New Britain herald., 1917-03-16
GOOD MORALS. WALK
 IN WAKE OF ARMY
How Tommy Atkins Prove Wick
 edneSS From Port Said

Port Said. Egypt, March 16-When the war broke out Port Said held the reputation. as indeed it had held from time immemorial, of being the wick 5 edest city from moral standpoint of any place on the face of the globe. Into this port the fiotsam and jetsam of the underworld drifted from all parts of the universe. Here every type of vice imaginable was repre- scented. But today after thirty months of military rule, the "Sinkhole of the East is we'll night a model city, the iron hand of the army having cleaned it up as no other power could have done. Something of the transforma- ton which has been wrought was told to a correspondent of the Associated Press who has been touring the east.
 When the military first took hold of affairs in Port Said gambling. drinking and vice of all sorts was rampant. Letters which were inter cepted by the censor showed that traffic in women was thriving.
 Now most of this has been stopped. military law enabling the authorities to deal with situations over which the civil courts had no control. That street Of international notoriety, Rue Babel, so named because of the many languages spoken by its inhabitants has ceased to thrive as the leader in the worlds iniquity. Many of its vice leaders have been sent away from the country; certain forms of vice which could not be eliminated have been restricted. and one can walk the streets without being beset by the denizens of the underworld Even drinking has been limited and it Is impossible now to procure in- toxicating liquors excepting between the hours of 1 and in the afternoon and 6 and in the evening!
 The cleaning up has been largely in the hands of Lieutenant Colonel F. c. Els Dod, acting under instructions from the commander-in-chief. Gen. eral Sir Archibald Murray.
 A Good or FI0gging.
 Flogging is one of the most effec- tive punishments used to meet the situation in Port Said, and it is no nursery chastisement that is meted out by the military authorities. What less vigorous punishment would the average father, mother, brother or sister of the world suggest. asks Col onel Elgood.
 As a result of the measures insti- tuted crime has decreased fifty per cent. and disease has dropped at least forty per cent, according to'the latest figures available. One of the most effective regulations put into force has been that relating to drink. By virtually eliminating drunkenness great stride was made toward the suppression of crime and vice, much of which was the direct result of in- toxication. There was a time early in the war when the authorities hesi- tated to let soldiers take their leave in Port Said, as much trouble result ed. Now, however, hundreds of Tom mics are about the city on holiday all the time and are giving the officials no cause for worry.
 One of the striking changes Is In 1.-the lighting of the city, which is now l in total darkness at night. The re- strictions on lighting were put into l effect because of the submarine mem ace. the lights of the port having fur nished beacon for the underwater | boats, but the lack of lights has greatly assisted in the suppression of vice as comparatively few people venture out into the darkened streets.
 Other cities in Egypt have been cleaned up in the same manner as Port Said-one of the good results of the war SO far as this country Is 1 concerned.