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VOL. Ill No. 12
•• .lift Ufi£
JUNE, 1929
THE
SYRIAN WORLD
A MONTHLY MAGAZINE IN ENGLISH DEALING
WITH SYRIAN AFFAIRS AND ARABIC LITERATURE
i
EDUCATION AND CATASTROPHE
DK. BAYABD DODGE
RIHANI'S EXPERIENCES IN ARABIA
AMEEN RIHANI
THE GREATNESS OF JOHN HASBANI
REV. W. A. MANSUR
THE REWARD OF HONESTY
DR. PHJLIP K. HITTI
OTHER ARTICLES AND POEMS BY
Rev. Dr. K. A. Bishara, Dr. George Knaysi, Labeebee A. J.
Hanna, Thomas Asa, Josephine M. Crick
mm
��THE
SYRIAN WORLD
SALLOUM
A.
MOKARZEE,
Editor.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SYRIAN-AMERICAN PRESS
104
GREENWICH STREET, NEW YORK,
By subscription 55.00 a year.
N. Y.
Single copies 50c.
Entered as second-class matter, June 25, 1926, at the post office at New
York, N. Y., under the act of March
3, 1879.
JUNE, 1929
VOL. Ill No. 12
CONTENTS
PAGE
Education and Catastrophe
3
Dr. Bayard Dodge
RihanPs Experiences in Arabia
12
Ameen Rihani
Will You Come Back? (Poem)
....
18
Labeebee A. J. Hanna
The Greatness of John Hasbani (Short Story)
19
Rev. W. A. Mansur
Wings (Poem)
27
Thomas Asa
lu
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-.
_..,
.
. ,f „_.,_,.
�CONTENTS (Continued)
PAGE
The Reward of Honesty
28
Dr. Philip K. Hitti
The Green of Innisfail (Poem)
32
Josephine M. Crick
The Biological Significance of Youth and Age
33
Dr. George Knaysi
Music—East and West
35
Rev. Dr. K. A. Bishara
Editorial Comment
Changing Frequency of Issue of The Syrian World 37
The Federation
39
Spirit of the Syrian Press
40
Readers* Forum
43
About Syria and Syrians
45
News of Societies
55
THE SYRIAN WORLD WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED
DURING JULY AND AUGUST
(Read Statement On Page 37)
Ett
�THE
SYRIAN WORLD
JUNE, 1929
VOL. Ill No. 12
Education and Catastrophe
By
DR. BAYARD DODGE
President American University of Beirut
I
The popular English writer, Mr. H. G. Wells, has written
the phrase, "History — a race between education and catastrophe."
If there was any place where education flourished in the ancient world, it was around the Roman forum. Philosophers gathered from all parts of the Empire to ennoble the capital with
their learning. Ancient superstitions disappeared in the light of
new wisdom, and crude ideas of religion changed to the lofty
idealism of Epictetus and the Emperor, Morcus Aurelius.
Science developed to make possible the construction of magnificent buildings. The forum became a wonder of the ancient
world, because of the beauty and size of its temples, triumphal
arches, and amphitheatres. From the marble palaces beside the
forum, the Caesars sent forth their soldiers to conquer the world,
by means of their science in constructing ships, engines of war, and
weapons of defense.
At the same time, their imperial engineers set out to build
gigantic acqueducts, and a network of highways and post routes,
which reached the North Sea and across the sands to the borders
of Iraq and Arabia.
' Orators held the Roman mob spellbound in the courts of the
forum. Drama flourished in the theatres; music and art were
there, as well as poetry. The heart of the Roman Empire was
adorned with a brilliancy of culture.
Education transcended differences of race and sect. Egypt-
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
ian devotees of Sarapis; Syrian worshippers of Adonis; Greeks
fresh from the Hall of Mysteries at Eleusis, and eunuch priests
of Cybele met with giant warriors of Gaul and ebony chiefs of
Ethiopia in a common appreciation of that culture, which blossomed on the Seven Hills of Rome.
From the marble porticoes of the forum, there radiated out
a sparkling enlightenment, which shone in marked contrast to
the dark ignorance of the Huns, Vandals and other tribes that
harrassed the frontiers of the Empire.
Today the glory of the forum is faded, the life of its courts
has perished, the temples and palaces are ground to dust. Plundered are the treasures, overturned are the columns, and forgotten are all but a few of the men of learning. Ignorant hordes
'of illiterate barbarians broke the proud spirit of Rome and left
her a ruin, bereft of power and learning.
Education lost and the struggle was won by catastrophe.
If we study the cause of Rome's fall, we discover an unexpected truth. It was not because of the strength of the barbarians
on the frontiers that the Empire collapsed. As long as the Romans kept strong and brave, their legions were able to scorn the
wild tribes that threatened them.
Rome rotted from within, and that very culture and education, which seemed to be her glory, was really her nemesis.
What was true of Rome was equally true of Baghdad. At
one time mistress of half the world, pride of the caliphs, and
centre of culture, she symbolized learning and enlightenment.
Her scholars kept alive the best thought of the East and transmitted the lost learning of Greece to later generations. In an
age of religious sterility, her Arab masters awakened faith in God.
Because of education, Baghdad shone out as a beacon light in the
East, whose brilliancy lit up Europe and helped to start the Renaissance.
Yet amid this atmosphere of learning and culture, the people
of Baghdad grew lazy and weak. Slaves robbed them of their
heritage of true manhood and foreign servants did their thinking
for them. Thus Baghdad too was ground to dust by ignorant
Tartars from the bleak steppes of Asia, her education being overtaken by catastrophe.
In order to understand why Rome and Baghdad fell, let us
ask,—what are the effects of education?
In the first place, peasants leave their farms to seek the at-
�JUNE, 1929
5
tractions of the great cities. As formerly they passed from the
gardens of the Orontes to the busy markets of Antioch, today
they abandon their Lebanon terraces to flood the streets of Beirut.
In the second place, enlightened people shrink from the sordidness of commerce and industry, to spend their money for social pleasure. Once a landlord might have farmed out his lands
to slaves, so that he could mount his chariot and drive to the villas
of Pompeii. Today a man will abandon his farm and business
house, to spend his fortune on motors and new pleasures from
abroad.
In the third place, an educated man loses the rugged strength
of farm life and becomes too weak of limb and too fond of luxury to be a soldier in time of war. If there is hard manual labor
to perform, or fighting to be done, he hires ignorant mercenaries
to do it for him.
In the fourth place, humble faith in old traditions of religion is turned to materialism and unbelief. Formerly an Epicurus could deny the powrer of gods over nature and exalt pleasure
as the end of life. 'Omar Khayyam could flaunt the faith of the
'Ulema in orthodox religion and sing the praises of women and
wine in his enchanted rhapsodies. Thus today many a man is losing faith in the traditions of his fathers, before the inexorable
advance of science.
In the fifth place/simpie home life gives way to public meetings and amusements. In Rome, education drew men from their
quiet homes to classic dramas, pageants of the arena, and political discussions in the market place. Today history repeats itself
as so-called "enlightenment" empties the homes and fills the
cinemas and places of recreation.
In the sixth place, educated women demand freedom. The
cultured daughter of some proper Roman matron would break
away from her mother's housekeeping, to mingle naked with
the elite of Roman society in the imperial bathing clubs of the
Caesars. Today educated girls cast off their veils and mingle
gaily in the enjoyment of European amusements.
Lastly, as education gives freedom from ancient prejudices
and social traditions, it inevitably brings moral laxity. The
iron physique of ancient Rome was rotted by venereal disease, as
simple virtue gave way to vice. Today the educated peoples of
great western cities are too often scorning old notions of morality
and creating new centers of shame, that outdo Babylon herself.
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
Since the cannons of the great war ceased to roar, a new
day has dawned for the Arabic speaking lands. No longer are
they isolated and content to be cut off from the fruitage of science and invention of the West. They are anxious to partake
of so-called "modern progress' and to gain prosperity as people
of Europe and America have attained it. In this hour of rejuvenation the Eastern peoples have come to believe that education is a cure-all for weakness and a basis for progress.
New systems of government certificates are being adopted.
Many private and government schools are being built up in Palestine and Syria. New universities are forming at Cairo and
Damascus. The Shah of Persia is sending over a hundred students to be educated in Europe and Iraq is developing an active
system of state schools.
On all sides you hear people saying that there will be prosperity and progress, if there can only be enough educated men to
understand modern methods and to enjoy the advantages of
science. Statesmen feel that differences of race and sect will
disappear, as soon as education becomes common j that superstition and bigotry will fade away as soon as the people become enlightened. It is a popular belief held by cabinet ministers and
peasants alike, that public wealth, national unity, and workable
democracy depend upon education and that education is the one
means of avoiding catastrophe.
What a challenge this situation offers, both to teachers in
schools and to educated people themselves!
Is our education to be truly a blessing, or is it to sap our
manhood, to rot our morality, and to create materialism, until
modern civilization is wrecked, as were those of Baghdad and
Rome?
At this point it is important for us to appreciate three fundamental things about education: In the first place it is a weapon
of tremendous power. "The pen is mightier than the sword."
Ability to think deeply and to set down those thoughts for all to
read wields an influence of great force. In these days when
printing has given even the poor a chance to read, the masters
of men are not the military rulers, but the men of education, who
formulate public opinion by power of the pen.
In the second place, education may be a force either for
good or for evil. Like electricity, if it is controlled, it will give
light, but if unharnessed as the lightning, it will strike to destruc-
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�JUNE, 1929
'
tion. The problem of our age is to use our culture and enlightenment to strengthen manhood, to purify morality, and to quicken
progress, so that we can enjoy civilization to the utmost, free
from danger of catastrophe.
In the third place, we must realize that our modern civilization cannot exist without education. Today a taxi chauffeur must
have a more practical knowledge of physics and machinery than
did Archimedes and Galileo of old. When I was a child in New
York City, a ditch for a water pipe used to be dug by newly
arrived immigrants. When I visited New York last winter, I
noticed that ditches were no longer being dug by ignorant men.
Today a ditch is made by a great steam shovel, which accomplishes the labor of scores of uneducated immigrants. To manage the shovel a highly trained mechanic is necessary.
In ancient days an ignorant brute could sit in a gallery, with
lash in hand, and force his slaves to pull their oars and drive the
ship ahead. At the present time it requires the graduate of an
intricate engineering course to manipulate complicated engines,
which propel the ship across the waves. If we examine the Temple of Baalbek, the Colosseum at Rome, or the great aqueducts
of ancient times, we realize that in spite of their huge size these
structures could have been built merely by master mechanics. To
construct them required artistic designing, accurate measuring,
and expert stone fitting. Higher mathematics, chemistry, and
advanced physics were not needed.
In our modern times, when a tunnel like the Simplon is
built, it is necessary to drill through a mountain for twelve and
a half miles, so as to reach a certain point without error of
more than a few centimeters. Only engineers of unusual training can perform such a feat of measurement. When a great steel
skyscraper or bridge is built, chemistry is needed to mix the metal;
strains and stresses must be determined by intricate forms of
mathematics; and physics is needed to make allowance for the
expansion and contraction of steel, due to changes in temperature.
The people of Tyre manufactured their famous purple dye
by crushing shell fish. To make modern dyes demands a knowledge of chemistry such as only a few countries have developed.
Once the village barber cared for teeth and old women prescribed
their herbs to heal disease. Today a self-respecting dentist or
physician must have a knowledge of science, such as Hippocrates
and even Avicenna never possessed. If Napoleon could once
�——
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
more draw up his long lines of infantry and brilliant ranks of
cavalry, how helpless they would be before clouds of mustard
gas and volleys from giant tanks!
Modern life has become so much more complicated than
ancient civilization, that higher education is necessary, whether
we wish to seek defense in war, or to enjoy the fruits of peace.
Furthermore, ignorance was not a serious drawback, under
the despotisms of ancient Persia and the Caesars of Rome. Slaves
did the work; few dared to hold original thoughts; and initiative of action or sharing in civic responsibility was discouraged.
Things depended upon the command of a despot or one of his
underlings. Even at the time of the great caliphs, progress was
due to the ability of a few military rulers, rather than to a general participation in the responsibilities of community life.
In modern times it is not so. Rulers are elected and not
born. Legislation depends upon the will of men and women
who can read. Progress is based upon team work in community
service. Democracy is a farce, unless the people are well educated.
Thus, although education may have paved the way for
moral breakdown and military weakness in times gone by, it is
absolutely essential for a modern people. Military defense no
longer rests upon physical strength, as much as upon chemistry
and engineering. Industry, transportation, and democratic government depend altgoether upon education.
Accordingly, there can be no thought of getting on without
education. We must face the question squarely—as to how we
can make education in our modern life a support for morality
and progress, rather than an incentive to decay.
True education should contain three main elements—technical training; culture broadening, and character building.
If the young are taught how to do some one, useful thing
in a thoroughly skillful way, it will give them a desire to work,
rather than to be lazy. If education can so stimulate pride in
technical efficiency that it will cast a stigma upon idleness and
superficiality, it will do much to avoid degeneration.
But technical skill alone, without breadth of culture, is apt
to lead to narrowness and materialism. A doctor, for instance,
who has great professional ability, but no other interests, may
be a skillful physician, but he can never become a very influential citizen. He will have few points of contact with people who
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�JUNE, 1929
y
are not also doctors and find it hard to mingle with persons who
belong to races and social groups other than his own. Uncultured people find little in life to live for, except for mere money
making by means of professional skill. They seldom attain to
an international point of view. It is only as men and women
read books of all kinds, travel about, and feel the refining touch
of poetry, music and art, that they can learn to live for something more than money, and feel a sympathy for mankind as a
whole.
.
.
Yet breadth of sympathy and aesthetic emotion cannot alone
save active, successful men and women from worldliness and its
resulting decline. Only as civilization is fused with some deep
moral purpose, will it escape catastrophe. Unless men are public spirited and feel social responsibility, they will degenerate.
What is needed in education as the third and most important element is to provide an unselfish motive, so that a skilled
and cultured man will net use his influence for personal gain,
but rather for social good. As students are given skill and
breadth of culture, they must be made to feel that their energies can contribute to something more than transitory, worldly
gain, for they can cooperate with the divine power, that is working out a great purpose for the world.
If education can lead to service of God and the public good,
it will indeed bring our modern civilization to a rich fruitage and
save us from the catastrophe that overtook civilizations of the
The question arises, then, how are we to breathe into education some higher purpose, to bring forth moral vigor and love
of service, as one breathes into a nay to bring forth tones sweet
and clear?
There is no mechanical or automatic means of accomplishing this task. If the divine power flooded mankind with spiritual
refreshment every year, as the Nile floods her banks, we might
be sure that generation after generation would yield a harvest
of moral virtue, without effort on the part of men themselves.
