *« the Traditions of the ftonnet who ^' *? h'gh CUStodia" °f Sa d t0 haVe heJd the harite ulema (dons) SDdZ H ' Az0 Whe he dd a lecture within the pec"cN of ^",1" T^' " " '«=red Moslem world dism s, d h° that highest seat of learning i„ ,he Palestine in a fewZTl taLT,± ^ °f the tr°"Mes in religious legalistic ^ MSoiS " "' "^ " called I'kTao^fwtfto1!^' "^ 3" "eighb°ri"S «*no one has anyrigtito 1, 5 l"V ^ P"bl,C pr°l'ert>' "*kh use save *Jt£J2^?*^%£& °*£7 f=r he -raw ^39^-* m the past some pci'vi'^in » ^tl^a1* *« signify that these privileges sive the ij . i , ,» " does not fang, not even Our M25-OmS £Z T*, ^ "J^ to * No today, could legalize the noss ,on hv th . "^ f[°m ,lle drad al-Masjid ul-Aqsa. A M'O te^ "" r caiiphls n'"'5 P*".0' an opinion on a religious matter Z Z^J^^tJ° *"* cognized as the sunna (Qoranic law). On STX&£ �30 THE SYRIAN WORLD ditions declares that a Waqf is inviolable, from the seventh earth to the seventh heaven. These latter-day arrangements cannot be concurred in by Moslem jurisprudence." There was a note of finality to the words of the venerable shaykh as he rose, excusing himself with the remark that it was time tor mid-afternoon prayer. As we bade Shaykh Yahya farewell and left the House of lradition I could not help but recall another visit which I had made a tew weeks previously to the summer residence of another religious dignitary, the supreme head of a Christian sect in Lebanon tor the contrast was so vivid and significant to my mind. At that other visit we were made to wait about an hour before His Beatitude finished his breakfast. Then we were bid to stand in the corridor with others who were also standing and waiting for the appearance of the supreme religious head. Suddenly a gentle venerable white-bearded old man, bent with age and walking with the help of a stick, appeared in the corridor, followed by a train of dignified bishops and priests. _ He carried his title of "Saint," one of his official ecclesiastical titles, as gracefully as he did his scarlet sottana and pelerine, which he wore. A simple, black, turban-shaped cap, a heavv golden cross hanging pendant from his neck and a big ring on the'fourth finger of his right hand completed his informal ecclesiastical vestment Almost a year after my interview with Shaykh Badr-ud-Din I was also passing through Damascus. There was a wave of popular murmur and rumble of resentment against the local native government headed by Shaykh Taj-ud-Din, son of Shaykh Badr-ud-Din himself. I was discussing the general political situation with a young nationalist, a modern Mohammedan graduate of the American University of Beirut. Among other things I askfd him whether the fact that the head of the Syrian government was the son ot the "Greatest Traditionist" gave him much prestige and influence with the general Mohammedan populace. He said: "I will answer your question with an incident which I'myself witnessed: "Before the war, if you had passed through the Umayyad Mosque after mid-afternoon prayer, you could have seen no less *' I v 1 h d rr N iai Ui Jis "P Pn To vi A hle^° S'f hundred Persons in the halaqa (circle) of Shaykh Badr-ud-Din, listening intentively to his lectures. Recently I passed through and found only a handful, not more than fifty in number Inen, as I was going out through the eastern gate I found two religious shaykhs also leaving the mosque, a young man and an elder- ext< clue to : Pre: *> >i �NOVEMBER, 1931 31 Jy °"e- I greeted then, saying: "The l7eIy0U "0t in the Shaykh's circle!" head rf the august Shaykh, addi",' artistes-- """ ** dra « Y h1s son ^ ""P***-* on the from the ^ -5oo/'j- Received (To be revised in lhe December ^ Printed fiStt^SSrftS^ ^'T *""• "««* -'ographed by the autho,W. 10th St. New York Pn " "M"' The If^fe "um^ and G,b > Studio, Jl pubhsltd p^ptTf teotsr rh who was closest to him and is now hi .', Young ,s tne foremost li^^X ' ra hith -° - V ,he Amerira " 1 5, eKcutor " - P<>« Miss LS —*- oor sa^rs: sirs ass ^^ASSM^JJ^ * * Oimstead. . A dutiful volume on the hLfv / S' 'lluStrated- * 0 an conquest. The author is Prof°J °f S"a '" tbt MacedonUntversrty of Chicago and onetf (T f """'^ hist^ * *e ** The present work is „! ; I'T *""*" <"^^ ^^^riSSf^ £» * H^haway, New cJudtng Coolidge and Hoover. The book' h M"" Presid *, ind P to students of American history Facs.mi 'e inValuab]= »— - reproduced together ^"pen SSM&S �32 THE SYRIAN WORLD Seek and You Shall Find A EUROPEAN RESIDENT OF BEYROUTH THOUGHT HE COULD PROVIDE THE NATIVE POLICE WITH A MYSTERY THEY COULD NOT SOLVE. (A SHORT STORY) By CHARLES J. SASSEN JT WAS a night in the Syrian Springtime, the time of night when love longings reached their climax and revels were at their peak. In the brilliantly lit cafes in the Street of the Cat in cosmopolitan Beyrouth the haunting strains of the urgool tinged all love lilting sadness. A fitting dirge for the dead—a bouquet to many a blushing bride—the haunting melody rose and fell. Softly, sweetly pealed the bells of St. Daniel. From afar came the voice of the Muezzin "La Ilah-a-Illa'l Lah; Wa Muhammad Rasoul Allah". In a room in a house nestling beneath the tower of St. Daniel on the left and the minarets of the Mosque on the right, a man lay dead. A neat little hole in the centre of his forhead denoted the fact that his spirit had not danced out of his body to the tune of a harp, but to the bang of a bullet. The Chief of Police of the City of Beyrouth loved a mystery. in fact, he would prefer being engaged to unravelling an intricate crime far into the small hours of the coming day to lounging about at ease in one. of the numerous Cafes on the waterfront, listening to the throb of the tambouriyat and sipping the milky white arak. Murders were his hobby, and a strange hobby it was. Nothing delighted him more than to ascertain how, why and when, and lastly by whom, the foul deed had been committed. At five o'clock in the afternoon of that day (European time) i-he Chief of Police sat at his desk—a very puzzled man. A message had just come over the wires to the effect that at eight o'clock he should search the house between the church of St. Daniel and the Mosque of Muhammad. The prolocutor gave no name and laughed at the Chief's repeated requests for further information. The Chief had more than half decided to regard the matter as a joke, when he was interrupted in his reverie by one of his sub- �» . NOVEMBER, 1931 ^ ordinates. El Halabie was no ordinary man. Reared in the gutters of Beyrouth, there was consequently fostered within him a queer mi ed°P Y '-A I g T£St argUmeiU Was that the P°or never com- ed in h the the middle1 classes. l' ' ^ ?" I 1UXU1 'y indul^he -d the middle Although uneducated, had Vgreat A* wisdom for he came of an Arab father. r,. Sl ch was the ; ' man who entered the office of the Chief C iVersati the fJ^fr °; wisuom, a Tl m The d °° ^mediately decided to place the facts of the afternoon before El Halabie with a request for his opinion on the most advisable course to pursue fte t0 hin "We^ 7awhat '7ating Vhe meaSre facts the Chief demanded: Well, and do you adviser" "Well » replied El Halabie, "as we have nothing to do this evening why not visit the house? From what I know Joe Cordova the wealthy tanner, occupies the place." ^-oruovan "Good," replied the Chief, "meet me in front of the house at about eight o'clock." H.I-K d!Ht/d°Cku ^ SCCOnd the Chief> <^ompanied by El Halabie, stood on the door step of the house of Joe Cordovan Lookmg about and over the house the Chief remarked that he could not notice anything unusual, but as they had come so far hey nught as well enter the house under some pretext or other He Whirtv " H 1 thC d0°r *"«*• After an interval of abou thnty seconds having received no reply, he knocked againthis time longer and ouder. After an elapse of another thirty PoTared " II fh W *"* ^ t0 n °^ T «» ""accountable silence Zse were om T ""^ " ^^ "" the ^ b the By this time the curiosity of the men had been awakened In exasperation the Chief turned the handle of the door and to his' surprise found that the door was not locked. With El Halabie at his thC bnlliantJy lighted "Yahoo Y^ mt Pass^e a»d touted m °a stentor ft ° 'an voice. Still no reply. Ibis seems strange," muttered the Chief. "However let us search the house." ' ie. Room after room was searched, but though the lights burned in all the rooms yet no trace of a living occupant could be found Arnving at the last door the Chief tried the handle, fully expect ng the door to swing back on its hinges revealing an empty interior To his surprise the door proved to be locked* Bending^own he placed his eye to the keyhole, but his vision was impeded by the key ,n the lock on the inside. The Chief rapped at the door but �34 THE SYRIAN WORLD ~d:irfeP,y- ? ^hhk^d6dded that > k=y y« de could prevent a determined officer of the law from manipulating it In a farw»4 the lock of the door clicked and El Halabieftraight reniai ed hrm With a puzzled air he turned to the Chief- "Must be hoi ed on the mside" he remarked. The Chief merely nodded After a few moments of indecision the Chief barked- "El Halabie ZZ£2£££r and " if *» »» ~* » -r'vSote fe» A a *], minutcs,E1 Hal*e returned with the disturbing news hat the window was also locked and the blinds drawn. By thfs time u ti?orderead FTHI lT*J*. ^ * ^ °f -patience cu aopent0 trHd'abi StrUme"£ ^"T* *« d^^Mta forS r j , , , open, m Malabie soon returned w rh 3 orS minU0ttr and ^ ^^ °f ^ d- " K*^* The Chief and El Halabie burst into the room simultaneously Th room was well furnished after the taste of a European resided m the East. Numerous beautifully colored and hand worked dlfaHnd S nY7Pet1 fl0°r- The intnCate workmanst;^ d van and Chesterfield was thrown into bold relief by the light cast g by a large electric chandelier in the centre of the room \ neat' litHe hi T"^ °f PU/e marWe a man ^ on h back. foroner c^dd .'VlSl l"*" °f his f°rehead testified ** ^ natural ousel ' " Pr°n°UnCe the Vei"dict °f death due •» The two men stood rooted to the spot. The Chief's eaze retired h°mfthC h°dy,t0 thC Wind°W a"d his bra- -chtifa J registered the fact that this was locked on the inside. Slowly his Y gaze returned to the body, then to El Halabie. ^ Well, was his only comment. "Murder!" was the laconic reply. El Halabie tiptoed towards the body and fell on his knees be^ side the prostrate figure. A blotch around the wound showed that the death weapon had been fired at close range. "Smell anything?" questioned the Chief "Burnt powder," answered El Halabie "Who is he?" "Joe Cordovan." tried tf!rwCaHting ai10t!ier J°0k at the bod^ E1 Halab* rose and tried the window A close examination of the walls revealed that the only mode of ingress and egress was through either the door If �A(OVEMBER, 1931 :*£?