• The new ruler has evidently done his best to
make -a clean sweep of the Barakzai dynasty, and he has also rounded up most of the Sirdars as well as the Notables who had hoped to secure their position in the shadow of Queen Surayya. A Reuter's message states that he -intends to abolish the Ministries of Education and Justice, to close secular schools and restore the Sheri Courts for the administration of Moslem law—obviously in order to curry favour with the Mullahs. But it seems likely that he will go too far in this direction, just as King Amanullah did with his Westernizing reforms. And the latest news suggests that the " Holy Warrior," who is in fact reputed to be a Mobmand, has already failed to make himself persona grata to the important tribe of the Shinwaris. We are inclined to think that both the army and the priests may welcome back a chastened Amanullah in preference, to the robber-chief. For the ex-King's mistake was in concentrating on non- essential but irritating innovations, where much might have been done in the form of education and organization. Whatever the final outcome, the situation has its redeem- ing features, first in the restraint and mercy shown by baclia-i-Saqao, and secondly in the demonstration of the value of aeroplanes in rescue work.
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