But it is not so. Moral vigor depends upon the active care
of men, just as an ordinary garden cannot yield unless it is conscientiously watered and tended. In the days of the Rashedin
and Beni 'Umayya, Wadi of el-Kura, for instance, provided
rich crops, as landowners used the spoils of jihad to enrich their
gardens and maintain series of wells. But when revolt and dis-
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
order set in, the wells were neglected, the gardens became covered with drifting sands and the Wadi lost its fertility. So it is
with civilization. Neglect means decay.
It is a solemn truth to ponder over, that only as men themselves train their children to value public welfare and virile morality, can they avoid degeneration and final catastrophe.
It is not necessary for teachers to be versed in theological
learning or to try to force their own peculiar ideas of doctrine
upon their pupils. Education need not be prostituted to the
propaganda of a sect. In fact, it is not always imperative that
religion should be taught as such in a school curriculum. Sometimes children become hypocritical or even revolting, when they
feel that their schooling is being used as a means of inducing
them to subscribe to some particular sect or dogma.
What is absolutely essential is that the teachers should so
value spiritual things that by every act and word they spread
the contagion of true religion among their students.
How sad it is that although many states spend hundreds of
thousands of pounds for roads, hospitals, and parks, they support their schools so meanly, that education is entrusted to incapable teachers, who are too often chosen because of political
pull, rather than because of moral character. In the same way,
many a parent devotes great care to business and social engagements, but leaves the children to be trained by ignorant servants.
Only as the citizens of a country realize that the welfare of their
state depends upon inspiring the young with lofty ideals, can
the state escape decline.
Such ideals cannot be imparted to the rising generation by
empty phrases or lessons from books. They must be exemplified
by contagious personalities, who actually live them. As the
Arabic speaking peoples open up a new chapter of scientific advancement and contact with the West, it is timely that they
should realize that true national strength does not rest alone
upon technical efficiency or economic wealth, for even the empire
of the Caesars fell to pieces, because of lack of moral strength.
Great Britain is far more powerful than was the vaunted
Empire of Rome. Even the Pharaohs and the Caliphs never
dreamed of wealth, such as exists in America. Yet the AngloSaxon civilization is doomed to the fate which overtook Rome
unless private morality and public service can be preserved by
the untiring care of the people. What is true of Anglo-Saxon
�JUNE, 1929
u
culture is equally true of Arab civilization
Our present age is an especially critical one. The Orient is
being deluged with new thought from the West
Boy and
tils are revolting from the simple traditions of their parents
3S&2vsrM«££»s
blatently exploited in every eastern ^> J^hfskv is in eve y
hidden in the lands across the sea. English whisky is.in every
snoD window the beauty of the English home stays behind in
cottajof B Htain. French dances and theatres are also in eviH,nrf but the subtlety of French music and art cannot be appreoat d ^SndSnas thrill our Oriental youth with extrava
gant passion and adventure, but they fail to portray that respect
for labor which has made America prosperous.
How Important it is that children of the Orient should not
sell tSrirthright for the superficial things from the West, and
That the shoulcflearn to appreciate those elements of civilization
which have made the 20th century the great age that it is!
Thus our modern generations must be tested just as truly
as were the generations of the past. Education is indispensable
a modern life is too complicated to exist without it. If the people
oiZr day use their education to grow rich and in turn employ
therWeaTth for the enjoyment of idle pleasure education will
not prevent catastrophe, but on the contrary will invite degeneration.
The challenge of modern life is to train our youth, that
education will sustain a strong moral basis for continued progress and thus ward off calamity. It is a challenge that comes to
each one of us as individuals, for it is only as. individual men
and women live for ideals that are spiritual, that one generation
can leave to another a heritage of enduring strength.
':. .
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THE SYRIAN WORLD
Rihani's Experiences in Arabia
A LESSON IN ZOOLOGY AND HEALING
By
AMEEN RIHANI
KING HUSSEIN believes firmly in the principle of reciprocity,
whether in politics or in ethics; and he finds, as usual, in the
Koran the strongest argument for his belief. It is ordained, for
instance, that the Muslem should pray and fast and pay the
zakci money; in return for which Allah promised him Al-Jannat
(Paradise). This is reciprocity in duties and rights. Now, the
English exacted a pledge from the Arabs to fight with the Allies
during the World War, which pledge the Arabs made good. The
English in return pledged themselves to help the Arabs to achieve
unity and independence; but they were not, alas! faithful to
their pledge.
When His Majesty mentioned or thought of the English,
he got the blues. He did not always succeed even in concealing his anger and indignation. But he had in those days a man
from Hadhramout, who was his Minister of Finance, and whom
he would call into his presence for amusement whenever the pall
of the English was upon him. The Hadhromunt Minister was
a man of weak nerves, very sensitive to strange voices and motions, and quick to react to the least adventure of insects and
creeping things. In plain words, he was a coward, the first coward
in the Hashemite Government. There was another, the poet;
for His Majesty believes that every poet is a coward.
But neither strange voices nor shadows, nor the bugaboos
of politics affected King Husein in a manner unbecoming of man.
He is strong of sinews, firm of heart. When the Turks were
bombarding Mecca and the Kaaba, their shells fell on his palace, piercing the walls of his private majlis when he was therein.
But he did not move or show the least sign of perturbation.
As for the Turks, they were in his sight but like insects and
creeping things, over which he shed his pity and with which at
times he frightened people. He is, I learned, particularly fond
of little animals and is familiar with their nature and habits.
Moreover, they were in those days of especial benefit to him; for
�JUNE, 1929
13
with the help of the Hadhramout Minister they dispersed all
royal cares and killed the greater monster, which darkened his
hall at the mention of the English.
One of his black slaves came to me of an evening and said.
Saiyedna desires thee—forthwith. I hastened to the palace,
where I found, seated opposite his Majesty on the diwan, the
British Consul. Evidently the Hadhramout Minister was_ not
within reach of the black slaves. But am I, the thought was irresistible, to act in his stead, am I his understudy? No, King
Husein could not be so ungracious to a guest.
He started his conversation by giving me another surprise.
He spoke of the weather! He, the Descendant of the Prophet,
the Grand Sherif of Mecca, the King of Al-Hijaz, the Great
Emancipator,—these and more titles graced the communications
of the Foreign Office to His Majesty—he condescended to talk
about the weather. The English have taught him the trick of
talking about the weather! I do not think, however, that he
has learned from them anything else, except it be a few syllables in the phraseology of diplomacy. But this phraseology can
better be acquired in'Stamboul, and King Husein is a master
of it, as we shall see.
The weather was the general topic that day, however, for
it rained the first time, I was told, in twelve years. It rained a
drizzle in places for about fifteen minutes, and the joy was great.
The King told us that along the sixty-mile front, between Jeddah and Mecca, there were spasmodic and local cloud-bursts—
a feeble barrage, fired here and there by the East wind. After
all, His Majesty's talk about the weather was not perfunctory.
He held forth on the clouds, the winds, and the seasons in eloquent and lucid speech. Indeed, he is most charming when he
is not on his favorite topic, the politics of Arabia and Great
Britain.
"Hast thou not witnessed, O brilliant one, the way of the
clouds?—their idiosyncracy, their false promise of rain, their
stinted bounty, and their generosity at times when it does more
harm than good?"
The British Government again, thought I. But he was
quick to come down to what did not seem to have any symbolic
significance—to the seasons of the year. There are, it seems,
five seasons in Al-Hijaz. To the traveller, however, there is
but one, which is neither summer nor winter nor autumn nor
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spring, but a colorless and not infrequently a most exasperating
combination of all four.
—"The Arabs of these climes, O worthy One, divide summer into two parts, the first, which is evil, the second, which is
good. In the first, that is in May and June, the rain is a calamity because it brings out of the earth a certain worm which devours the grass. Finished, no pasture." His Majesty stroked
one hand against the other and continued. "But the latter summer rain there in truth is the white hand of Allah. The winds
are our enemy, in all seasons for they drive away from AlHijaz the blessings of the rain-clouds. But the mountains south
of Mecca hold them back at times, and At-Taief, the garden of
Al-Hijaz, catches the blessings of heaven ... of the nature
of our soil, as of our people, is contentment. Our soil requires
but a little rain, and the fields are verdant with thankfulness."
He then asked me, of a sudden changing the subject, if I
had ever seen the dhab. The dhab is an animal we meet with
everywhere—in Arabic books; in poetry, in prose, in history,
sacred and profane. I have always wondered what it is like,
for I have never come upon a description of it; Arab writers
thinking, I suppose, that he who knows Arabic must know the
dhab. My ignorance, however, was doublefold, so too my humiliation, because I did not know its name in English.
But the royal and benign gentleman, who will give us a
lesson in zoology, will not only tell us what the dhab is, but
actual]v, billah! he will show us the animal. The poet, the second Minister of Fear, was present; and when His Majesty
clapped for one of the slaves, he seemed as if he would jump out
of the window.—"The dhab, the dhab is coming."
The King did not say whether it was a year old or a hundred, whether it was the size of a rat or as big as a crocodile.
But the black slave soon dispelled my fear; for he came in holding something in his hand.
"Bring it here!" said His Majesty, and the slave placed it on
the diwan between him and myself. The British Consul was
on tiptoe with excitement. He even rose from his chair, forgetting all formality, and came nearer to see the animal.
"This is a chameleon," he said, and I translated chameleon
to the King.—"No, no," said His Majesty, "the chameleon's
back is round, the back of the dhabt see you, is flat. The cha-
�JUNE, 1929
IS
meleon's tail is soft like his body, but the tail of this one—give
me, O worthy one, thy hand."
I do not think His Majesty's intentions were honorable;
for he took the Consul's hand and pressed it against the rough
spinous portion of the animal. The Englishman felt the sting
and showed it in his face. His Majesty laughed. I too now
know how rough and sharp are the thorne in its tail} and I know,
thanks to King Husein, something of its nature. But I still
ask what is the dhab? Is it a lizard? Is it a species of crocodile, or is it a chameleon gone wrong? I still am in a confounding smatter,—and I'd like to know what in the language of
Shakespeare and Shelly is the dhab. But my royal Professor
from Mecca has something: more to say about it.
—"This is a small dhab, O thou esteemed Consul. I have
seen others that long," opening his arms, "which might be called
the dhab of politics. Its tail is half the size of its body, and it is
very knotty. The Arabic proverb, Knottier than the tail of the
dhab, is true; and this tail is his sword; with a few blows he kills
his opponent. But this is a small dhab—there is neither good
nor evil in him."
The slave at the door announced the Hadhramout Minister.
The King quickly hid the animal under his jubbah, saying,
"Yes, yes, there is some good in him."
His Excellency the Minister of Finance entered and took
his usual seat, three or four spaces down. The King motioned
to a place near him, and turned towards me with a furtive smile.
The second Minister c>f Fear, the poet, knowing what was coming, moved toward the door; for no sooner the Hadhramout
Minister took his seat than the hand of His Majesty, with the
dhab in it, stealthily, quietly placed the animal in his lap. The
poor man uttered a cry, "O my Master O my Lord!" screaming
like a frightened child; and he jumped from the diwan shaking
his jubbah, and towards the door running against the black slaves
there on guard.
His Majesty laughed—we all laughed merrily, like children. Even the poet who was still seated with his arms folded
across his breast, as usual, and who had been attempting all along
to repress a smile and control withal a fear, surrendered at last
to the general mirth, giggling like a school girl. But His Maiestv, becoming serious again, turned to him and half-mockingly
said: "Thou hast no right to laugh—no, no:—no right hast thou
�16
THE SYRIAN WORLD
until thou art willing to ride a horse or go up in an aeroplane."
The poet-Minister feared the two as much as his contemporary from Hadhramout feared the dhab.
When we left the King's majlis that evening the Consul
said to me: "It is the most interesting hour I have yet spent
with His Majesty. He is, outside of politics, a brilliant conversationalist, and a gracious host." The which from a consul,
though not devoid of truth, was, I thought unfair. Do not all
people in politics speak at times only with the purpose of concealing their minds? But I learned afterwards what the British
Consul and Agent in Jeddah had to suffer in unravelling the
skeins and solving the riddles of the Hashemite Secretariate's
communications, which were often written by the King himself.
I too realized during my stay of a month in Jeddah how capable
was His Majesty in knotting his ideas, and how wonderfully
proficient in ambiguity and evasion. He would make the circuit
around a certain point, as if it were the Kaaba, seven times without touching it; coming alarmingly near it; and then quickly
receding from it; but his hearer, in an attempt to follow, becomes giddy from the circumambulation; knocks his head against
a wall or against a door in the temple of mystery; and, turning
around to see where he is, finds himslef, alas! very far away from
Majesty and completely mortified, not knowing what to say. Nor
is there a better refuge in silence. Should he say: I understand,
O my Lord, he will set himself down as one of his official sycophants; and should he keep silent, his silence might be misconstrued. Therefore, to escape both difficulties, he nods, and nods,
awaiting patiently the end.
I have often been attracted by a beautiful gesture of His
Majesty's to the mysterious something in his hand and expression; aye, I have been like one enchanted by the magnetic flow
from his fingers and his eyes. For what is diplomacy, and what
is truth, and what is wisdom as compared with the magic of one
who makes you oblivious of the theatricalities of men and the
pyrotechnics of nations?
Indeed, my Lord of Hashemite eminence and diplomatic
nodosities hath pauses in his speech, which humiliate all elormenee; and gestures which can solve even the riddles of the
ancient priests; and glances which enthrall his hearer's mind and
heart. He holds out the palm of his right hand or both in em
phasis, when he feels that he has proven his point; he folds
�JUNE, 1929
17
his arms when he pauses for a reply; he rearranges his ighal
or his turban when he thinks you are dubious or losing interest;
he changes his position on the diwan when he starts, as it were,
a new paragraph; and he lays his hands on his knees tilting the
head, when he makes an argument irrefutable. Follows, a smile,
and silence. What matters, therefore, his meaning and purpose, when he himself is there before you, a personification of
majesty and magic?
At times, when he changed his seating position, I would
avail myself of the ooportunity to ask a question that has no connection with the subject, stating, in apology for my indecorum,
<"hat I was a traveller seeking knowledge.—"Indeed, O thou
learned one, there is still left of Qoraish (the tribe of the Prophet
Mohammad) about five thousand. They are of three sections
of the tribe, one section of which lives near At-Taief; and there
is still between them and the descendants of the Prophet much
sympathy and good feeling. ... As for Benu Sa'd, those whose
ancestors nursed the Prophet, their dirah is also near At-Taief,
and there is a family among them and of them who have a wonderful knowledge of surgery and medicine. Thev inherit it one
from the other. . . . Do vou know, ayuha'n-napb (O thou brilliant one, that fever can be cured by cauterization? Ben Sa'd
the surgeons thus cure it."
His Majesty held out the proof of it in himself. He had
the fever once and he was cauterized. He showed me the marks
of the two actual cauteries, one in his right arm, the other in his
left leg.