& £jaxjs rsr , , at£sR. S===. ?a.-3as Willfully r„ fa'S " t° ° "« - He a d Pped n t0 his k from a few ,ersonn W "f8 th/°Ugh ,he Pockets> Now tnorl^ ]y LTd El Hi r a ¥Pf"! 'UtUre s b « apart ""d- s fo Toe SffiteJS" riVettCd 2? °"e Sp0t-the left "-I He picked it uPp a ,d r T rt^Tff *£" the *"* « «stfeatures as he SSZte^gSg*** "* "^ °» his it eontamed" ^ "" ^ *"' «* and ^ shall find," was all "Who wrote this, I wonder?" asked the Chief the saS'rejoint C"im"ey' "*?« ** "S to *** *">" was notX ^ 'tfr^^siSI f°U,Hy "*$ "" »" ^ did would certainly believe you " """ " ^ in thc «* I * * * * wen fpp'oinSofficr0;;,: Frida rthc chief sat»«** - * the office ples°«l rec Ld'^TH y'r"'*^!' "' the ~ a *air Ms eyes and an ar,,,m,c Torkih ' 7'*, his hat tilted ° his lips. ' rUrklsh "Satette dangling iooxly between c-^«fc^SJSdS* "Vm( person or persons unknown " afra d the demise f ; "* °f "** °r mUr<fe ° ** J«/ = pensefreSed t« Tl^ "* * *? at « "N*^ exadapt over feetg^o 'L^unTXnd" """ "* Withi" «"• f> «i �BBS 1 I 36 THE SYRIAN WORLD rwTagccounth:tTh" IE? t0Kd° S° hOUSe reWdffi Z^T**? i elapsed into an attitude of repose - P e investigation on his ^nt and The Chief nodded as and t Vh0Uf?t.ful m°°d E1 Hakbie we'^d his way to the house Sen e he mfd hm "** *! ^ ^'^ * Headquarters t silence he made his way to the death room which had not been His . turbed since the fatal night. He realized that a sear"h woudit «£ o^1V£d " ^^ himSdf ^" whitXi^ null ^tSTed himfeJf on the divan> lifted hi* ^et on to the table pulled his hat over his eyes and folded his arms over hi chest An nour two hours passed and yet no sign or movement from El Ha t ing I„d Sf th£ r°°m darke-d - • %„ that the sun w s S F H,l -u WaS, Creepin^ stealthiJy over gav Beyrouth tH U h f, ame he re m Kd anHisJSSS'.lS* ? T / 5 " ' >' « ' " everbecLT „T T. [ , '"e '^ stillness of the room. of dlst urb eves, became glued to the hreplace~he listened Softlv ever t0 hiS thC Peali follow el SZ ?"voice '« mueyyin °f the "ell St &,e f followed by the far off of the «T »of D.u rn !i ad Raso 1 "oat^eltT„d d d ^\^* tnc nrepiace and dropped on h.s knees in front»££23 of the h s edhisfeceroimds as e fe tts h,.'r d mlf ° *°•«*"p<n c hi „: remained m,n V CrePt 7" the grate and i,,t0 the «« He P hT at Sudde ,d h" "5L* Setmed Ws neck must b k with T,t V ^dden<y he withdrew his hand and regained his feet tefore Sed «1°0! O d d' ^ "f l^P th OU8h y0 **" be dead 1 ^e grate ad mut CatLJ' li I r"' t " Wy homage." f d Srtnere into tL'street. "' ^ "* ^ » *' « <^ Deliberately El Halabie seated himself in the office armchair selected a cigarette and lay back with a sigh of conte," The Chief being familiar w,th the idiosyncrasies of El Halabie, continued he perusal of certain uninteresting documents on his desk - f A 'I TJ 'lCh'ef' did y°u realize that the room in which W ^ *e ^ °l 3°rl Cr°rd°Van is absoiutdy -undproof"" driving S " ""*• "«"*'** What hh -hordinate was "Chief, listen, and you shall hear of as devilish a trick as ever MHMaan �H.OVEMBER, 1931 37 conceived by the mind of man. When in the room th\ realization came to me that no so,,nH f the'°°m concluded that as the he Ik n«U J .u . long nad Sly drivtole^ a out eight inches of catapulf mos que. evenm S the 1 thereupon ^etT f ^7- ettSiel* ht" ail, S r:dreedvoiy ver. The magazine contained one live cartridse anrl rL 1 ,." eontamed an empty cartridge case. FrdnTtiS ifwaTbu^ f Ut a sim ,e matter to reconstruct the deed. P "Joe Cordovan sat on his heels in fmnt „f ,k his arm up the flue and withdrawhereZl^ ^J^f elastic as much as possible he pointed tL k T1 LStretchmg the forehead and fired Te fo ce ofthe bul .Tn ?$?. ^ °f his PUShed him over his back whilst the reWH 1 °» to drawi1 U by the elastic" ^ ^ ^ P the flue There was a look of elation in the eves of Fl Hoi i : continued: "Poor Joe Cordovan. He looked l£hS HaLll*fraa \e thought he would even depart with a ioke He lh "T ^ ^ viding the police of Beyrouth with „ L^ble^^ °f ^ �38 THE SYRIAN WORLD 1 H ( A. HAKIM, Editor CONFLICTING STANDARDS IN THE SYRIAN HOME IN AMERICA REFERENCE was made in the opening remarks of this department to "Two opposing forces—two sets of diametrically different ethical conceptions and standards developing in our social order, with a hint to the dire results which are bound to follow if this condition is not treated rationally and in time. It is now the purpose to amplify this statement and discuss all phases of this social condition in an effort to devise means of alleviating its evils and mollifying its effects. The subject, as can readily be seen, has breadth which does not permit of full treatment in one article The fundamentals, therefore, must be considered first, and with time it is the hope of this writer to consider every phase of the conditions attecting our family life in America. The fundamentals are mainly cultural, and to a much lesser degree economic. Old traditions are clashing with conceptions of both parental authority and filial obligations as well as of moral standards. The parents make demands to which the children cannot concede, and while this conflict of views brings distress to tlparents it also creates a considerable measure of unstability in the characters of the children. Syrian immigration into the United States is comparatively recent and rarely does it go beyond the second generation The first immigrants, therefore, are still the dominant factor in our home Me. And they are imbued with certain ideals of conduct and rules tor living which it could not be reasonably expected that they should easily forego and relinquish. These ideals are so dominant in them that they may be considered a part of their very being, and any dis- y �NOVEMBER, 193J 39 turbanee of the order which has governed their lit. wake untold unhappiness and* mler^ might -ry Th? T^ u dergo J*. nix -^'" itS { st01cism but for them to have complete neace JJTA 1 , > and standards must „ot Xl^X^ ^ "^ ^ sufficient gratification tftorfSdS^S^ * "* »', "-If objective is to live their life aW ,h7 =**"*«. Their ultenor condueive to happiness These tJTfcH* COcertain "CdVe f° be m°St which have been imrrained i,»u . , standards ment of which thev cTnever Jl ^ a"d wkhout th<= f"lnll- *? are .^STSSSS^ feather imagination to reaLe the antoum ,',f f T"* "° Stretch of th<= te forego the *£S«K£*&~2 School education seems to ! °f the school. American Public duality of the chUdT^ ^ prepare hLT^ "* th f "**" as an independent and sepfra^end y No effort' f ^ °f Kfc and tram him as a unit in the family. Vde ath t iTf H° 5 J g training the Syrian child finds himself at .7.home rfa standard of ferent influences InsteadI of k , , J g totally difentity he is cons dered a„ inte^ W °l ^ UP°n aS "" "'^ndem The $ withholds notm gfromh ,s hold h^ T',. *" **» f the convi he sacrifices all for h°s chi d ti ' " ° «ion that if bis old age, the ^ZS&S^BSS •""* f" will insure him against want. I„ olL7ZnhZY S,md?ds> first generation count on their MJ ' y "f parents of the part of the hm semble throughout life a,n I, "* 'h enC ngthemSelWS to admit tha changes of cofdkL *'f wt aZt ' V eWP ! tS shoU,d their long prevalent standards '° ' °" ^ lack oTf%pC.?tio8ne':fatnsVmole t" ^ '»— °f ** consider & ^MSA,*^ «££ �. 