Evening star., 1917-04-08
BY CHARLES M. PEPPER.

E1URkE1 must get out OF the Holy
Land as well as out of Europe.
This is the meaning of recent
q British military operations IN
Palestine.
1t has taken q long period for the en-
tente allies to make headway in Paies-
tine. They control the Mediterranean
coast. which gave them the mastery
over Hifa, Jaffa and even Beyrout. but
they were slow in landing troops and
making use of their sea power The
probable reason is that after the Dar-
danelles failure they were TOO. busy
elsewhere.
The troops now engaged with the
Turco-Germau army are part of the
Egyptian contingent. They may have
come across the desert from Egypt and
the Red sea. The significant thing,
however, is that there is Il coast army
which is pushing inward toward Jeru-
SALEM and even beyond that to Jericho
and the Dead sea- Bible readers Will
recall many of the scriptural memories
of the places now occupied by the Brit
ish soldiers.
In one of the dispatches il was stat
ed, somewhat Significantly, that GAIA,
forty miles south of Jaffa. the port of
Jerusalem. Jaffa is the real gateway
to Jerusalem and the Dead sea region.
A railway forty miles In lenCrs. con-
meets it with Jerusalem. The rip is
made most comfortably on the after
noon train. The railruaG follows along
the edges of the sandy desert from
which the sea is in view. along the
margin of the green cultivated plain
across the plains of Sharon, where the
cameIs may be seen plowing, as they
have plowed for centuries, past orange
groves and through olive orchards into
. the mountains of Judea. whence the
way is a winding one uD to the table
land of JeruSa lem
Doubtless now the Jaffa railway is
transporting troop trains 10 Jerusa
lem. although the Turco-t:erman forces
may be expected 10 hold the city as
long rs possible. II has definite Strat.-
sic advantages as d military base.
In the early stages of the war tn"
German general STAFF planned the oc-
cUpation of Palestine with a view to
attacking tn. Suez canal and Egypt
Since they had no access by the sea, al
their munitions and supplies and the
troops had to be transported along the
line OF the Bagdad railway through
-AnaIoiia to k0niah, aud then around
III. gaps in the railway by motor
trucks, and not unlikely also by camel
corps. until the feeder t. the H"djaz,
HOLY railway, was reached al AIsppD
This furnished the means Of transport
across the sandy plains to The east OF
the Dead sea. II Is said that Germany
by meeus Of military railways. ad-
vauccG a branch line toward Jerusa-
lem itself. but the main means Of
transport is understood to be the motor
trucks.
Turkey. at the outbreak of the hos
tilities, had a pretty large army in
Syria and Palestine. Damascus was
the headquarters of the 5th Army
Corps. and there were other military
bases where troops We're gathered. But
il has been necessary to send conSd
era hle reinforcements in order to cope
with the revolt in Arabia. as Wen as
to operate against the British in Egypt
Whether there is any considerably
body of German and Austrian troops
cooperating in the Holy Land with the
Turkish troops is unknown. hu, 1T is
not unlikely that there have been re-
Inducements. 1t is known positively
that the operations have been under
the direction of the German general
staff and that many German and Aus
trian officers have been detailed for
duty in Palestine.
The military possession of Jerusa-
lem by the allies troops will he inn
effect will be of even NOR" consequence
IN fixing the future status Of PaleS-
line. II the allies are actually in pos
session of the Holy Land when the tim'.
comes to discuss peace terms il viii be-.
. much easier to carry out the program
Of ousting the Turk than if the Turk
ish army is still occupying the coun-
Try. though the end is not likely to be
different
Turkish rule, or rather misruie. in
tl,e Holy Land has mol been complete
4, ,fr.,.
.olig ago interfered and laid down the
conditions under which Turkey might
continue to administer the government.
This was absolutely necessary iu order
10 assure protection to tn. Christians
and to the nationalitIes who were rep
resented by the many religious orders
at Jerusalem. Nevertheless. all this
mas been with due recognition ot Turk
iSh sovereignty.
This sovereignty Vas fully establish