"The secret is in choosing the place for the burn, and that
reouires a good knowledge of anatomv. The surgeons of Benu
Sa'd do not leave the cautery open for a discharge of matter,
as others do. They seal it (help it to heal) with a little salt—
I say, a little salt, which they strew upon it."
Having then observed a twitch, indicating pain, in my arm,
the King inquired about it and continued: "Allah mav cure thee,
O dear one, through the medium of a surgeon of Benu Sa'd."
A dav after, of a certainty, the surgeon arrived from Mecca.
He had come bv order of His Maiesty to treat my neuritis. He
did not examine me professionally,. Allah be praised! bat he
asked me three questions only, and then said: "Cauterization will
not benefit thee. Hast thou some butter, mix it with a little
mashed garlic, and rub thrice a day. Thus wilt thou be cured
�a
18
THE SYRIAN WORLD
by the help of Allah, and thou wilt remember me with kindness." Saying which, he salaamed and walked out.
In sooth I do remember thee, O Brother Arab, O thou
camel-herd and royal surgeon, O thou prince of all the doctors
I have met! And I shall ever remember that simplicity of thy
manner, and that brilliance in thine eye, and that grandeur in
thy voice and gesture. I shall remember too that thou didst not
prescribe for me thy special treatment as do the specialists in
civilized lands. But thou hast coupled Allah with thy remedy
and thus art thou an honest leech and a true sage. I shall always
remember thee, O thou royal surgeon and camel-herd, because
in the remembrance of thee I forgot my pain. And this, by the
life of Allah and thine, is the best cure, the balm that truly heals.
Will You Come Back !
By
LABEEBEE
A. J.
HANNA
Will the summer bring you back—
Bring you back again?
Must I only dream of the past—
And dream but in vain?
The old house is all in ruins—
Is all in ruins now.
Gone is the porch and the parlor—
(Gone the fevered brow).
There we sat each afternoon,
Just before darkness fell.
There we trembled at every step
That broke our magic spell.
I can still see the wistaria,
I smell its odor sweet,
The blackberries in profusion,
Whose brambles tore our feet.
I hear you whisper still:
You hardly dared to talk—
Hand in hand—with flowers and berriesBack in the garden walk.
�19
JUNE, 1929
The Greatness of John Hasbani
(A Short Story)
By
REV.
W. A.
MANSUR
"One of the greatest Syrians of modern times is John
Hasbani," said I to my friend as we were evaluating the great
men of our race.
"That is saying a great deal," he replied. He mentioned
many famous Syrians: patriots, preachers, merchants, editors,
poets, doctors, writers, lawyers, travelers, educators and others,
but among them was not Hasbani's name.
"I will support my statement," I volunteered, "if you allow
me to relate the story of Hasbani's struggles, achievements and
influence."
"Glad to hear about him," said he. Briefly this is the story.
The Family Tradition.
The American Hasbanis came from a healthy, intelligent,
industrious and liberty-loving family. Tradition says the Hasbanis withstood fire, sword and lash in the days of autocracy.
The father received his education at an American Mission school.
The mother, daughter of prominence, attended another American
Mission school, married one she "respected, was educated, and
had a future." The wanderlust of Phoenician ancestors was
in them. In America they proved to be loyal citizens, hard
workers, and ample providers for their growing family. The
Hasbani children received their education at a public school.
They grew up knowing little of their native land, its customs,
language, and history.
When America entered the World War, Syrian-Americans
supported her giant crusade for democracy. Syrian youth, not
waiting to be drafted, enlisted in army or navy. Because they
received their intellectual equipment in America's public schools,
their outlook was wholly American. On hearing America's martial airs; on seeing American soldiers on parade; and in feeling
�"TriL
20
THE SYRIAN WORLD
within their hearts the stir for liberty, they rallied to support
their beloved land.
"America has been a mother to us," father Hasbani often
said; "we have enjoyed her freedom, her protection, and her opportunities. We show our gratitude to our American homeland
by being loyal Americans."
The Innocent Abroad.
Our interest centers about the post-war period with its political campaigns, economic deflation, and race struggle.
It was during the American race agitation that young John
Hasbani began to come to himself, his Syrian self. He heard
and read much about the "scum of Europe," "aliens," "Asiatics,"
"foreigners" and "inferior races." It was claimed that inferior
races were hindering America's progress. This led to hurried
Americanization, inquisitorial patriotism, and race prejudice.
Young Hasbani, like all Syrian-American youth, was busy
being a good American, getting an education, choosing a vocation, and thinking of a home. Although he knew, read and heard _
about the fierce race struggle, he felt it did not apply to loyal
Americans such as he. But this conviction was not to remain
so very long.
The Great Disillusionment.
Disillusionment came during his senior year at the University. He had been taught that all Americans have the right to
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that all men are created free and equal; that character is the measure of the man.
The climax of the disillusionment came when the University
was highly agitated over the race question. This is how it came
about. On the way to the sociology class, Hasbani was about
to pass a group of classmates.
"There comes Hasbani now!" exclaimed Dick Wilson.
"Hello, Dick! what's the argument about " inquired John.
"We are discussing Americanism and the race question," said
Jim Oneill.
"Are you a foreigner, or were you born in the United
States?" asked Howard Jones.
"I am a loyal American," answered John as he tried to evade
the purpose of the inquiry." Where a man was born has nothing
to do with true Americanism."
�JUNE, 1929
21
"Tell us where you were born," demanded Henry Lewis.
"I was born in Syria," John challenged. "I want you fellows to remember that Americanism has nothing to do with one's
birthplace."
"Syria!" exclaimed Fred Maxwell. "Where's that country
located?"
"It's the Bible country about which you study in Sunday
school, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean sea," said John.
"Mediterranean Sea! Why are you a Mediterranean?" shot
Howard Clay.
"I am a Syrian by birth, and an American by choice. Don't
you know Syria, the Bible country?" John asked.
Dick, Jim, Howard, Henry, Fred and others who had gathered gave each other an understanding look.
"Well, Hasbani," said Henry Lewis, "we were talking
about those inferior races about the Mediterranean Sea. We
didn't know you were a Mediterranean." Just then Dick jostled
Henry to let Mary Khouri, a Syrian classmate, pass by. This
afforded opportunity to disband for classes.
The Divine Inspiration.
"What difference does A make where a man was born so
long as he is a loyal American," John kept asking himself as he
reflected upon the remarks of his classmate; "these inferior races
about the Mediterranean Sea," and "we didn't know you were
a Mediterranean." There was evident a changed attitude toward him. Like all Syrian-American youth, he knew America's
historical background, the rise of the American nation ,and America's political philosophy; but he did not know his Syrain race
history, race talents, and race achievements. He knew of no
expression of Syrian race solidarity, no Federation of Syrian
societies, and no- Syrian leaders to whom he could point with
pride.
As a Syrian, John Hasbani felt himself to be an orphan
among the races in America. His mental agony increased from
day to day at the hands of his classmates. It was Mary Khouri
who gave him the much needed sympathy.
"John," said Mary, "what do you know about Syrian history?"
"That's what I've been trying to find out," laughed John.
"Why do you want to know about Syrian history:"
"Lucille Jackson asked about what country I came from,"
said Mary. "I told her from Syria. She asked about where
�I
_- .:_
22
THE SYRIAN WORLD
Syria was and I said it was on the eastern shore of the Mediter ranean Sea. Since then she avoids me, and so do other classmates.
Since there must be something awful about being from Syria, I
thought of inquiring into Syrian history."
John could contain himself no longer. He recited his experience with his classmates. The similarity of their experiences
brought mutual understanidng and sympathy.
"But, John," exclaimed Mary, "a country that produced
Jesus, Moses and influenced Mohammed must have a great
history."
"Mary, you give me an inspiration," said John. "Let us
make some research together into the origin, history, and achievement of the Syrian race."
"I agree," said Mary; "the University library will be great
help."
The New Light.
It was in June when John and Mary began to see each other
in a new light. Never did Mary appear so charming. Never did
John look so manly. Something was being born in their hearts.
Mary inherited from her father the endurance of the Orthodox,
from her mother the courage of the Maronites. The Khouris
stood for their rights, fought for their liberties, and upheld the
honor of their race. Mary, an only daughter among five sons,
was the pride of the Khouri household.
During their research they seemed to hear the voice of
God saying, "Let there be light," and they received light. They
found the greatness of the Syrian race. They realized a changed
attitude in their minds. And a deeper admiration was growing
for each other.
Occasionally they would digress to discuss current topics.
"Jazz" did not charm them. "Companionate marriage" they
scorned. "The strictness of Syrian parents," they commended.
"Race prejudice" was repulsive to their finer feelings. In their
hearts they felt something nobler, bigger, and of superior worth
to race, color, creed and birthplace. They decided and planned
to bring the discussion of the race question out into the open in
the University.
It was a sunny day toward the end of the school year that
John and Mary were walking together to the sociology class.
�JUNE, 1929
'4
23
"I hope," said Mary, "that we can bring the discussion about so
we can work our plan."
"The chapter on The Immigration Problem fits well with
our plan," said John.
"Strange, I, too, thought the chapter appropriate," agreed
Mary. "Something tells me that today is the day. I am anxious
about the outcome."
"Why the anxiety?" John asked.
"I am a representative woman of the Syrian race," explained
Mary. "I represent the childhood, manhood and womanhood
of the Syrian race. The honor, rights and happiness of future
generations of the Syrian race are at stake. John, you and I
must stand up
"
"I will stand up for our Syrian race," he answered.
"I will stand up_ for the future of our race," she added.
"Let us stand together," he asked.
"I am glad to stand by you," she answered.
"Why the gladness?" he inquired.
"It's a secret," she said, her face blushing; "I will tell you
later."
Facing the Issue.
Professor Charles Case was a scholar, honest to the facts of
history, and well informed in education, philosophy, and science.
He was of American Revolutionary stock. He refused to be
swayed by popular prejudice, accept the unproven theories of science, and be domineered by flag waving patriots.
"We continue," he said in opening, the class period, "the
study of The Immigration Problem. Fred Lawrence, What consequences are there of immigration on the social evolution of
America?"
Lawrence. "The process of migration has been a socializing
factor; it brought intermingling of races, mixture of cultures, and
awakening of the races to a consciousness of their kind."
Prof. Case: "George Hess, what is the effect of the races
upon American nationalism?"
Hess: "It is generally held by students of social history that
migration exercises a selective factor in favor of the stronger,
more energetic, more restless types of people."
Impulsive Henry Lewis secures permission to speak. "While
what has been said is true of the Old immigration," he said ner-
�«--—.
24
THE SYRIAN WORLD
vously, "it is not true of the New immigration. I refer to the
races bordering the Mediterranean Sea."
Prof Case: "Explain your position."
Lewis: "The races comprising the New immigration are inferior to the races included in the Old immigration. The Mediterranean and Slavic races, biologically, belong to the sub-races
of the white race. They have not shown capacity for self government. By habits of centuries they are enslaved in their mentality. Cultunfjly, they are illiterate, ignorant, and superstitious.
Socially, they are clannish, tend to form colonies, and propagate
their customs, ideas and language. I am convinced of their inherent inferiority, their detrimental influence, and the necessity of
prohibiting their further entrance into the United States."
Hasbani felt a quickening, a call, and a decisoin to meet the
issue.
Prof. Case: "Lewis, you made an able presentation of your
side. If we had a statement of the other side, we could pass intelligent judgment. Yes, Hasbani
"
Hasbani: "I am an immigrant of the New immigration. May
I present the other side?"
Prof. Case: "To be fair you may proceed."
Hasbani: "I wish to maintain, with the help of my notes,
that the coming of the Syrian race to America is a worthy addition
to America's national life. I hold a Christian philosophy of the
race question in relation to America. No man chose his color,
creed or birthplace at birth. Such may be due to parental choice,
they are never due to personal choice. They may be due to accident of birth in a given time, place or circumstance, they are never
due to individual choice, thought or plan. They are due to divine
will, but never to human prerogative. A man is either ignorant
or a fool to pride himself in that which he is by birth, and in
which he had no thought, no choice and no will. It is what a man
is by choice, growth and achievement that counts, and not that
which he is by accident of birth.
"I believe there is no respect of persons, color, creed, race
or place, with God. I believe in the Fatherhood of God, the infinite worth of man, and the brotherhood of mankind."
"My philosophy is working out successfully in America.
Biologically there is no basis in fact for any claim to race superiority. Socially, the races of the Old and New immigration are
living happily together. Peace, prosperity and happiness are in-
�JUNE, 1929
25
creasing daily. The last presidential election proves conclusively
the Americanism of the New immigration in self government and
free institutions. Culturally, you must judge a people by not
whence they came, but to where they are going. Among those
who signed Magna Charta were illiterate men who signed their
names with a cross mark. Remember that the American language
is spoken, written and read by over 120,000,000 people. They
have the same language, ideals and flag. Remember the children
love, know and defend only America.
"I will now uphold the honor of my race, the Syrian race, by
giving three arguments. First, the Syrian race stock is of the
highest character. It is a branch of the white race. Scientific scholarship says there are no pure races. All races, due to repeated migrations, are highly mixed races. Several strains make up the
Syrian race, chief of which are the Phoenician, Aramean, Greek,
Arab and European Crusaders. Syria, situated between Asia,
Europe and Africa, became a land-bridge, often making it a
battlefield, market place, and highway for trade, culture and migration. The Syrian race survived the vicissitudes of centuries j
resurging armies, changing civilizations and repeated migrations.
"Second, the Syrian r*ce has ontributed some of the greatest
things to human progress. Our ancestors the Phoenicians improved the alphabet, created sea ship-building, sea commerce, and
emigrated for trade. Our forefathers propagated the highest
thoughts of man in religion, morals and society. They organized
schools of religion, philosophy, law, science and education. Among
the foremost of earth are Syrian Roman Emperors, Popes, philosophers, lawyers, poets, scientists, soldiers, prophets and preachers. From Syria, as a pivot, learning spread to Africa, Europe
and America.
"Third, we Syrian-Americans are loyal Americans j we uphold the Constitution, we reverence the flag, and we are ready
for the nation's defense. Our World War record is unexcelled
for patriotism. We are, perhaps, the most law-abiding, Godfearing, and liberty-loving citizens. We may not be Americans
by birth, we are Americans through appreciation, choice and sacrifice. We are a worthy addition to America because of our intelligence, industry, loyalty and achievements.
"Therefore, I claim for the Syrian race an equal place among
the races which make the Amercian nation."
When Hasbani took his seat, Prof. Case led his class by vig-
�26
THh SYRIAN WORLD
orously applauding the statement of the courageous youth.
Lawrence: "Hasbani's remarks make me feel I am ignorant
of the true character of other races."
Jones: "Hasbani's presentation is a revelation to me."
Lewis: "I feel I have been swayed by prejudice. It seems
that the races are endowed with different talents. The weaving
of various race contributions would make for greater America.
I recall my previous remarks."
