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L. VI
SEPTEMBER, 1931
NEW YEAR -NEW POLICY
AN EDITORIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
THE MYSTERY OF AORNHOLT
A SHORT STORY
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THOMAS ASA
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A POET RETURNS HOME
BARBARA YOUNG
THE APPEAL OF THE EAST
H. I. KATIBAH
RIHANI AND HIS CRITICS
A TRUE ARABIAN TALE
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��SYRIAN WORffiH
Published 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 York,
N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879.
! VOL. VI. NO. 1,
SEPTEMBER 1931
CONTENTS
PAGE
New Year—New Policy
3
AN EDITORIAL. ANNOUNCEMENT
Our Contributors
6
Our Plans for the Future
_•
A Poet Returns Home
Farewell Ceremonies to Gibran's Body 'in America
5
9
9...
BARBARA YOUNG
Farewell, Gibran
SALLOUM
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A.
12. .
MOKARZEL
Touching Reception of Gibran's Body in Lebanon
14
The Appeal of the East
H. I.
18
.
KATIBAH
Quatrains of Al-Mutanabbi
SALIM Y. ALKAZIN
21
�CONTENTS (Continued)
PAGE
True Arabian Tales
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22
Haroun Al-Raschid and the Beautiful Wife of
His Messenger
To a Dying Tree
24
THOMAS ASA
Shiites Protest Rihani's Criticism
25
In the Month's News
Conquest of the Air
Scholar in Politics
Deceiving Names
Gandhi in London
__
Home and Family
29
30
31
32
33
BAHIA
AL-MTJSHEER
The Mystery of Aornholt (A Short Story)
35
THOMAS ASA
Song of Friendship
45
EDNA
K.
SALOOMEY
Health and Hygiene
DR.
46
F. I.
SHATARA
Sayings of Alt
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Political Developments in Syria
49
The Syrian World News Section
51
�ynan
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SALLOUM A. M<
MOKARZEL, Editor.
VOL. VI. NO. 1.
SEPTEMBER 193
New Year - New Policy
AN EDITORIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
a }
^ITH this issue, marking the beginning of its sixth year, THE
SYRIAN WORLD embarks on a new venture. It has decided to make
a partial concession to popular demand as regards questions of policy.
This concession, to be sure, should not be taken to mean a recession
from its ideal. Rather, it is an experiment in psychology to test the
proclivities of our English-reading public of Syrian-Americans, particularly the younger generation. In this change the same ultimate
end will be sought but through different channels. Our object of
producing an organ of service and inspiration to our younger generation will be adhered to and maintained, but the means employed will
be calculated to gain a wider appeal among this particular class by
using subtler methods of approach. Thus, instead of maintaining
the high cultural standard which has been the admiration of the
select few we shall strive to provide material of a more popular nature for the masses, offering only spasmodically material of a more
solid substance which we hope would be more readily accepted as a
variety in the fare. Practically, we are employing methods designed
to induce our younger generation to first read, and once that end is
achieved the educational results sought will prove more susceptible
of attainment. Our aim, so to speak, is to achieve the beneficial and
practical through the medium of entertaining and easy reading.
Those of our readers who have been following THE SYRIAN
WORLD during the five years of its publication and expressed satisfaction with its policy and standard might well regret our present
decision. They, like ourselves, viewed the publication in the light
of the dual role it was designed to play, both as an educational organ
for our younger generation and a cultural organ of our race among
the general English-reading public. But they will realize that the
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
compromise was made imperative by the stress of economic necessity.
The truth must be admitted and we might as well confess it without
equivocation. We tried to assume for ever so long the brave attitude
of enjoying sufficient support from our people to keep the enterprise
going, but the fact was really otherwise, and but for the considerable
personal sacrifices on the part of the editor the project would have
foundered on the rock of adversity. Equally important of admission
is our desire and determination not to give up the enterprise, especially at this stage. And to make its continuation possible some
radical step had to be taken. This is now being done in the form
of a compromise on the question of editorial'policy
It is our earnest hope that with the proposed change there will
be evidenced more popular support of the magazine. At least we are
determined to give the new policy a fair trial, and only if this also
should fail will we be willing to admit that there is no room in the
Syrian-American field for a publication of the nature of THE SYRIAN WORLD.
Our plans call not only for a wider range in the selection of material but also for a different method in treatment and presentation.
A detailed discussion of this phase of our new policy appears elsewhere in this issue.
In the determination to continue the enterprise we face the new
year with the hope of winning for THE SYRIAN WORLD the popular
support which we trust will be forthcoming both through the appreciation of a new class of readers as well as by the approval and cooperation of our old and steady friends.
We have so far refrained from any allusion in the pages of the
Syrian World to delinquent subscribers. Delay in the payment of
subscriptions is cause for constant complaint on the part of our
Arabic-language press, and it would seem that, to a large extent,
our English-reading public is similarly disposed in the question of
payment. Repeated statements are ignored, and once the delinquents are stricken off the active list they complain they were not
trusted! These should realize that the Syrian World has no intention of imposing itself on anyone, and wili recognize the subsrriber's
willingness to continue his subscription by his actual payment. This
public mention of delinquencies we now make for the first and last
time, and it is our hope that subscribers will realize that in the interest of economy in management as well as in our desire not to
impose the publication on anyone we shall discontinue sending the
magazine to every subscriber who fails to respond to the second
statement.
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
Our Plans for the Future
Since the SYRIAN WORLD was
created to endure, and because
we are firmly determined to
leave nothing undone in order to
assure its continuity, it has been
decided to effect a change in
the editorial policy in the hope
of insuring for it a more popular
appeal.
We had frequently heard
complaints that the general tenor
of the magazine was too scholarly, that its language too technical and far beyond the understanding of the average youth.
And, since it was designed to
serve this youth, its very standard was defeating its purpose.
Now, as set forth in the editorial announcement in this issue,
we1 are conceding a point to what
appears to be public demand, although not swerving from our
main purpose. We shall make
a bid for popularity along the
lines, we believe compatible with
public demand and consistent
with our educational aims.
More and Varied Fiction
We shall provide a veritable
feast of fiction. An Arabian
Nights' story will be published
in every issue of the kind that
will savor not only of the celebrated original tales but imply
either a moral lesson or carry
a certain educational value by
depicting some phase of Oriental
life. Fiction of a general nature
will also be offered as well as
true stories bearing on SyrianAmerican life. These latter we
feel confident will be not only
entertainingly interesting but
provocative in many ways. Added to this will be a series of
short stories based on the best
known novels whose scene was
laid in Syria and other parts of
the East or dealing with Syrian
events and personalities.
Syrian-American Affairs.
_ Realizing the,necessity of forging a stronger link of relationship between the widely scattered
Syrian-American
communities,
especially among the younger
generation of our people whose
relations have been so far confined to their particular localities,
special effort will be made to
give detailed news of the various activities of the different
communities. Also, when possible, historical sketches will be
given of individuals and groups
in our Syrian-American life that
will shed light on the past and
present and give a possible
glimpse as to prospects in the
future-.
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
Our Young GenerHion
We are particularly interested
in the young generation and for
that reason a standing department shall be devoted to the
discussion of their affairs. Not
that other departments of the
magazine will not be of interest
to them. Rather, this particular
department will deal directly
with them and discuss their various problems. And particularly
in this department there will be
speaking of the frankest nature.
No words will be minced in calling things by their right names
or facing frankly the various situations. W7here praise is due it
shall be given, and when criticism is necessary it shall be dealt
out honestly and unreservedly.
Full liberty of expression will
be permitted all shades of opinions by our readers, and our
young public is invited to avail
themselves of this free forum.
Cross Word Puzzles.
Beginning with an early issue,
we shall publish original cross
word puzzles that we trust will
have more than a passing entertainment value. They will be
designed especially to provoke
thought and study about Syrian
history, geography and general
affairs. They are meant to teach
as they entertain and should
prove a test of, as well as an incentive to, knowledge of things
Syrian.
Our Contributors:
Cover Design.
Assad Ghosn, formerly of
New York and now a resident of
Richmond, Va., is one of our
best known native artists in the
United States, specializing in
portrait painting. His art studies
took him' to Italy, Spain and
other countries of Europe where
he spent a considerable number
of years. The cover design he
has drawn for the SYRIAN
WORLD will be fully appreciated
in its distinctiveness. It is symbolic throughout. One can read
in it the whole history of Syria
it a glance. The Phoenician ship,
symbolic of the great enterprise
of our famous ancestors, appears at the base as marking the
rise of our importance in history.
The figures of Jesus and Moses
indicate the two great religions
which Syria has given the world.
An outline of the ruins of Palmyra and Baalbek appear on
either side of the panel portraying Syria's great seats of power
and civilization. Arabian influence is symbolized by the Arab
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SEPTEMBER, 1931
on his dromedary crossing the
desert, while the spread of
Islam's influence is symbolized
by the immense mosque. Lebanon, with its famous Cedars, is
outlined on jthe opposite side.
And because Egypt is Arabicspeaking and its people bear a
close blood and cultural relation
with that of Syria, the artist has
it represented by the Pyramids.
The two drawings for TRUE
ARABIAN TALES and HOME AND
FAMILY DEPARTMENTS are byAlfred Eadeh, a budding young
Syrian artist of New York, whose
efforts seem to hold excellent
promise.
An Invitation
We wish to encourage and
draw out our latent native talent
whether in literature or in the
field of art. Consequently we
invite
submission
of
title
sketches for our various departments, and would like to hear
particularly from those who can
execute illustrations in pen and
ink or crayon.
Editors of Departments
yhe regular departments we
have inaugurated will be added in future upon maturity of
plans now under consideration.
HOME AND FAMILY is
bound to be most useful and
constructive. It will appear regularly under the editorship of
one of our ablest Syrian women
:V-ir-rnr«
r
of American birth, who has cultivated not only a genuine appreciation of our better traditions
but a well-grounded knowledge
of the fundamentals of our culture and home life. She is a wife
and a mother and her subject
will encompass all home activities, from the training of children, and decoration and appointment of the home, to the conduct of the cuisine and the preparation of our special Syrian
dishes.
HEALTH JAND
HYGIENE will be under the editorship of our well-known physician and surgeon, Dr. F. Shatara of New York. The recurrence of infantile paralysis makes
his discussion of this subject
most timely. We have the promise of Dr. Shatara that he will
gladly answer questions submitted to him by SYRIAN WORLD
readers.
Habib I, Katibah will again
contribute regularly. Our readers will recall him as our associate
during the first year of THE
SYRIAN WORLD. Since then he
has returned to the Near East
where he spent nearly two years
traveling through Syria, Palestine and Egypt acting as special
correspondent to several American papers. He will give readers of THE SYRIAN WORLD the
benefit of his impressions and
studies on a variety of subjects.
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THE SYRUN WORLD
A. HAKIM, who had once con- quent messages through the
tributed the series of provocative pages of THE SYRIAN WORLD.
discussions appearing under the
EDNA K. SALOOMEY will contitle of "The Sage of Washingtinue her liberal contributions in
ton Street," will be in charge of
the versatile and entertaining
the department of "Our Young
manner she has so far displayed.
Generation." The widest latitude
LABEEBEE A. J.HANNA will
has been given the editors in the
conduct of their particular de- return as a regular contributor
partments and we feel sure that in a special department now unevery one of them will be der consideration and which we
pleased to hear from his readers are sure will prove helpful.
on any question bearing on his
Contributions from talent yet
department.
unknown to us will be gladly
considered.
We plan to make
DR. PHILIP K. HITTI stands
ready to answer any question on THE SYRIAN WORLD not only
Syrian history and will contri- truly representative of our talent
bute special articles occasionally. but complete in all helpful ways.
Amin Beder, translator of AlREV. W. A. MANSUR will
Mutanabbi,will
continue to concontinue his inspirational and uptribute in poetical form the gems
lifting contributions.
of Arabic wisdom found in Al"
Mutanabbi as in no other single
THOMAS ASA will not only regale us with his charming poetry Arab poet.
but will branch out into the field
Andrew Ghar/eeb still has
of fiction, of which he is capable considerable translations of Gibof producing the finest type, as ran's Arabic works which will
can be judged by his mystery appear in the Syrian World for
story beginning in this issue.
the first time in English.
DR. SALIM Y. ALKAZIN will
have a great deal more to offer
of the charming poetry he has
been contributing since the inception of the magazine.
RIHANI, although retired to the peace of his native
town in the valley of Freike, will
not forget the host of [admirers
and friends he has left behind in
America and will send them freAMEEN
NOTICE
This being the first issue appearing since the two months'
summer suspension, several new
departments under consideration
could not be included owing to
accumulation of other important
material.
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
A Poet Returns Home
Touching Ceremonies Attending the Departure of Gibran's body
From America and Its Reception in the hand of His Birth
Farewell Ceremonies to Gibran s Body
in America
By
BARBARA YOUNG
"Come for leave-taking, O sons of my mother.
Bi-ing now the children with their finger-tips
of lily and of rose.
Let the aged come to bless my forehead with
their withered hands.
And call the daughters of the meadow and
the field.
That they may behold the shadows of the
unknown pass beneath my brows,
And hear in my last breath the echo of
infinity.
Lo, I have reached the summit;
I have outstripped the cries of men,
And I hear naught save the vast hymn of
this eternity."
Gibran
^)N the morning of July 23rd, the silent homeward journey of
Gibran Kahlil Gibran began. Following a dawn veiled with the
mist which he loved so well, his body was borne from the tomb in
Boston to the pier at Providence, there to embark for the last time
upon any earthly travel.
Through the gentle gray rain a long line of cars drove in the
early morning to take farewell of the poet-painter and of his sister
Marrianna, and her cousins, Mr. & Mrs. Assaf George who were
making their journey also with Gibran to Beirut and Becharri. And
one could not but remember his passion for the rain and the snow
and for "all that comes down from the sky," and how he has said a
thousand times when the wind and the tempests would beat upon
his high window, "How I thank God for this! It releases something
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in me." And it seemed fitting that the rain should fall upon him
now, when all that had been within him was released.
Upon the road the cortege was met by the Rev. Philip J.
Nagem of Providence with an escort of a score of cars from that city,
come to conduct the family and friends of Gibran to the ship; wdth
them came also a special police car, which preceded the funeral
procession and halted all traffic so that the progress was unimpeded.
With Miss Gibran and Mr. and Mrs. George were the Rt.
Rev. Mgr. Stephen Douaihy, the writer, and Mrs. Zakia Gibran
Diab. And in the cars following, Mr. and Mrs. N'oula Gibran, Mr.
