The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-12-29
GIeANAkTNG
[Ild,;M|lP1SSztj5Rs
JNAIIONS
rhe Lid Down Tight o. Young Egypt
Great Britain, Following Roose-
yeit's Advice, pursuss Steiner Meas.
ures With Egyptian Nationalist.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

Cairo, Egypt-Thanks TO Theodore
Roosevelt the attention OF the whole
world, v o OF the man OF the street,
has been directed TO the interesting
fact that the somnelence OF centuries
In the land of the pharaohs has been
broken. and that unrest, self-conscious
and actively directed, 10 the present
outstanding characteristic OF the polit.
icai life Of this Oldest Of living ma.
tons. Rather strangely, this very in.
terest on tho part Of a visiting Ameri.
can did more to quell the unrest than
any other factor, for Mr.. R~oosevelt's
famous advice to the British to deal
more vigorously with the agitators
was Btralghtway followed by o policy
OF sternness that has not since been
relaxed.
The result is that all the British
land especially those who hold Egyp
tian sbares) are enthusiastically
grateful to Mr. Roosevelt, while the
Egyptian nationalists hate him with
nm Oriental intensity such as none OF
his political enemies at home are ca
pable OF feeling. Meanwhile the stu
alton continues well In hand. Sir Ed.
win Gorst announced. shortly after
the distinguished American visitor
had gone, that his former policy Of
ieniency had been q mistake, and that
h~enceforth severer measures would
be the rule. Now the lid ia down
tight The nationalists can no longer
write and speak as they please. Meet
ings are held only under restrictions
and surveillance. Some OF the leaders
have been sent to Jail for their sedt-
tious utterances, Demonstrations can
no longer be held al the pleasure Of
the agitators, Complaints are very
bitter that the latter cannot get their
grievances before the public.
Rrltish Rule Threatened.
Interested observers statesmen.
stock brokers. missionaries dc.
clare that prior to the s~tiffening
UP Of the governments backbone by
MI. Roosevelt the rule OF Great Brit.
ain was really IN peril. A~ssassinations
and riots were both growing alarm.
ingly frequent More than once the
army OF occupation had to be paraded
10 order 70 oyerawa the turbulent pop.
mlace. Residents felt approhensiye OF
a fanatical ontburEt OF the VIGOROUSLY
i~nfiammable Cairo mobs, who cared
less for nationalist principles than for
disorder and loot. These fears were
In large measure removed by Sir I'd.
win Gorst's surrender OF his policy
OF tolerance and Cancellation, and by
his iirmer measures.
Theoretically the Egyptian national.
tsta have the best Of cases. Their plea
is the old American one for the right
OF gelf-government. They want relief
from a government which they say,
truly, Is only a usurper. Great Brit.
tins control IL only by right Of might
and possession. The country Is nomi.
nally under the suzeraintS Of Turkey.
The British occupation is, by Brit
ish ayowal. only temporary. But 1t
Will be many q long day before Great
Britain moves out. When abe and
France stormed Alexandria, and II
became necessary for some strong
power to remedy the prevailing condi.
tons Of anarchy. the task devoIved
upon Great Britain. acting In behalf
OF the or international order.
Her answer to the other nations, and
10 the Young Egypt party, 10 that the
country Is not yet ready to resume
the task Of governing itself. Now the
government frankly ia assuming an
enlarged degree Of authority and re.
sponsibility and diminishing the pow.
er In the hands OF natives. This, OF
course. Is In the face OF seditIon in
Egypt proper and In view OF rather
alarming rumors OF sedition among
the native troops IN the Sudan. When
Lord Kitchener recently visited Egypt
and the Sudan. ostensibly for sport,
It Ia known that he called together
aIl the resident officers who had ever
served under him. and went over the
situation In the Sudan with them.
Some British Biunders.
In all the accusations that were
made against the British by the ma
tionalist leaders whom I interviewed |
detected a note Of personal resent.
ment. OF offended senslbilities. Appar
entity the most fundamental Of the
British mistnkes--and count It really
scrious--is that the dominant power
has not been considerable Of the feel.
ings OF the natives Of the land. With
characteristic British tactlessness. the
authorities have sought to help the