Prof. Case: "Fairness and open-mindedness are American
virtues. You have been practicing them today. The day has come
for Americans of various races to respect each other on the basis
of Americanism, humanity and character. Through you I see a
new America."
After class, Mary Khouri and Henry Lewis were the first to
greet John. Prof. Case and classmates gathered about him to
express their approval of his Americanism. Hasbani became the
talk of the University. The Bugle, the University newspaper,
lavished its praises upon Hasbani. The metropolitan city newspaper broadcasts Hasbnai's Americanism to the nation. The happiest person on the University campus was Mary Khouri.
The Secrets of Happiness.
"Mary," whispered John one evening, "what about the
secret?"
Eyeing him lovingly, "Are you anxious to know it?" she
teased.
"Certainly. Eventually—why not now?" he pleaded.
"You have been patient. I said if we succeed in upholding
the honor of our race, I will say the beautiful word," Mary answered smiling.
John approached her. "Say the beautiful word now," he
coaxed.
"I—I—would,—that is—if father and mother—" Mary
spoke softly.
John laughed the happiest laugh of his life. He knew he
won Mary's heart. "You are right. We are Syrian-Americans.
Syrian fathers and mothers ought to have a part in saying the
beautiful word."
A deep respect had grown between John and Mary. They
were healthy. John was prospering in business. Mary learned
the art of homemaking. They attended church. John became a
^
IMPPfeM
,-,-- -,:.
I
�.
27
JUNE, 1929
leader in his community. Common sense, friendliness and adaptability were their common virtues.
Not longer after the wedding of John and Mary was announced.
*
*
*
"John Hasbani is a symbol of the enlightened Syrian soul,"
said I to my friend. "Hasbani defended the Syrian race, upheld
the honor of the Syrian home, and vindicated the right of the
Syrian race to an equal place among the races. He is one of the
greatest modern Syrians because in his life we have the personification of Syrian race virtues; realization of Syrian race inheritance; and prophecy of Syrian race progress. My story is a
parable of the rising tide of Syrian race greatment."
"Reverend, your philosophy of the rising tide of Syrian race
greatness wins my heart," exclaimed my friend. "Do I understand that Hasbani's enlightenment, prospertiy and influence symbolize the awakening, progress, and leadership of the modern
Syrian race?"
"You understand me perfectly," said I.
"I heartily agree that Hasbani is one of the greatest Syrians
of modern times. Hasbani is truly an ideal representative of the
modern Syrian race."
Wings
By
THOMAS ASA
Oh! were the clouds my own exalted wings,—
No idle thought has made me utter this,
Without erotic dreams of undreamed bliss,
But for the nonce to shake the sordid things,
To quench the thirst at those Pierian springs;
No earthly stream, but where its waters kiss
The virgin banks, where God had left amiss
The touch that ceaseless march of time soon brings.
Where the stress of years has left no broken hours,
With the dawning morn no thought to meet desires,
And where the vault of heaven shows no hidden way;
While the inner soul emerges with full powers,
And its seeking heart, without consuming fires,
Wrought with the Hand, and never knows decay.
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
28
The Reward of Honesty
And Other Anecdotes Related in the Book of Usama
"An Arab Syrian Gentleman and Warrior of the Crusades"
By
DR. PHILIP
K.
i
HITTI
The following story was related to me on unimpeachable authority:
In the course of my pilgrimage as I was making the tour of
the Ka'ba I found, all unexpectedly, a pearl necklace, which I
tied to the end of my pilgrim's robe. An hour later, I heard a
man seeking its recovery by making inquiries in the sanctuary
(haram) and offering twenty dinars to him who would restore it.
I asked him for a sign proving that the lost article was his, and
he gave it to me. So I delivered the necklace to him. Receiving
it, he said to me, "Accompany me to my house so that I may pay
thee the reward I had promised." To this I replied, "I have
no use for that reward, nor have I given the necklace back to thee
for the sake of the prize. For, thanks to Allah, I live in great
bounty." He asked, "Thou hast not then returned it except for
the sake of Allah (mighty and majestic is he!)?" "Yes," I replied. "Let us, therefore, turn our faces," said he, "towards the
Ka'ba and thou shouldst say 'Amen!' to my prayer." Accordingly,
we turned our faces towards the Ka'ba and he prayed, "O Lord,
forgive him (and me) our sins and grant me means to repay him."
Then he bade me farewell and departed.
It happened later that I undertook a journey from Mecca to
the land of Egypt and took a boat to al-Maghrib (Mauretania).
Our boat fell into the hands of the Byzantines and I,among others
was taken captive. My lot fell to one of the priests, in whose
service I remained until the hour of his death approached, upon
which he willed that I be set free.
Consequently I left the land of the Byzantines and made
my way into a certain region of al-Maghrib, where I was employed as a clerk in a baker's shop. Among the baker's customers
was one of the great landowners of the town. At the beginning
of the new month, a servant of the landowner came to the baker
and said, "My master calls thee to make the account with him."
1
�JUNE, 1929
:
I
'
29
The baker asked me to accompany him, and we went together
to the landowner, who settled the account according to his bills.
Impressed by my knowledge of arithmetic and my beautiful handwriting, he demanded me from the baker. The landowner
changed my clothes and intrusted to me the collection of the levies
from his estate, he being the proprietor of a vast piece of land.
In the meantime, he vacated for me a special apartment on one
side of his mansion.
After the lapse of a short period of time, he said to me,
"Abu-Bakr, what thinkest thou of marriage?" I replied, "My
master, I cannot stand the expense of my own living; how can I
stand the expense of a wife?" He said, "I shall provide in thy
behalf the dowry, the dwelling place, the clothing and everything
else that thou needest." I said, "Thy order is done." Then he
said, "My boy, here is a wife that has a great number of defects,"
and he did not leave a possible physical defect from her head to
her foot which he did not enumerate, while I replied, "I am satisfied." In fact, I felt satisfied internally as I claimed I was externally. Then he continued, "That wife is my daughter." He
called a group of people and the contract was closed.
A few days later he said to me, "Prepare thyself to enter thy
home." He ordered for me superb clothes, and I entered into
a house luxuriously furnished and equipped with the best outfit.
I was placed on a high seat and the bride was brought covered
with a colored woolen mantle. I immediately arose to meet her
and, pulling aside the cover, found a coutenance prettier than
which I never saw in the world. I fled out of the house. The
old man met me and asked me about the reason for my flight, to
which I replied, "This wife is not the one thou hast described to
me as having the defects which thou hast enumerated." Hearing
this, he smiled and said, "Yes, my boy, she is thy wife, and I
have no other child but her. But I described her the way I did
to thee so that thou mayest not be disappointed on seeing her."
And the proper ceremony of unveiling the bride was conducted in
my presence.
The second morning, as I was admiring the jewels and precious gems she wore, I saw, among other things on her, the necklace which I once found in Mecca. I was amazed at that and was
absorbed in the thought of it. As I was leaving the bedroom my
father-in-law called me and asked me about my condition, repeating the verse, "Legitimate enjoyment has mutilated the nose
�30
THE SYRIAN WORLD
of jealousy." (Meaning, I can now ask you without arousing jealousy, as she has become your legitimate wife). I thanked him
for what he had done for me and then felt possessed with the
thought of the necklace and how it got to him. Noticing that,
he asked me, "What art thou thinking of?" I replied, "Of such
and such a necklace. For in such and such a year I made a pilgrimage and found itself in the sanctuary, or found some other
necklace very similar to it." The man exclaimed, "Art thou the
man who returned my lost necklace:" "Yes," said I, "I am he."
He said, "Rejoice at the good news, for Allah has forgiven me
and thee, for I, at that moment, prayed Allah (worthy of admiration is he!) to forgive me and thee our sins and to grant me
means to repay thee. And here now I have delivered into thy
hands my possessions and my child. And I have no doubt that
my end is near at hand.
He later drew his will in my favor, and after a short period,
he died—may Allah's mercy rest upon his soul!
A funny race between two aged women.
I found myself in Tabarayyah at the time the Franks were
celebrating one of their feasts. The cavaliers went out to exercise
with lances. With them went two decrepit, aged women whom
they stationed at one end of the race course. At the other end
of the field they left a pig which they had scalded and left on a
rock. They then made the two aged women run a race while each
one of them was accompanied by a detachment of horsemen urging her on. At every step they took, the women would fall down
and rite again, while the spectators would laugh. Finally one
of them got ahead of the other and won the pig for a prize.
Their judicial trials. A duel.
I attended one day a duel in Nablus between two Franks.
The reason for this was that certain Moslem thieves took by surprise one of the villages of Nablus. One of the peasants of that
village was charged with having acted as guide for the thieves
when they fell upon the village. So he fled away. The king sent
and arrested his children. The peasant thereupon came back to
the king and said, "Let justice be done in my case. I challenge
to a duel the man who claimed that I guided the thieves to the
village." The king then said to the tenant who held the village
in fief, "Bring forth someone to fight the duel with him." The
tenant went to his village, where a blacksmith lived, took hold of
�JUNE, 1929
31
him and ordered him to fight the duel. The tenant became thus
sure of the safety of his own peasants, none of whom would be
killed and his estate ruined.
I«saw this blacksmith. He was a physically strong young
man, but his heart failed him. He would walk a few steps and
then sit down and ask for a drink. The one who had made the
challenge was an old man, but he was strong in spirit and he would
rub the nail of his thumb against that of the forefinger in defiance, as if he was not worrying over the duel. Then came the
viscount, the seignior of the town, and gave each one of the two
contestants a cudgel and a shield and arranged the people in a
circle around them.
The two met. The old man would press the blacksmith
backward until he would get him as far as the circle, then he
would come back to the middle of the arena. They went on exchanging blows until they looked like pillars smeared with blood.
The contest was prolonged and the viscount began to urge them
to hurry, saying, "Hurry on." The fact that the smith was given
to the use of the hammer proved now of great advantage to him.
The old man was worn out and the smith gave him a blow which
made him fall. His cudgel fell under his back. The smith knelt
down over him and tried to stick his fingers into the eyes of his
adversary, but could not do it because of the great quantity of
blood flowing out. Then he rose up and hit his head with the
cudgel until he killed him. They then fastened a rope around
the neck of the dead person, dragged him away and hanged him.
The lord who brought the smith now came, gave the smith his
own mantle, made him mount the horse behind him and rode off
with him. This case illustrates the kind of jurisprudence and
legal decisions the Franks have — may Allah's curse be upon
them!
Ordeal by water.
I once went in the company of al-Amir Mu'in-al-Din to
Jerusalem. We stopped at Nablus. There a blind man, a Moslem, who was still young and was well dressed, presented himself before al-Amir carrying fruits for him and asked permission
to be admitted into his service in Damascus. The amir consented. I inquired about this man and was informed that his mother
had been married to a Frank whom she had killed. Her son used
to practice ruses against the Frankish pilgrims and co-operate
�32
THE SYRIAN WORLD
with his mother in assassinating them. They finally brought
charges against him and tried his case according to the Frankish
way of procedure.
They installed a huge cask and filled it with water. Across
it they set a board of wood. They then bound the arms of the
man charged with the act, tied a rope around his shoulders and
dropped him into the cask, their idea being that in case he was
innocent, he would sink in the water and they would then lift him
up with the rope so that he might not die in the water; and in
case he was guilty, he would not sink in the water. This man did
his best to sink when they dropped him into the water, but he
could not do it. So he had to submit to their sentence against
him — may Allah's curse be upon them! They pierced his eyeballs with red-hot awls.
The Green of binisfail
By Josefhine M. Crick
The cooling-green of willows as they wave above the stream,
The tender green of poplar leaves that hold a starry gleam—
The green of fragrant apple trees, fruit laden, bending low—
The green of growing meadows with the sinking sun aglow.
The green of mist-clad mountains 5 when the sun lifts up the veil,
Is the green that I remember, the green of Innisfail.
The green of rain washed pine trees with the light just glinting
through,
The green of young grass shining in the early morning dew.
The green of great rocks rising where the moss, sea-splashed
climbs high 5
The green of mist clad mountains, when the sun lifts up the
veil,
Is the green that I remember, the green of Innisfail.
�JUNE, 1929
33
The Biological! Significance of
Youth and Age
By
unit of living matter is the cell, that is, as far as we now
certainly know, any living system is made up of one or more
units or cells which, when destroyed or injured beyond a certain
degree, life is destroyed. The smallest known living systems
consist of one cell only, which carries on all the complex functions
of nutrition, reproduction, etc. In some unicellular organisms
the cell may be very complex. Higher plants and animals, such
as the human body, are made up of billions of cells presenting
great variety of form and associated into tissues. In these cases
each cell and tissue is dependent on other cells and tissues to
carrv on its function. We commonly say that, on account of long
specialization, due to association, these cells have lost the power
of living: independent^. Aside from its extreme organization
and the intimate interrelation of its parts, the human body is, in
a biologic"1 sense, a mere agglomeration of cells, subject to the
same laws and presenting similar problems to a colony or a culture of bacterial cells. The similarity is very striking.
Suppose now that we take an actively growing bacterial cell
and that we put it in a suitable environment, for instance, in a
solution containing all of the necessary nutriments. The cell soon
increases in size and multiplies rapidly, and the daughter cells
grow and multiply until a large number of cells has been formed
from the single cell we put in. The majority of these cells presents characteristic form, size, structure and physiological behavior that we recognize as being the form, size, structure and
behavior of vouth. This rapid rate of nutrition and multiplication cnnnot, however, go on indefinitely, for soon the culture becomes crowded and a shortage of food may take place. At the
same time, the products of life processes accumulate and begin
to produce a harmful influence. The rate of multiplication falls,
rtierefore, is the cells consume the reserve food material, ? *><*
their shape, size, structure and physiological behavior change corTHE
1
DR. GEORGE KNAYSI
�54
THE SYRIAN WORLD
respondingly into the shape, size, structure and behavior of age.
Finally multiplication becomes impossible, and the cells present
an appearance of poverty, starvation and disorganization.
If now we take one of these old cells and transport it into
a favorable environment such as the one we started with, it does
not stare multiplication immediately. Several hours may elapse
before the first reproduction takes place. This period is commonly referred to as the "lag" period. The writer has suggested the use of the term rejuvenation period, for the cell is then
most active repairing its injuries and recovering from the influences of its environment. Before any multiplication takes place,
the cell must present again the characteristics of youth.
The same phenomenon takes place in the human body. Our
cells, like those of bacteria, take their nutrients from the blood
which is for us what the nutrient solution is for the cells of bacteria. It is, furthermore, endowed with the remarkable power
of self-purification and self-enrichment. Our cells should therefore be constantly bathed with a fresh nutrient medium which
should make it possible for them to remain young and multiply.
