Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-23
WICKEDEST CITY
IN THE WORLD IS
NOW MODEL PORT
Military Authorities Succeed
in Cleaning Out "Sinkhole
of the East"

Port Said. Egypt. March 2S.-When
the war broke cut Port Said held the
reputation, as indeed it had held from
time immemorial, of being the wick
eldest 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-
sented. But to-day, after thirty
months of military rule, the "Sinkhole
of the East" is well nigh a model
city, the iron hand of the army hav-
ing cleaned it up as no other power
could have done. Something of the
transformation which has been
wrought was told to correspondent
of The Associated Press who has been
touring the East.
When the military first took hold of
affairs in Port Said gambling, drink
ing and vice of all sorts was rampant.
Letters which were intercepted 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 Ian
guages spoken by its inhabitants, has
ceased to thrive as the leader in the
worlds iniquity. Many of its vice lead
ers have been sent away from the
country; certain forms of vice which
could not be eliminated have been re-
stricted, 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 intoxicating liquors except
ing between the hours of ! and in
the afternoon and and in the
evening.
FYogging AS Punishment
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 ef-
fective regulations put into force has
been that relating to drink. BY virtual
ly eliminating drunkenness a great
stride was made toward the suppress
sion of crime and vice, much of which
was the direct result of intoXication
There was a time early in the wal
when the authorities hesitated to lei
soldiers take their leave in Port Said
as much trouble resulted. Now, how
ever, hundreds of Tommies are about
the city on holiday all the time and
are giving the officials no cause fol
worry.
One of the striking changes is in the
! lighting of the city, which is now in
total darkness at night. The restric,
| tions on lighting were put into effect
! because of the submarine menace, the
| lights of the port having furnished 6
| beacon for the underwater boats, bu
the lack of lights has greatly assisted
! in the suppression of vice as com
paratively few people venture out into
| the darkened streets