The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-03-15
CARTRIDGES PUT
IN FLOUR MILLS
BY TURK TROOPS
Invasion of Britishers Saved
Entire Population From
Losing Daily Bread

Dynamite cartridges were placed in
the -four mills of Jerusalem to blow
them up and prevent the population
of the Holy City from getting bread,
lust before the Turks had to evacute
the city to the victorious British army.
This charge is made in a report to
the Provisional Zionist Committee
which tells how most of the leading
Zionist offices thrown into Jail. Man
ager S. Hoof1en of the Jewish Colonial
Trust in charge of relief work, was
compelled to hide in a cellar until he
could take refuge at the Spanish con-
sulate, from which he continued his
task of feeding the hungry populace.
The arrival of the British forces
saved the inhabitants of jerusalem
from total starvation. The military
authorities advanced to Mr.. Hoof1en
25 900 pounds sterling to buy bread.
He had already spent 100000 francs
which has been loaned by the Anglo
Palestine Company and the Zionist
Palestine Bureau. With this latter
amount he had been able to distri-
butte a portion of bread daily to
5000 school children and to the in
IQdI0S OIL VII 11d14 OopANe~AS
and homes for the aged. Even while
the Turkish authorities we're expell-
ing and imprisoning the Zionists, Mr..
Hoofien managed to keep the chill
dren and the sick supplied with
bread.
From another report that has just
reached New York City it appears
| that the American Jews resident in
Jerusalem were special objects OF
Turkish wrath. Twelve days before
| the entry into the Holy City of Cen
eral Allenby an order was issued for
| the arrest CT the Americans and their
deportation to northern Palestine.
But, when Their aids began, only a
| few helpless women and children
were found, all the rest having sue
ceeded in hiding. The women and
children were arrested, and according
to this report, cruelty beaten in a
vain attempt to compel them to re-
veal the hiding places of their nus
bands and fathers.
These extreme measures failing, the
women and children were released,
and the leading men of the commun-
ity summoned before the Turkish
military governor who denounced all
the Jews, and especially the Amer1-
cans as disloya1 to the Ottoman gov
eminent, and threatened dire things
including the firing squad, unless the
latter were handed over. AS a reNlt
; of these threats, 70 men emerged
: from their hiding places and sur
; rendered to the military authorities
and were deported. Encouraged By
this surrender, the authorities lnst1'
tuted a reign of terror, which LASTED
for four days when the rest of the
| American Jews, 81 in number also
, gave themselves up in order to save
their women and children from Turk
ish brutality. But on the following
day there rang through the city the
glad shout: 1.-THE English are com
; ing" The terrorizing Turks became
/ panic-stricken and fed pell-mell
carrying their prisoners with them
/ and their fate is unknown.
The British military authorize
= are making energetic steps to reliev
:. the distress of the civil population
= This together with the 100000 ad
= vanced to the Anglo-Palestine Com
= pany by the Provisional Zionis
1 Committee from the Million Dolla
= Palestine Restoration Fund, and tn
= arrival of the Jewish Commissiol
= which is expected in about tire
= weeks, will restore Jerusalem to nor
, NAL pre-war conditions.
( A correspondent with the British
s Military forces in Palestine write
). that except for Petach Tikwah, tn
e largest of the Jewish colonies in tina
n section, which fell into the no-mal
e land between the armies, the Judea1
= villages escaped with a few shells ant
: bombs and few days of Turkish &C
s cupation. Today they are the favor
ite resting places of the British sol
i diers, who come, in many cases, no
merely as deliverers. but also as thell
kin to the colonists, who have warn
welcome for them.