George's aged mother and his sister, Mrs. Amelia Gibran Parrant
and Mr. Parrant, and a great number of friends of many years.
At the pier where hundreds of both known and unknown
friends had gathered, a farewell service was held. The casket had
been placed upon a bier, and hung with t he American and the
Lebanese flags. Mr. N. A. Mokarzel, the editor of Al-Hoda, had
come from New York with a group of devoted men, among them
the Rev. Mansour Stephen of Brooklyn, S. A. Mokarzel, editor of
the Syrian World, A. K. Hitti, an agent of the Fabre Line, and J.
G. Raphael, editor of the magazine "Character."
Mr. N. A. Mokarzel presided at the ceremonies, voicing a
tribute to the genius and power of this countryman who had so earlymet with death. He was followed by Mgr. Douaihy who expressed
for himself as well as for the Syrians of Boston, and especially of
the Church of Our Lady of the Cedars, immeasurable remembrance and appreciation of all that this simple great man had been
in their midst as friend and brother for many a day; and to Mananna Gibran their endless love and devotion, and their readiness to
serve her loneliness and need in every human fashion.
Mgr. Douaihy and Rev. Stephen who came after him spoke in
Arabic, and with a fervor and sorrow that made it seem a pity that
those who did not know the tongue could do little more than
gather the sense of supreme eulogy and great bereavement . But
there were constantly recurring the words "Gibran" "Lebanon"
"Becharri," and these words made a ringing in every listening heart.
The Rev. Father Nagem of Providence spoke in English and
his words carried deep conviction of the exalted place that Gibran's
work will take among the poets and painters of the world, and his
assurance of the deathless power and beauty of Gibran's influence
upon the thought and life of the race.
Mrs. Mary Kahwaji read a poem in Arabic, paying her sorrowing tribute. Then the words of Gibran himself, a portion of THE
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11
Prophet taken from the opening pages, was read by the writer,
where it says:
"Almustafa, the chosen and the beloved, he who was a dawn
unto his own day, had waited twelve years in the city of Orphalese
for his ship that was to return and bear him back to the isle of his
birth...And he beheld his ship coming with the mist... And he
thought in his heart, 'How shall I go in peace and without sorrow? Nay, not without a wound in the spirit shall I leave this city...
Yet I cannot tarry longer. The sea that calls all things unto her
calls me, and I must embark!....' Now, when he reached the foot of
the hill, he saw his ship approaching the harbor, and upon her prow
the mariners, the men of his own land...And his soul cried out to
them, 'Sons of my ancient mother, you riders of the tides, how often
have you sailed in my dreams, and now you come in my awakening
which is my deeper dream. Ready am I to go, and my eagerness
with full sails awaits the wind. Only another breath will 1 breathe
in this still air, only another loving look cast backward, and then I
shall stand among you, a seafarer among seafarers. And you, vast
sea, sleepless mother, who alone are peace and freedom to the river
and the stream, only another murmur in this glade, only another
winding will this stream make, and then I shall come to you, a
boundless drop to to a boundless ocean.' "
After this reading Mr. Salloum A. Mokarzel spoke with deep
feeling and fine appreciation of the achievements of Gibran, and of
the intense pride and joy that the Lebanese take in that this man was
one of themselves, and that his immortal name is irrevocably bound
up with the Syrian people; that the little mountain country has
given to this age one of its greatest spirits, and one whose incomparable worth is acclaimed around the world. He alluded to Gibran
as Almustafa, the prophet, the chosen and the beloved, in whom
dwelt knowledge of "those things which are between birth and
death."
After a brief word from Mr. Elias Shamon, a lawyer of Boston,
Mgr. Douaihy pronounced a final word of benediction and farewell,
and the casket was lowered into the ship, while the wind instruments
played the "Funeral March" from Tannhauser, "Asa's Tod" from
the Peer Gynt Suite, and "Nearer, My God to Thee."
At two in the afternoon the ship put out from the pier, and the
earthly chapter of a great life in this western land of steel and
stone, came to an end, leaving a silence and an emptiness in the
hearts, and in the places that knew him, and shall know him no
more. But leaving also a living memory of his words: "Forget not
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
that I shall come back to you. A little while and my longing shall
gather dust and foam for another body."
Farewell, Gibranl
Text of the address delivered by the editor of The Syrian World
at the farewell ceremonies to Gibran's body at Providence, R. /.,
on July 23.
TORTY-EIGHT years ago a boy was born in a small town in Lebanon whose parents and their friends wished for him what is
commonly wished by simple peasant mountaineers for their children
a long life, vigorous health, independent means and a family.
They could not wish for him more than their imagination could encompass. And the good people of Lebanon, content with little of
nature's gifts, could express themselves in no other terms than those
dictated by the circumscription of their environment and conditions.
But that boy grew to immensely greater proportions than his
most sanguine well-wishers could imagine. He not only broke down
the restrictions of his environment, but s0 expanded as to broaden
materially by his influence the whole horizon of human vision, and
before passing leave an indelible impression on the universal soul
and mind. A small seed planted in the soil of Lebanon, he grew
into a tree whose ramifications covered the world. Although his
life was short, it was replete. His name became one that gives honor
to his people and his age. He is proclaimed universal in his influence,
so that his own people must be satisfied to claim him only by origin.
Indeed, they are proud to have given him to the world.
The boy wandered into strange lands. He had the happy faculty of blending most artistically the old and the new. But his predominant trait was his ability to tap the sources of the mystic past
and bring to mankind the realization that their spirit is eternal. The
mysticism of the ancient East found in him a most happy medium
of expression.
Today, after an absence of three decades in which he contrived
ably to deliver his message to the world, Al-Mustapha returns
home to be laid at rest with his ancestors. He returns in the closing
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13
days of the month of Tammouz, when the crops of his homeland are
at the ripening stage ready for the gatherer. His friends of his
earthly sojourn had long and earnestly entreated him to tarry.
But his ship had come, and he could not ignore the call of his first
homeland. The prophet has delivered his message and now his
friends are gathered on the shore to see him borne into the mist.
Becharri, the town in Lebanon nestling in the shadow of the
Cedars, will now receive the mortal remains of her beloved son.
Becharri's distinction henceforth will be not that of being the district
capital, but of being the birthplace of Gibran. It shall not be known
only locally but universally. Gibran's shrine will convert it into a
place of pilgrimage, a converging point for the spirits of her immortal son's admirers throughout the world.
In such a manner will Becharri now receive the body of the
boy who left it a nonentity and became a world celebrity. Gibran
will now rest with his ancestors on the slopes of Lebanon, in the
shadow of the Cedars, and his name will add glory to that already
glorious land, while his fame will be as firmly rooted and virile
as the famous Cedars, despite the passage of time.
The Syrians and Lebanese of America are grateful to Gibran for
the glory he has added to their name, and in no uncertain terms do
they wish to proclaim this gratitude.
Farewell, beloved son of Lebanon, on this your last journey.
And may God speed your mortal remains to the land of your fathers.
But your brothers who tarry in this wonderful land of wonderful
opportunities in which you had chosen to live will keep your spirit
in their hearts, nourishing your memory with that undying devotion
that partakes of the very nature of your own work of pen and brush,
that which has rendered you immortal.
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
Touching Receptwn of Gibran s Body
in Lebanon
AT last the sea gave up its precious trust to mother earth. Gibran's
body was delivered again to a new life in the hearts of his countrymen in the land where he had seen his first birth. The Poet of the
Cedars is now to rest forever among the sacred hills where his eyes
were first opened to light and beauty. And his last homecoming
was attended by such a display of grief as can be shown only by a
highly sentimental people like the Lebanese, still adhering to their
traditions of unrestrained emotional outpourings whether in joy or
in sorrow. Nor was the reception of Gibran's body an emotional
outburst of his fellow townsmen alone. It was attended by such ,
ceremony as the ancient hills of Lebanon never before witnessed in :
their hoary history.
Both government and people outdid themselves to do honor
to this beloved son who had himself done his native country such
great honor. Clergy and laity vied with each other to render him
reverence and respect. Fraternal and benevolent organizations of
all religious denominations sank their differences in the spontaneous
and overwheming desire to swell the sweeping patriotic movement
to honor the great genius whom the common motherland had produced.
Gibran's ship arrived in Beirut harbor on the morning of August 21. An official delegation immediately went on board to act as
guard of honor during the landing ceremonies. The casket was
draped with a Lebanese flag and transferred to a government steam
launch. And at the moment the body was laid for the first time on
native soil and the coffin opened for inspection, Gibran Twainy,
Minister of Education, pinned 0n the breast of the poet the decoration of Fine Arts conferred on him posthumously by the government by special decree. Gibran was then ready to enter the port of
his homeland.
In describing the funeral procession from the port landing to
the Maronite Cathedral, the newspapers of Beirut stated that the
whole city turned out to greet Gibran on his homecoming. And
judging by photographs reproduced in some Egyptain illustrated
papers there was no exaggeration in the statement. The honor paid
Gibran by his countrymen was genuine and unparalleled in the
history of the city.
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SEPTEMBER, 1931
15
Walking in the procession were the Minister of the Interior
and representatives of the High Commissariat, the French Admiralty and the army of occupation. Following them wrere representatives of the consular corps, the benevolent societies of all creeds,
Christians, Moslems and Jews, and thousands of school children
of both sexes. A company of militia gave salute when the cortege
passed the Saraya and the police band furnished the music all along
the way.
At the Maronite Cathedral of St. George Archbishop Ignatius
Mobarak received the body with blessed water and incense, chanting lugubrious dirges in Syriac, the ritual language-of the MaronIites. After prayers for the dead were said the body was left in the
cathedral for the night under vigil of a guard drawn from among
the young men of Becharri who had come to Beirut for the "Wel:ome home."
But it was in the evening that the great "civic" memorial
meeting was held in honor of Gibran. The committee in charge had
engaged for the occasion the principal theatre in the city and not
pnly was the meeting under the official auspices of the government
but President Charles Dabbas of the Republic of Lebanon presided
Dver it in person. The speakers were the leading men of the land
md included Ameen Rihani, well known traveler and author;
KJialil Mutran, famous poet; Kalil Kussayyeb, President of the
Press Association; Gameel Baihum, President of the Young Men's
Moslem Society; Representative Michel Zakkour, poet and editor;
\ Kmeen Taki ed-Deen poet and statesman, and many others repesenting civic bodies and religious denominations. The services
vere punctuated with Arabic songs of Gibran's composition put
o music by Wadih Sabra and other outstanding composers for the
ccasion.
But what were perhaps the most touching demonstrations were
hose attending the passage of the cortege through the towns and
/illages of Lebanon, all along the coastal route and up the steep
mountain until Becharri. At prearranged stations the procession was
ibrought to a halt that the natives may pay their tributes and contribute their expression of love to the memory of Gibran. Some of
the demonstrations were not only touching in their spontaneity but
deeply mystical in their traditional allusions. People descended
from the "higher villages to gather in the coast towns where the
Concession was to pass and followed it to the confines of the town.
k'jbis was repeated almost twenty times over the route of about fifty
!es between Beirut and Becharri.
WMMMMMMM*
�1
1
_—
16
f
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Were Gibran only alive to witness the display of the characteristic Lebanese customs which he so much loved and that were now
being staged in his honor! At various stages along the route young
men in their colorful native costumes would engage in spirited
sword phy before the slowly moving hearse. Others would follow
singing martial songs or improvising eulogies for the beloved dead
in that peculiar form of the vernacular poetry known only tD the
Lebanese. While as a climax to the display of sorrow would conic
women mourners who, also 'extemporaneously, would sing the
praise of the departed to the rhythmic accompaniment of beating
their breasts.
But at one point in the march of the procession there was a radical departure from this general fromula. At a town near Gebail
ancient Byblus and the seat of the worship of the Syrian goddes
Astarte, a company of maidens came out to meet the body. The
wore loose, flowing gowns and their long locks fell in heavy wave
over their shoulders. And they also sang the praise of Gibran bu
did so in the sense of one who is living and not dead. They wel
corned him as "the beautiful bridegroom of our dreams" now re
turned and scattered flowers along the the road before him, am
sprinkled perfume on his casket. They danced before him as the
would in a wedding and their appearance seemed to bring back to lif
scenes that must have been enacted thousands of years back by th
virgins of the temple of the Syrian goddess on these very shore;
Many towns also contributed substantial quotas to the pre
cession, so that by the time it reached Al-Bahsas, which marks th ,
parting of the ways between the coastal and the mountain roads,
had swelled to more than two hundred automobiles and over 01
hundred horsemen. At Al-Bahsas, the governor of the northern di;f
trict of Lebanon, in which Becharri is situated, received the moun I
ers officially and accompanied them to their destination. And
the confines of Becharri practically every man, woman and chi.
who could walk massed on the road to march in Gibran's grei
homecoming procession.
As in Beirut, two distinct services were also held in Becharr
over the remains of Gibran. The body was laid in state in the churcl
of St. John where the clergy again conducted the .services for th
dead, while on Sunday, August 23, a memorial meeting was hel
in- the theatre, of the town presided over by Moussa Nammour
Minister of the-Interior.. Scores of poems and speeches were als
delivered on this occasion.
The thousands of visitors who came to Gibran's native to'
1
�.... --._.233
SEPTEMBER, 1931
F«*W o/ /A, i^o^ ^^ *,W>W tf,
to'
/**&«£ of Gibran's body in Beirut
17
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
18
The Appeal of the East
FIRST OF A SERIES OF SPECIAL ARTICLES ON FIRSTHAND OBSERVATIONS IN SYRIA, PALESTINE
AND EGYPT
By H. I.
KATIBAH
Cor days before the bow of our ship turned eastward, plowing its
way across the Atlantic in one more routine trip to the East, my
imagination had conjured all sorts of fantastic visions, scenes and
memories, a mental cyclorama in which I was wrapt around by an
Oriental world of my own creation while walking the busy streets
and thoroughfares of New York.
It is strange what a grip the East, particularly the East of the
Arabian Nights, has on the soul of the Westerner or even a Westernized individual born and reared in the very lap of this same East,
a stone's throw, so to speak, from Damascus, the "City of Delight"
and the scene of many an adventure in the world's most fantastic
and, perhaps, the most favoured tales in the world.