38 THE SYRIAN WORLD A. HAKIM, Editor CONFLICTING STANDARDS IN THE SYRIAN HOME IN AMERICA h s REFERENCE was made in the opening remarks of this department to "Two opposing forces—two sets of diametrically different ethical conceptions and standards developing in our social order," with a hint to the dire results which are bound to follow if this condition is not treated rationally and in time. It is now the purpose to amplify this statement and discuss all phases of this social condition in an effort to devise means of alleviating its evils and mollifying its effects. The subject, as can readily be seen, has breadth which does not permit of full treatment in one article. The fundamentals, therefore, must be considered first, and with time it is the hope of this writer to consider every phase of the conditions affecting our family life in America. The fundamentals are mainly cultural, and to a much lesser degree economic. Old traditions are clashing with conceptions of both parental authority and filial obligations as well as of moral standards. The parents make demands to which the children cannot concede, and while this conflict of views brings distress to the parents it also creates a considerable measure of unstability in the characters of the children. Syrian immigration into the United States is comparatively recent and rarely does it go beyond the second generation. The first immigrants, therefore, are still the dominant factor in our home life. And they are imbued with certain ideals of conduct and rules for living which it could not be reasonably expected that they should easily forego and relinquish. These ideals are so dominant in them that they may be considered a part of their very being, and any dis- �ACOVEAfiERyl&ri 39 turbance of the order which has governed their life will bring in its wake untold unhappiness and misery. Their economic fortunes might undergo serious changes which they will bear with stoicism but for them to have complete peace of mind, their ethical codes and standards must not suffer any radical change. It takes but little mental effort for any of us to realize what the older generation values most in life. They have cleaved their ties with the motherland seeking primarily economic opportunities, but the realization of their ambitions along this line is not in itself sufficient gratification of their subconscious motives. Their ulterior objective is to live their life along the lines they conceive to be most conducive to happiness. These lines follow certain standards which have been ingrained in their nature and without the fulfillment of which they can never experience true happiness. Whether they are totally justified in their reasoning, or rather in their natural inclinations, is beyond the point. The fact is that they were so born and have so grown and lived, and it requires no stretch of the imagination to realize the amount of stress this generation must endure to forego the things they consider almost inalienable to their very nature. Now this generation of first immigrants builds up homes and brings forth children who grow under painfully conflicting influences. From early childhood the standards of the home would seem to be at variance with those of the school. American Public School education seems to concern itself simply with the individuality of the child, aiming to prepare him for the struggle of life as an independent and separate entity. No effort is made to treat and train him as a unit in the family. While against this standard of training the Syrian child finds himself at home facing totally different influences. Instead of being looked upon as an independent entity he is considered an integral family unit. The Syrian father withholds nothing from his child, because of the conviction that if he sacrifices all for his child and cannot in consequence provide for his old age, the child, in conformity with Syrian family standards will insure him against want. In other words, Syrian parents of the first generation count on their children as part of the family ensemble throughout life, and cannot bring themselves to admit that changes of conditions of life and economic viewpoints should alter their lung prevalent standards. The young generation, on the other hand, because of their lack of appreciation of, or sympathy for, their parents' viewpoint, consider these demands in the nature of an imposition. Why, they "*-"** ' �40 TH'E SYZIAN WORLD argue, should they be hampered in leading their own lives? It is the individualistic principle as against that of family obligation and cooperation. It forms one of the most serious problems of the Syrian-American home. A phase of this problem is the attempt of parents to enforce their standard of conduct on the children. Let it be conceded that from the viewpoint of education the children have by far the greater advantage. Thanks to their parents, it must be remembered, they were able to profit by the educational facilities generally provided in America and which in the motherland are available only to a limited few. But be it also remembered that scholarly education is not character, nor culture, nor ethics, nor morals. - And even when the parents are illiterate this is no justificatioa for disrespect or an attitude of overbearance or impatience. This condition in the Syrian home is a marked one at the present time, and just where to draw the fine line of distinction in the relations of parents and children should prove a subject for serious consideration. But the clash is most serious in the enforcement of the moral standard. Syrian parents view with unconcealed alarm the tendency of their children towards so-called modernism, while the children resent what they term undue and unwarranted interference in their personal liberty. It is again the conflict of two codes of ethics which subject the unity of the Syrian-American home to an immense strain. And perhaps this particular problem is the most virulent and irksome of all. * * * * We do not presume to have covered here the entire range of the problems confronting the Syrian home in America. We have only alluded to the more pronounced complications, and that in a general way. Amplification of the infinite details will ensue at another time. What we do hope for, however, is to arouse interest and insure thought on the subject of our social relations to the end that a better understanding might be promoted in the Syrian home. Every family has problems peculiarly its own, whose solution could come only through the serious consideration of the persons directly concerned, actuated by a sympathetic and indulgent attitude of each toward the other's viewpoint. After all, family ties should be made to endure and they cannot be binding nor permanent unless based on understanding. It is true that the period of transition through which we are passing is a difficult one, but will not our culture prevail in compelling us to hearken to the voice of reason? �NOVEMBER, 1931 41 Youth Speaks C S W 1 GE A BURN T^^^ * ING QUESTION WITH THIS SOCIALLY-MINDED CORRESPONDENT Editor's Note—Whatever agitates the minds of our younger generation ve invite them to write to this department about ft unreservedly. The department zvas created for their benefit and of thts fact they may take full advantage This was the explicit understanding mth the editor in chief without reservations'as to the nature of the communications. The intention is to have the department serve as a public forum to reflect the actual thought of our youth. 1 he following is the first received. Dear Mr. Hakim Q • !tw "IT1 xW'th ',ntereSt that 1 renew my subscribtion to the Syrian World. Now that I am taking it I want to say tdat I would not be without it for the simple reason that it is doing me a great deal of good. I am learning much of our former civilization as well as of current problems confronting the Syrians both here in America and m our fatherland. I could go on to say many more things regarding the benefits I am deriving from this magazine arid of the great influence of our lost but not forgotten poet, Kahlil Oibran, but to continue to do so would be to get farther away from my particular discussion. I write on the subject of the new department, "The Younger Generation." My question is: "What is being done to bring The younger generation together?» In my discussion and correspondence with the younger Syrian-Americans I find they are getting away from each other instead of coming together. This is much more evident in the smaller cities as far as I am informed. It seems that fewer marriages are taking place among the Syrians and that they are intermarrying with other elements with much more frequency than usual. To illustrate my point, I quote a few lines from a correspondent in your own state. "Of the bovs ranging from yr n girl at all. 4ge' he Says' "hardl>' ^ of them g° with a Syrian There is just a couple of them that do. One couple �42 THE SYRIAN WORLD were married last week and they had a big wedding. We have a lot of pretty Syrian girls here who don't even have a fellow. The Syrian boys and girls don't stick together at all here. Most of the boys I know go with American girls." These few lines are surely self-explanatory. As the saying goes: "There is something rotten in Denmark." Some force is needed to bring the two groups together. What is it? I am sure I don't have a solution but from observation I will lay the greater extent of the blame on the parents. They prohibit their daughters from going with boys until the latter show serious intentions of mariage. I can say that I certainly admire the girls for their high standard of morality and ideals. There is nothing more to be admired than a clean, decent, intelligent, and home-loving Syrian girl. I can say wonderful things about many of the boys, too. It is against mental and physical principles to suppress certain natural emotions. I mean the clean, ideal emotions such as love, joy, happiness. "The boys, having a much freer latitude than the' girls, seek company that satisfies these emotions. This results in the boys marrying American girls. Now what is there left for the girls to dor They must do the same or become old-maids. If the youth were taught more about Sex, Love, Courtship, and