Now multiplication cannot go on indefinitely and is automatically
limited by factors known "to the biologist. We are thus confronted with the universal problem of the density of population,
referring to the cells that make up our body rather than to the
individuals inhabiting a country. Fruit, flies, bacteria and all
other living things are confronted with the same problem, and
the question arises as to whether it is possible for the cells, while
not multiplying, to remain young. Theoretically, the answer
should be in the affirmative. The writer, who is now investigating the question, will have something more definite to say before
lone- Under actual conditions, however, we know that our cells
gradually assume the characteristics of age and, when enough of
the cells of an indispensable organ become so old that that organ
can no more carry on its vital functions, death follows immediately. Thus the death of one fundamental organ brings about
the death of other organs relatively young. Man pays dearly
for his complex and efficient organization.
It seems that a more thorough understanding of the properties of living matter should enable us to live much longer, if
not to render ourselves immortal.
�JUNE, 1929
35
Music — East and West
By REV. DR. K. A. BISHARA
Like beauty and electricity, music is a mysterious something
that can be neither comprehended nor defined. Science may hover
over its circumference, but can never enter into the center, or the
Holy of Holies. Having to deal mainly with the affections, music must cling to Nature, never allowing itself to be unduly artificialized. Oriental music, chiefly the Arabic, is more thrillingly
effective than other systems by reason of its contiguity to the
bosom of mother nature. It is readily enjoyed by the heart, while
other systems are admired by the intellect. It is interesting to
notice how the European music has gradually been subjected to
the process of orientalization through the efforts of a worthy
group of masters in Spain, Italy and Germany. One of the greatest Spanish musicians in Portugal has openly avowed the superiority of Arabic music in melodiousness and scope. He went so far
as to declare it the mother of all modern music after the Renaissance. In his words, "The Arabic music is the mother of the
Spanish, which is the mother of all modern music in the world."
Outside of Spain and Italy, Mozart was the first great musician
to enrich modern music with the thrilling beauties of Arabic airs.
Others followed, including the great Beethoven whose masterpieces can competently vie with the sweetest melodies ever heard
in the halls of Baghdad, Cordova and Damascus.
The golden age of Oriental music was inaugurated in the days
of Haroun-al-Raschid and his son Al-Macmoun in the celebrated
metropolis of Baghdad. Mausali was the Beethoven of those
days. A little later on Andalusia, (Spain under the Arabs) became the music hall of all Europe. The age of retrogression
set in after the fall of Baghdad in the East, and Grenada in the
West, until the most widely developed system of music in the
world, which had integrally appropriated and preserved in its
bosom the genius of China, Persia and Greece, welded into that
of resourceful Arabia, was reduced to a dilapidated patchwork
of Tarn Tarns.
', .:.;_
,
,
;
•
�36
THE SYRIAN WORLD
The modern Renaissance took its incipiency in the ancient
land of Egypt, which has already given to the Oriental world
such illustrious names as Hamooli, Salameh, Hilmi, Manilawi,
Mahdiah and Um-Kalthoum.
Ash-Sham, including Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, has already rendered a remarkable co-operative service in this great
enterprise of reconstruction. Madame Fadwah Kurban is an
outstanding example, while Mr. Alexander Maloof is making
steady progress in his efforts to make Oriental music accessible
to the West by the application of the note system. The motto of
all these agencies concerned seems to be. Back to the days of Haroun Al-Raschid, then up and on, if possible, to a higher level!
Maybe, it's a long way to Tipperari; but—
As a modest amateur of small stock, but one intensely interested in music, I feel inspired through my affections to proclaim the fact that music is originally intended to rouse the subconscious in man on his way to a fuller realization of himself as
the most glorious visible image of the Creator. For this purpose,
the minor keys of music are more effective than the major keys.
This secret the Orientals have known for many centuries. And
this fact is accentuated, to my mind as well as to my heart, by the
psychological fact that man has long been, as he still is, oscillating
between "the two well-known factors of self-pity and self-conceit,
the former of which being childish while the latter is ridiculous.
Now, this ill-developed man is still in need of pity, rather than
ridicule. And when music does, as it seldom does, succeed in
rousing both the conscious and the sub-conscious in man, he at
once, and almost unawares, reasserts and recognizes his inherent
dignity—though for a moment, and through indignation and
when he is fully roused, whether at home or on the battle-field;
just keep off the grass! Man is great and noble and mighty; but
he never knew it before. It is at such a moment of transcendent
ecstasy that we witness a real case of "Deutchland uber alles!
Superman-king-angel, ad infinitum. There is the horizon of the
spirit, the realm of the ideal homos, where are to be found the
mystic poets, the musical sufis, the seers, the prophets, the apostles
and what is higher—where the chosen few may stand and say:
After all, the Master didn't ask much when He said. "Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect."
�. rngt/gt/Kj^
JUNE, 1929
37
EDITORIAL COMMENT
CHANGING FREQUENCY OF ISSUE OF
THE SYRIAN WORLD
i ,!
For reasons which I shall enumerate below, I have decided
to suspend publication of The Syrian World during the months
of July and August. This decision applies only to the present
year so far as I can now see, but future developments might make
it advisable to continue this policy, in which case the regular year
of The Syrian World would comprise only ten issues. This step,
if finally decided upon, will be announced in due time.
Subscribers who have already paid in advance on the basis
of twelve issues per year will be adequately compensated either
by advancing the dates of their subscriptions or by other suitable
awards in books to the value of the two omitted issues.
The Syrian World has completed its third year of publication with the present (June) issue. During all this time it has
appeared punctually at the beginning of each month without a
single omission. The difficulties which I have encountered were
many and tremendous, and, I feel constrained to add, cumulative.
I need not go into a detailed discussion of these difficulties at the
present time. What I can conscientiously state, however, is that
these difficulties served only to add stimulus to my determination
to carry on the work which I felt from the beginning was destined to endure. In this my energy was sustained by the wholehearted encouragement of a group of loyal friends who gave
unstintingly of their moral support.
If, therefore, I am now suspending publication of The Syrian World for two of the summer months, the action should not
be misconstrued as a sign of faltering determination or weakness.
On the contrary, it is but a respite to lay plans not only for a
more enduring publication, but for a stronger and a more progressive one.
This step is made necessary by my coming trip to Syria and
other parts of the Near East, principally in the interest of the
Syrian World. The tour which I have sponsored and agreed to
conduct is in harmony with the fundamental principle of the
magazine in providing better knowledge of Syria and the Syrians'
�38
THE SYRIAN WORLD
historical background. An educational tour to Syria is obviously
a complement to the educational mission of The Syrian World.
But the principle object of the trip is to gain first-hand
information of present conditions in Syria in order to better serve
our readers. A general survey will be made covering the political, social, educational and economic fields. Special attention
will be given to the taking of a photographic record which will
graphically portray the country and its different phases of life in
its present crucial stage of rapid transition. Leaders in various
fields of activities will be interviewed and their opinions recorded
without prejudice or bias. Personal observations will naturally
be made and faithfully transmitted to our readers.
This is but a mere outline of the general purpose of the trip,
but once on the ground many more points of interest might develop which will widen immeasurably the scope of service. These
possible developments will be left to the future.
Three years experience in the publication of The Syrian
World having brought the conviction that this step had become necessary in order to make the service of the magazine more effective and beneficial, the next problem was how to make the undertaking possible under the conditions governing the publication of
the magazine. Ever since its inception, The Syrian World has
been an individual enterprise depending mainly on personal efforts. Only in the literary field has any assistance been forthcoming to a limited degree. By this qualification I do not wish
to intimate lack of appreciation of this valued co-operation. On
the contrary, Iwould fully emphasize that but for this liberal assistance on the part of the loyal friends of the magazine the task
would have been rendered doubly difficult. The point in view is
that all work aside from this partial assistance had to be performed personally.
Such being the case, and there being no substitute to carry on
the work of editing and publishing in my absence, it became necessary to decide on the only remaining alternative, which is to suspend publication during July and August.
During my absence the publication office will remain open
for the transaction of routine business, Our friends are invited
to avail themselves of this opportunity whether for the purchase
of books and back numbers, or for the payment of past accounts
and other matters.
Enthusiastic friends of The Syrian World are urging the
f«
�39
JUNE, 1929
formation of a corporation to fully promote its service which has
come to be viewedas indispensable. This and other matters^wi
be discussed in the coming issue which will appear in September
upon my return.
Editor & Publisher
THE FEDERATION
Although proportionately substantial the replies so^ far received to our questionnaire on the proposed federation of Syr an
societies in the United States do not warrant a decision as to the
tm and place of the convention. Hardly three agree on any
given question, and because of the length of tune neees^or
' bringing about a general and uniform acceptance, it has been
£Ed wiser to defer further action on the matter un^efeU.
\s regards the ultimate results, our faith remains unshaken. Added reSon for this optimism is contained in the rephes r^eivedto
the questionnaire. In each case the responding society pledges
tself anew to the support of the cause and voices enthusiastic
hopes for the expected benefits to be derived from such a move
It is a situation which, having been nursed to its present stage of
development, should be handled with extreme care lest its fai ure iniure irreparably all attempts at collective action in the tuZc ItTs for this reason that it has been deemed more advisable
not to take any peremptory action at the present stage.
In the meantime, pledged members may further prosecute
missionary work for the cause of the Federation. They are honorbound to see the work culminate in complete success, not merely
for the personal prestige involved, but out of devotion to the
basic principle of unity. We have long been unmindful of our
future and our racial status, and the example of other ethnic
croups seems to have had little effect in rousing us to action 1 he
strongest hope now lies in federating our organized bodies for toe
promotion of national policies, and although this work shou d
proceed with caution, it should, nevertheless, be prosecuted with
relentless energy.
-
�THE SYRIAN WORLD
¥)
Spirit of the Syrian Press
Under this caption we hope to present from time to time a microcosmic picture of the Arabic press, not only in this country, but wherever
Arabic dailies and magazines reflect the opinions of responsible, thinking
writers who are treating the different problems that confront the Arabicspeaking world from all conceivable angles. Needless to say, we will take
no part in the discussions reproduced, nor assume any responsibility. Our
task will simply consist in selecting, to the best of our knowledge and
with utmost sincerity, what we think is representative of the public opinion as expressed in these editorials.
Editor.
CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY
FOR LEBANON
In view of the persistent factional
strife among the Lebanese, we are
all the more confirmed in our belief
that they are still unfit for complete
independence. But for the French,
Lebanon would be the slave to either
the Turks, the Arabs or the English.
And this condition would be brought
about as the natural result of the
internal strife which would tear Lebanon to pieces and reduce it to a
state of complete impotency.
Take for illustration the Presidential elections. What greater farce
could there be than the manner this
is brought about ? Nor are the members of the Representative Assembly
of such caliber as to command confidence and respect. They are all
there for their personal gain while
the French look on in an attitude of
total indifference. For this policy
we believe France has a well defined
reason, which is to prove to the Lebanese that they have not yet grown
to the responsible age of being trusted with complete independence.
Our program for the government
of the country remains as heretofore
announced; that a constitutional
monarchy be adopted for Lebanon,
at whose head would be placed a
French prince who would have first
embraced Lebanese citizenship. He
should rule for life, but his throne
should not be hereditary. France
should remain the protector of the
country, as otherwise Lebanon would
become the prey of its greedy neighbors because of its inability to defend itself.
—Al-Hoda, N. Y. May 24
THE PARADOX OF LIBERTY
The celebrations in Paris for Joan
of Arc, the Maid of Orleans, during
the month of May, were intended to
recall with pride the great struggle
of this patron saint of France for
the cause of liberty.
It is altogether fitting and proper
that the French pay honor to this
great heroine. She has succeeded in
liberating her country from the grip
of the foreigner after an occupation
�JUNE, 1929
M>
of a hunderd years, and was reward- ty and come to sympathize with us
ed for her deed with burning at the in our demand for freedom, instead
stake. It is only now that the full of assuming the paradoxial attitude
meaning of her great sacrifice is of preaching one form of liberty at
being appreciated. France should be home and practicing another abroad.
proud of having produced such a
—Meraat-Ul-Gharb, N. Y. May 15
heroic Character in the shepherd girl
who was instrumental in regaining
for her country its independence and
LEARNING FROM EUROPE
freedom. She was later consecrated
a saint and well is she deserving of
It is reported that King Ibn Saoud
the honor; she met her martyrdom of Arabia intends to visit Europe in
in the cause of her country just as the near future in the hope of gainthe saints faced death in their de- ing practical knowledge for the upvotion to the cause of God.
lift of his own country. The time
Not alone the French, but all liber- is surely opportune, and the Arab
ty-loving nations should join in pay- King's observations abroad should
ing tribute to the lofty patriotic spir- serve him to good purpose at home.
it of Joan of Arc.
We may be confident, however, that
*** We have often heard our coun- he will not rush matters and commit
trymen sing the praise of the French the mistake of king Amanullah of
and their great love for liberty. We Afghanistan, because not everyone
have listened to their panegyrics of can emulate the example of Mustathe shepherd girl and their expres- pha Kamal Pasha of Turkey with
sions of unbounded admiration for the same success. Turkey 'had been
her. One hearing them would ima- prepared for the reforms which Kagine that she belonged to them for mal Pasha had the courage to introthe extent of pride they take in her duce, while this cannot hold true of
achievements. At the same time, Arabia. The degree of difference is
they seem oblivious to the fact that at least a hundred years, and the
they are trailing the chains of bond- Arab king would do well to introage and slavery. Cannot the Leban- duce such reforms as would gradualese say to the people of France that ly bring his subjects to the point of
Lebanon before their occupation was accepting Western ideas in full. He
a free country while now, although could encourage steady settlement
having a republican form of govern- and agricultural pursuits to the end
ment, it is shackeled to the point of that the ghazu, or raids, will come
being a republic in name only? How to an end in Arabia. And perhaps
comes it that the French glorify he will learn in Europe the fundaliberty in their own country and erect mental lesson that stability is the
monuments in its name, while in prime requisite of a progressive goforeign lands they destroy its temp- vernment, while ambition for agles and shrines and make every at- grandization may react to the injury
tempt to smother it completely.
of a government that is structurally
We heartily join the French in weak. If King Ibn Saoud should
honoring their great patron saint succeed in achieving internal reform
Joan of Arc, but we hope they will he would be deserving of more credit
live up to the principle of true liber- than Mustapha Kamal Pasha him-
- ""°| • ' ' *'
i
n
�42
self, in that he would have laid the
proper foundation before raising the
structure, thereby evading the disastrous mistake of Amanullah.
—As-Sayeh, N. Y. May 27
HAS THE SYRIAN
BECOME A NEGRO
The tragedy of Lake City, Fla.,
in which the Syrian Nicholas Romey
and his wife were killed should
arouse the Syrians everywhere in
the United States to action. The
details of the lynching of this Syrian
are revolting. From whatever angle
we view the case we can find no justification for the barbarous treatment visited by the police and the
mob oh this Syrian family. A full
investigation of the circumstances
surrounding the tragedy should be
made and those responsible brought
to justice. The Syrian is not a negro whom Southerners feel they are
justified in lynching when he is suspected of an attack on a white woman. The Syrian is a civilized white
man who has excellent traditions
and a glorious historical background
and should be treated as among the
best elements of the American nation.American sense of justice should
not permit such lynchings without
the benefit of a trial, as was done
in the case of Romey. Even the
anarchist murderer of President
McKinley was protected from the
fury of the mob and given all the
benefits of a judicial trial.