Sixteen years of disillusionment, spent mostly in the truly
magical city of our day and generation, had not expunged my golden
dream of the East. For where in the world do pinnacled palaces
rear themselves high into the sky by the rub of the modern Aladdin's lamp of science more truly than in New York? And where dc
the marids of mechanics bow more obsequiously to do. the bidding
of their capricious masters as in this city of the world's dreams '
come truer
And we of the East, the land of dreamers and poets, fail not
to detect beauty's gesture in the heart of the dinning confusion of
steel and mortar, of roaring engines and screeching wheels;_ nor
fail to appreciate true romance and magic under whatever guise it
appears. On the other hand, our long contact with an extreme
part of the West, a world so unlike our own, has so sharpened out
senses of contrast and discrimination that we begin to distinguis^
readily between cheap yellow lustre and true gold, between th.g
tinsel of romance and romance itself. Appearances do not decen
us so much as'they; do men and women who are confined to or
world of experience. Beneath the bizarre, uncouth garments of th
«pw
..JlffJUJiUlMI
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
I
Oriental; beneath the turban, jubbah and jullabiyyah, the souls of
the Orientals stand naked before our gaze, and we make mental
comparisons between individuals as far apart in environment, language, and traditions as the antipodes, yet as much alike as two peas
in a pod.
Yet, in spite of this, the East retained its appeal to me, its
charm and illusion, as truly as to any roving dweller on the befogged Thames, born with a surging wanderlust in his soul.
True, it was a more realistic and enlightened East that presented
itself to my recollection and imagination, an East with which I had
never completely been out of touch, an East whose social, political
and religious development I had followed with avidity in the press
and in current books and magazines, as well as through first-hand
contact with Eastern leaders whose missions and fancies carried them
to the shores of the United States. But it was a romantic East,
nevertheless.
Coming to this country before the War as a fresh graduate
from the Syrian Protestant College, now the American University
of Beirut, my impression of the East, even of my own Syria, was
rather hazy and desultory. Outside of my home district in the
anti-Libanus I had known only two cities of the Near East, Damascus and Beirut. I knew them, however, as a child who had been
brought up in a Protestant puritan home. Somehow, they belonged
to that heathen world of which we had been so apprehensive in
the Sunday school. As children who migrated from our home in
Yabrud to the missionary boarding school in Damascus or to College
in Beirut, and back home for the summer vacation, we were like
Christian travelling through Vanity Fair. We were strangers to
the big city which always held a fascinating and tantalizing curiosity
for us, and hence was always wrapt with a gossamer of romance
and strange beauty. To me Damascus of the fairy tales was as real,
more real, than the prosaic city of narrow, winding streets, stray
dogs, and ugly frame houses.
That is why my heart fluttered with boyish joy as I thought of
my pending voyage to the East in spite of all the realism and enlightenment which I had acquired about it.
And now, after a stay of about twenty months in which I covered part of Egypt, all of Syria and Palestine and part of Mesopotamia, I find, strangely perhaps, that I am still enamoured of
vhe East, -and th-e illusion of romance with which I always viewed
t had not vanished away.
This mental phenomenon, so unlike that of many of my coun-
�11
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Q
trymen who came back from a visit to the homeland disappointed
xZ disgruntled, may be partly explained by the consideration
hat I did not go there with any too exaggerated notions of what
to find there, I much as by the fact that I looked for romance
LD
5T-
^^^itttXSn Cairo who had the distinction of being
the only one to succeed in interviewing the late Clemenceau on his
ast v it to Egypt, told me that he asked the great *£***£
man and humanist what it was that impressed him most in Cairo^
Was it the pyramids, the Nile or the mosques? And Clemenceau
ePLd: "It i none of these; it is suk Musky. .And here in a nutshell you have the secret of all proper travelling abroad, whethe * its
in the'orient, in Europe or in darkest Africa and here also you my
have the genuine source of true romance in the East.
and
Thafvou could penetrate the teeming masses of humanity in r an
suk Musky in Cairo, or al-Hamidiyyah in Damascus, or any> ofhe eets
picturesque bazaars in any of the cities of the East adds more^zest
Ld significance, it seems to me, to this undifferent.aed, orb dding, the
distant romance. It brings you nearer to the subtle, yet simple, jrno na e yTcharming, workings of the Oriental mind which when
we giveallowance to the peculiar way it expresses itself, we.findI to
>
be surprisingly like that of any other people in the West or in any ^
section of our little globe.
Some people think of romance as something different, some- -uly
thing strange and unlike our daily routine of experience, and it is den
hesf people who are so disheartened when they discover that the aces
East islScoming more and more like the West; who moan at the ladAppearance ofthe fez and the harem from modern Turkey; who e u
dc
are so anxious to preserve the idyllic and georgic appearance of the din
Holy L" d And" with a world so swiftly changing as ours in our ^
modern days these people are bound to be ^J^
*J%&
nointed The trouble with them is that they have not discovered not
STt ue iTature of romance in humanity, the unity that underlies of
and subvenes all the fascinating varieties of life-expressions. They or
^looking
£-«
it
were loosing for
IUI thrills
uuu« for
w their£W
— J— - nerves—*[f
r^ v^t
and adventure; they were skimming the surface of the East
.ne
u.
once they found out that under the surface life was much alike
d ou,n
world over their interest faded, and, like a giddy butterfly
guis
moved to another flower of new scenes and untrodden land
n th
For the student of life the East, the Near East is of pec t• ecen ls
1
interest and appeal because life there is more natural, the> em
o on
more sincere and expressive than one is likly to find in New
\f th
'""""
�21
SEPTEMBER, 1931
or London, or even on the continent of Europe. One finds the
reactions that one is entitled to find, the response that naturally follows from a given mental or emotional stimulus. Only, some people who are not acquainted with the poetical nature of the Easterner
mistake the picturesque, metaphorical and aphoristic manner in
which he expresses himself for tortuous and evasive subtlety. The
Easterner above all is an inborn and incurable conversationalist. Instead of finding his esthetic release and expression in paintings, or
the florid language of the printed page, he develops it and exercises it in his daily talk.
I have met many Westerners in my recent travels abroad, and
many since, whose genuine interest in the East did not differ much
from mine, or from that of any other who goes to the East with ar
open heart and a sense of universal sympathy and understanding.
And invariably the enthusiasm of those enlightened visitors to
lands hoary with traditions and genuine culture, was due more to
the discovery of likenesses, under the surface of strange customs
and appearances, than to differences and peculiarities.
$ht"
istic
-uly
den
aces
laddc!
Quatrains of Al-Mutanabbi
Translated from the Arabic by
DR. SALIM
Y.
ALKAZIN
And even I have always found that he
Who hath a sickly mouth and taste of gall,
Will foul and bitter Crystal Waters call,
Tho fresh and sweet as Nectar they may be.
And he who spendeth life in massing Gold,
To ward off poverty and naught besides,
• Towards the Gulf is making mighty strides,
And unto Poverty his soul hath sold.
�22
THE SYRIAN WORLD _
,
OWE
ARABIAN
TALES
'"
) ORIGINAL TRANSLATIONS
HAROUN AL-RASCHID AND THE BEAUTIFUL WIFE
OF HIS MESSENGER
A RAB chroniclers relate a story about Haroun Al-Raschid much
similar to that of King David's episode with Bath-sheba, the
wife of Uriah the Hittite, and mother of King Solomon, but with
very different and much more wholesome results.
While walking in the gardens of his palace, Al-Raschid saw on
the roof of a house close by a young woman whose beauty eclipsed
the full moon, having the large, dreamy eyes of a gazelle and the
graceful form of a houriat from Al-Jannat. To his question, "Who
may the fair creature be:" his chamberlain informed him that she
was the wife of his attendant and messenger Fairuz. Whereupon
Al-Raschid returned immediately to his palace consumed with the
fire of desire to gain possession of her.
That same day Al-Raschid called Fairuz and entrusted him
with an apparently important letter which he bade him deliver to
one of his agents in a distant city. Fairuz, unsuspecting, repaired directly to his house and retired for rest in preparation for an early
start on the morrow.
Early on the morning of the following day Fairuz departed on
his mission, and had no sooner left than the caliph made a clandestine call to his wife. Seeing the caliph at the door the woman could
not help remarking in her surprise, "May Allah guard us against
such a visit. It portends only evil." But the caliph thought she had
not seen through his disguise and hastened to explain: "I am AlRaschid. You may not have recognized me!"
"Yes, my master," replied the woman. "I fully recognize the
illustrious Prince of the Faithful and am surprised that he should
come to drink at the same fountain with his own dog."
This frank rejoinder had its effect on the caliph who lost no time
in making his exit, overlooking in his haste one of his sandals which
he had shed by the door.
�^n
irly
EPTEMBER, 193-1
23
*
Meanwhile Fairuz, after having proceeded some distance, dis\ered that he had forgotten the caliph's letter under his pillow
id returned to seek it. His arrival followed immediately upon the
.parture of Al-Raschid whose sandal he discovered by the door and
-alized that he was sent on this errand only for an evil purpose.
He refrained, however, from making any remark and after regaining the letter proceeded on his journey.
Upon his return he went first to the court of the caliph who
appeared pleased with his dispatch and rewarded him with one hundred gold pieces. This he used to purchase some pieces of jewelry
and other appropriate gifts for his wife.
But upon returning home he bid his wife make immediate prepj arations for a visit to her parents, and upon her inquiring the reason
f for this sudden decision, he told her, with seeming cheerfulness, that
1
the caliph had liberally rewarded him and it was but meet and
proper that they should share their good fortune with her parents.
Having left his wife at her paternal abode, Fairuz departed and
never returned. The brothers of the woman became suspicious and
sought of the husband an explanation of his action, but he would
neither consent to taking back his wife nor give a reason for his
strange behavior, and when they threatened to bring action against
him before the caliph he readily consented to a trial.
It so happened that at the time Fairuz and his brothers-in-law
appeared in court the cadi and the caliph were both present. The
elder brother of Fairuz's wife thus put forth his case:
"Know, O learned judge, that I have given unto the keeping
|of this man a well-kept orchard having full-bearing fruit trees, and
a well of clear water, and surrounded by a high protective wall. He
ate the fruit, damaged the well and destroyed the walls and now
wishes to return the orchard to me without a logical explanation."
Complying with the judge's request for an explanation Fairuz
"Know further, O learned judge, that I have returned the
j orchard to its original guardian even in better condition than when
I received it. My only reason for returning it is that I have discovered traces of the lion's visit to it, and fearing the consequences and
out of deference to the majesty of the lion, I have preferred to
waive my right to the orchard."
At this point Haroun Al-Raschid, who had appeared to be following the progress of the proceedings only casually, straightened in
bis seat and thus addressed Fairuz: "You may return to your orchard
W perfect safety and peace of mind. By Allah, the lion sought your
�-Jam
SE
THE SYRIAN WORLD
24
orchard but touched not its fruit nor its trees and left after only r
brief visit. By Allah I assure you that I have found none other simi
lar to your orchard in the strength of its walls and in the protectioi
of its fruit."
Fairuz understood and readily consented to take back his wife,
while of all those present none but he and the caliph were aware of
the earlier developments of the case.
To a Dying Tree
By
THOMAS ASA
Thou lone sentinel of the open plain,
A hundred years hast thou in silence kept
A faithful watch,—thy solitary reign
Is ended, and too soon wilt thou have wept.
No more shalt thou in utter freedom fling
Thy leafy bowers to the scented air;
No more, no more, thou mute, majestic thing,
For thou art bare, and ever-more be bare.
Cold as the driven snow hast thou become,
Insensate to the breathing atmosphere.
Thy flutt'ring friends of yesterday wilt drum
Their sad lament, but this thou cannot hear.
Nature hast not anything so dear to me
Than thou, O dying monarch of the plain.
Had'st I the pow'r, soon would I bring to thee
The sunlight's glory, the sweet taste of rain.
J
A wayward hand, long hence, had'st planted thee,
That thou some day may offer thy cool shade;
;
And rear thy noble height that all may see
What God in his most happy mood hast made.
�25
SI SEPTEMBER, 1931
Shiites Protest Rihani's Criticism
\
ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE SYRIAN WORLD
CAUSES A STORM IN SYRIA
HE article by Ameen Rihani published in the March issue of
TTHE
SYRIAN WORLD on the Passion Play of the Near East was
unique in that it was the first description by a foreign observer of the
annual rituals held by the Shiites in commemoration of the death
of Al-Hussain, son of Ali. Undeniably, Mr. Rihani has given the
world the first authentic account of an Eastern religious observance
that has been thriving for over twelve centuries with the same religious fervor characterizing its early beginning, but almost unnoticed by the outside world. The actual photographs he was able
to take helped materially to visualize his vivid description.
Appreciating the unusual news and historical value of this article, Lisan Ul-Hal, a daily newspaper of Beirut, translated it into
Arabic. Once its contents were brought to the attention of the
Arabic-reading public it created a sensation and immediately drew
;a storm of protest from Shiite sources. There was a hint in some
replies of the possibility of physical violence being visited on the
author. What the objectors resented most was the author's reference
ko the unsanitary condition of what is commonly known as Howdhul Kurr, a basin found in the court of almost every house in Kerpala and used for a multiplicity of purposes.
All this took place while Mr. Rihani was on his way back to
iyria from the United States apparently unaware of the storm his
rticle had raised. It was perhaps fortunate that his critics should
jave spent their fury unchallenged up to the time when he could
nake a blanket reply to all their attacks. And this he did in his
:haracteristic manner—briefly and to the point. He did not retract
a word of what he had said but claimed that he was prompted to
his criticism by his love for the Arabs and his desire to have them
mend some of their ways. Prime responsibility rests on the friend
and not the foe in pointing out the weak spots in a nation's social
institutions, he said, and he was that friend who criticized to reform
in a spirit of utmost fairness. He was happy, finally, to see that
his criticism had found its mark and aroused the interest which is
the harbinger of reform.
P Since then the storm of protests has abated, as apparently there
,..f..i. n.n, .,i
i
,„,,..
,i m
�>
r.f Mr "Rihani's predilections for the Arabs. Even
f
° ^Th^piy published herewith, received» Batglish ft-Sdoa
whieh is eonsidered the; stronghold of ^ Stae d.s net ,
,
embodies the principal object,ons, ofthe Shutes to
^
h
observations Be it sa.d to *e«tarf « «^Arabic replies of his
indu ge . the J»- stSg "the Arabic literary world is
StHEl - Merits and |viS denied It
rather »
Stdin^n SMS pa-tpa^dlo^ore sympathetic
interpretation of thdra*»- ^ ^^ of fair play and
m\
W .<£££Stt2&i of ^e conditions which gave
rise to the controversy.