Marriage, I think that this dilemma would be more readily solved. I am now attending a series of lectures on this subject, and I find it of much benefit. I was given a questionnaire to be used in the compilation of the ideals of the youth of today concerning these problems. Here are the questions. I. In seeking for a wife would you prefer a home-maker or a society woman: II. Do you want a wife who smokes? III. In seeking a wife would you consider sexual purity on her part an absolute requisite? IV. Which ar£ the most essential qualifications of a good wife—physical beauty or genuine moral character? V. What criticism in general would you offer of the young women of your acquaintance? VI. If you and your fiancee were both employed before marriage, would you want her to continue in her employment after marriage provided your own income was sufficient to provide for the home? VII. If you establish a home of your own, do you want children? I think that the conventions reported in^the Syrian World as s- l' cc so Ii al F< �NOVEMBER, 1931 43 being held in various places are doing wonders in bringing the WnVS "' '^ th7 " StiH "^ * ** d°"e- * *> -te'som I have trfed r * reOVerdomS tters and developing snobbishness. Up f b yS but have Jacked su cooTra • n or perhaps "T my * &, ° all° wet. I would like to^ent cooperation, plan is have ome comment on this problem by both yourself and the readers If I am cockeyed with my ideas somebody please tell me so. After all, 1 still retain many Syrian ideals at heart. So help me God! r ,m Thomas G. Ember. T , bort Wayne, Ind. Beyond the Sun By BARBARA YOUNG Behold this vast incalculable ray, Brighter than stars, more luminous than suns More distant than all space beyond all space In its beginning, if indeed there be Birth or beginning to that principle Man's mind hath never conjured, nay, nor will, Perchance, with all his weighty conjuring This side the glimmering secretive Veil. Behold this ray, ineffable, informed Beyond the sun, beyond these measurements Of skies and firmaments and fashioned voids; This uncreated, all-creating volt, This unthought word, this might without a name That shook Old Chaos into rhyme and rhythm No single atom looted or laid waste Unto this hour. What hath God wrought indeed Himself, and light and law and life and love. These from the mist that moves beyond the sun. The Times, New York. �- "" THE SYRIAN WORLD New Egyptian Minister in America "HE APPOINTMENT recently of His Excellency Sesostris Sidarouss Pasha as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Egypt to the government of the United States again focuses public attention on the fact that Egypt is the only sovereign Arabic-speaking state having diplomatic representation abroad. The growing national consciousness of Egypt is making her forge ahead rapidly as the leader among Arabic-speaking countries in the struggle for world recognition. She also is nobly acquitting herself as the leader among those countries of the renaissance movement in literature, the arts, and sciences. This cultural movement the Syrians have had a strong influence in launching and promoting, as Egypt, for over fifty years, has been the logical field for the display of their talents. The proximity of Egypt and Syria, and their being bound by a common language and common traditions, has given rise to the popular reference to them as the "sister countries." Abroad these cordial relations seem to manifest themselves as strongly as they do in the home countries. Everywhere, especially since the ushering of the era of Egyptian diplomatic representation in foreign countries, the Syrians, particularly in America, look upon the Egyptian diplomatic representatives as their own in the sense that they are representatives of a "sister country." The strong bond of kinship and traditions between them transcends the limitations of time and space. These bonds of cordiality and co-operation are expected to be materially strengthened through" the influence of the new Egyptian Minister at Washington. A man of broad vision and deep understanding, it cannot escape his observation that while Egypt enjoys the distinction of being the only Arabic-speaking country maintaining diplomatic representation abroad, the Syrians, at the same time, form the only Arabic-speaking element in America. The necessity of co-operation between the two would seem but obvious. * * * * > The record of Sesostries Sidarouss Pasha is one of brilliant achievement. Born in Alexandria, he was educated at St. Andrew's Scotch School and the Jesuits' College of St. Francis Xavier of his - K < > !TSfe= �NOVEMBER, 1931 His Excellency Sesostris Sidarouss Pasha Egyptian Minister at Washington 45 �46 THE SYRIAN WORLD native city. After having obtained his French degrees in Arts with honors, he took up the study of law in Cairo and in Paris, and received his degree of Doctor of Laws in the latter city. His first practice was before the Mixed Court of Appeal in Alexandria as an assistant prosecutor in the office of the Attorney General. Later he was appointed in the Ministry of Justice in Cairo as private secretary to the Judical Adviser and secretary to the Committee of Judicial Surveillance. In 1907, he was selected as Professor of Law at the Royal Faculty in Cairo where he was given the Chair of Civil Law, in both the English and the French sections. Later he was also entrusted with the direction of the Faculty, as Vice-Principal. Asked to join the Diplomatic Service, he was appointed First Secretary to the Royal Egyptian Legation in Paris in December 1923 and acted at the same time as Charge d'Affaires in Brussels until December 1924. In 1922 he was called to the Bench as Judge at the Mixed Court in Cairo. He was promoted to the post of Counsellor to the London legation in 1925 and given charge of the Legation as Charge d'Affaires ad interim. In September 1929 he left London to take over his post of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Athens and Belgrade. In May 1930 he went, in the same capacity, to Brussels and The Hague, and from August 1930 until August 1931 he was on a mission in London. Sidarouss Pasha left England on August 1, 1931 to undertake his duties in Washington and on August fourteenth he presented to President Hoover the letters accrediting him as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Egypt to the Government of the United States of America. Sidarouss Pasha's services have been recognized not only by his Government but also by several Foreign Countries. He holds, among others, the highest Egyptian title, that of "Pasha," as well as the Egyptian Orders of the Medjedieh and the Nile. He is bearer of the Grand Cross of the Belgian Crown, of the Greek Order of the Phoenix and of the Yougoslav Order of St. Sava. He is Commander and Officer of several other Orders: The Royal Victorian Order, St. Gregory the Great, the Legion d'Honneur, the French Public Instruction, and St. Sylvester. Sidarouss Pasha is not only a jurist and a diplomat but a writer and a linguist as well. His Principal publications are: his famous - c I b d K a T\ Th- Th( �NOVEMBER, 1931 in the ottoma Em ^M^^sr' " »- ^ "The Personal & S £ , Eg^S "7 2*?* Legislation." ^eononne Potaque, de Statistique et de *2aK£ *dtdSS^'wife'a daughter of *< »* barrisS nel^ Ivatd c2t^' r^* ^ S<fa »• « a F^an KlfS^^^ So =£" * 7&? Travelers Cloak By DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN The traveler: Kind tailor, through rough and hostile land • For leagues and leagues Pve wended: ' And my cloak is torn and sorely worn And would 'twere rightly mended. Its fabric, you can see, is rare, And should have met with better care. The tailor's apprentice: But master, why, since the gaping harm 1 ou have undone, you turn Upon him your back? you hide the cloak Away—why not return The man his own? Or what I see A secret of the craft may be! The tailor: Perchance of waiting he will grow Fatigued, forget his cloak and go. �48 THE SYRIAN WORLD EDITORIAL COMMENT ^THOUGH we have set a definite plan for the New SYRIAN VVORLD we do not propose that this plan should be so rigid as W Uld be o det^ T^T' 7H?** ° °^ * «<*° Sri m Hence the f^1?8^ *sPect °* "ew and varied material. Hence the omission m this 1Ssue of some departments in order to make room for the other material that does not fall under any pa - nt e t- r nat!°n; bUt *"*> —rtheless, will be found equa Uy P 3n f be S mewhat dastic SSfve i " of Tant ° of life. »"* hence indicative of of .h?/ the freshness new °currents * * READER.? will observe that the working of the arrangement f ThercTe rlTtravel Iffeatures "* ^^ ° travd ' ^^ ^fiction. 