Hitrar's Rabshah

The London Times recently printed a letter purporting to have been received from a chieftain in remotest Arabia, thanking British authorities for official war news bulletins. Excerpts: "The people ... are eagerly expecting the news that the British and their Allies have crushed Hitrar and his guilty and criminal party. They accuse Hitrar of having made all wares dearer by waging an unnecessary war and by attacking smaller or weaker nations. Our water-carrier assured me that he would stab Hitrar with his djambia [dagger] if Hitrar should happen to pass this way, and would not mind if I put chains into his legs. . .

"When they saw the photographs showing the German prisoners having their meal one remarked, with his hand on his djambia, 'By God, these deserve to be killed.' I told him that they were prisoners of war and had gone to fight by order of their chiefs, who were responsible for all the trouble. Another gentleman exclaimed, 'Wallah! Hitrar alone is responsible for this rabshah [trouble].' While I was continuing my lecture a man said, 'Make sure that these prisoners do not run away at night.' (Please see that this is done.)

"The following remarks were made:--'Is the Western Front composed of husns [castles]? Do the sentries stay on the roof? They must not sleep at night because the enemy might attack. If the Inkriz [English] win the war--inshallah! --they must take hostages from the Sultans and agils [wise men] of the Alaman. Were the earthquakes in Turkey caused by the Alaman? The Turks must retaliate and make earthquakes in Germany.

" 'The warship Admiral Graffs Bey ought to have fought till the end. If one of us is attacked he must fight till he is killed. It is disgraceful to run away or to kill oneself. Graffs Bey is a coward. Wallah! How do warships fight? Do they knock down one another or simply jump over one another?

" 'We people cannot help our Government by gifts of money. But we can send millet, if the soldiers eat it on the Western Front. We can also send them indigo to paint their skins with if it is cold on the front. Inshallah!--at the end of this war the Alaman will be Finish wa Dismiss.' "

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