RIHANl'S JOURNEY TO KARBELA
I
Editor, The Syrian World
AMEEN R-hani's article appearing in the March issue of-your
^cation
is a remarkable piece, but not a «ay'
one
s
p,,Pyto find that the ^pected ph.losopher of F e k s e- <
g
52 well-known realit.es .and mdu^hbag m
t,cler
^ ^
Was it for the purpose of reform: ££•£*£•£
blisn
l^eople thought, was to write ^^^^ £££
"" I^yT^etSbSrwhat he Ld seen, but what a great
difference there is between seeing and understandmg!
"
�mm.
27
SEPTEMBER, 1931
I
I am not writing in criticism of his illustrious P^onalrty or
his interesting ideas, but only to discuss some of the tag mistakes
:that
O„haplg0eTiine'9 he said "How would he and his Christian
frie, "be^eived in Karbela which is to the Shiah Moslems what
A
.'s
ot
lis
is
an
.n:tic
nd
ive
;M
C<Clgain " line 4, "And at Musaiyeh we beheld the first
vvuf ^ Rmam^rH^eigner we would kg?***
France of the differences between Shntes and Sunmtes. But he is
Cental an Arabian, who was 'brought up among the Moslems,
^ ^tslied a'good deal about their religion. It -£*
i
*n rppH that he calls the visitors to Karbela pilgrims,
i Se everybody kn -that Mecca and only Mecca is the place to
rh the MosUs-no matter if they be Shntes or Sunnites-go
f^rt and only its visitors are -lied pilgrims a,rd taown in
Tratar as "Haii." On the other hand, visiting Karbela I\ajel, OT
Izmiyain "optional and not prescribed religiously as is the case
lifhTe visit of Mecca. Even the visitors of such places do not get
-' S^TS called these visitors "p,lKS^thTfiSh^CW, on page 8 line 7, he
L The Huiwh Canal, which flows from the Euphrates near
ays, itie nusamiy
,
comparatively recent.
Musaiyah fo, atou 2!mik to• ***^
*£ &
£ SltT^oT the* pilgrims were bathing m its turtad
yrour
is i
>rgei
nngs I
that?;
; and
n arsome
iblish
se, as
merirends.
great
fnters
A
, paragraphsu M.
Mr R.ham
Uihani g«*
rives ' .oof of his misunderIn" this
^^
T ; 2^L Bu th'a,
otTh: pit. The thing is that theMos-
f^ZS£t£S£ -red water, i, ,s nought but a
^ T„eVa« that"the water is turbid is because it is drawn from the
VuphTates whkh everybody knows is muddy. And to see a persoa
In Karbela that cana1 .stnion > p
^.^ ^ ^
teSola'S t Recently for irrigation, bur not as a
Ganges to the Shiahs.
�28
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Anyone who hears our philosopher speaking about Howdh-Ul
Kurr thinks that the inhabitants of Karbela are a specie of cannibals
or the remnant of an uncivilized tribe. All his description of
Howdh-Ul Kurr is quite unreal and unreasonable. Certainly, somebody had told him about Howdh-Ul Kurr, and the teller is either
a fool or a liar.
Howdh-Ul Kurr is like any other usual basin used in hoiion
Its volume must be at least 27 cubic feet. Its water may be cfaanW
any period without the advice or the prayer of any mullah, i's
water may remain as long as the following three conditions prev;0t
(1) No change in color (2) in taste (3) in smell. This, as can'us
readily seen, is impossible in any basin without frequent change is
water, so it is usually changed many times during the month to
even during the day.
L_
If Mr. Rihani had seen a Howdh with the descriptions that lie
gave, it must be an exceptional case, and the house of one citize,
does not mean that the same conditions obtain in the houses of ai\
citizens of a city counting more than 50 thousand persons.
e
Contrary to Mr. Rihani's imputations, Karbela is in many ways
modern and clean, but Mr. Rihani looked only at the reprehensible
and black side. And is it strange to find some incongruities in a
big city? Take New York, the greatest and the richest city of the
world, do you not find that many of its inhabitants are living in
filthy and unsanitary residences, Yes, it is so, but Mr. Rihani saw
only the small, black spot in Karbela and overlooked all else.
Mr. Rihani concludes by giving a historical outline of the enmity between Omaiyah and Hashem, relating three stories about th,ur
burial of Husain. It is an established fact that the head and bod, .
of the martyr were buried in Karbela and only few historians coiQ
3
test this point.
\
His description of Ashourah was on the whole correct, bu.^t
somewhat exaggerated.
,
In asking the editor of the SYRIAN WORLD to give space in his
magazine for the publication of my reply, I am but appealing to._
his senses of fair dealing and to his disinterested spirit of service to
Arabian culture which gave rise to his publication.
V
Sidon
Kamel MorowaaS
'Sis ~<lf-Z> ni'/^fZ' •^—!+J*'<7''V^-^7?\ T v,', '"{££& Kd&\<.'s'<r-
—nmt».iw>
s.
at
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
29
In the Month's News
CONQUEST OF THE AIR
\
ie
;h
ya
aS
is.
at
^HATEVER can be imagined
can be done. The truth of
this axiom is being forcefully
demonstrated every day. Consider aviation. It seems things are
now being done in the field of
aeronautics that; appeared wrellnigh impossible a tew years back.
From the modest beginnings of
simply demonstrating that flying
in heavier-than-air machines is
feasible it has been given our generation to see marvelous strides
in man's march towards air conquest. Two airmen flew around
the world in seventeen days 5 a
Zeppelin has discovered new
lands in the arctic region in an
expedition of a few days; and
for the first time on record two
American airmen have made a
non-stop flight from America to
Turkey in Asia.
All this took place within the
month of July. Transatlantic
flights have become so common
that they have almost ceased to
be news.
Russell Boardman and John
Polando made their epic flight
from New York to Istanbul, a
iistance of over 5,000 miles, in
Jess than fifty hours. Within the
limits of two days they saw three
continents — America, Europe,
and Asia. Simply to cover three
continents would not be in itself
such a wonderful achievement
had the continents been other
than the three named above. An
airman , leaving Europe could
easily fly over Asia Minor and
reach Africa in less than a day.
But the fact that America is separated from Europe by 3,000
miles of ocean makes the feat of
the American airmen an outstanding one.
Turkey is contiguous to Syria,
and but a few hundred miles
more would have brought the
American airmen to the city of
Aleppo. This should place a
non-stop flight between America
and Syria within the limits of
possibility, and would surely
bring Syria to the attention of
the world as nothing else could.
Perhaps some Syrian aviators
might yet undertake it as did the
two Hungarian-American airmen
who flew from New York to
Budapest /in a plane they named
"Justice to Hungary" for the
avowed purpose of calling the
attention of the world to the
injustice they claim is being dealt
to their mother country.
�=5
50
To our knowledge, there are
at least half a dozen Syrian aviators in the United States, four of
whom have already been mentioned in the THE SYRIAN
WORLD on various occasions. Of
this number two are young women who appear to be great enthusiasts—Mrs. Maloof, of California, who is said to have ordered a speed plane for a transcontinental flight, and Miss Alice
B. Coury of West Virginia
whom we mentioned recently as
being the pride of her home town
of Hopewell. The men aviators
are Fouad Mokarzel of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and Joseph Musleh of Jacksonville, Fla. Who
knows that any one of these
might not yet bring great honor
to himself and his race and place
the name of his country of origin prominently on the map.
In Syria and other countries
of the Near East, aviation is making rapid strides. A Lebanese,
Lt. Akar, made a flight from
Paris to Beirut. Egypt is rapidly
building an air force, manned
exclusively by natives. The
same may be said of Arabia
and Iraq. Recently, on the occasion of the return of the Iraquian Minister from Europe, he
was met at Aleppo, in northern
Syria, by an air squadron from
Bagdad which crossed the desert
in less than half a day.
After all, the East is not
standing still.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
SCHOLAR IN POLITICS
MEWTON D. Baker, Secretary*
of War in President Wilson's,
administration, is; now being_
prominently mentioned as a.pos'
sible Presidential candidate foi
the Democratic Party in the com
ing elections. Describing hi
singular qualifications as a scholar, a writer for an American news
syndicate told how Mr. Baker
can, among other things, recite
by heart a whole Arabic poem
or quote from the Scriptures in
Hebrew. Naturally, when a
scholar has so far advanced in
his quest of knowledge in original sources, Latin and Greek, as
well as many of the modern
languages, may be taken for
granted.
To those of us who appreciate
the difficulties of learning literary Arabic, Mr. Baker's apparent
proficiency in the language seems
indeed to be an achievement. We
take it for granted that he does
not repeat his Arabic poems without understanding, and to understand the advanced Arabic of
poetry means years of study of
the complicated grammar. One
would expect such painstaking
study of Orientalists and University professors but not of
practicing lawyers and men in the
position of Mr. Baker who have
so much to claim their time and
attention. The account seems almost unbelievable and we only
hope it is true.
Be the case what it may, there
�!f
SEPTEMBER, 1931
1
%
r
31
quired the services of fifty carpet layers to move it on "dollies"
into the building. The rug is
said to be the largest hand-tufted
rug ever woven in a single piece.
And it was described as a Persian
rug whose 'finely woven design
represents a voluptuous Oriental
garden.
So far, so good. To the writer
there was something of unusual
interest in a rug of such exceptional qualities especially that it
wras of Persian make and had a
direct bearing on the progress of
a celebrated Eastern industry. It
was with avidity that he pursued
reading further details, of the
piece which had claimed no little
space in one of the principal metropolitan dailies. While following the account, visions arose in
his imagination of how deft Persian hands had executed the
dainty designs of the rug; how it
was shipped across vast stretches
of land and sea to its final destination; how it is bound to.prove
the admiration of thousands of
Westerners who will marvel .at
the masterly craftsmanship of the
East. There was that element of
DECEIVING NAMES
pride rising within his breast that
IT ARL Y this month a rug of ex- swells at every thought of someceptional size was delivered to thing done well by people of
the new Waldorf Astoria hotel his own section of the world.
in New York, which, among But this emotion was short-lived.
other things, caused a traffic snag There was no ground for it exthat gave the police some uneasy cept in his own fancy. For the
moments. The rug measures exceptional Persian rug in ques70x50 ft. and weighs more than tion was not made in Persia, nor
two and one-half tons. It re- by Persian hands, nor was its
is in this enlightening piece of
news on the erudition of Mr.
Baker an object lesson for our
Syrian-American generation who
should find it 4nuch easier to
learn the language than does an
American. They could at least
acquire a speaking knowledge by
a little practice in their home environment if not master the language to the point of reciting
poems. Mr. Baker and scholars
of his fclass take, up foreign languages simply to satisfy their insatiable thirst for knowledge,
while those of our children who
can- take up spoken Arabic as a
matter of course with apparently
no extreme effort on their part
should realize also the utilitarian
advantages that are bound to accrue from linguistic versatility.
At least, those of our younger
generation who would cut loose
from every relationship with
their .ancestry should find in the
example of Mr. Baker something
to think about in the value and
pride In knowing a foreign language.
�*
11
1
llfi 1
THE SYRIAN WORLD
32
manufacture related in any way
to the country of which it bore
the proud name. Who made it
then, and where:
It was made in Maffersdorf,
in Czechoslovakia! Thirty weavers worked on it for ten months,
tying 12,600;,000 knots by hand.
The Czechoslovaks, that new,
small, enterprising nation of
middle Europe who came into
being only after the World War,
were able to best the old Persians
of the East who had been following the rug weaving industry
for centuries, at their own game.
Surely it's time the people of the
East took means to guard their
industries, or whatever remains
of them.
GANDHI IN LONDON
""THE East remains not only
mystical but compelling in
its mysticism. There is that something in its ancient civilization
that at once defies description
and elicits awe and admiration.
It has the distinction of possessing a spiritual quality that seems
to come only with mature age.
The East is old and wise, and
its age and wisdom are bound to
command attention and respect
in due time.
Gandhi today is the acknowledged symbol of the aestheticism
of the East. Nor should he he
considered as standing alone on
his high spiritual pinnacle. For
were it not for his people's ap-
)
preciation of his qualities he ,
could not find the millions oiyx
followers who are willing to do Sr
his bidding to the limit of human sacrifice.
What a refreshing and heartening spectacle it must be when
a man who comes to represent
one-fifth of the whole human
race at an epoch-making political
conference defies all accepted
conventions and acts only on his
own convictions to the extent of
braving ridicule! His is the
strength of the spirit against the
might of the greatest colonial
power the world has ever known.
And the struggle is worth following not alone because of the
great stakes involved, but primarily because of the spiritual
forces that are now brought to
play on the most extensive scale
known in history.
Gandhi comes to London in a
loin cloth and home-spun shawl.
He may even see the King in
this attire, oblivious of the rigorous formalities of the court
of St. James. He takes passage
third class from India to England , and when in London
chooses to live in the poorer section, subsisting on a simple fare
of goat milk and dates. In Marseilles he is mobbed by admirers
but still stops at the servants'
quarters of a modest hotel.
Truly there is something in
this man of the East than can
be admired but cannot be fathomed.
'
1 | ; ||
)1
i
�•?-*—
SEPTEMBER, 1931
33
HOME AND FAMILY*
BAHIA AL-MUSHEER,
Editor
J HAD occasion recently to travel through one of the fairest sections of this fair country, following trails over mountains and
paths through forests practically primeval, skirting lakes and ponds
ol the purest azure framed in greens of every imaginable shade.
livery now and then, neglected and overgrown roads led to a
clearing in the woods, where a deserted homestead or the remains of
a homestead stood; and in every case those men who cleared the
trees plowed the ground, planted the orchard and established a home
lor their families, had an eye for beauty, for every site selected for
a homestead commanded a view of passing loveliness.
But turning the eyes from hills and valleys they would fall on
a house in ruins, or the outline of a garden once carefully tended but
now overgrown with weeds, or once-verdant fields now covered with
brush and in orchards all but swallowed up by the forest.
Indeed a sorry sight!
It is not my purpose to speculate about the causes that brought
about these conditions. They may be logical and reasonable. I want
simply to say that my respect is deep and my admiration is profound
lor the pioneer—the pioneer of every race and in every country,
who dreamed and hoped and toiled and sweated to make things possible for himself and his loved ones, and who blazed the trail for
others. Then for one to turn around and find that the house he built
is m ruins, the ground he cured produces nothing, the efforts he
made are come to naught, the hopes he cherished are shattered,
cannot but touch one's heart deeply.
Now, the reader will ask, and with reason, why did I choose
to preface my efforts in this department in this manner? Why
did I select for a frontispiece such a gloomy picture?