We are not making any direct accusation, but we feel that a thorough
investigation of the circumstances
surrounding the tragedy should be
instigated so that those responsible
should reap the reward for their
I
THE SYRIAN WORLD
cruelty.
-Ash-Shaab, N. Y. May 24
SULTAN PASHA ATRASH
TRUE TO PRINCIPLES
More than three months have now
elapsed since the Havas Agency
broadcast to the world the news that
Sultan Pasha Atrash , military leader of the Syrian revolution, had
offered his unconditional surrender
to the French in the hope of returning to his native country from his
desert exile. No better proof is
needed to demonstrate the falsity
of this report than the fact that it
has failed of materialization in spite
of all this length of time. The elation
which the Francophile papers displayed at that time is obviously unjustified.
We are in a position to affirm that
the hero, Sultan Pasha Atrash, never
contemplated submission to the
French; nor will he ever return to
Syria except on the conditions he
laid as the basis for the armed revolution, namely the complete independence of the country from foreign
control. Those who know Sultan
Pasha Atrash best never wavered in
their belief that his loyalty to the
sacred cause of the country would
remain unshaken to the end. We,
as well as many other true patriots,
are in constant receipt of letters
from the Commander in Chief of the
revolutionary forces indicating his
tenacity of purpose and unfaltering
loyalty to the cause. This should be
sufficient proof to unmask the lying
intentions of the Havas Agency and
brand with shame the foreheads of
sympathizers with the colonization
policy.
—Al-Bayan, N. Y. May 25
•
�43
JUNE, 1929
Readers' Forum
tional Origins Plan are the product
of brains steeped in race-consciousness and full of racial prejudices.
Senator Reed protests that anyone
Comment on his Recent Remarks who undertakes to debate the subject
in Congress
of immigration restrictions "will be
accused of a raaial prejudice of
which
he is wholly unconscious." We
Editor, The Syrian World,
can imagine such a thing happenIt is a curious fact that proponents ing under existing rules of politics
of the Anglo-Saxon racial culture in this country. But Senator Reed
in America never fail to manipulate cannot claim immunity from critithe Declaration of Independence to cism for racial bias on that plea.
suit or cover their own prejudices. His utterances have been too outSenator Reed's earlier statement spoken to admit of an alibi. Only
clearly speaks of the "trash of the last month, in the course of a naMediterranen" as "all the Levant- tion-wide broadcast, in defense of
ine stock that churns around through his favorite brain-child, the Natonal
there and does know what its own Origins Plan, Senator Reed said that
ancestry is." And as if these words the plan gave a fair limitation "in
did not clearly delineate the parties strict accordance with our racial
mentioned, the honorable Senator make-up," because, according to it,
went on to specify the countries of "each year's immigration will be in
origin of the "trashy stock" and miniature a counterpart of the whole
added, "It came here in large num- population of our country." And even
bers from Syria and the Turkish those interested in the merits or deProvinces.." It would be the sheer- merits of the National Origins Plan
est sort of sophistry for Senator will not fail to take notice of the
Reed or any one who thinks like scar of racial prejudice that this
h;m to explain away the pointed valiant "defender" of the Declaramention of Syrians as an undesirable tion of Independence, and proponent
stock of immigrants. The truth is of the dictum that all men are born
that he meant exactly what he said, equal, inflicted on the charter of hufor he does clearly look upon Syria man liberty which is the foundation
and the Turkish provinces and dif- of the Constitution of the United
ferent countries of the Balkan Pen- States, when he defiantly challenged
insula and that part of southeastern the non-Anglo-Saxon races by sayEurope" as the habitat of the trash. ing, "We will not permit our racial
I have followed from its begin- composition to be changed by imning this controversy of the restric- migration." Shades of Thomas Jefton of immigration and have no he- ferson and Abraham Lincoln!
sitation in asserting that all preObserver
tense of fairness and equality notNew York
withstanding, measures like the Na-
SENATOR REED'S BRAND
OF AMERICANISM
>
�44
THE SYRIAN WORLD
A CLERGYMAN ANSWERS
Editor, The Syrian World,
May I give my opinion of "Senator
Reed's 'trash' " ?
The more I think of this gentleman's designation of the Syrians as
"trash", the more I admire William
Shakespeare's play "Much ado about
Nothing". The zealous senator must
be comparing us, not with other nationalities, his own not excepted, but
with ourselves two, three, or four
thousand years ago, when we were
busy, on a gigantic scale, laying
down the foundations of this wonderful American civilization.
Instead of wasting valuable time
by way of self-defense, —on mere
words,— let us get busy making
"works" speak louder than words.
Nothing is too big for us. We ought
to feel proud that our neighbors
voice their disappointment when we
come short of their expectations.
At any rate, Senator Reed should
be reminded of the fact that he is
counted among the "white trash"
by his Southern negro neighbors.
I imagine, however, that he pays
no attention to this appelation, seeing the source it comes from. Let
us learn wisdom from the honorable
senator!
K. A. Bishara
Pastor, Syrian Protestant Church
Brooklyn, N. Y.
AGAIN THE QUESTION
OF DISCRIMINATION
Editor, The Syrian World,
The outburst of Senator Reed only
substantiates what I have repeatedly
asserted in what I have contributed
to previous issues of The Syrian
World, that the Syrian people are
discriminated against in this country
on account of racial prejudice. Let
me repeat, therefore, that the Syrian
is better off in his own country living on bread and milk and enjoying
the good opinion of his neighbor,
than to live sumptuously in a palace
and be socially ostracized and discriminated against as a citizen.
M. Shadid, M.D.
Elk City, Okla.
Editor's Note — The controversy
v/aged over previous assertions by
Dr. Shadid will be recalled as having
drawn strong rejoinders from many
quarters on the question of social
ostracism. As regards his advice
to Syrians to return to their motherland for economic considerations, Dr.
Shadid himself later altered his
stand as a result of personal observation of condition abroad.
NEW ZEALAND SYRIANS
ORGANIZE
Editor, The Syrian World,
*** All those in New Zealand who
came in contact with The Syrian
World were delighted with its contents and the manner in which it is
being edited and published. Allow
me also to congratulate you upon
the success attending your efforts in
forming the Federation of Syrian
societies in the United States. The
prospect of such federation has already influenced the Syrian young
men of Wellington, N. Z. to form the
Syrian Social Club which was launched with great enthusiasm and under the most favorable auspices. I
doubt whether this could have taken
place had it not been for the influence of the Syrian World.
K. E. Alexander
Wellington, N. Z.
�^ Mi
JUNE, 1929
45
About Syria and Syrians
POLITICAL SITUATION IN
SYRIA UNCHANGED
The summer lull seems to have
affected political activities in Syria.
During the month covered by the
latest Syrian mail hardly anything
of consequence was entered in the
political record. Following the announced re-entry of the Nationalist
Party into the political arena, matters continued to drag in the same
manner prevailing since the abrogation of the Constituent Assembly.
What seems to have been the direct
result of the prolongued negotiations
on the political problems in Syria
was the wider divergence of opinion
as to the possible solution to a point
bordering on confusion. According
to present indications, no agreement
seems possible of being reached this
summer.
Syria was visited lately by many
high French officals presumably for
a further study of the political situation. In every instance Syrian
leaders were interviewed and their
opinions sought as to an acceptable
compromise. Most of the visitors
have returned with voluminous notes
but no decision, and what augurs
further delay is the forthcoming departure of M. Ponsot, the High Commissioner, for France in the middle
of June. Naturally all negotiations
will have to be suspended pending
his return.
NEW MINISTRY IN LEBANON
Following the Presidential elections in the Republic of Lebanon the
latter part of March, the Cabinet
of Habib Pasha Saad tended its resignation owing to the growing antagonism to its policies in the Representative Assembly. President Dabbas immediately called on Bishara
Bey Khouri, a former Premier, to
form a new cabinet. This move resulted in the reduction of the ministries to three in the interest of economy. At the same time, the Assembly passed the new amendments to
the Constitution empowering the
President to adjourn that body on
his own authority and call for new
elections. New elections are scheduled for June.
This measure has been severely
criticised by the press in that it reduces the Assembly to the role of
mere figureheads, but inasmuch as
it was sponsored by the mandatory
authorities it was approved.
SYRIAN AND WIFE
KILLED IN FLORIDA
Woman Fires at Chief of Police in
Defense of Husband and is shot
and Killed—Man Later Taken
From Jail and Killed by
Mob
One of the saddest tragedies in
the history of the Syrians in America was the brutal murder of Nicholas Romeo and his wife which occurred in Lake City, Fla., on May 16
and for which the Chief of Police
of that town and his men are said
to be responsible. From the many
�i;
46
accounts published by the Syrian
press of New York and coming from
various sources, the events preceding
and following the tragedy appear
to be substantially as follows:
In the town of Lake City, Florida,
there are but two Syrian families,
one of which is that of Romey, corrupted into Romeo. The family cons:'sts of the father, mother and four
children, the eldest, leer, a lad of
seventeen years.
On Thursday, May 9, leer took his
two younger sisters out for an automobile ride around the lake. They
were struck by another car emerging
suddenly from a side street at excessive speed. The occupants of thi.-;
car were found at fault and arrested.
It was discovered later that they
h-id concealed weapons under the
front seat and that the car had been
stolen, Which seems to account for
the!r reckless haste. They were
held under bond and a sum of $240.
found on their persons was taken
by the police. The Syrian boy was
not only absolved of all blame but
was even promised, according to
testimony, to have the cost of repairs to his car met out of the sum
seized from the occupants of the
stol"n automobile.
This supposed promise to make
good the cost of repairs seems to
have been the cause for the tragedy
which followed. For no sooner leer
Romeo had the damage repaired than
he cpllsd on the Chief of Police to
sett'e with the repair man who had
refused to deliver back the car unless paid or guaranteed the amount
by the Chief of Police. But when
the latter was called upon to redeem
'his promise he disclaimed all knowledge of the matter and flatly denied having guaranteed the cost of
repairs. It transpired later that
THE SYRIAN WORLD
the men responsible for the accident had been released and permitted to leave town.
A week later, Mrs. Romeo met
the Chief of Police and reminded
him of his promise to her son, and
upon denial by the chief of his ever
having made such promise Mrs. Romeo called him a liar.
Later the Chief of Police and a
number of his men came to the Romeo store and asked for Romeo or
his son, and upon being informed
that neither was there he ordered
Mrs. Romeo in harsh tones and with
the use of abusive language to remove from the sidewalk the vegetables she had on display there. She
protasted that other storekeepers
in the immediate neighborhood had
their goods on display on the sidewalk also, and when she refused
compliance with his order the Chief
of Police and his men attempted to
drag her forcibly to their car which
they had parked across the street.
At this a crowd collected and the
woman was released on the protest
of some leading citizens.
While all th:s was taking place
Nicholas Romeo, the husband, was
absent in Georgia on business. Upon
his return on May 16 he was informed of what had occurred and
in his anger called up the Chief of
Police and remonstrated with him
for his action. It is claimed that
he used harsh language and invited
the chief to come over and see if
things were as he wanted them.
Some state that in his anger he
even threatened the chief with violence.
' Taking the man at his word, the
Chief of Police, with four of his
men came over immediately and all
entered the store with drawn guns.
Mrs. Romeo, fearing just such re-
�JUNE, 1929
suit, had concealed her husband's
gun. Consequently, Romeo was defenseless against five armed men
who are said to have begun firing
without the least provocation, but
presumably for purposes of intimidation oniy. But when Romeo made
an attempt to steal behind the counter, a policeman is said to have struck
'him with a blackjack and felled him
to the ground where he lay unconscious with blood gushing from his
wound.
Mrs. Romeo came rushing to the
front of the store at the sound of
firing, and seeing her husband prostrate and wounded imagined he had
been killed. She thereupon fired at
the Chief of Police and wounded
h:m, the latter returning the fire
with the same result.
Just then the son, leer, came rushing to the side of his mother who,
fearing he would meet the same fate,
was admonishing him not to offer
any resistance, when one of the policemen, bending over her, is said
to have again shot at her several
times with a curse and the exclamation "Aren't you dead yet?"
Mrs. Romeo was removed to the
hospital and her 'husband taken to
jail. The son leer was also arrested,
and while being taken to jail is said
to have been threatened with lynching "because that is what is going
to happen to his father". That same
night a mob is claimed to have broken into the jail and taken Nicholas
Romeo to a spot several miles from
the town and killed him. Thirteen
bullet wounds were counted in his
body, some of which are said to
'have been dry, indicating that they
were inflicted after death.
Two negroes occupying cells adjoining that of Romeo are said not
to have heard any sound during the
47
whole night in question, which would
prompt to the conclusion that the
mob, if such was the case, must
have acted very efficiently and without encountering the least resistance.
On that very night Mrs. Romeo
died in the hospital.
The Governor of Florida was petitioned for the removal of the son
leer from the local jail owing to prevailing prejudice. The other children were also removed to Georgia
where they were given over to the
care of relatives.
The tragedy has aroused intense
feeling among the Syrians throughout the country, principally among
those in the Southern States where
several individuals and organjizai
tions have interested themselves actively in the matter. The Syrian papers of New York all carry long accounts of the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, of which new
details seem to develop every day.
Al-Hoda, the principal Syrian paper, announced that it had retained
Mr. Joseph W. Ferris, a Syrian
lawyer of New York, and Mr. F. S.
Rizk, another Syrian lawyer of Jacksonville, Fla., to study the circumstances of the case and report on a
suitable course of action. Mr. Rizk
went to Lake City and made a personal investigation of the whole affair and interviewed many prominent citizens of the town—bankers,
merchants, newsnapermen, etc.—
and embodied his findings in an exhaustive report to Mr. Ferris which
was published by Al-Hoda and contains substantially the facts as given
above.
Al-Hoda is of the opinion that the
Syrians should proceed with extreme
caution in this matter and await the
results of a thorough and impartial
�48
investigation before forming judgment. A certain feeling of prejudice undeniably exists against the
Syrians in some parts of the South
and any rash action on their part
might tend to aggravate matters unnecessarily.
STAND OF SENATOR
REED ON SYRIANS
He Amplifies his Statement on 'the
Trash of the Mediterranean"
Congress
The statement of Senator David
Reed of Pennsylvania that the Syrians were of the "trash" of the Mediterranean 'has aroused intense indignation among Syrians throughout the country with the result that
scores of protests were sent to many
Senators in Washington. One such
protest came from the Syrian American Club of Cleveland, Ohio, and
was read by Senator Burton on the
floor of the Senate and published in
the Congressional Record of June 7.