1 here are two m this issue which are admittedly inent lg Pa, ticularly Mr Katibah tlTwni L f r^Ti - ; - '* «*-£- gll> aPPeaJ,Ug t0 b th SchoIar and Wh e M Y°Un ' ° lavman. While Miss Young is always resourceful in the choice of material e ngmal is atv "" ^T ?" °^ ^^ ^t pauaty of of he°r her own poetry m her department. It is a sense of *e medesty hat is depriving the readers of some of the loftiest poetry of all ^ • *£r JaSt Publ]shed Poem in the New York Times was f a tured ,„ box form in the Literary Digest of November 14. We have «IW P I°Z ,,;dePcndent sources that the Thomas Moult ^est Poems of 1931» prints her "Requiescat" also from the Times, in the , <;;iJy.p0enl/rom fhe American daily press to be included *£$£2 We fear we sha11 have t0 «- °- * bead - Fiction is also maintained, an original short story and an Arabian tale appeanng in each issue. But of fiction we premise even more and we would especially invite that class of stories that shall touch on our home life in America. ***** * SOME readers med the impression from our anilouncemem SiXth yC r hat by -f th" WaH W ORI°Ur ! i P°Pula ig the material D WC ,ntended J I } ' ^ lower its standard. They expressed themselves after perusing the two last issues as being pleasantly surprised that such was not the case. The fact is any question i �I NOVEMBER, 1931 49 V licy so far has been quite wh„k me mo cumulative substantial results. We us t will L^f ft translated * * * * ^nubbi:; A f0l 0W the ,! . P tice of °« »«ive press, we would scribers'o V Teremt" ^tT" *° * we ^ hoWever do n ^ * ^ Certain pract cesftfftft ' > <* P pose to do. a Dec lift ft I ft^" Prcss m,Sht be Pardonable owing to a peculiar psychology. A Syrian subscriber, for instance is ft t„ and* « an insult, induced by lack of confide ft if Jh edtor were to discontinue sending him the paper even though he igno e the numerous statements sent him ana fails to make payme, f A W Sh tto FftliTaft' ^aware ' ft? °" the aSSUm Ptio"will thfte refd tnghsh and are of American practices live uo who to them atftftft'ftftldeci n"t0 dLntime "«P^ -Ci "ft; k reft4 for ftfe/ft ft" We wU1 «ladIy «««*" Y ftrft/of a^lftlftftft^ftfti-^ciaf lefts' £ of their -to^aat1'^.1: S; r^sftvn ST^ ^ «" -»*- «^ every cty: ^Z^L^ZIt^^T "^ '" * * * * . Those who contend with the perennial problem of selecting Chnstmas g,fts m.ght well consider the propriety of mnkhft ft ubscnbfons of the Syrian World. Asidefrom being a ge tore 0f on ft' ftftrft/fta fift C°meS t0 *« -ipfentftroug out the year for comparatively a nominal consideration Friends holidays! " WOrU arC ^ t0 *"* !t in rai d d " » g the ftftg �50 THE SYRIAN WORLD Political Developments in Syria SYRIA AND IRAQ UNDER ONE KING? King F„isal „ R„e „ n^jprZ** M. Brother A* fiege„t ,„ Bagdad. The most sensational rumor to appear so far concerning a possible solution to the Syrian problem is that of the plan to create a dual kingdom of Syria and Iraq with King Faisal as ruler of both countries established at Damascus and his brother AH acting as regent in Bagdad. Just how much truth there is in this rumor it is impossible at present to determine because of the abundance of the rumor crop on the subject of the Syrian question with no indication of possible materialization. This latest rumor, however, seems to have enjoved even more vogue than any other and there are many responsible Syrian leaders who apparently attach much credence to it. During the summer, King Faisal was in Europe and spent much time in Paris. High Commissioner Ponsot was also in Paris, as were many prominent leaders who are not in the habit of visiting,Europe for their health. King Faisal had once been king ,n Syria and owing to his popularity and influence it was commonly accepted that he was attempting to help the French solve their problem m Syria by inducing them to revert to a monarchical form of government with his brother former King AH of Arabia on the throne in Damascus. The fact that King Faisal is the better diplomat, plus the fact that he still has a large following in Syria where once "he was king, makes the proposal of establishing him on the Syrian throne instead of his brother sound like a more logical solution i^ngland is represented as favoring this arrangement despite her rivalry with France for the preponderance of influence in the East because of the stability it would insure for that part of the Arabic-speaking worid Especially that King Faisal has won tangible results from his negotiations for good will and amity with King Ibn Saoud of Arabia, who had forced the abdication of his father King Al-Husain and later wrested the throne of Al-Hijaz from his brother King AH. It will also be remembere] that King Faisal is a direct descendant of the Prophet and of the line that had the custody of the holy places of Islam. While his other brother Emir Abdullah is the ruler of Trans-Jordania, making it possible, with the proposed creation of the dual Kingdom, to form one solid bloc of homogeneous countries under three brothers, extending from the Mediterranean shore to the borders of Persia, with the exclusion of the small strip of Palestine. All these considerations make the proposed scheme of the dual monarchy not only feasible but highly desirable in the opinion of its proponents. What would seem to lend weight to there having been serious discussions of <~ �NOVEMBER, 1931 \ • 51 such a possibility between the French authorities and King Faisal is the reference the latter made to his policy m Syria during his rule in Damascus m an official interview he gave to newspapermen and notables of his kingdom after his recent return from Europe. This interview was described by the correspondents as being in the nature of a speech from the throne, ine King's remarks about the Syrian Situation were to the effect that his hands were forced to assume the attitude he took towards the French in 1920 and which had such disastrous results. The Syrians were too impatient, he said, and sought to gain by force what they could have achieved by patience and a spirit of conciliation, and this despite the fact that they were too little equipped for the military undertaking on which they embarked. There are those among the Syrians, on the other hand, who disapprove unequivocally of any plan to restore the Syrian kingdom irrespective of personalities. A considerable number of the Nationalist leaders maintain that Syria has a legal constitution which declares for a republic, and that the provisions of this constitution must be enforced until amended, and this amendment cannot be under^ taken except by the convocation of a popular assembly enjoying the same Powers vested in the Constituent Assembly which first drafted the contitution. Particularly are the Nationalist leaders of Aleppo bitter in their opposition to any change, because of their professed belief that a monarchical form of government would be construed as a step backward for the country. They further argue that the French would naturally favor a king because a single responsible person would lend himself more readily as a tool in their hand. In the face of all these rumors no word has been forthcoming from French official sources. All that the natjive press could procure was a statement by an official of the High Commissariat who refused to be quoted under his own name, and who denied there had been any conversations of a concrete nature between the French government and King Faisal while the latter was in Paris. Meanwhile, High Commissioner Ponsot, according to the latest reports of the Syrian press, was still in Paris. His movements and plans continue as mysterious as he is reticent. There had been a report at one time that he planned to return to Beirut the latter part of October, but later advices indicated that his return had been delayed until late in November. His return is naturally awaited with great interest because of the expected announcement of the solution he might have reached on the Syrian question. The expectation is that he will order new elections for a popular assembly not only to determine the form of government to be adopted but also the relations Syria should assume with France. This will naturally depend on the conditions France will lay for Syria by way of concessions to its demands for fuller independence. A logical reason ascribed to the protracted stay of the High Commissioner in France is his desire to discuss the final arrangements of the solution of the Syrian question with Premier Lavale upon the latter's return from Washington. CONDITIONS IN LEBANON Lebanon appears satisfied with its political destiny. Apparently the republic has come to stay and there is less disposition at present to raise the queston of union with Syria at least until Syria is able to determine �52 THE SYRIAN WORLD its own political status. What would seem to occupy most the attention of the Lebanese at present is their acute economic problem, with taxes weighing heavily on the people and the government facing a crisis in attempting to balance the budget. Emil Eddy, one of the prominent possible candidates for the Presidency in the 19S2 elections, has returned from Paris and categorically denied the rumors that he had sought,while in France, to create of Lebanon a national home for the Christians in the East by an exchange of population with Syria. It was learned, however, that the French, in whatever solution they might arrange for the Syrian problem, are determined to maintain the status quo in Lebanon, both in its political institutions and its geographic boundaries . They are said to be unwilling to return to Syria any of the districts formerly attached to it and since ceded to Lebanon, although they would have no objections to the formation of a union between the other Syrian states. For the purpose of accelerating the solution of the Syrian problem, it is further asserted, they would even be willing to cede the port of Tripoli to the Syrian government, but this would represent the maximum of their concessions. BEIRUT'S FINEST STREET NAMED FOR EGYPT'S KING. On the occasion of the anniversary of the accession of His Majesty King Fuad I to the Egyptian throne, which faFs on Oct. 