This is my answer. As a race, our love of home and devotion
to our families are surpassed by no other race. We or our parents
migrated to this and other parts of the world and like all pioneers
toiled and sweated to establish homes in which they intended to live
�li
34
THE SYRIAN WORLD
happily and which they hoped would prosper and flourish and multiply. This being the case, is it not our sacred duty to cherish the r
efforts of the founders, to strengthen the foundations they have laid
down for us, to improve and beautify that which they have builded,
and above everything else to guard it against neglect and ruin? And
on the other hand, is it not our sacred duty also to provide for those
who will succeed us ? In other words, how are we to use our inheritance, and what are we to leave to our heirs, and at the same time"
try to have every one contented and happy?
No, I am not an alarmist.
But if you will give ear to the deepest thinkers of our time and
the keenest observers you will find that their concern about the
present day home and family is great and you will not censure me
too strongly for my concern.
We have traditions and customs for which I have very deep respect, but not to such an extent as to hold them inviolable and ignore the demands of the times and environment! And I have a weakness for innovations and modifications, but not to an extent as to look
upon traditions and customs with contempt. I would that we should
not cast off the one unless for a good reason, and select from the
other only that which serves best our needs.
It will perhaps sound trite to point out that the home is not
merely the walls and the roof to which one repairs betimes, nor is
the happiness of the family dependent on the sumptuousness of the
dwelling and the magnificance of its appointment;—that things subjective rather than things objective should be considered essential in
the building of home and family. One can discourse on this subject
endlessly and become exceedingly didatic and consequently tiresome. But, things being equal, can one deny the fact that certain
wise modifications, improvements, changes in policies and habits and
the point of view, changes here and there will make a pleasant home
more pleasant, and a happy family more happy?
Let there be no mistake about it, the person conducting this
department is neither an arbiter nor a Solomon. Neither does she
presume to teach anyone how to live her life or run her home. She
has her home problems just like every other housewife and mother
and expects to receive more than she gives by the exchange of ideas
and experiences. As a matter of fact, this department is intended to
be a forum on which questions pertaining to the home, deemed to .
be of interest and benefit, will be discussed. She invites questions
and promises to do her utmost to be of service,
�I"
SEPTEMBER, 1931
le
35
The Mystery of Aornholt
A THRILLING STORY OF MYSTERY AND BRILLIANT
DETECTIVE WORK
By
THOMAS ASA
yHE morning dawned extremely cold. The incessant blanketing
of early snow had transformed the bare earth into strange, fantastic forms.
The snow fell all morning and afternoon, muffling the winter
solitude of Aornholt with a monotonous silence. The last of the
lingering vacationists, with the exception of Captain Geoffrey Forsyth and his invalid wife, had departed some weeks previously.
Fate, in a capricious moment, had surely imposed on Captain
Forsyth, an officer in the British army on indefinite leave. His wife
had found the therapeutic tranquility of the simple Swiss hamlet
very agreeable to her. The improvement in her condition had induced them to protract their stay, with the result that, with the sudden and unexpected recurrence of her ailment, they had been compelled to remain until her condition had sufficiently improved to
permit travelling.
The prolonged twilight, peculiar to that region, enshrouded,
the surrounding mountain peaks with a deceiving canopy that made
them seem to tower at a much greater distance. The falling snow
had partly subsided, and a sweeping wind began to make inroads
among the snow-laden branches of a small forest of deciduous trees
which grew at the southern extremity of the village.
The grizzled village doctor, Monsieur Andre Sardou, who
derived a moderate income in attending to the medical requirements
of the summer dwellers, had just left the picturesque villa which the
Forsyths had rented from an annual summer resident. Geoffrey
Forsyth was seated at his wife's bedside reading to her. His cheerful countenance and pleasantly modulated voice indicated a disposition resigned to their forced confinement.
"Geoffrey," interrupted his wife, Cynthia, "I feel much better
now, and really believe I can sleep. I am sure that you are tired of
reading, and a visit to the tavern will be more congenial to you."
"I will go if you want to sleep, dear; but I'm not certain that
you are comfortable?"
�...,-raai r
3S
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Marie
here to attend
really
*« I
really^JKVF'
think that funny^V^J
little doctor has ®given me some relief."
Is there anything that you may need at the inn?" Cantain
^dtppl^^
clear ^Zt
be
»
i-Mr-L' Cynthia
£* "f^8^ Captain Forsyth stepped into the
^^I^SS*tOWard
thC gl
?mi^ ***£ marked
tW hUnd6rd
U
the »cteSdtS^ ^^^^ °
*** P
fnl Zt T°dQStlJ fPP°inted "Monte Tavern" presented a cheer
ful sigh from the bitter cold outside. GeoffreyForsyth stamped
went bTf ^^ "^
bmShed th£ Sn W from his
the din ly° visible villaboot
whichH
IT^tnltlZTT
1°^ ^5
?
of hiJ L andT
C
Sloped him!
Pl6aSant Wa
^23
0pened the
th fr m
°
eyet
brass-bound door
Within
Mediately en-
fwr^f *?' ^ood-natured Proprietor, Maitre Pierre, as he was
f^mliarly known, greeted him effusively in painstaking EnglS
Ah, good-evening, Monsieur Capitaine, good-evening I hoofvou
enjoy the best of health;-and madame" monsieur^ £c 2K?
and ,!!IhankiT'
Pie
7e'
U
ShG IS betten
a
" Forsyth removed his hat
ie b0 0m
Sep£^±2*
T r monsieur
- " ^before the &££
Y
cigarette:
assistant" °rder W"
"* "^
SCrVed Wkh alaCrky
>" ** ordered, lighting f
^ Jea">
the
inn-keeper's
Captain Forsyth drank the stimulating liquid slowlv and
matlv iii Z£? r°°m- A "^ who 'were talking" £
mately in undertones, were seated at a table in the corner oonosite
??
him; but what they were saying, he could not understand
ine minutes passed monotonously. Geoffrey Forsvth soon
confessed the soothing languor that stole over him, his rest had been
8m
anXi£ty Ver his f
tw^ed
fr
°
* i3ff
Al
arowsed, butTwk
but awakened
almost instantly.
A*
woman's
vnire I«n
mg softly from the second floor of the tavern, hXoued^m He"
glanced inquiringly at Maitre Pierre, and that worthy crossed'over
to his table from the diminutive bar
"Travellers, Monsieur Forsyth—Monsieur and Madame
Raoul de Challons," he enlightened. "De Challons is artist he
will paint winter scene, I think you name it "
' C
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
37
hn^I\hl inn-keePer Pause4 wiped his thick lips with a lanre
handkerchief, and resumed in French, as if he found the alifn
tongue inadequate. "Madame de Challons is very beautiful and
quite young monsieur, a native of Vienna if I mistake not »
Forsyth smiled at the proprietor's enthusiasm, and then arose
from his chair and walked over to the balcony that overlooked the
immense valley below. He now understood "the causof the vU
W n ered Wkh
MallrrChajT° fbeautiful
', as "»
Madame de Challons ^
was as
Maitre"^
Pierre wttnt
had deCaptain Forsyth turned his head at the sound of some one
descending the enclosed stairway. What he saw was unexpected
The inn-keeper's praise of Madame de Challons' beauty Z^superla'
tive indeed, but the loveliness he beheld caused him L st^e in col
vert surprise. He recovered his composure, and perceived that De
Challons was of distinguished appearance
1W MStreuKen? PrfCeded his Suests t0 the table that was placed
before the huge fireplace. They were then served liqueurs by he
throve l^X^^^J^^S cct^r
C0 erSatl0n
drifted to him. Then he heard himself addressed
^
Monsieur Capitaine," said the proprietor, coming forward and
continuing, ceremoniously in French,-"Monsieur and M^d me de
Challons have instructed me to inform you they would be Teatlv
g
Y
honored to have the pleasure of your company »
Captain Forsyth felt a momentary embarrassment at this un
expected invitat.on He readily appreciated however, th w vmg
of formality intended by the courteous request. He therefore IS
nCret re gladl
bowed his assent and followed the inn-keeper
°
y
Monsieur Raoul de Challons arose from his chair
Captain Forsyth was presented. He bowed gravely to Madame
, f^ undihen b°Wed in
tUrn to Mo
« de Gallons who
extended his hand in the English form of salutation
'
You are exceedingly kind to give us your company, Captain
speaking the Gaii
astr
d
~ £%*sz
"Thank you monsieur, but surely I am equally indebted for
The proprietor now served a small flagon of chilled Cham-
�38
THE SYRIAN WORLD
pagne de Regnault, the finest of his ample reserve stock, imported
Turkish cigarettes, and delicate servings of sweet confections and
salted pistachio.
"The inn-keeper has just informed me that Madame Forsyth
is suffering from some serious indisposition, monsieur," said Madame de Challons in French.
"That is true, madame," Coptain Forsyth confirmed in the
same language. "My wife is troubled with a more or less chrome
nervous prostration, and its unfortunate reappearance at this time
is responsible for our stay here past the usual season."
"Oh, that is indeed unfortunate, Monsieur Forsyth," said madame, sympathetically; and then added: "It has undoubtedly been
very trying for her to be confined here all this time without some
feminine companionship."
"That has been her greatest discomfort, I believe, madame,"
Forsyth agreed: and then suddenly changing the conversation, he
addressed Monseiur de Challons: "Your commission is evidently
urgent to compel you to travel at this season, monsieur."
"I confess that such energy in the pursuance of art seldom
troubles me, captain. In fact, it was only at the earnest request of
a very dear friend and patron of mine that I put myself to this inconvenience." De Challons attended this brief explanation with a peculiar smile.
"It would be of great interest to me to see some of your work,
monsieur," Forsyth remarked, with polite solicitation. "Though I
know but little of art, I yet derive considerable enjoyment from it."
"Thank you, monsieur; I shall be pleased to have you examine
the canvas I have contemplated when it is in the stage of completion.
An obscure artist is always grateful when any interest is aroused in
his work."
As Monsieur de Challons finished this acknowledgment, a carelessly attired man, who was apparently of advanced age, emerged
almost noiselessly from the enclosed stairway and, after a furtive
glance about the large room, which was now vacant of native patrons,
proceeded slowly to a table in a corner of the tavern. The aged man
seated himself with the deliberate care characteristic of senility. A
heavy, grizzled beard covered his face, and the sharp nose and
piercing grey eyes beneath shaggy brows gave him an unusually
austere appearance. Despite his plain and somewhat frayed attire
and rough aspect, the stamp of rusticity did not cling to him. It
was evident that he was a stranger in the community.
"A remarkable looking person, monsieur," commented De
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
39
Challons in a low voice, addressing Captain Forsyth. "He is no
native of this village, I am certain."
"Maitre Pierre told me that the man, on his arrival several
days ago, gave his name as Gaston Benoit, and that he had come from
the district of Neuchatel to visit a married daughter, who lives in
a village called Traunfelwald, which is about thirty miles distant by
post from here, I believe the inn-keeper said. He was forced to
stop in Aornholt because of a severe attack of rheumatism."
"The man is evidently displeased with the curiosity we show
in him," Madame de Challons said, breaking the silence she had
maintained for several minutes.
"He is an unusually fine character type for the artist's palette,"
added De Challons. "Were I disposed, and had the necessary time,
I believe that I would approach him as a prospective sitter."
"Fortunately for you, my dear Raoul, you are not so disposed,"
Madame de Challons said, with a smile. "I am doubtful whether
Monsieur Benoit would favor you with a sitting. Art does not retain
its charm to an aged rheumatic, I should judge."
"His retiring disposition certainly does not encourage any
intimacy," Captain Forsyth remarked, finding but slight interest in
the old man.
During the conversation, Monsieur Benoit was served a large
pewter of Wurttemberg ale which he had ordered, and which he
now drank with avid haste. He had seemed to peer with myopic focusing of the eyes about him, and now seemed to have merged within
himself, completely oblivious of his surroundings.
The early winter evening advanced until the staccato beat of
the tavern clock indicated the hour of ten. Geoffrey Forsyth arose
from the table, excusing himself with apparent reluctancy.
Monsieur de Challons also arose. "Much as we desire, we will
not ask you to remain longer, captain," the artist said, with a friendly
smile. "You are naturally anxious about your wife, who, I hope,
will forgive us for detaining you to this hour."
Assisted in his ulster by Jean, who, prior to this attentive assistance, had been nodding sleepily behind the bar, and standing
with hat and gloves in hand, Captain Forsyth addressed his new acquaintances before departing.
"Allow me to thank you for a very pleasant evening," he said,
with a slight bow; "and may I be permitted the pleasure of returning this courtesy by inviting you to our temporary home tomorrow."
"Trusting you will excuse fne, monsieur, I shall defer the
great pleasure of meeting Madame Forsyth until later, my com-
�40
THE SYRIAN WORLD
mission allowing me so little leisure," acknowledged the artist j "but
my wife will be very much pleased to avail herself of this opportunity, I am sure."
"Indeed, Monsieur Forsyth, it will give me the greatest pleasure to make youn wife's acquaintance," Madame de Challons acquiesced, in her charming manner.
"Then kindly expect me here at ten tomorrow morning, madame."
Captain Forsyth quitted the warm atmosphere of "Monte Tavern" and walked briskly down the steps. The night was extremely
cold, and the sky exhibited a festive splendor with its starlit firmament, which was only occasionally obscured by a sudden flurry of the
wind. The snow-covered objects near the roadway were sharply
delineated against the frosty background of darkness, and the deeply
rutted tracks of a horse-drawn sled that had passed over the road
during the early part of the evening were still plainly visible.
Geoffrey Forsyth was in a very pleasant mood, and thoroughly
enjoyed the chilly stillness about him. The unexpected evening's
entertainment at the inn had dispelled the feeling of discontentment
that had filled the slowly passing days. He had never, in all the
varied phases of his army life at home and abroad, quite met the
equal of Madame de Challons in beauty and charm of personality.
The artist impressed him as a man of considerable culture and
eclectic experience, and possessing that bonhomie characteristically
French.
Occupied with these pleasant meditations, and forgetful of a
sharp turn in the roadway just ahead of him, Captain Forsyth
incautiously stepped into a snow-drift, which immediately brought
him back to active perceptions. Brushing the fine snow from his
coat, he quickened his strides, and presently entered the lighted
interior of his temporary residence.
He removed his hat and ulster, and then walked lightly up
the carpeted stairs. A warm, mellow light issued through the partly
open door of his wife's chamber. She was awake, awaiting his belated return.
"The deuce!" exclaimed Forsyth, closing the door and going
to her. "Rather bearish of me to have stayed so long, dear." He
seated himself near the bed and took her delicate hands in his and
tenderly kissed them.
"Listen, Geoffrey," interrupted his wife, with a wan smile.
"What is it, dear?"