Later on during this debate not only
was there a recapitulation of the
original charges of Senator Reed,
but an amplification by him of his
original remarks which cannot be
termed a retraction.
As reported in the Congressional
Record, Senator Burton prefaced his
speech by reading What he termed
the "pertinent portion" of the remarks of Senator Reed made in the
Senate during the debate on the National Origins clause of the Immigration Bill on April 29, which were
as follows:
"For a long time before the war"
"broke out in Europe this country"
THE SYRIAN WORLD
"was the trash basket of Europe."
"We were sent thousands of immi-"
"grants who were excused from"
"penitentiary sentences on condi-"
"1jion that they would emigrate"
"to America. We got the trash of"
"the Mediterranean, all that Le-"
"vantine stock that churns around"
"through there and does not know"
"what its own ancestry is. It came"
"here in large numbers from Syria"
"and the Turkish provinces and"
"from different countries of the"
"Balkan Peninsula and from that"
"part of southeastern Europe."
"This sweeping condemnation,"
said Senator Burton, "seems to include the Syrains, and very naturally
the community of Syrians in northern Ohio have protested against
such an attack as this. Of my own
acquaintance with them I shall wish
to speak in a few minutes, but I
would ask at this t:me that the clerk
read the protest filed by the Syrian
American Club of Cleveland."
At this point an able exposition
of the clean record of the Syrians
in the United States, prepared by
the Club above mentioned, was read
by order of the Vice President. It
was signed by the Good and Welfare
Committee of the Club consisting
of Jess. N. Saba, chairman, James
Solomon and Michael Caraboolad.
Senator Burton then continued:
"I am acquainted with many of the
Syrian people of northern Ohio, and
I may say for them that their names
very rarely appear in the criminal
court records. As soon as possible
they become naturalized American
citizens. Their children are taking
an honorable place in the public
schools and they, whether as merchants, laborers or in whatever capacity, are becoming an integral and
helpful part in otfr cosmopolitan
�mmmmmm
JUNE, 1929
49
population. I much regret the state- ever made on immigration that we
ment made by the Senator from can treat this question only in the
Pennsylvania, and at the same time spirit of the Declaration of IndepenI must say that the letter just read dence that all men were born equal,
is a little stronger in some of its and that remark is always included
adjectives than I would altogether and invariably an effort is made to
approve, but it is very natural that . introduce questions of race prejuthe writers should be extremely sen- dice. If America is to legislate
sitive about the attack and should soundly on this subject it can not
answer with some degree of bitter- be done in that spirit."
ness."
SYRIAN PROTESTS
In defense of his own stand, Senator Reed made the following reSenator Reed's remarks gave rise
ply to the remarks of Senator Burto one of the rare occasions when
ton.
the Syrians throughout the United
"It seems impossible to discuss States were aroused to action. The
immigration without arousing the Syrian press of New York publishes
feelings of a great number of sen- the text of many protests sent by
sitive and hypersensitive groups. Syrian organizations and individuals
I never said that the Syrian people in various cities. Miss Lila Manwere the trash of the Mediterra- dour, born in Pennsylvania, Senator
nean, and anyone who reads my Reed's home state, wrote the Senastatements will see that I did not. tor a strong letter of protest to
I said that from all around the which he replied with the explanashores of the Mediterranean came tion that his remarks were not inthe trash of that region and that tended to include all Syrians. He
they came from the Turkish Pro- makes no retraction of his statevinces and from Syria and from all ment in Congress, but promises Miss
other countries which I could have Mandour to read the book of Dr.
listed. That is true. Everyone who Philip K. Hitti "The Syrians in
hears my voice at this moment knows America" which she had sent him.
that it is true. But it is equally
Owing to the identical nature of
true that I made no reflection what- the protests, we are omitting their
soever upon the Syrians as a race or publication textually. Senator Hias an* immigrant strain.
ram Bingham of Connecticut, ack"Anyone who undertakes to de- nowledging the protest of Joseph
bate the subject of immigraton res- Hage, Secretary of the Syrian Amertrictions will find himself the un- ican Association of the United States
lucky victim of that kind of mis- with headquarters in Connecticut,
construction. He will be accused iadvises that "the subject having!
of a racial prejudice of which he been considered on the Senate floor,
is wholly unconscious. Sometimes I am of the belief that it has now
the accusation will be made to curry received sufficient official cognizance"
favor with the people in question This advice is timely as regards
and sometimes it will be made be- perfunctory protests sent to Senacause of their hypersensitfveness. tors, but it is equally obvious that
I have said in every speech I have the Syrians should learn a lesson
�=====
so
from this incident and seriously con-"
sider means for improving Ijhercr;
status as a component element in
the make-up of the American nation. Senator Reed plainly accuses
them along with other Mediterranean
"trash" of not knowing what their
own ancestry is. This is a direct and
open challenge to Syrians to develop a little more knowledge of their
ancestral background that they may
be able, when the necessity arises,
to defend and prove their racial extraction. The young generation Syrians in the United States should be
especially interested in such poignant remark which seems to be directed squarely at them, and it
should arouse them to take interest
' in those matters which affect their
status as a racial strain in the country.
SYRIAN GRADUATES
OF COLUMBIA
Six Syrians graduated from Columbia University in New York this
year, one of whom being a Syrian
girl of Boston who had specialized
in the study of ancient history.
The graduates are:
David Kasir of Mosul, Ph. D. in
mathematics and education.
Shafik Nafash of Horns, Syria and
Union City, N. J., M. D.
Miss Theodora Scoff of Zahle, Lebanon and Boston, Mass. M. A. in
history.
Ibrahim Dada of Damascus, M. A.
in education.
Iskandar Harik of Shwair, Lebanon, M. A. in education.
Jamil Esterabadi of Bagdad, M. A.
in business.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
DR. HITTI SUCCEEDS
PROFESSOR ROGERS
A special despatch to the N. Y.
Times from Princeton on April 27
carried the announcement that Dr.
Robert William Rogers, professor
of ancient literature on the Paton
Foundation at Princeton University
and a specialist in ancient Oriental
literature, will retire at the end of
the academic year. Professor Rogers' course will be conducted next
year by Associate Professor Philip
K. Hitti, who has been a member of
the Department of Oriental Languages and Literature for three years.
MEANING OF "SYRIA"
Philip C. Sabbagha, a Syrian high
school boy of Columbia, S. C, availing himself of the offer of Dr. Philip
K. Hitti through the Syrian World
to answer historical questions on
Syria, has written to Dr. Hitti asking the meaning and the philological
derivation of the word "Syria". Dr.
Hitti's answer follows:
The English word Syria comes
from the Greek Suria.. Arabic Suriah comes also from the same Greek
word and is nearer to it than the
English word because Arabic got
it directly from Greek, whereas English got it through Latin and other
Romance languages. The first Greek
writer in whose works we find Suria
is Herodotus, the historian who lived
in the fifth century before Christ.
In Septuagint, the Greek translation
of the Bible, the word Suria is also
used. But Homer, the early Greek
poet, used "Arameans" for the people
of Syria.
The Hebrews did not know the
word Suria. They use "Aram" in
?
�wmm
—
7LW£, 7929
r\l t /
it
'
the Bible. This is the word translated by the Greek Septuagint Suria.
Likewise, before the Arab conquest,
the Syrians called themselves Arameans, and their country Aram. After
the Arab conquest the land was called al-Sham.
Now the question is where did the
Greeks get the word Suria from?
They got it from the ancient Babylonians. In cuneiform, the ancient
writing of Babylonia, all the land to
the west including northern Syria
and northern Mesopotamia is called
Suri.. What Sufi means in Babylonian is not certain. Some scholars
think it means "the west", others
"the highland."
English Syria and Arabic Suriyah,
therefore, come from Greek Suria.
Greek Suria is from Babylonian Suri,
meaning "the west" and possibly
"the highland".
Those who say that Syria is derived from "Assyria" or from "Sur"
(Tyre, meaning rock,) are wrong.
They are deceived by the superficial
similarity of sound.
DINNER IN HONOR
OF FADLOU HOURANI
The Alumni Association in New
York of the American University of
Beirut gave a dinner at the Hotel
McAlpin on June 13 in honor of Mr.
Fadlou Hourani, now touring the
United States with his family.
This public testimonial to Mr.
Hourani was in recognition of the
fact that he was largely responsible
for the success of the Alumni movement which he had sponsored and
financed in its earlier stage. Himself an alumnus of the A. U. B. and
having achieved considerable success
51
in his commercial enterprises in
Manchester, England, Mr. Hourani
gave liberally of his time and money
to educational, social and church
work. He was appointed a member of a delegation of six laymen
representing the Presbyterian church
of all England at the general convention of that church to be held in
Boston.
Mr. Nesib Trabulsi, president of
the Alumni Association of New York,
after briefly welcoming the distinguished guest in the name of the
Association, requested Dr. Philip K.
Hitti of Princeton University and the
foremost representative of the alumni body of the American University
of Beirut in America, to act as toastmaster. The speakers were: Dr. R.
G. Haddad, prominent physician of
Brooklyn; S. A. Mokarzel, editor of
the Syrian World; N. M. Diab, editor
of Meraat-Ul-Gharb; Albert Staub,
American director of the Near East
Colleges Association, and Mobadda
Rashid of Chautauqua.
SYRIAN TO CONDUCT
.. PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
During every summer, the Philharmonic Orchestra holds a series
of concerts at the Lewisohn Stadium
in New York. This year three of the
performances will feature Ruth St.
Denis, Ted Shawn and their ensemble. Of special interest to us is that
all of these three performances will
be conducted by our talented pianist
Mr. Anis Fuleihan. On each of
these occasions the full orchestra
will be used, and the pieces to be
played are of Mr. Fuleihan's own
composition.
We are further informed that one of
�52
the numbers will represent a North
African scene depicting certain Arab
ceremonies and rituals.
CONCERT IN NEW YORK
BY FEDORA KURBAN
The first concert in New York by
Mme. Fedora Kujrban, styled the
Syrian nightingale, was given under
the auspices of the Rev. Dr. and
Mrs. K. A. Bis'hara at the Brooklyn
Academy of Music on the evening
of May 16. Mme. Kurban was assisted by Mr. Alexander Malaof and
his Oriental orchestra, and the proceeds of the concert were to help
the institutions for the blind and
the orphans in Syria.
Mme. Kurban gave selections in
several languages, and her art was
well appreciated by the audience of
over five hundred. Miss Amelia Hall
was at the piano in several numbers.
Dr. Bishara spoke in both Arabic
and English on this occasion. The
text of his English address appears
in this issue of the Syrian World.
SYRIAN BOY WINS
ORATORICAL CONTEST
Louis Dakhil, 18, of McAlester,
Okla., and sophomore at the University of Oklahoma, has for the
second time won first place in the
State Oratorical Contest on the subject of "World Peace." Besides the
honor of being state champion, the
winner also received a cash prize
of $100.00.
Mr. Dakhil is a graduate of McAlester High School and is now
studying medicine.
THE SYRIAN WORLD
LEBANESE POET
DIES IN FRANCE
The Syrian press reports the death
on April 3 of Chukri Ganem, famous
Lebanese poet, at his villa at Anteib,
France, at the age of 67.
The best known work of M. Ganem
was 'his play "Antar' which was acclaimed with great enthusiasm when
it was first presented at the Odeon
in Paris. This and other works entitled M. Ganem to a high rank
among the contemporary poets and
writers of France. * He was decorated with the Commandant medal
of the Legion d'honneur.
M. Ganem was born in Beirut and
educated at the Lazahist College at
Aintoura, Lebanon. He early in life
chose to live in France and in a short
time came to move in the highest
literary and political circles of Paris.
During the World War and after,
he was special adviser to the French
government on Near Eastern affairs,
especially those of Mt. Lebanon and
Syria. He counted among his intimate friends M. Raymond Poincare,
the French Premier.
In recognition of his distinguished
services to his motherland, the Lebanese government, at the suggestion of Gen. Weygand when French
High Commissioner in Syria, made
him an annual allowance of 30.000f
for life.
i
i
SYRIAN GIRL OFFICER
OF SPANISH CLUB
We copy the following item from
the Worcester Evening Post of
June 1.
"Miss Helen G. Agbay, a junior
at Emanuel College in Boston, has
�^^••-• -
JUNE, 1929
been elected president of the Spanish
club, El Club Espanol, for the coming college year. Miss Agbay served
as treasurer of the club in her sophomore year and was its secretary in
her junior year."
SYRIAN INVENTS
CARDING MACHINE
A machine which has long been
the hope of manufacturers of hatters' fur has finally been perfected
by a Syrian fur manufacturer, Mr.
Joseph Morin of Newark, N. J.
Mr. Morin has been in the hat fur
manufacturing business for a considerable time, and enjoyed the advantage of having learned the industry from the ground up. Realizing both the danger and the waste
of the old-style machines used in
the application of nitrate of silver
to the pelts he conceived the idea of
making a machine that would automatically do the work without injury to the quality of the product.
He perfected the machine and secured the necessary patents for it in
1928, and this year he placed it on
the market by renting it out to hat
manufacturers.
While the old style machines required the services of almost ten
men who ran the dangers peculiar
to the industry, Mr. Morin's machine
is so simple and practical that it can
be operated by two children with
absolute safety and accuracy.
STORY OF SYRIAN
PRISONERS A HOAZ
For the past year or so the Syrian
press both at home and abroad had
been greatly agitated over the supposed existence in Singapore of some
-—
33
twenty thousand Syrian prisoners
who were said to have been taken
by the British during their Mesopotamian campaign and held in Singapore in conditions resembling penal slavery.
It has now transpired that the
whole story was a hoax concocted
by one Sadik Abbas of Bagdad for
exploiting patriotic sentiment. The
British authorities of Palestine, although having categorically denied
the truth of any such reports, continued, nevertheless, their persistent
efforts to trace them to their source.
Finally Sadik Abbas was arrested
and questioned. He denied that he
was acting for any foreign government maintaining that his sole object was to secure easy money by
this means. He was sentenced to
three years' imprisonment and deportation from Palestine at the expiration of his term.
A Jewish accomplice, also a native
of Iraq, was sentenced to only three
months' imprisonment and subsequent deportation.
NOTED ORIENTALIST AT
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Professor A. T. Olmstead, noted
American Orientalist and formerly
Professor of History and Curator of
the Oriental Museum at the University of Illinois, has accepted a position as Professor of Oriental History in the Oriental Institute of the
University of Chicago. The Oriental Institute is especially interested
in the earlier history of the Near
East, and has excavations and other
work going on in the field in Egypt,
Palestine, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia. It has, besides, much research work going on at home at
.
�54
the University of Chicago. This
Institute is one of the foremost
American institutions specializing^
in such work, and many discoveries
and field expeditions on a large scale
may be laid to its credit.