9, the Lebanese government, this year, gave proof of the growing spirit of good-will between the two peoples by naming the fnest thoroughfare in its capital for the King of Egypt. The dedication ceremonies were attended by the Prime Minister and many high government officials as well as by representatives of the French Army and Navy and Civil Administration. The occasion was hailed by the press as emphasizing the traditional friendship between the two "sister countries." The Consul General of Egypt in Beirut, Muhammad Sary Bey, represented his Majesty the King at the exercises. He expressed in the name of his Majesty Egypt's appreciation of this new gesture of friendship on the part of the Lebanese and said that it went far to strengthen the bonds of brotherly relations between the two countries. The Syrians and the Lebanese are at home while in Egypt, he asserted, because they form an in- alienable part of Egyptian life since they have played an important role in accelerating the renaissance movement in the Nile Valley. Such names as Mutran, Jemail, Zaidan, Ridha, Rafii, Sarrouf and Barakat, will ever be remembered as those of men who have marched in the van of Egypt's movement of progress. Especially in the civil administration and in their early monopoly of the press will the Syrians and Lebanese be remembered as having rendered Egypt an invaluable service. In responding to the address of the Egyptian spokesman, the mayor of Beirut appropriately remarked that the strongest bonds between nations are those of language, culture and tradition, and all these conditions are common property between the peoples of the two sister countries. Other speakers stressed the point of Egypt's leadership in the renaissance movement among the Arabic-speaking peoples. All agreed that co-operation between the two peoples was essential for their continued progress and their proper recognition among the family of nations. -..' -w* "" -.. „ �NOVEMBER, 1931 53 THE SYRIAN WORLD NEWS SECTION VOL. VI. NO. 3 'PROPHET" OF GIBRAN IN AMERICAN CHURCH Impressive Memorial Services and Dramatic Presentation Given in St. Mark's in New York. Gibran Kahlil Gibran, Syrian artist and author and "Poet of the Cedars," was hailed as a true prophet from the pulpit of the church of St. Mark's in the Bouwerie in New York by Rev. William Norman Guthrie the rector, during the memorial services given on Sunday afternoon, October 25, as a loving tribute to the memory of the departed poet. The Church was packed to overflowing by Gibran's friends and admirers who had come from all parts of the city and many of whom shed copious silent tears throughout the touching ceremonies The services consisted of two partsa devotional office composed entirely of the earlier poetic works of Gibran read alternately by Dr. Guthrie and several assistants; and a dramatic presentation of the "Prophet" as devised by Phoebe Anna Guthrie and presented by her with the assistance of a carefully selected cast of participants —dancers, enacters and a reader. This is the fifth presentation of the "Prophet" at St. Mark's, but although not new it assumed prticular significance on this occasion owing to the NOVEMBER, 1931 recent death of the author. The souls of the vast audience were touched as much by the symbolism of the work as by the memory of the man who has given the world this masterpiece of power and beauty. The fact that he was hailed as true prophet, and the recurrent presentation of his work as a self sufficient devotional service gave rise to the thought that a cult was m the process of formation around the work of Gibran, now bound to take additional momentum since his demise. Following the religious ceremony a reception was held at the rectory where tea was served. Later in the evening Miss Laura Williams gave a recital of Arab songs. On November 8th, and at the same church, a further service was held in memory of Gibran, at which several oi his unpublished poems were read by Barbara Young, and following this five leading American poets paid their tributes to his spirit, in original contributions. They were Robert Underwood Johnson, Dean of the Hall of Fame, New York University, Anna Hempstead Branch, Director of Cristadora House, Mary Siegrist, William Griffith, President of the poetry Society of America, and Leonora Speyer. It is but fitting that we reproduce the sincere tribute of Dr. Guthrie to our beloved countryman, as published in a special leaflet distributed on the occasion of the presentation of THE PROPHET. It follows: �54 THE SYRIAN WORLD KAHLIL GIBRAN By Dr. Wiltfam Norman Guthrie Kahlil Gibran, prophet-poet and painter from Mount Lebanon, had for over twelve years moved among us as one of us. To some he was friend and comrade, as well as teacher—for that he always was. Unpedantic and unassuming, though never falsely modest, naively spontaneous, though subtly constrained by beauty, in speach and gesture, he represented to us an almost racially distinct tradition. For generations Christian in culture, he yet received his inspiration and fashioned its expression instinctively in the Arab tongue, of which the supreme music and magic are forever in the spells and oracles of Mahomet. So a strange gnomic quality, a thrilling suggestiveness, mystifyingly concrete and logically unseizable, characterize all his utterances in English. ,Was this the wedding gift of that union in his soul of two tongues? Languages of course not only express but subconsciously impose, even as deep as the insight and outsight of the mystic. He knew other European tongues, but deliberately chose that of England for the work of his maturity, which aimed at a world hearing. Few have achieved that, as he most certainly did, while also retaining a provincial loyalty. And how closeknit is that earlier following of his, that great reading public, throughout the Near East, and even to the borders of China as well as the heart of India, to Whom Arabic is the holy tongue! It was, then, in a four-fold capacity, of Syrian, of Arab singer and seer, of English-American poet, and always original illustrator of his poetic work, that he made so wide and deep an appeal. O for a few more years! Not for exactly the same reasons that we would have given of our own to Keats. How cruel, to have Kahlil Gibran arrested by the hand of death, at the very gate of his Eden, so that he could not take us with him, past the whirling sword of the cherubim, to the sacred Tree of Life. AMERICAN MISSION IN EAST EDUCATIONAL So Declares President Dodge of the A. U. B. at Dinner Given in his Honor in New York By H. I. Katibah Once more President Bayard Dodge has given1 a clear and unequivocal expresson to the new spirit which governs and guides the American University of Beirut and other institutions of learning made possible in the Near East by the generous contributions of American philanthropists and humanitarians. At a banquet in his honor and that of Dr. Mary Belles Patrick, President-Emeritus and for fifty-three years active president of Constantinople Woman's College, fittingly given at the International House of Columbia Univelsity, New York, on Nov. 16, President Dodge declared that the new attitude of the American colleges in the Near East has been one ,of cooperation with the peoples of the respective countries where these institutions of higher learning are posted; to make the students who flock to some of these institutions from all quarters of the Near East realize their vast opportunities at home and equip them with the technical knowledge to cope with them. Dr. Dodge emphasized the amazing speed with which conditions are t ( i 1 s i E ' C V B S a. <> rv �NOVEMBER, 1931 55 changing in the countries of the Near nians, representing the six American East, where formerly time had very colleges in the Near East. About little value. The next day the Herald 300 guests were present. Tribune featured in bold letters an Mr. William Fellowes Morgan preinstance which Dr. Dodge gave to sided. Musical entertainment for the illustrate his point, namely that Bedevening was provided by Madame Feouins of the Syrian Desert today carry dora Corban, styled the Syrian Nighttheir raids by means of Hudsons and ingale, who sang the Syrian national Dodges, instead of horses and camels, anthem in Arabic and some French giving the chauffeur 25 per cent of and English operatic selections, and the booty as his share! Another sign by the Quarles Sisters, Virginia, Marof this change cited by Dr. Dodge was guerite and Alice who played the that whereas formerly very few Turkpiano, the 'cello and the violin. ish girls attended Constantinople Woman's College, today they form 80 per cent of the student-body. As usual, Dr. Dodge's speech was SYRIAN BROADCASTING ACTIVITIES IN AMERICA. replete with witty and illuminating remarks. One of these was that apThe first regular commercial Syrplications from Americans of Syrian ian broadcasting effort which has come origin, particularly of Brooklyn, for to our knowledge is that of the Arabadmission to the American University ian Eastern Broadcasting Co. operatof Beirut have been so numerous that ing over station W. N. J. in New the authorities of this University have York and of which Mr. Salim Ayoub decided to apply the brakes on them. is the business manager. The comThe new spirit of the American inpany has engaged the services of stitutions of learning in the Near several