"I feel that you are wearied of this place. You know, Geoffrey,
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
41
you can go south for a few days "
dToette todayand are *w5*£^* *
inquiSgly"
FOTSyth remainCd Silent
'
bW l0
*d * her husband
Cynth,a, but L sure £^ffiZ^K** *»"
can und'e^ £££** "^ to ^.p^K*
writelo^et"' Iff T E"F* "** f°
his
one
°m> ""-ding to
The proprietor turned and called in French to his assistant
J
d
e tHat M SiCUr F r th has
"How
I"
T
T,
r
°^
-ted" "
How long has Monsieur de Challons been out, Pierre?" nues
honed Forsyth, as he removed his felt hat and gloves
Q
and t^°mAAr eftTf^ eady' caPitaine," the inn-keeper answeredand then suddenly added: "Ah I forget, I have letters wh cTcome
by the morning post for you, monsieur."
l and then
the se^erlTlSf n ^^ ^T^T *«
>
P*-«d
«fJfcA let.ters,m an inner pocket of his coat. He advanced towards the enclosed stairway as he heard some one descending!
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
"Good morning, monsieur," said Madame de Challons as she
reached the bottom step. She extended her gloved hand and smiled '
warmly.
"Good morning, madame. I hope that I have not kept you
waiting," Captain Forsyth greeted in return, slightly preceding
her to the door.
"Indeed not, monsieur; we Viennese are not early risers, you
know."
Madame de Challons nodded pleasantly to the inn-keeper as
they passed out.
"It is unfortunate that there is no public conveyance other than
the daily mail coach which passes through, madame."
"Walking is a favorite pastime in Vienna, Captain Forsyth; and
the distance is trifling," said the youthful Madame de Challons,
taking his proffered arm.
They went along for a few moments in silence. Madame de
Challons drew closer to Captain Forsyth, for she found the roadway
slippery with the snow that had slightly melted with the rising temture of the morning.
"I pray that your dear wife is better this morning, monsieur,"
said Madame de Challons, breaking the short silence.
"She is much improved, madame; and I am quite sure that
your intended visit is wholly responsible for the improvement."
Madame de Challons smiled with pleasure, but remained silent.
"You have been in England, Madame?" Captain Forsyth
asked, observing his beautiful companion with something of the
connoisseur's critical appreciation.
"I made a brief visit there with my parents several years ago,
monsieur; though I have yet to enjoy my first London season."
"The pleasure that one can derive from the social rounds in
London is quite negligible, madame; your Vienna is superior in
many ways, and certainly in the respect of ideal living."
"You are exceedingly kind to say so, Captain Forsyth; but your
metropolis retains a certain glamour that is almost irresistible to the
continental."
This pleasant exchange of commendations was abruptly ended,
for they now approached the stone walk that led to the cloister-like
entrance of the villa.
In the low-ceilinged hall, they were met by the maid, Marie,
who, with a smiling courtesy to Madame de Challons, relieved them
of their outer garments, and then ushered them into the comfortable
drawing-room ,where, much to Captain Forsyth's surprise and joy,
.. .
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
43
he found his wife occupied with some embroidery work before the
glowing warmth of a wood fire.
"Cynthia!" he exclaimed, going to her and clasping her delicate hands; "your presence here below is the greatest happiness I've
had for days."
His wife's attention immediately centered on Madame de Challons, who was regarding them with charming diffidence.
Captain Forsyth drew back from the chair in which his wife
was sitting.
"Madame, this is my wife," he said with a bow, introducing
them; "Cynthia, this is Madame Raoul de Challons, who was kind
enough to visit us."
With the expiration of ten minutes or more, during which Mrs.
Forsyth and her visitor chatted animatedly in French, Captain Forsyth, his spirits considerably heightened by the evident pleasure
his invalid wife felt in the company of Madame de Challons, excused himself and retired to the study on the second floor to attend
to his mail.
In the study, which was partitioned off from the bed-chamber,
Forsyth seated himself at the black-walnut escritoire, and drew the
curtains of the window near him. For a few moments, he gazed
abstractedly^at the panorama of snow-clad mountains that stretched
in endless vista before him. Then, with a shrug of his broad shoulders, he withdrew the letters from his pocket and began to examine
them.
For over a half hour, he alternately read and answered the
letters, one of which was from his elder brother, Sir Richard Elwart
Forsyth, who resided at Marmount Castle, the home of the Grenville-Forsyths for twelve generations.
With a sigh of relief, as if the obligations he had just finished
had been accomplished with but little relish, he placed the letters to
be forwarded in his coat pocket. He then arose from the chair, and,
passing through his bed-chamber, descended the carpeted steps.
Entering the drawing-room, his immediate gaze was directed
at the somewhat antiquated concert grand piano at which Madame
de Challons was now seated. His unobtrusive entrance was greeted
by a smile from his wife.
"Madame de Challons has kindly consented to play for us,
Geoffrey; although I am uncertain of its condition, having no inclination to try it."
"It is a Beckstein, of celebrated make, as you know," said Madame de Challons, who was examining a considerable quantity of
�44
THE SYRIANWORLD
sheet music in the rack; and then, as if dissatisfied with what she
found, she turned to the piano, and with an almost imperceptible
motion ran her fingers over the mellowed keys in pearly arpeggios.
"Why, it is in perfect condition!" Madame de Challons exclaimed, with some surprise, for the tone had sounded clear and
brilliant.
"I thought that you would find it so, madame," said Captain
Forsyth, who had seated himself near his wife. "Monsieur Claude
Viaud, from whom we rented this villa, is a very enthusiastic amateur of music, and it was quite unlikely that he would neglect the
instrument."
"I hope that my selection will please you, for it is a great favorite of mine," Madame de Challons said, as she commenced to
play with a forte stroke of bass and treble in the lower octaves.
"Geoffrey! that is the Sonata Pathetique of Beethoven," Mrs.
Forsyth exclaimed, in a voice of commingled surprise and delight.
Captain Forsyth sat spellbound. He had expected the usual
performance of an accomplished lady of fashion, and not this artistic rendition of which he was a delighted witness.
The first movement of the sonata, with its inspiring chord passages and charming oriental color, was followed by the adagio cantabile, the second movement, and this in turn was succeeded by the
graceful rondo, the concluding part.
With the accented quarter note that ended the composition still
faintly vibrating, Madame de Challons turned about on the piano
bench to smilingly face the warm expressions of praise from her
hosts.
"My dear madame!" Cynthia Forsyth said, her pale-blue eyes
aglow with excitement; "I now recall you as the youthful prodigy
who astonished London audiences with your wonderful talent several seasons ago. You were then known as Charlotte Brunne, if I
am not mistaken."
"Indeed, madame, we had no idea that genius had condescended to share our hospitality," remarked Captain Forsyth, who
fully shared his wife's admiration for their visitor.
"My dear friends, you overwhelm me with your kindness.
This talent you praise so highly is nothing."
"Oh, you are too modest, madame," Mrs. Forsyth added;
and then, as an afterthought she continued: "Did you not give a recital at the Imperial Opera in Vienna last winter?"
"I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity," Madame de Challons confirmed, smiling with slight embarrassment at
——
mm
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
45
the friendly inquiry from her well-informed hostess.'
"And called a second Ertman by all critics for your fine playing of Beethoven's sonatas?" continued Cynthia Forsyth, answering her own question, for her memory was sharpened by personal
contact with the object of her interest.
"Critics are far too generous in their comments, Madame Forsyth."
On being urged, Madame de Challons played several classical
selections, and continued to delight her English hosts until luncheon
was announced by Marie, who, needless to say, was very much impressed with the personality of the beautiful visitor.
(To be continued next month.)
Song of Friendship
By
EDNA
K.
SALOOMEY
Be still, my heart. This song shall end
Which rings this day jubilantly.
The silv'ry chords of sound, the blend
Of colours weaving harmony;
These joys which pierce you to the depth,
Fade like days on the wings of flight.
The song ended—as bleak as death
Are the hours of a songless night.
Weep not, my heart. Be now attuned
To the dull tunes of loneliness.
Their strident echoes are a wound
For which earth has no recompense.
And, when friend from friend must depart
And vast vacuity is left,—
In all the world the saddest heart
Is that which is of love bereft.
• '•"*• -
�Infantile Paralysis
By
DR.
F. I.
SHATARA
THE recurrence of infantile paralysis this summer makes a brief
discussion of this disease both interesting and important.
Infantile paralysis, known medically as Poliomyelitis, was
introduced into this country from northern Europe in 1906. Since
that unhappy year it has never been absent, but has prevailed in
some parts of the country every summer. In 1916, it swept the
country in epidemic from. This year it again assumed epidemic,
though less extensive, proportions.
The exact cause or germ of this disease is still not definitely
known and, until that problem is conclusively solved, our knowledge
of, and means of combatting, the disease necessarily remains inade- .
quate.
It is probable that the disease is caused by a germ described
by Flexner and Noguchi in 1913 as the "globoid bodies." Certain
strains of streptococci have been claimed to be experimentally capable of producing the disease. In 1916 and 1917, the writer, in
association with Dr. Charles Norris, carried out some research work
at Bellevue Hospital to determine the cause of this disease. A streptococcus was found in the brain and spinal cord substance of patients
who died of this disease, but a similar organism was found in other
patients who died from other causes.
It seems determined that there is a very considerable natural
or acquired immunity to infantile paralysis. Thus, infants under six
months of age, and most adults have a low susceptibility to the disease. The period of greatest susceptibility is during the third and
fourth years. After the seventh year, natural immunity seems to
be rapidly acquired.
The germ lodges in the mucous membrane of the nose and
throat, and later attacks the central nervous system, particularly the
anterior horns of the spinal cord. These are the seat of muscle control and when destroyed there is loss of motor power in the muscles
.
WSHBmmtmmimmMmmm r i
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
47
controlled by that particular segment of the cord.
Dr. Amos of the Rockefeller Institute, and Dr. Taylor of the
Vermont State Board of Health, made the interesting observation
that when the germ is brought into contact with the secretions of the
nose and mouth, the secretions, in many persons, have the power of
destroying the germ.
Infantile paralysis is a communicable disease. It may be transmitted by a third person. It is, however, only slightly contagious by
direct contact. This is a great blessing, otherwise the disease would
be far more prevalent, and it explains why it is rare to have more
than one case in one family. This knowledge has rendered burdensome quarantine restrictions unnecessary.
The early symptoms of the disease are drowsiness, fever, headache, irritability, especially when moved, vomiting, and stiffness of
the neck, followed usually in a few days by inability to move some
set of muscles. These symptoms may all be present, or only a few
may be manifest, and it is better for the parents not to attempt tc
make a diagnosis, but to call the doctor immediately, put the child
to bed, and keep the other children away. If the family is unable to
pay for the services of a physician, the Health Department will
send a physician gratis.
Once the diagnosis is established, the case should remain under
medical supervision, not only until the acute symptoms subside, but
also until the resultant paralysis has been improved or cured. This
is necessarily a slow process, and usually takes months and
sometimes years. Supporting braces and various surgical procedure
are often necessary. Convalescent serum, or the serum of patients
who have had the disease, when used early, is of some value. The
Health Department has available a supply of such serum donated
by volunteers. Governor Roosevelt of New York was one of the
first who donated some blood to fight this scourge.
In conclusion, the following are quotations from a leaflet
issued by Dr. Shirley W. Wynne, Health Commissioner of New
York City.
"What should be done to avoid infantile -paralysis?
Follow the well-known and accepted rules that always
protect one during outbreaks of infectious (catching) disease.
Avoid crowds or groups, whether public or private.
Avoid all sick children as well as older persons who are ill.
�48
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Mothers should see to it that children:
Wash their hands frequently during the day and always
before eating.
Don't let your children be kissed by any one.
Are bathed daily.
What foods should be given to children?
Clean, wholesome food suitable for this time of the year.
Plenty of milk, fruit, fresh vegetables and eggs.
Keep food, especially milk, in the refrigerator.
Avoid fried foods or foods liable to upset the stomach.
Do not give money to your children to buy drink or food.
Buy them for your children.
Raw fruit and other foods eaten uncooked should be
carefully washed.
Bathing at beaches or swimming fools is safe if the water is
clean.
Sayings of Ali
pORBEARANCE is a covering shield, and mind a trenchant
sword. Cover, therefore, thy natural defects with the shield of
sword. Cover, therefore, thy natural defects with the shield of
restraint, and attack the morbidness of thy passion with the sword
of intellect.
CPEAK and thou shalt be known, for every man is hidden under
his tongue.
A VARICE is the breeder of all the vices. It is a halter by which
one may be led to all form of evil.
MEVER have I beheld a tyrant more like one who is oppressed
than he who harbors envy. He is ever the victim of a brooding
depression, a Wandering mindj and constant grief.
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
49
Political Developments in Syria
WILL FRANCE RENOUNCE
ITS SYRIAN MANDATE?
The Paris office of the Havas Agency on August 28 gave out a report
from Geneva that the French Government intended to renounce its inundate over Syria. Later this report
was declared premature and explained
by France's willingness to introduce
changes in the form of government in
Syria that she hopes will solve the
Syrian problem.
Political rumors have been thick
and varied during the past few
months because summer seems to be
the favorite season for political activities in Syria. The logical reason
is that High Commissioner Ponsot
would be in Paris and matters coming
up for consideration could be dealt
with definitely with the Ministry
of Foreign affairs.
Out of the maze of rumors afloat
one thing seems to stand out distinctly as being contemplated by the
French, and that is their conviction
that the Syrians must be given additional political rights than what
they now enjoy. But just what form
the solution of the problem will take
has not been yet determined. There
are those who insist that Syria will
be made a monarchy with former
King Ali of Arabia as King, while
others maintain that nothing short
of a regular republic will satisfy
the Nationalists who still are considered the strongest single bloc in
the country. Recently rumors would
have it that Emir Ali of Transjordania is being considered for the
proposed Syrian throne instead of his
brother Ali. King Feisal of Iraq,
another son of the late King Hussain,
''
-
-
-
-r*£x
'
is said to have taken up with the
French the question of the Syrian
throne while on his recent visit to
Paris.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
OCCUPYING THE LEBANESE
What created a sensation in political circles in Lebanon was a report in one of the Syrian papers that
Emil Eddy, former Premier and one
of those most prominently mentioned
for the Presidency in the 1932 elections, had advanced the suggestion
while in Paris that Lebanon cede the
city of Tripoli to Syria as a sea outlet and because of the fact that the
majority of the population of the
city are Moslems. The true object of
this move is ascribed to the desire
of Mr. Eddy to insure for Lebanon
an overwhelming Christian majority
and eliminate religion as a political
factor in the affairs of the country.