Professor Olmstead is the author
of several authoritative works on
the history of Assyria and has spent
several years in Syria engaged in
field work and study. Readers of
the Syrian World will recall his generous assistance in the translation
of articles describing the many interesting antiquities in the Beirut
Museum.
NEAR EAST RELIEF
COMPLETES ITS WORK
Further Efforts will be to Help Near
East Peoples Help Themselves
In a report issued the latter part
of May by the American Near East
Relief, covering a period of ten years
and an expenditure of $100,000,000,
an account of its stewardship is given together with recommendations
for the discontinuance of all relief
emergency work after present commitments are met.
The report is declared to "mark
the virtual completion of the tragic
chapter of massacre and exile,
brightened only by deeds of mercy
done on such vast scale as the world
had »never known before. It marks
the beginning of a new chapter—one
of constructive helpfulness through
education to those who sit in the
ancestral house of Christendom that
new woes may be prevented."
The conclusions of the survey, as
reported by the New York Times of
THE SYRIAN WORLD
May 21, are partially as follows:
"American effort in the Near East
has been of splendid service in helping in the task of rehabilitating the
countries that make up the area.
"Unfortunately there has been
too much tendency to institutionalize
and to consider the institution as an
outpost of civilization carrying a
message to barbarians.
"Great need exists for wholesale
training of the masses in ways of
earning their daily bread, safeguarding against sickness and appreciating the values of life."
,
A significant statement in the report is that alluding to the status
of the Armenians residing outside
Armenia and making suitable provisions for them as "minorities in
populations often keenly antagonistic."
Another significant statement is
the comment on the nature of education heretofore prevailing in Near
Eastern countries. While acknowledging the services rendered by
American institutions of higher education in the Near East, it points
out that their work is badly needed
along the line of developing native
leadership of the highest type. The
outstanding need, it is pointed out,
is for "boys and girls with the kind
of practical education that will equip
them for leadership in the small villages in which the bulk of the population of the Near East lives, not
the kind of education that will cause
them to turn their backs upon the
people from which they came."
The main recommendations in the
report have already been approved
at a conference of American agencies
in the Near East, held at Constantinople, a summary of which is contributed to the report by President
Bayard Dodge of the American Uni-
i
i
s
�JUNE, 1929
55
versity of Beirut, who was chairman
of the conference.
Cleveland H.
Dodge, it was said, heads a committee now working out a program
to put into effect the recommendations of the survey.
SYRIAN PHYSICIAN CLAIMS
IMPORTANT DISCOVERY
A paper by Dr. M. A. Shadid of
Elk City, Okla., appearing in the
May, 1929 issue of Clinical Medicine
and Surgery published at Chicago,
gives the result of a treatment discovered by Dr. Shadid which is said
to be an effective cure for influenza
and pneumonia.
Dr. Shadid received his medical
education in the United States and
is the founder of Elk Sanitarium at
Elk City.
NEWS OF SOCIETIES
i
!
PLEDGE FROM TEXAS
Editor, The Syrian World,
At the regular meeting of the Syrian American Club of this city, held
on May 5th., the Federation movement was brought up for discussion
and I wish to advise you that the
entire membership gave it their
whole-hearted endorsement.
We are of the conviction that this
is the first and only logical step toward organizing Syrian-Americans
into federated societies, which may
ultimately causa co-operative and
unifying action among our people.
There exists no doubt that we are
in dire need of leadership.
Our club is still in its infancy; it
was organized on April first of f this
year, and we now have a substantial membership.
We feel that the Syrian WTorld has
justified its existence in undertaking
the federation movement. Therefore
we are happy to extend our congratulations and profound good wishes
to your magazine for its most valued
and remarkable enterprise.
S. J. Ackels, Pres.
Dallas, Texas.
AMERICANS SPEAK TO
SYRIANS ON SYLIA
(Special Correspondence)
Boston, Mass.—The members of
the Caravaneers Club of this city
had an especial treat when Miss
Grace Freidinger and the Rev. Mr.
Lawrence McGuffin entertained them
with stories and stereopticon views
of Syria on Monday evening, April 1
And it was no April Fool joke,
either! for Miss Freidinger and Mr.
McGuiiin know Syria very well, 'having lived and taught there.
The Caravaneers were very much
thrilled to find Miss Freidinger singing Syrian songs written in Arabic.
Mr. McGuffin, who is a product of
East Lynn, Mass., taught for three
years at Suk-el-Gharb, and, while
visiting his boys during the summer,
took many interesting pictures and
had many fine opportunities to know
the country.
Miss Freidinger, who taught for
nine years in the Lebanon Mountains
is a product of Springfield, 111. Since
her return in December 1927, she
has been longing for an opportunity
J
�$9
THE SYRIAN WQRL&
to mingle with Syrians in this country. She is very much interested in
Syrian affairs and considered that
she had discovered a "gold mine"
when she became acquainted with
Miss Labeebee A. J. Hanna, a Boston
school teacher of Syrian descent,
through whom she was introduced
to the Caravaneers Club.
This informative and entertaining
talk held the interest of the members
for two hours, not only because of
Miss Freidinger's enthusiasm, but
because it was about a country of
which many of the members had
heard but had never seen.
PLAY BY LADIES' SOCIETY
ENTERTAINMENT AND DANCE
The Daughters of the United Maronites Society of New York held
their fifth annual entertainment
and dance at the St. Paul Council
of the K. C. in Brooklyn on Saturday
evening, June 1st. The affair was
thoroughly enjoyed by a large attendance.
The Ladies' Syrian Association of
Spring Valley, 111., gave a three-act
play on the afternoon of Sunday,
May 12. for the benefit of St. George
Orthodox church of that city.
The whole cast was made up of
the younger members of the society
and were complimented for their
display of talent.
Addresses were delivered by the
Rev. Seraphim Nassar; Mrs. Sam
Aboud, President; Miss Elizabeth
Abrahams, Secretary, and Miss Ameline Jacobs.
LEBANESE CLUB FORMED
On April 13 the young people of
Adams, Mass. formed an organization to which they gave the name
of Lebanese Boys' and Girls' Social
Club. Their first entertainment was
held during the latter of May and
was attended by over 250 persons
from Adams and neighboring cities.
Writing of the purpose of the club,
Miss
Edna Shakar, the president,
NE(WS OF CLEVELAND, OHIO
said that "until the formation of the
A dance and card party for the club there was little social enterbenefit of St. Maron's church was course among the Syrian community
held at the K. of C. Hall on June 1. of the city, but now there has been
The committee in charge reported created a common interest."
the affair a financial success.
The club would like to correspond
—The play "Rabeebat Al Gibal", with similar organizations in New
given by the Zahle American society England for the promotion of soof this city at! the Metropolitan cial activities. Its address is 87
Theatre on May 12 was well acted Commercial St., Adams, Mass.
and consisted of a cast wholly comOne of the first official acts of
posed of members under the able the club was in making a gift of a
direction of our Dr. H. B. Khuri.
year's subscription to the Syrian
During one of the intermissions, World to the local public library bethe Rt. Rev. Msgr. Riashi of Akron cause "we want Americans to come
gave some appropriate comments to know us as we really are through
on Mother's Day.
the medium of this wonderful organ
A. J. Shalala of Syrian culture."
�Memoirs of Usamah
By Dr. PHILIP K. HITTI
Who was Usamah?
»'
Usamah was a warrior, a hunter, a gentleman and a
poet who sojourned in the courts of the Fatimite caliph in
Cairo, of Saladin in Damascus and of Zanlci in al-Musil. His
Memoirs, of which only one copy is preserved in the Escurial
Spain, open before us a wide and new vista into medieval
times and constitute an invaluable contribution to our knowledge of Arab-Syrian culture in itself and in its relation to
Western thought and practice.
Usamah gives us a first-hand description of the battles
in which he took part in defense of his castle, Shayzar, against
the Franks and native enemies. He then devotes a section
to rare anecdotes more delectable than which can be found
nowhere in Arabic literature, and closes with another on falconry as practiced in Syria, Egypt and Mesopotamia. Long
paragraphs are devoted to his impressions of the character
of the Franks and their methods of medication and judicial
procedure. In their simplicity of narrative, dignity and
wealth of contents and general human interest, these Memoirs stand unexcelled in the literature of the Crusades.
They acquaint us with the Syrian methods of warfare, hawking and medication, and usher us into the intimacies of
Moslem court life as well as private home life.
This book is published by the Columbia University Press.
We rust our readers will show their apprecaition of Syrian scholarship by the liberal purchase of copies both for
their private libraries and for gifts.
THE SYRIAN WORLD has been appointed sales agent
for the Syrians, and sells the book at the publishers' regular
price of $4,50, plus 25c for postage.
ORDER YOUR COPY NOW
JL.
�ar" . .
E
T:
•»
»
»
» +» «»-<» *».;>—-<x>~»» o» ^
A BOOK YOU SHOULD HAVE
MAKER OF MODERN ARABIA, by Ameen
Rihani has proven a literary sensation. Never before
has a more accurate, extensive and authoritative picture of central Arabia been presented with as much
power. It is an epic of the desert j an up-to-the-minute
"close up" of the cradle of the Arabian race.
*
The author of this great work is a Syrian of whom
everyone of his countrymen should be proud. A copy
of his book should be found in every Syrian home of
culture.
"Mr. Rihani's pieture of the Wahabis is the sort of firsthand authoritative stuff that puts this book above and wholly
outside the range of the usual treatises either of travel, observation or politics."
N. Y. Herald-Tribune.
f a
II
"The command over the subtleties of our anomalous language revealed in these pages, is uncanny. To read is to enjoy
the pleasure of music. From Ameen Rihani we have what can
scarcely fail to be a final portrait of that formidable chieftain,
Ibn Sa'oud, by right of conquest King of Mecca."
New York Times.
II
I i
-4 I
V
ORDER YOUR COPY FROM THE SYRIAN WORLD
AT THE PUBLISHER'S PRICE
$6.00 postpaid.
-J
it
�!&i&»M^^
A
GLORIOUS HOLIDAY
AND
A
GREAT EDUCATION
is no better way of spending your summer vacation
than by taking our tour leaving New York July 2nd,
escorted by the Editor of THE SYRIAN WORLD, Mr.
Salloum A. Mokarzel, through
THERE
I
LEBANON, SYRIA and THE HOLY LAND.
*
ii
Visits will also be made to
CONSTANTINOPLE, ORAN
and
LISBON, NAPLES, ATHENS,
MADEIRA.
CONGENIAL COMPANIONS
1
'!
COMFORTABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
SURPRISINGLY LITTLE COST
Si
It
For booklets and details as well as for membership
in this tour write to
A. K. HITTI & COMPANY
60 Washington Street
NEW YORK CITY
Telephone—BOWLING
GREEN
2765-9754
w^^m^mm^^ww^^*
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319 FIFTH AVENUE,
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DOWNTOWN OFFICE
59 Washington St,
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LEGAL DEPOSITORY OF The United States—New York StateNew York City.
MEMBER OF The Federal Reserve Bank—New York State Bankers Association—American Bankers Association.
*
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We invite the accounts of Individuals, Firms, Corporations, Banks, and Trust Companies j offering all facilities consistent with conservative banking.
INTEREST DEPARTMENT
AT 4%
Deposits made on or before the ten days of January,
April, July and October, and the third day of any other
month, will draw 4% interest from the first of these
months, compounded quarterly.
Certificates of Deposit, an attractive short-term investment, if left for six months or longer will bear interest for the full term of deposit, at such rates as may be
agreed upon.
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A bank account is ESSENTIAL and advisable.
Read carefully the following suggestion:
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Personally conducted tours insuring maximum pleasure and eomIfort at moderate costs.
Our experience covering a period of fifty years enables us to
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The Syrians in America
By Philip K. Hitti, Ph. D.
*f
A book that is encyclopedic in
its information about the Syrians
—their origin, history, progress,
faiths, racial peculiarities and
particularly their present status
in America.
Dr. Hitti is an authority on this
subject. His book should be read
by all Americans of Syrian descent and all Americans interested
in Syria and Syrians.
Price, $1.25 postpaid.
On sale at the office of
"The Syrian World"
Sheik Coffee
is the master coffee made to
meet all the requirements
of the strict coffee connoisseurs. It is genuine Arabian
Coffee and has all its Aroma, Flavor and Quality.
Ground fine for the Turkish
Cup and coarse for
table use.
If you are unable to get
if from your grocer, order
it direct from us.
ARABIAN COFFEE
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I
�The Arabic
Linotype in
the Far East
s
From as far as the Federated Malay States have come orders
for the Model 14 Arabic Linotype now adopted as the standard
machine for composition in all languages using Arabic as their
basic characters. Late in 1928, an order for such a machine was
received from the Government Press at Alor Star, Kedah, Federated Malay States. This same Press had purchased a machine in
1924, and its reorder of another one four years later proves its
satisfaction with the first machine during its long period of trial.
This case is but an indication of the general trend in the printing
industry in the East, where the Linotype is bound to revolutionize methods of composing type just as it did in the West.
The Model 14 Arabic Linotype is capable of composition not
only in Arabic and all other languages using Arabic characters,
but in all Western languages as well by the simple change of
magazines which requires but a few minutes.
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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
TSW1929_06reducedWM
Title
A name given to the resource
The Syrian World Volume 03, Issue 12
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1929 June
Description
An account of the resource
Volume 3 Issue 12 of The Syrian World published June 1929. The issue begins with an article by Dr. Bayard Dodge titled "Education and Catastrophe," which discusses the importance of education as an internal measure of preventing catastrophe in society. Following it is a continuation of Ameen Rihani's travel experiences in Arabia, this time a "Lesson in Zoology and Healing." Rihani spends time with King Hussein, and in doing so sees how much the king enjoys the company of small animals and takes an interest in traditional medical practices. The king enlists one of his own surgeons to help Rihani with arm pain, which disappears after a simple salve of butter and garlic. The next piece is a poem by Labeebee A. J. Hanna titled "Will You Come Back!" which discusses the pain of remembering times lost. The short story "The Greatness of John Hasbani" by Rev. W. A. Mansur is next. A continuation of Dr. Philip K. Hitti's discussion of Book of Usama follows. Dr. George Knaysi writes about the relationship between science and the biological significance of youth and age. The issue concludes with excerpts from the Arab press, the Reader's Forum, and news on the Syrian societies from around the U.S.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Arabic literature--History and criticism--Periodicals
Arabs--United States--Periodicals
Lebanese-Americans--United States--Periodicals
Language
A language of the resource
English
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salloum A. Mokarzel
Syrian-American Press
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
New York Public Library
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
104 Greenwich St., New York, NY
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
1920s
Ameen Rihani
Education
George Knaysi
John Hasbani
Labeebee A.J. Hanna
Medical
New York
Philip Khuri Hitti
Reverend W.A. Mansur