well-known professional singEast is an antithesis of the spirit with ers and musicians, whose repertory which the crusaders, whom he called embraces the classics as well as modthe most bigoted people that ever ern popular songs. They can be heard went to the East, invaded the Holy every Sunday at 9 P. M. Land to wrest it from the hands of its Miss Louise Yazbeck of ShreveMoslem possessors. It is also different port. La. advises us that she believes from that condescending spirit with herself to be the first to have broadwhich some Western philanthropists cast Oriental music in the United and missionaries approached their States. Her work was started in work for the natives. It is, in short, 1924 when radio was still in its inthe American spirit of give and take, fancy, and she has broadcast not only of working together for one single from her home city of Shreveport aim. Dr. Dodge would apply the but from many other Southern and American spirit of democracy which Southwestern centers. She now broadallowed each nationality to develop, casts regularly every Sunday evening freely its innate culture, and yet at 10.45 Central Standard time over molds all in one loyal body when duty station K. F. K. H. 850 kilocycles, • calls for common action, to the whole featuring an Oriental program and world. using principally Prof. Alexander The banquet itself was an embodiMaloof's compositions. She also makes ment of this new spirit, for it conregular broadcasts every Thursday, sisted of alumni of different nationover the same station, giving an Ameralities: Syrians, Greeks, Turks, Armeican program. �56 THE SYRIAN WORLD ; SYRIAN RADIO ARTIST WAHHABIS OF NAJD KILL ARABIC SCHOLAR. Press dispatches from Jerusalem reported on Oct. 27 that the Wahhabi Arabs had killed the Danish Journalist and Arabic scholar Knud Holmbo near Amman while he was on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Although the exact reason for the murder is not made clear by the dispatches, there would seem to be no doubt that the fanatical Wahhabis resented the insistence of the European scholar on making the pilgrimage to their holy city, apparently doubting the sincerity of his motives in becoming a Moslem. Mjiss Louise Yazbeck First to Broadcast an Oriental Program Miss Yazbeck is a recognized piano teacher of high standing in Shreveport, and lately has been elected President of the Progressive Music Club composed of the piano teachers of the city. INDIAN SPEAKER "GUEST OF SYRIANS. Miss Sumayah Attiyeh, the wellknown Syrian lecturer, invited the Hindu speaker and companion of Mahatma Gandhi, Mr. Das Gubta, to address a meeting held at the Wells House in Brooklyn Thursday evening November 19. Miss Attiyeh introduced the visiting Indian in glowing terms and the latter gave a detailed and comprehensive account of the private and public life of Gandhi based on personal knowledge. Knud Holmbo was but thirty years fid and, had achieved considerable distinction as an Arabic scholar. In Scandinavia he was known as the Danish Lawrence, and his love for the Arabs prompted him to take many adventurous trips in their various countries. Two years ago 'he made an automobile expedition to Tripoli and was arrested by the Italians on the suspicion of spreading Bolshevist propaganda because of his open championship of the Arab cause, which in Tripoli is interpreted as sedition. He was released only after persistent diplomatic representations by the Danish government. In the summer of this year he was reported by the Syrian press as having reached Damascus on his contemplated pilgrimage to Mecca. He openly embraced the Moslem faith and adopted the name of Ali. Apparently he could not proceed on his journey any further than Amman which is the capital of Transjordania. The Wahhabis are the fanatical followers of King Ibn Saoud and are known as Al-Ikhwan, or the Brethren •1 < �NOVEMBER, 1931 57 A STUDY of KAHLIL GIBRAN "The Man from Lebanon" Barbara Young, the American poet who is now Kahlil Gibran's literary executor, speaks with authority in a 48 page brochure con^ming his life and work, illustrated with several hitherto unpublished portraits of the Poet of the Cedars, and a reproduction of one pen and ink drawing and one page of original manuscript. A few copies of the limited first edition, serially numbered and autographed by the author, are still available. The price for this edition is $2.50. Owing to the wide interest in the brochure, a second printing will be necessary. These will not be numbered nor autographed, and will be procurable at $1.50 the copy. Checks may be made payable to the Gibran Studio, 5 1 West 10th Street, New York City. 'mUHmmmmSS^mBSBSSSsBSm^SBm �58 THE SYRIAN WORLD S A E ENT / J ^ x?rF,'?HE.?WNERSHIP- MANAGEMENT. CIRCULATION •f The Syrian World, published monthly at New York, N. Y.f Oct. 1, 1931. STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK. Before me, a Notary Public, in and for the state and county aforesaid, personally appeared Salloum A. Mokarzel, who, having been duly sworn according to law, deposes and says that he is the publisher of The Syrian World, and that the following is, to the best of his knowledge and belief, a true statement of the ownership, management (and if a da.ly paper, the circulation), etc.. of the aforesaid publication for the date shown in the above caption, required by the Act of August 24, 1912, embodied in section 411, Postal Laws and Regulations, printed on the reverse of this form, to wit: 1. That the names and addresses of the publisher, editor, managing editor, and business managers are: Name of— Post office address— Publisher, Salloum A. Mokarzel, 104 Greenwich Street. Editor, Salloum A. Mokarzel, 104 Greenwich Street. Managing Editor, Salloum A. Mokarzel, 104 Greenwich Street. Business Manager, Cecil J. Badway, 104 Greenwich Street. 2. That the owner is: (If owned by a corporation, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereunder the names and addresses of stockholders owning or holding one per cent, or more of total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, the names and addresses of the individual owners must be given. If owned by a firm, company or other unincorporated concern, its name and address, as well as those of each individual member, must be given.) Salloum A. Mokarzel, 104 Greenwich Street. 3. That the known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 per cent, or more of total amount of bonds mortgages, or other securities are: (If there are none, so state.) None. 4. That the two paragraphs next above giving the names of the owners, stockholders, security holders, if any, contain not only the list of stockholders and security holders as they appear upon the books of the company but also, in cases where the stockholder or security holder appears upon the books of the company as trustee or in any other fiduciary relation, the name of the person or corporation for whom such trustee is acting is given; also that the said two paragraphs contain statements embracing affiant's full knowledge and belief as to the circumstances and conditions under which stockholders and security holders wKo do not appear upon the books of the company as trustees, hold stock and securities in a capacity other than that of a bona fide owner; and this affiant has no reason to believe that any other person, association, or corporation has any interest direct or indirect in the said stock, bonds or other securities than as so stated by him. 5. That the average number of copies of each issue of this publication sold or distributed, through the mails or otherwise, to paid subscribers during the six months preceding the date shown above is. (This information is required from daily publications only.) S. A. MOKARZEL. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14th day of October, 1931 [Seal.] Edna M. Huckner. (My commission expires March 30, 1932.) HHNHHII �II 1 , 1 59 NOVEMBER, 1931 1 f Gibran's Message To Young Americans of SyrianOrigin By G. K. 1 GIBRAN Author of f'TAe "Prophet," "Jesus the Son of t\/a«," Th« Syrun Syrii World, July. 1*26 I believe in you. and I believe in your destiny. I believe that you are contributors to this new civilization. I believe (hat you have inherited from your forefathers an ancient dream* a song, a prophecy, which you can proudly lay as a gift of gratitude upon the lap of America. I believe you can say to the founders of this great nation. "Here I am, a youth, a young tree, whose roots were plucked from the hills of Lebanon, yet I am deeply rooted here, and I would be fruitful." And I believe that you can say to Abraham Lincoln, the blessed. "Jesus of Nazareth touched your lips when you spoke, and guided your hand when you wrote; and 1 shall uphold all that you have said and all that you have written." I believe that you can say to Emerson and Whitman and James, "In my veins runs the blood of the poets and wise men of old, and it is my desire to come to you and receive, but I shall not come with empty hands." I believe that even as your fathers came to this land to produce riches, you were born here to produce riches by intelligence, by labor. And 1 believe that it is in you to be good citizens. And what is it to be a good citizen? It is to acknowledge the other person's rights before asserting your own, but always to be conscious of your own. It is to be free in thought and deed, but it is also to know that your freedom is subject to the other person's freedom. It is to create the useful and the beautiful with your own hands, and to admire what others "have created in love and with faith. It is to produce wealth by labor and only by labor, and to spend less than you have produced that yonr children may not be dependent on the state for support when you are no more. It is to stand before the towers of New York, Washington, Chicago and San Francisco saying in your heart. "I am the descendant of a people that builded Damascus, and Biblus, and Tyre and Sidon. and Antioch, and now I am here to build with you. and with a will." It is to be proud of being an American, but it is also to be proud that your fathers and mothers came from a land upon which God laid His gracious band and raised His messengers. Young Americans of Syrian origin. I believe in you. .»A-,t A * A>;>K .