The rumor was dismissed as ridiculous by the Lebanese press which
insisted that not only is the religious
question definitely divorced from politics in Lebanon but that the Lebanese
will never permit the loss of any part
of their present territory.
The Lebanese Government continues
to face a grave deficit in the budget.
Michel Zakkour, a progressive journalist and a member of the Legislative Assembly, advanced the tentative proposal that members of that
body agree to a reduction in their
salaries, but, as would be expected,
his radical suggestion met with very
little favor. The idea of reducing
materially the membership of the
Legislative Assembly in the interest
of economy is consequently gaining
ground.
�-
50
UNREST IN PALESTINE
During the summer months, particularly August, there was fear of
grave disturbance in Palestine arising
from the government's decision to
permit the erection of sealed arsenals
in Jewish settlements with a view
to allowing the Jews access to them
in emergencies. This natural'y incensed the Arabs who planned to stag 3
demonstrations of protest which the
government, however, took measures
to prevent. Owing to these precau
tions the month of August, which
witnessed the bloody massacres of
1929, passed uneventfully with the
exception of a minor encounter in
Nablus.
The apparent determination of the
Arabs to protest the government's
action, however, had an unnerving effect on the Jews. A large number of
them were reported to have taken an
extended holiday in Damascus and
other parts of Syria to escape possible strife, according to Syrian press
reports.
While conditions in Palestine are
quiet on the surface, there seems to
be nothing to indicate a permanent
solution of the racial problem between
the Arabs and the Jews. Joseph Levy,
in his dispatches to the New York
Times, reports that the Arab nationalist movement in Palestine is assuming tremendous proportions to the
extent of arousing the strongest political consciousness even among the
fellaheen. This would indicate that
tflie hopes of the Zionists for the
establishment of a truly national Jewish home in the country may never
be fully realized. Even were the Jews
to become a majority in the country,
according to this correspondent, such
a majority would be as a drop in
the ocean in comparison with the
millions of surrounding Arabs. And
these Arabs are now becoming fully
politically conscious. A strong element in Palestine is now agitating
THE SYRIAN WORLD
for a pan-Arab movement as against
a pan-Islamic movement with the
object of demonstrating Arab solidarity free from religious stigma.
Among the Jews, on the other hand,
there are those who oppose a political
Jewish homeland and urge an amicable understanding with the Arabs
for the mutual advantage of both
peoples. This the Arabs would only
be too willing to consider once they
are satisiied the Jews have renounced
all political ambitions. Arab leaders
have time and again declared they
would welcome the Jews as settlers
in reasonable numbers, and sanction
their establishment of a national cultural home in Palestine, providing
their activities are confined to this
idea alone.
SULTAN PASHA ATRASH
COMING TO AMERICA?
What some Syrian papers claim as
authentic, reliable information, is that
Sultan Pasha Atrash, leader of the
Syrian revolution of 1925-6 is coming
to the United States in person in
view of the gravity of the conditions
of the Syrian war refugees now in
the Arabian desert. The plight of
these brave Druze warriors who have
preferred voluntary exile to surrender
has aroused the pity and the admiration of the world. They have undergone the severest privations and hardships and for the past several years
have been subsisting mainly on contributions sent them from sympathizers in America. Lately, however,
contributions have been slow and
meager, reducing the refugees almost
to the point of starvation. Hence the
reported decision of their leader to
come to the United States.
The New Syria Party has started
a campaign for raising sufficient funds
to care for the refugees during the
coming winter, proposing regular donations of $1.00 a month by every
Syrian family in America.
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
51
TTTF
SYRIAN WORLD
NEWS SECTION
VOL. VI. NO. 1.
SECOND MAHRAJAN
HELD IN DETROIT
Syrians and Lebanese of Michigan and
Neighboring States Flock in
Thousands to Paris Park.
The Mahrajan has definitely become
a national institution for the Syrians
and Lebanese of the United States.
The growing success attending its
celebration on the first and second
years leaves no doubt of the popularity of the idea. The celebration has
been given also the official name of
Mahrajan since it denotes the spirit
of a national festival. -And such has
been the spirit characterizing the two
celebrations so far held on two successive years.
The Detroit Mahrajan was held at
Paris Park, a thirty five-acre picnic
grounds on the outskirts of the city
fully equipped for such purposes. The
celebration lasted the two days of
Sept. 6 and 7 and was replete with
enjoyable activities during every minute of the time.
The Mahrajan idea originated with
tht Lebanon League of Progress of
New York, a national organization of
the Lebanese in the United States.
The Detroit celebration was held under the joint auspices of the national
organization and a local committee of
St. Maron Society.
Sunday afternoon the formal opening exercises were held in the vast
open air auditorium of the park and
were presided over by Mr. Antoun
i-V-Xii
SEPTEMBER 1931.
Azoury of the local committee. Madame Fedora Kurban and John Fayyad sang the Star Spangled Banner
while the brothers Paul and George
Nasr sang the Lebanese anthem.
Speeches on this occasion were restricted to Arabic inasmuch as the
English function was set for the following day. The speakers included
Elias Gastin, President of St. Maron
Society for the Detroit committee;
Salloum A. Mokarzel, editor of the
Syrian World, representing his brother
N. A. Mokarzel, editor of Al-Hoda
and President of the Lebanon League
of Progress of New York; Rev. Elias
Asmar, pastor of St. Maron church
of Detroit; Rt. Rev. Antony Bashir,
editor of the magazine Al~Khalidat;
and Abbas Aboo Shakra of Detroit,
Emir Joseph Bellamah of Montreal,
Canada, Salim George of Detroit, John
Hindy of Detroit, William Farran of
Toledo, Ohio, and Philip Abraham of
Wheeling, W. Va., each of whom recited an original poem composed for
the occasion.
The American speakers on the following day were highly eulogistic of
the civic virtues of the Syrians and
Lebanese of Detroit. They included
Judge Joseph Gillis, representing the
Governor of Michigan; Miss Emilia
Schaub, representing the Mayor of
Detroit; State Representative J. Callahan; Clem Woodbury of the American Legion and others. Salloum A.
Mokarzel who presided at this meeting, responded and urged the Syrians
and Lebanese to maintain the high
�52
reputation they have acquired as law
abiding and industrious citizens.
Other speakers at this meeting were
Mrs. K. Ghosn, President of the Syrian-Lebanese Ladies' Society of Detroit, Joseph Youakim, editor of the
local Arabic paper Al-Ittehad, and
Sassin Roukos.
A fair-complexioned girl of about
eight years was led to the platform
with the request that she be permitted
to say a few words. Her name was
Gloria Abu Slaiman and was represented as an American child adopted
by a Lebanese family. She did speak,
but in such fluent Arabic as to put
to shame many a child of native Syrian and Lebanese parents.
During the two days the four thousand persons or more who entered the
park engaged in their favorite pastimes such as is possible to them only
on very rare opportunifiies. There
were the native dances, songs, sword
play, poetical improvisation and the
like. It was a festive occasion fully
enjoyed by all and one that afforded
many friends the only opportunity
they had of meeting each other in
years. Some of those attending came
from Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Lansing,
Flint, and many places in Canada.
SYRIAN TEXAS CLUB
DOING SPLENDID WORK.
Spirit Displayed Deserves Emulation
by all Syrian Clubs Throughout
the Country.
The actions of the Young Men's
Amusement Club of Port Arthur, Tex.,
belie its name. This society of young
Syrians may be given up to amusement activities, which is perfectlynatural and receives our hearty encouragement. But judging by the souvenir program of the convention of
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Syrian societies of the Southwest held
under its auspices July 4 and 5, its
amusements run along extremely serious lines. The spirit it shows is
worthy of emulation by any body of
mature adults and deserves the highest commendation. We not only are in
hearty accord with this society, but
are frankly proud of its spirit.
This Syrian Club of Port Arthur is
working towards a splendid ideal,
that of forming a federation of Syrian societies in the Southwest which
eventually would be merged into a
national federation. This is in complete accord with the proposition of
the Syrian World, advanced some
years ago, for a federation of Syrian
societies in the country. We would be
happy to consider the proposed regional federation of the Southwest
the cornerstone of the national structure. We are indeed heartened by
this renewal of interest in this all
important project. May the spirit
prove infectious.
We also take pleasure in reproducing from the program of the Young
Men's Amusement Club of Port Arthur, Texas, an editorial appearing
under the title "Pioneers" which indicates deep feeling and true understanding of the American social structure and of the Syrians' special position as compared to earlier comers.
The editorial follows:
PIONEERS
We who live in this country are
constantly reminded of the debt we
owe our pioneer fathers. As this is
a new nation we are forever commemorating some historical incident
and the persons connected with it.
All these things are commonplace to
the citizens of a young country as
ours, but none the less, praise and
credit will never cease to be poured
into the coffers of those who blazed
the trail for our comforts, convenj-
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
ences, and all that goes with our
modern America.
When we think of pioneers, we associate them with those rugged souls
who helped build our country. But
there is another pioneer to whom
we Syrian Americans have let pass
"unhonored and unsung." His name
is not shouted from the hill tops nor
praised in books. Unconciously, we
have relegated him to oblivion. He
is not a master of our rich civilization,
nor a certain individual that contributed to the enrichment of our lives
He lives with us today in America
Our fathers! They came here unaccustomed to the tempo of the new
life; the merits or demerits of their
heritage were buried in the quicksands
of a different land. They started life
over again; they dwelt in privation of
the necessities of life. By bundled
knapsacks they started business that
we, their children, might enjoy a
right to a comfortable life. Today,
some are merchant princes or high
in their professions, and some are
not, but their successes or failures
cannot be measured by commercial
standards, for the opportunities they
made possible for us are beyond our
fondest hopes to repay.
As members of the new generation
we can perpetuate their ideas and
ideals, tempered with our American
traits. It is through young Syrian
clubs that we can acknowledge the
debt we owe our fathers. Those who
serve the Syrian-American spirit also
serve their fathers. Ours can be no
ordinary venture, for via these clubs
we may let the world know who we
are and what we propose to do, for
we are but the products of our inheritance.
We also take the liberty of reproducing their appraisal of the Syrian
World as published in their program.
While we would hold up their friendly
attitude as the proper one to be taken
53
by every Syrian-American, we wish
to extend the Young Men's Amusement Club our hearty thanks for their
expressions of good wishes.
The following is their published
appraisal of the Syrian World and
its mission:
THE SYRIAN WORLD
If you were a merchant, doctor or
housekeeper, and were engrossed in
>our work, you would doubtless be
muchly interested in reading every!
thing pertaining to your trade, profession or vocation. Through the
Printed word you would find much to
add to your knowledge and interest
oi the game.
To fill such a need for h
generation of Syrian-Americans, the
wr„T
I ', 3 m°nthly m»Wzine
written in English dealing with Syrian
affairs and Arabic literature, was
launched in 1926 by S. A. Mokarzel or
New York City, ft therefore furnishes the young man or woman with
the same line of reading matter in
English which their parents have in
Arabic.
By virtue of it being the only magazine of its kind printed
i
«J
the Synan World becomes the official
organ of young Syrians in America.
Anyone having an iota of regard for
his race would grasp the first opportunity of becoming posted on things
Synan through this magazine.
Many have become ardent readers
of the periodical merely by the interest aroused in reading their first
issue. It is our magazine and it is
therefore our responsibility to see
that it continues in its publication,
for it reflects the very things we are
nghmg for.
The Y M. A. C. is interested in the
Syrian World and hopes that it will
overcome its present difficulties which
are due to insufficient support through
subscriptions.
�54
SYRIAN-AMERICAN SOCIETY
PLANS A FEDERATION
The Syrian-American Citizens' Society of Lawrence, Mass., has started
an active campaign to form a Syrian American Federation of the Syrian
societies of New England. It has invited all societies of the section to a
convention it has called for October
22, 23 and 24 to be held at the Lawrence State Aimory. In conjunction
with the launching of this movement
it has decided to conduct an Oriental
bazaar for the primary purpose of
raising funds to defray the expense
of the visiting delegates.
The Syrian World welcomes the
cumulative signs of the racial consciousness displayed by the growing
inclination for collective action. Regional federations of Syrian soeietes
in particular sections are the logical
first steps in the direction of forming
the national federation. We sincerely
trust the undertaking of the SyrianAmerican Citizens' Society of Lawrence will be attended with complete
success.
SYRIAN GIRL ACHIEVES
SUCCESS AS TYPIST.
Hailed as the world's most versatile
stenographer, Miss Olga Elkouri has
been engaged by the Remington-Rand
Company as a demonstrator of their
typewriter under a contract running
for a number of years. She is now
touring the country displaying not
only the responsiveness of the typewriter but her own extensive versatility.
Miss Elkouri is capable of writing
135 words a minute with music, a
feat that places her in a class by
herself. During the first week of September she was featured by Paramount Sound News under the significant caption "The Keys to Success."
She also has gone on the air teaching
THE SYRIAN WORLD
VERSATILE TYPIST
Miss Olga Elkouri
the touch system in operating the
typewriter in eight simple lessons of
an exclusive method she has devised.
Her versatility is carried to the point
where she can maintain her record
of writing 135 words a minute from
a given copy while singing in any
of the three languages she knows—
English, Arabic and Spanish.
Miss Elkouri was born in Jedaidat
Marj'youn but was brought to the
United States by her parents when
still in her infancy. She was brought
up in Oklahoma but now makes her
residence in Detroit, Mich.
SYRIAN PIANIST MAKES
REGULAR BROADCASTS.
Miss Louise Yazbeck of Shreveport,
La., may be heard every Sunday over
station KWKH, 850 kilocycles, at 10:45
P. M. Central Standard Time. She
specializes in Oriental
prograi. .s
either of her own composition or se-
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
lected from the works of Oriental composers, principally those of Mr. Alexander Maloof of New York. The appreciation of her entertainment is attested by a large number of letters
received from all sections of the country.
Miss Yazbeck spent the summer
months at Washington University
completing an advanced course in
music.
55
SYRIAN FLYER
SYRIAN GIRL WINNER
IN DISTRICT AUDITION
Shreveport, La. papers announced
that Miss Olga Maroun of that city
had won the unaminous decision of
the nine judges as the winner of the
district contest held late in July for
the National Atwater Kent annual
competition to be held in November.
This is the first time, it was stated, a
contestant has been so honored.
Miss Maroun is an ideal type for
the musical profession, according to
the opinion of critics, because of her
having a beautiful, rich dramatic
voice of wide range and deep feeling,
as well as being an accomplished
linguist, singing equally as well in
French and Italian. She is 22 and
has studied under the best teachers
both in Shreveport and New York.
