Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1918-10-11
nm CnARLEs W. WHTTEHAR,
III IUlftI-Eo W. " III IaII7tIIt
IN. L. A. Special Correspondent to the
British Front in Palestine.)
Third Article)

Third Artlcle.)
Here we are within the inner walls
OF the most famous city OF history
soon not only famous, but the most
sacred city in all the world. For Jeru-
salem is sacred to the Jew, Christian
and Moslem.
Through the centuries more blood
has been shed for the possession OF
Jerusalem than over any other spot In
the world. and yet II is not large city,
for before the present war, the total
population was only about 100000.
we entered Jurusalem through the
lana gate, the only one a carriage or
motor can enter. AS ! went down into
the city l was much surprised to find
its streets nothing more than little al
leys. not more than TO 6 feet wide,
and IN many cases built through and
under the buildings.
Musty and Smelly In the Holy City.
Going down through these long mar
row dark passageways, are musty and
smelly. The Holy City commences TO
lose some Of its charm, for after all II
Is a bit hard to think Of a city as holy
and sacred when It smells vilely, and
is crowded with a dirty and begging
Before the war. Of the 100000 people
in Jerusalem, 5000 were Jews. and OF
this number over twO-thlrds were liy-
ing on outside charity. The Christian
population Is little better, and literally
for years this uneducated. cheating and
lying population has been fighting over
so-called holy places.
The strife between Greek and Latin
pflests has been most acute, although
Armenlsns have come IN for their share
Of the quarrels.
Take. for instance, the Church Of the
Holy Sepulchre. The tomb where Christ
Is supposed to have been laid is partly
looked after by the Greek priests and
partly by the Latin, and also by the
Armenians, and II one priest should
happen 10 step out Of the part OF the
building allotted TO the others, squab-
bic ensues. and in a number Of cases
In the past. men have been killed In
these fights. The joke OF the whole
thing IS that the Sultan OF Turkey holds
the title to the Church OF the Holy
Sepulchre.
At present the different priests are
living quietly together, because they
are not permitted to do otherwise.
In the Church Of the Holy Sepulchre
a little Syrian lad had forced himself
on to me as guide, and they always
stick closer than fleas.
At one Of the presumably sacred
places in the church, priest had beg
ged aims for his poor orphans, and
although I realized that II was all blum,
1 gave him a few cOppers, merely to
get rid Of his Fostering. As / moved
away TO the next place, ! missed for a
moment my self-appointed guide, and
looking around, l found that he was
forcing the priest TO give him half OF
the money which had given him pre-
sumably for his poor, starving orphans
Rake-off and graft So open and flag
rant that Il would have put 10 shame
an old Tammany Hall leader.
My first afternoon visiting and seeing
the gaundy tinsel Of the so-called sacred
places left me with a feeling OF disgust,
for the quarreling and wranglings OF
the grasping, dishonest religious lead
ers, fills one with contempt and pity.
As / returned 10 the hotel / heard one
Of the British officers say that he had
been down into the city among the
saints and the sinners. and while he
could get along with the sinners, the
Lord deliver him from the saints.
The little narrow th0r0ughfares are
crowded with people, and here and
there It is necessary to crouch against