'File 8/15 Arab Series - 1933-1939' [‎183r] (365/434)

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grievances. It is said that the young man was recalled to Mecca, discovered
most conveniently writing an incriminating letter, and put in prison.
5 . The second measure is a prohibition published by the Ministry of
Finance forbidding the importation and sale of what were assumed at first
to be statuettes, but turn out to be all representations in three dimensions
of any living creature, from a bust of Mustafa Kemal to a Teddy bear. It
appears that the measure was prompted by the discovery that some of the
children in Mecca had dolls to play with, toy rabbits, and the like. It is
true that it is unlawful, according to a well-known Moslem authority, for any
Moslem to have an image in his house ; but, according to the same authority,
Mahomet cursed all painters of men or animals, yet photography is allowed
in the Hejaz. Ibn Saud allows himself to be photographed, and this year a
cinema film of the pilgrimage was taken and afterwards shown in Egypt,
which could hardly have been taken without the King’s consent. But per
haps there is some distinction in the Wahabi tenets between figures in the
round and in the flat, which enables the latter to be classed as harmless, or
perhaps photographs can be attributed to light and therefore to Allah.
6 . There is yet another measure which I hear is to be applied during the
forthcoming pilgrim season, though it has not been announced in public.
All women pilgrims are to wear complete wrappings such as the Hejaz women
^ wear. Of late years some women pilgrims have been wearing the pre-war
Turkish dress (black) of cape, close-fitting hood, and thinnish veil, but this
is no longer to be considered adequate. It is not known what action will be
taken against recalcitrants, still more against any women who are rash enough
to follow the example of those Egyptian ladies who, I am assured, some
times appeared unveiled even in the courtyard of the Mecca mosque this last
season.
7 . Copies of this despatch are being sent to Cairo, Bagdad and Jerusalem.
(43)
Enclosure in Foreign Office covering letter No. P. Z.-5506/37, dated the
20 th August 1937.
Received on 11th September 1937, with Political Secretary's letter No. 34, dated
the 26th August 1937.
Endorsement from Paris to India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , No. 555, dated the 22nd
April 1937.
His Majesty’s representative at Paris presents his compliments to the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and, with reference to Foreign Office
despatch No. 2123 of the 15th December,' 1936, has the honour to transmit
to him copy of an extract from the Journal officiel of the 22nd April respecting
a decree promulgating the treaty of friendship of the 25th April, 1936,
between France and the Yemen.
Enclosure.
Extract from the Journal officiel of April 22, 1937.
Promulgation du Traite d'Amitie signe d Sanaa le 25 Avril 1936 entre la France
et le Yemen.
LE President de la Republique frangaise,
Sur la proposition du Ministre des Affaires etrangeres,
Decrete :
Article l er . Un traite d’amitie ayant ete signe a Sanaa le 25 avril 1936
entre la France et le Yimen et les ratifications sur ce traite ayant ete echan-
gees a Sanaa le 4 fevrier 1937, ledit traite, dont la teneur suit, recevra sa
pleine et entiere execution :
Traite d'Amitie entre la France et le Yemen.
Le President de la Republique frangaise et Sa Majeste ITmam YTihya,
fils de ITmam Mohammed-ben-Yahya Hamid-ed-Din, Roi du Yemen,
Desireux d’affermir les liens d’amitie qui les unissent et de faciliter les
relations entre leurs deux pays,
59(C) ExAffairsBept.