Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-27
HOW MEN FROM THE EAST LOOK
UPON THE GREAT WAR IN THE YVES
Great Conflict Has Brought
Ends of Earth Closer
Than Ever Before
BY ELLEN ADAIR
Written specially for Evening Ledger.


LONDON, July 14.-It was ct n London
garden party yesterday that 1 met three
dusky but interesting units Of the great
war-a Maori, a Gurkha and an Egyptian
gentleman.
They had Just arrived from Egypt and
were shlvering in the chilly atmosphere of
English summer time. with their heavy
military coats buttoned to the chin. they
paced the damp and rain.sodden walks with
look which clearly signlhed surprise at the
strange ways of English entertainment.
But is the weather always OF such cold.
ness?" inquired the big Maori soldier.
Said the f1erce-eyed little Gurkha in his
broken English, and with a smile that
showed all his sharp little teeth. The
British are splendid people--but now I
learn why they smile not often. II Is be.
cause the rains come much and the sun
but seldomw
The Egyptian gentleman was all affabil.
ity He seemed quite n domesticated char
acter lamenting the absence Of his 13
wives. The taking back of suitable pres
ents to these ladies was greatly exercising
his mind. ut is a difficult matter. this
present choosing" he confded artiessly,
FOR women are naturally Jealous, are they
not?"
An unfortunate moment arrived when the
same gentleman. actuated by motives Of no.
lite interest, inquired OF n stern Baptist
parson as to the number and quality of his
particular harem7
We pretended not to hear the query But
the Baptist parson. with the total lack of
all humor peculiar to many OF his type, inn
proved the occasion by rebuling the Egyp-
tian gentleman and included short lecture
on the sin of polygamy
The Man Of Many Wives relapsed into a
puzzled silence. But after while one
could hear him murmur solemnly. "A
strange. sad race, the English 70
He told me of the thronged military
stations through which, day In, day out
wind the leisurely and imperturbable cara
vans of the East. lie spoke of the little
pam-dotted towns where vociferous Egyp-
tians barter and clamor in their crowded
alleys, and where great British monoplanes
roar overhead through the hot, resonant
air.
ut Is life in the East that is most won-
derful," he said "the noises are so strangei
Across the desert comes the sound of the
big guns at practice Canal dredgers clank
and rattle. Dispatch riders whirr by on
their motorcycles Motorvans filed with
ammunition clatter along the lakeside
roads"
But" he added naively, 1T do not like
the Arabs eyes. They look coldly at us.
They do not care for intruders in their de-
sert They come out from the lonely places
on their camels or horses and watch us
curlously. And then they slip silently
away"
Said young British officer home on
leave from Egypt: I'VE have all nationali-
ties Of men working busily in our military
camps along the Suez Canal. But the
dusky, childlike, disreputable Individual of
theving propensitles and incurable indo-
lence who serves In the Egyptian Labor
Corps Is always known as Johnny"
Johnny does the fatigue work of the
army. If you have a camp to clean up a
goods train full of stories to unload, a COM