SYRIAN GIRL FLIER
GIVEN PILOT'S LICENSE.
Miss Alice B. Coury of Hopewell,
W. Va., was awarded a Private Pilot's
License on Aug. 12, having passed the
U. S. Government requirements pertaing to aeronautics. The Government, however, gives two other licenses, those of Limited Commercial
and Transport., and Miss Coury expects to receive these remaining two
in the course of a year, when she
hopes to have acquired sufficient ex-
Miss Alice B. Coury
perience and flying time.
Miss Coury was born in Manchester,
N. H., in 1910 and was fascinated by
flying since she was in her early teens.
She could not, however, take up the
game seriously before the age of sixteen, and this interval she used in
acquiring a liberal education. She
is now the secretary of the Retail
Merchants' Association of Hopewell,
W. Va., where she is living with her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Assaf George
Coury.
LEBANON NATIONAL BANK
UNDERGOES LIQUIDATION
The present economic depression
has weighed heavily on the Lebanon
National Bank of New York, forcing
it into liquidation. In fairness to its
management, it should be stated that
this move was consummated without
the slightest loss to depositors. The
�56
Manufacturers Trust Company of New
York took charge of the liquidation
at the request of the Board of Directors of the Lebanon National.
It is cause for genuine regret that
this once promising Syrian financial
institution should be forced to close
its doors. It was, however, in the category of the smaller banks operating
in a tremendously expanded market
and but scantily equipped for the
battle of strong competition. Nor did
the Syrian element give it the proper
support from the viewpoint of a racial institution.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
RESEARCHER
SYRIAN WORLD EDITOR
BROADCASTS ON SYRIANS
On Thursday, Sept. 10, the editor
of the Syrian World gave a radio
talk over Station WHN in New York
on the Syrians in the United States.
The broadcast was under the auspices
of the National Y. M. C. A. and the
Fellowship of Faiths. Both the present standing of the Syrians in America and their historical background
were covered with a view to giving
the general public a better understanding of our people.
SYRIAN GIRL ENGAGED
IN RESEARCH WORK
The local papers of Calumet, Mich.,
announce the appointment of Miss
Irene Nicholas, a Syrian girl of the
city, to membership in the national
committee on international affairs of
the Young Women's Christian Association. Miss Nicholas is said to be
the only Syrian co-ed in a mid-west
university and has been for a long
time connected with university and
Y. W. C. A. activities in research and
statistical work among the foreign
born. She also has given a number
of lectures on Syria and the Syrians
Miss Irene Nicholas
and other subjects with which she is
familiar, especially those pertaining to
the East.
SYRIAN M. D. ESTABLISHES
COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
There was apparently great joy in
Elk City, Okla., on Aug. 14, on the
occasion of the dedication of the Community Hospital which was hailed as
one of the major civic enterprises of
the city. Local papers devoted pages
to the description of the exercises
and the history of the undertaking.
All agreed that the enterprise was
made possible through the energy
and devotion of Dr. M. Shadid, founder of the Co-operative Health Association which is running the hospital.
It is always pleasing to hear of the
realization of an ideal of whatever
nature. Dr. Shadid has an ideal of
unselfish public service and he has
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
undertaken to realize it along the line
of his profession. He maintained that
medical fees and hospital charges
were high, far too high to be within
the reach of the average family, and
to provide adequate medical care at
reasonable rates became his obsession.
With characteristic energy he set
himself to work forming a cooperative
association for the establishment of a
community hospital where the charges
would not only be extremely moderate
but the patients assured the most expert attention. And he succeeded.
Dr. Shadid is a Lebanese from Jedaidat Marj'youn and a graduate of
Washington University in St. Louis,
Mo. Having had a succesful professional career, his love for public service prompted him to enter the field
of politics, receiving the nomination
for congress on the Farmer-Labor ticket in 1928. Later he went to Syria to
study the possibility of establishing
a hospital there or reclaiming land for
large scale farming. The community
hospital of his home town in Oklahoma, however, proved to have first
claim on his attention.
ARAB NATIONAISM
DISPLAYED IN RELIGION
For over two years the Syrian Orthodox church of Antioch was without a Patriarch because of internal
differences among its bishops. One
of the principal reasons of these differences, as stated publicly in the press
was the resentment of the Arab element of interference in Syrian church
affairs by "foreign" Orthodox influence, chiefly that coming from the
Greek element whose yoke the Syrians
had thrown off nearly thirty years
ago.
A similar state of affairs has lately
developed in the Orthodox church of
Palestine upon the recent death of its
57
Greek Patriarch. The Orthodox Palestinians are now agitating for the
e'ection of an Arab Patritrch, threatening to join another Christian body
if their wishes are disregarded. The
spirit of nationalism and independence
has been carried to the point of refusing submission to foreigners even in
church matters. The movement is
said to be general among the Orthodox of Palestine and it seems most
likely that their demands will be
granted. They have served notice on
the mandatory authorities that under
no circumstances will they afcceptj
other than an Arab Patriarch, because
of rumors that the British were favoring the status quo in the Orthodox
religious succession.
SYRIANS IN UPPER
AMAZON UNDER ATTACK
A town on the upper Amazon in
Brazil which the Syrians helped build
nearly twenty years ago, and where
they still remain the only merchants,
was recently attacked by Brazilian
outlaws and the lives of the inhabitants exposed to great danger, according to a special communication to
Al-Bayan, an Arabic newspaper of
New York, published in its issue of
September 2.
In giving the history of the town,
named Brazilia, the correspondent
stated that the Syrians first settled
it and established in it extensive rubber plantations. They remain to this
day the only element engaged in commercial activities in the town, and
their employees in various business
and industrial activities are counted
by the hundreds.
On the morning of June 14, according to the correspondent, an organized
attack by outlaws was launched on
the town and the authorities ordered
all stores closed, and hurriedly armed
�58
the citizens as best they could. The
local defenders, however, were unequal to the task of repelling the outlaws who were well armed and numbered several hundred men. Not until a strong Bolivian force came to
the rescue did the besieged inhabitants feel comparative'y safe.
The correspondent seems particularly concerned about future protection for himself and his countrymen,
especially since they have considerable
investments that excite the envy and
the greed of the lawless element which
abounds in the upper reaches of the
Amazon.
He asks if France, because of its mandate ovar Syria, would
be willing to afford the necessary
protection if it is appealed to, especially since it has consistently denied
the Syrians the right of foreign diplomatic representation.
ARABS OF THE DESERT
RENEW THEIR WARFARE
The end of hostilities between the
two powerful tribes of the Syrian
desert, the Hudaidis and the Mowalis,
does not appear to be in sight. The
Syrian papers of August report that
a new conflict has broken out in which
another emir of the Mowalis was slain
by his enemies, and but for the timely
intervention of the armed forces
which the French authorities had
stationed in the desert for the express
purpose of holding the two enemy
tribes at bay, the golden desert sand
over an extensive area would have
turned crimson.
And all this came about through
the unfortunate incident wherein a
young man of one tribe kidnaped a
girl of the other tribe and fled with
her in the trackless desert. To the
present time the pair have not been
apprehended, but the trail of blood
they have left behind them seems to
?HE SYRIAN WORLD
be endless.
And the French, who coined the
famous saying "cherchez la femme,"
are again finding justification of their
adage in the farthest ends of the
Syrian desert.
GANDHI CHAMPIONS
LEBANESE PAPER
When the Lebanesa governm:nt susTended Zah'e Al Fatat (Young Zahle)
its resourceful editor, Shukri Baccash
wrote to Gand'hi, the Indian leader, for
his support. Gandhi answered him as
follows:
"It has given me great pleasure to
receive yovr letter, and despite my
numerous dutiss imposed by my forthcoming visit to London, I hasten to
write to you that it affords me deep
satisfaction to listen to a tormented
spirit whose voice reaches me from
the Near East.
"Not only do I protest in the name
of Young India against the action of
those who caused the suspension of
Young Zahle, but I wish to declare,
and do hereby authorize you to make
declaration in my name, that life can
never be guaranteed any government
or people without the freedom of the
press."
PROMINENT SURGEON IN
THE AMERICAN NAVY
Al-Hoda of New York reports that
the surgeon of the U. S. Battleship
Wyoming, Dr. Wadih S. Rizk, is a
Syrian, the son of Mr. & Mrs. Salim
Rizk of Jacksonville, Fla.
The Wyoming is the ship that came
to the rescue of the submarine Nautilus when it was in distress while on
its way from the United States to
Europe preparatory to its projected
expedition to the North Pole under
the ice.
w
�SEPTEMBER, 1931
5g
HEILBRONN'S
5TH AVENUE AT 53RD STREET
BROOKLYN. N. Y.
| A METROPOLITAN DEPARTMENT STORE!
I
located in Bay Ridge, the most |
beautiful residential section of the §§
greater city.
g
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| A LARGE MODERN STORE!
jj
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speedily reached by 4th Ave. Sub- 1
way (53rd St. Station) Busses and jj
several trolley lines.
a
| A FRIENDLY FAMILY STORE!
jj
jj
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where every customer receives per- 1
sonal attention and individual ser- =
vice—making shopping here a 1
pleasurebale pastime.
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669814A
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
AUTHENTIC
ORIENTAL RUGS
THE A.
(S
SLEYMAN COMPANY, INC.
276 5th AVENUE
NEW YOFK CITY
|§)
Phone BOgardus 4-4345
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
m
IT IS YOURS
is the only Syrian publication printed
in English, and as such is the organ of the Syrians in Ajnerica.
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
�,
'"
".
-. -
—
:
SEPTEMBER, 1931
61
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 of our services or funeral parlors.
Telephone—MAIN 1398-1399-8130-3655
SHEIK
RESTAURANT
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.
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.
RESTORATIVE: Call the
THE KOURI CARPET
CLEANING CORPORATION
Second Foor for Banquets and
Private Parties
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
KIRDAHY RESTAURANTS,
Inc.
65 WASHINGTON ST.,
New York
t
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'»TTT»^f>TT TtTtT<f?»»y^
�Indispensable
A,
kRABIC language publishers
in America find the Linotype indispensable and
have come to realize its great versatility. In the
United States they use it for both Arabic and
English, and in South America for Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese. The same machine could be
used for any language with the mere change of
type, and this without affecting its ability to
cast an innumerable variety of ornaments, rules,
borders and the like. The result is that all newspapers, magazines, books, pamphlets and other
such work with all borders and ornaments can
be done on the Linotype exclusively, insuring
economy in production and a clean, artistic
typographical appearance.
MERCENTHALER
J» TRADE
LINOTYPE^)
An illustrated descriptive catalog
of the Arabic Linotype sent free
upon request.
LINOTYPE METRC FAMILY
�n>UUJlS'
^ys jt:^-l LC^.1 ^J ^J^JI ^^JU^OL'
yl ^ ^ 1 £~^ ^ *
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LINOTYPE
CO.
Brooklyn, New York, U. S. A.
Cable: LINOTYPE, NEW YORK
*L,y LjJl WAux)
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__——.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
64
;f\3
ATTENTION!
ek>
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FORWARD!
SAFE!
MARCH ON TO PROGRESS!
START A BANK ACCOUNT
IMMEDIATELY
LET
YOUR
MONEY
Accumulate for Future
NEEDS AND HAPPINESS
INTEREST
4 .%
Per 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.
Capital and Surplus Over $500,000.00
85
WASHINGTON ST.,
NEW YORK CITY
I
�
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
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Salloum Mokarzel, a Lebanese American intellectual, founded<em> The Syrian World</em> in 1926. Salloum Mokarzel was the younger brother of Naoum Mokarzel, the publisher of the Arabic-language newspaper <em>Al-Hoda. </em>Together, the Mokarzel brothers ran Al-Hoda Publishing, and in 1909, they published <em>The Syrian Business Directory.</em> </p>
<p>Mokarzel created <em>The Syrian World</em> in order to document and celebrate the culture and history of "Syria." At the time, Syria referred to the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. The publication was primarily aimed towards second-generation children of immigrants, but Mokarzel hoped that it would also appeal to the general American public.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p><em>The Syrian World</em> was published between 1926 and 1932 as a journal. In 1932, the format was changed from an academic journal style to a newspaper style, which continued until the periodical's end in 1935. After the death of his brother Naoum, Salloum took over the publication of <em>Al-Hoda.</em></p>
<p>The articles in <em>The Syrian World</em> cover a variety of topics spanning from the practical to the theoretical. Practical subjects include international and domestic travel, historical and contemporary Arabic and Arab-American art and literature, and the mental and physical health and hygiene of immigrants. More theoretical, philosophical, and ideological subjects include ideologies of race, the changing role of women, the formation of Syrian and Lebanese-American societies, and the political and psychological relationships between immigrants and their countries of origin.</p>
<p>All issues of <em>The Syrian World</em> are available, along with full indexes for the first four volumes. For volumes five and six, there are tables of contents at the start of the issues.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabs--United States
Arabic periodicals
Newspapers
Arab American Newspapers
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
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
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1926-1935
Relation
A related resource
<em><a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Syrian Business Directory</a></em>
<a href="http://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mokarzel Family Papers</a>
<a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11299/175685" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annotated Index to the Syrian World, 1926-1932</a> at the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center Archives
<a href="https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/collections/show/58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Al-Hoda Newspapers</em></a>
Language
A language of the resource
English
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Claire A. Kempa, 2015-2017. Collection Guide written by Claire A. Kempa, 2017.
Collection Guide updated by Laura Lethers, 2023 August.
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.
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_09reducedWM
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Volume 06, Issue 01
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1931 September
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 6 Issue 01 of The Syrian World published September 1931. The issue opens with an editorial announcement of policy changes in the paper. The beginning of this issue primarily highlights upcoming changes, contributors, and plans for the future. What follows this introduction is more of Kahlil Gibran, including an account of the farewell ceremonies to his body in America by Barbara Young, and a farewell to Gibran from Salloum Mokarzel. While many of the same contributors are exhibited in this issue, such as Katibah, Salim Y. Alkzain, Thomas Asa, Dr. F. I. Shatara, and Salloum Mokarzel, there are also several new additions, including an entire section dedicated to the month's news. Some of the newer contributors featured are Bahia Al-Musheer and Edna K. Saloomey. The issue closes out the same as in the previous volumes by addressing political developments in Syria and other Syrian world news.
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
Bahia Al-Musheer
Barbara Young
Edna K. Saloomey
F.I. Shatara
Habib I. Katibah
Kahlil Gibran
New York
Salim Alkazin
Thomas Asa