Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-03-15
PORT SAID, ONCE
WICKEDEST CITY
MORAL TONE OF EGYPTIAN TOWN
GREATLY IMPROVED BY MILL
TAhy RULE UNDER ENGLISH.

PORT SAID. Egypt, March 3.-Nhea
the war broke out Port Said held the rep
ntation. ~ indeed il had held from time
immcmorial. nf being the wickede~t city
from 4 moral standpoint Of any place on
The face uf the globe. into this port the
flot~am and j,t-am Of the underworld
driited from All parts II the universe.
Here every type III Wee imaginable was
represented. But today, after thirty
months al military rule. the "SlnkhuIe NJ
the East" i. well nigh a model city. the
IRON hand ~ the army having cleaned II
up a. uo other power could have done.
Something " the transformation which
pondtnt of the Associated Press who has
been touring the east.
When the military first took hold Of aft
fairs in Port Said gambling. drinking and
vice of all sorts was rampant. Letters
which were intercepted by the censor
showed that traffic IN women wa, thirty
ing.
Now most Of this ha> been stopped,
military law enabling the authorities "a
deal with situations over which the civil
courts had no control. That street Of in
ternational notoricty. Rue Babel. "a
named because of the many language
spoke BY it, inhabitants. has ceased 20
thrive a. the leader III the world, iniqui-
IL. Many Of it, wee leaders have been
sent away from the country; certain
Ill -lg -. " -.
ed nave been restricted. and one can walk
the streets without being bes,: by the den
iscn~ vi the underworld. Even drink
ing has been limited aud II i impossible
now "a procure Intoxicating liquors eN-
coping between the hours OF ] and 3 IN
the afternoon and 4 and q III the evening.
The cleaning mp has been largely IN the
hands Of Lieutenant Colonel II. q. Elgood.
acting under Instructions from tho com
mander- n-chief, General Sir Archibald
Murray.
Flogging j. one If the most effective
puni>hment~ used Ia meet the situation
il Port Said. and il j. no nursery punish
ment u~,d ~ meet the situation IN Port
Said. and il il no nursery cha~ti-ement
that j. melted ont ~ the military authori
tie-. What less vigorous punishment
would to- the average father. mother.
brother or sister Of the world suggest,
asks Colonel Elgood.
A. a result Of the measures instituted
crime has decreased fifty per cent. and
disease ha~ dropped at least forty pei
-4 - .s -. H.. $50. III
able. One Of the most effective regula
iiuu- put into force ha~ he,n that relat-
lng to drink. b. virtually eliminating
drunkenness 4 great stride was made to-
ward the suppression of crime and wee
much ~ which was the direct result ~
intoXication. There was q time early u
the war when the authorities hcSitntcd Il
let soldiers take their leave IN Port Said
~ much trouble resulted. Now however
hundreds of Tommies are about the cit,
on holiday All the time and are giving thu
officials no cause for worry.
One IF the striking changes il in TIA,
lighting II The city. which j. now IN tota
darkness M night. The restrictions az
lighting were put into effect because ~
the submarine menace. the lights If tn,
port having furnished 4 beacon for III,
under water boats. but the lack eft light
has greatly assisted IN the suppression
Of wee - comparatively few people ven
ture ont into the dnrkencd streets.
oihcr cities in Egypt have been cleaned
az ~ the ~amc manner a. Port Said-onc
80 fl. rcd ..-.lt - 81. -. -.
this country b. concerned.