*; A .*; A Ml FREE TO SYRIAN WORLD SUBSCRIBERS. This beautiful message by Gibran 13x17 inches, printed in large type on heavy paper with ornamental border suitable for framing. Every PAID subscriber whose term begins with Sept. 1931 is entitled to a copy, mailed in heavy cardboard tube. Subscribers whose term begins before Sep. 1931 may secure a copy by renewal. .-—-. ' - - —- �ft* 60 THE SYRIAN WORLD AUTHENTIC ORIENTAL RUGS THE A. SLEYMAN COMPANY, INC. {276 5th AVENUE NEW YORK CITY Phone BOgardus 4-4345 «SSKSESSSSK^SSS George Haddad Proprietor Phone CHickering 4-8878 ALEXANDRIA RESTAURANT The new and beautiful uptown Syrian restaurant owned and operated by a master chef, who summons his long experience to the art of producing the most delectable Oriental dishes. Small and large parties catered to So Conveniently Located 21 WEST 31st STREET, NEW YORK * IT IS YOURS is the only Syrian publication printed in English, and as such is the organ of the Syrians in America. You can help it continue and grow by subscribing to it yourself and inducing others to subscribe. THE SYRIAN WORLD PUBLISHER, THE SYRIAN WORLD: 104 Greenwich Street, New York. You may enter my name as a subscriber to "The Syrian World" for the term of one year, for which I agree to pay the regular rate of $5.00 upon receipt of the first issue. Address City & State Bft^BgMBais^BHiBmiMmiroM �NOVEMBER, 1931 61 3S •it JERE J. CRONIN FUNERAL DIRECTOR MORTUARY CHAPEL , Local or Out of Town Funerals Personally Attended to LADY ATTENDANT Expense a Matter of Your Own Desire 115 ATLANTIC AVENUE BROOKLYN, N. Y. The large amount of business we do permits us to buy caskets in large quantity which enables us to give the best funerals very reasonable. We carry a complete line of the very best manufactured caskets at $45.00 up. We pay no agents to secure funerals for us but only give the family who has sorrow the very best of service, reverence and economy. Our aim is to help those who are in trouble at a very little cost. No charge for use o our services or funeral parlors. Telephone—MA N 1398-1399-8130-3655 HOW TO BREED MOTHS Leave your rugs on the floor with all the dirt and germs they have collected during the winter and which home methods cannot remove. Nature will do the rest. RESTORATCVE: Call the THE KOURI CARPET CLEANING CORPORATION RUG WASHERS NEW YORK, N. Y. 10 West 33rd Street Tel. LOngacre 5-2385 JERSEY CITY, N. J. 552 Johnston Avenue Tel. Bergen 3-1085 ft»Ttynt»MttMM>TTV^ BH(HBPBHMMHHOHHHHsWsWBHiHHBHBMH SHEIK RESTAURANT A well-appointed Syrian restaurant in the heart of the Syrian Quarter, in lower Manhattan, where you and your friends can enjoy the most delectable Oriental meals amidst the charm of an Oriental atmosphere. Second Foor for Banquets and Private Parties KIRDAHY RESTAURANTS, Inc. 65 WASHINGTON ST., New Yerk %>ffTf4?fy v »TT^ .> �__ __ —_______—_ ---,-«»«. The Arabic Linotype in EgyptAlthough the introduction of the Lino- the very fact that governmental and type into Arabic-speaking countries corporate agencies were the first to is comparatively recent, it is fast gain- decide in its favor not only proves its ing in popularity through the gradual necessity but presages its ultimate conviction of publishers and printers general use. Because such agencies that it is the type-setting machine of reach their decisions only after thor- the present and the future. It is not ough investigation and comparative only speedy but economical and ef- study. This can be readily deduced ficient. As is natural, the government from the trend of Linotype installa- and large corporate concerns were the tions in Egypt which in the last few first to realize its ultimate savings re- years have gardless of the initial investment. And well-known printing establishments. included the following Agricultural Bank, Cairo 1 Linotype Government Press, Cairo 2 Linotypes Egyptian State Railway Press, Cairo ... 2 Linotypes Imprimerie Misr, Cairo 1 Linotype MERCENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY Brooklyn, New York, U. S. A. Cable: LINOTYPE, NEW YORK / ' . V; RDE LINOTYPE A MARK ». 0 • . . ,, An illustrated descriptive catalog the Arabic Linotype sent free u P°n request. of Representatives in the Principal Cities of the World LINOTYPE METRO SERIES �I *»?./& »OXA;,U i Ufcie JUVU V.jJl JIJOJI J ^JOJI Jm VI »^i» -L-i-VI J>' Uijjii-Jl <J1 j, ^UJI <)i La >-* JUY1 (JiUr i!>d <2l-»j i.j£»J! v^'U J&J -UHI aU»VU <JUl <^'MJI jL \ r ;_y»Li!l ^s <.j-.*Vl *Ji»J! o^*l—ft I ^j _/^o. ««Ja« MERCENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY Brooklyn, New York, U. S. A. fy** ij^-lf bal <L<Vj <u» oJ^uJJ Cable: LINOTYPE, NEW YORK (•""LINOTYPE -) _AlaJl JU£ U UJ Representatives in the Principal Cities of the World JJid.1 ^Js. i_»_yiuw JZj&j ijulfolj V. ^ *-^->.r- 0* 0^*VI li* ^3 U j5 �VW" 64 THE SYRIAN WORLD ~»o~»» +» o» <»» +» +» » " " J^U Clio ATTENTION! FORWARD! SAFE! MARCH ON TO PROGRESS! START A BANK ACCOUNT IMMEDIATELY LET YOUR MONEY Accumulate for Future NEEDS AND HAPPINESS INTEREST 4 .% Ter zAnnum ON TIME DEPOSITS FROM $10.00 UP Checking accounts may be opened with $200.00 or more FAOUR BANK D. J. FAOUR & BROS. Established 1891 Under Supervision of New York State Banking Department:. Ca-pital and Surplus Over $500,000.00 85 WASHINGTON ST., NEW YORK CITY -* - r � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Syrian World Newspapers Description An account of the resource <span>To view the finding aid for this collection, </span><a href="https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/ns0002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here.</a> Subject The topic of the resource Arabs--United States Arabic periodicals Newspapers Arab American Newspapers Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials. These materials are digital copies of an original resource held by another institution. The KCLDS Archive often works with other institutions to make digital materials available online to the public. KCLDS is not able to grant permission to use or reproduce these materials. The KCLDS Archive strongly encourages users to contact the holding institution for permission to use or reproduce materials from their holdings. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context NS 0002 Access Rights Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies. This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. NCSU Libraries Collection NCSU Libraries Collection metadata Finding Aid Link from https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/ns0002 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TSW1931_11reducedWM Title A name given to the resource The Syrian World Volume 06, Issue 03 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1931 November Description An account of the resource Volume 6 Issue 03 of The Syrian World published November 1931. The issue begins with an article by Salloum Mokarzel detailing the coming generation of Syrian leaders. Within his article, Mokarzel comprehensively discusses the changes arising in Syria as a result of French control and a change in thought surrounding what constitutes a leader. This is followed by a poem titled "Affluence" by Edna K. Saloomey. Kahlil Gibran has a work presented next, as will occasionally happen thanks to Barbara Young a literary executor of some of Gibran's works. The work included in this issue is titled "The Deeper Pain." Bayard Dodge is also featured for their work titled "Conditions in the Near East" in which they have taken excerpts from their own annual reports from 1930 to 1931 in order to formulate a research based presentation on the current situation in the East. Barbara Young is featured yet again for her editing work on a number of poems. After a number of literary works by writers Katibah, Charles J. Sassen, A. Hakim, Barbara Young, and Dr. Salim Y. Alkazin, the issue closes with an editorial comment, an update on political developments in Syria, and the Syrian world news section. Subject The topic of the resource Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals Arabs--United States--Periodicals Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Salloum A. Mokarzel Syrian-American Press Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New York Public Library Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 104 Greenwich St., New York, NY Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials. 1930s A. Hakim Barbara Young Charles J. Sassen Edna K. Saloomey Habib I. Katibah Kahlil Gibran New York Poetry-English Salim Alkazin Syria