Denver labor bulletin., 1917-12-15

thru the hills from the Mediterranean,
it became apparent that further ad-
vance along the coast would compel
the retreat of the Turkish army, or
the remnant of it, without further
fighting. y still greater movement
to the north would mean Turkish
withdrawal to Aleppo, whence the
main railroad runs to Bagdad. 1t
was a foregone conclusion that the
British army would soon take Jerus-
alem, the city around which wars have
ragged for more than three thousand
years.
rhe best word picture of the ancient
city is Pierre Lofts. He went thither
on a pilgrimage from Egypt across
the desert, along the same line which
has been followed by the English
forces. "The sun rises, pale, oniinous-
ly yellow, asun of storm, amid threat
ening Clouds" he writes. Beyond,
large city is gradually revealed, on
stony and mournful mountains, thru
the dust and lashing rain it is not
easy to distinguish it. Jeru-
salem, recognizable from all other
towns. with its formidable walls and
its little cupola-covered roofs of stone;
Jerusalem, gloomly and high. inclosed
within its battlements, under dark
sky. "
Great Mosque of Omar.
Pierre Lott has painted with equal
beauty the wonderful building which
now dominates Jerusalem and, at red
sunset, stretches its shadow across
the Mount of Olives, the great Mosque
of Omar. the Dome of the Rock"
which stands in the midst of the old
inclosure of the temple: THE blue
mosque becomes more distinct; it
/ T.. L.
with variegated jewelry in opeh-work
half-pale turquoise and half-vivid la
pis luzuli, with little yellow, little
white, a little green, a little black,
soberly employed in very fine arabes-
ques."
Almost without break during thir-
teen centuries Jerusalem has been in
Moslem hands, since the Caliph Omar
captured 1t after a four months cam
paign. The Persians, who had taken
it in the year GA of our era, were
forced to surrend il fifteen years
later to the Emperor Heraclius. Eight
years later Omar took it; and, few
years after. the Dome of the Rock" +"
called the Mosque Of Omar, was built
in its magnificent beauty by Abdal
Malik, "the Slave of the Lord" God
frey de Bouillon captured the ancient
city in 1899, establishing the Latin
kingdom of Jerusalem, but in 1887 the
chivalrous Saladin recaptured it and
rebuilt the ruined walls. Then Rich
ard /. of England essayed to free
Jerusalem again, and did indeed come
within sight of the historic city, but
withdrew without completing his high
undertaking.
Richard Coeur de Lion did. however.
capture the port of Jaffa. He himself
describes its capture in letter dated
Oct. /, 1871:
"As we wete nearing Asruf, Saladin
came swooping down upon us. But, of
Gods mercy, we lost no man of i'm
portance, save one. Thence by
Gods will we came to Jaffa, which
we have fortified with ditch and wall.
II Saladin lost an infinite num-
Der of his greatest men; and being
put to flight, in the absence of all
help and counsel, he has laid waste
the whole land of Syria. On the
third day before Saladin's defeat we
were ourselves wounded with a spear
in the left side; but, thanks to God,
we have now regained strength. Know
also that by twenty days after Christ
mas we hope, through Gods grace, to
receive the Holy City of Jerusalem" f"
But to Richards demand, Saladin
returned flat refusal: "To u.s." he
wrote 10 hlClaru OCCUR ue I-ioil- Je-
rusalem is as precious, aye, and more
precious. than it is to you, in that it
was the place whence our Prophet
made his Journey by night to heaven
and is destined to be the gathering
place of our nation at the last day.
Do not dream that we shall give it up
to you"
Richard Frightened Turks.
In June of the following year, King
Richard J. of England and his army,
stationed outside Askalon, being now
quite ready for the march. issued from
Askalon and with early dawn set out
for Jerusalem. Now. when
the Turks who dwelt in Jerusalem
heard from the fugitives that King
Richard was approaching, they were
terribly afraid. so much so that, had
the King at that moment advanced in
full force, the Turks would assuredly
have foresaken Jerusalem.
Even Saladin had called for his best
horse, so that he might flee from the
face of King Richard, whose coming
he dared not await"
But King Richard, taking counsel of
discretion. determined otherwise,
"The circuit of Jerusalem" he said,
$50 far as we hear, is very large and,
il our little host were to attempt TO
close it in every side, our numbers
would not suffice for the siege and the
protection of those who bring up our
stores" Therefore, he withdrew his
forces and, after some delay caused
by severe illness. returned to Europe,
where he was betrayed by n spy and
imprisoned in Austria.
What Richard l. had failed to ac-
complish after much hard fighting
loft hx-