Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-31
BRITISH IN NEAR EAST
FRIENDS AND SAv|ORs
Marvellous Improvement in Condi-
ttons in Holy Land Since
ssg . Turk Was OVcrthrown.
JERtsALEM CLEAN AT LAST
Modern Water Supply System Re
moves Dangers of Disease ana
Il Pangs of ThirSt-l'ound Towns oil
:. Palestine Rocking With Filth.
ny II. T.. CUMMINGS.

ing contrast OF method is afforded
than by the action OF the German
armies in the lands invaded by them
during the war and the entrance OF
the British into Palestine. in Bel
GUM, Northern France. Po!and-iu-
deed. wherever The enemy wemt--he
3 left behind blaCkcned ;rail of ruined
buildings, stories OF Wtlful dcvd~tH-
tion and memories @. tyranny ana ter
FORMATION. SuI with BrtainS army
in the Near East, it is no eNaggera-
tion 10 say that il has come TO ;hc
people Us a friend and a savior.
''Consiructiom not 'dcstruction."
has been its watchword. aud under its
short months for this land which has
literally groancd for years beneath
tho blighting rule % ;hc Turk. the
day OF prosperity ANA q future for its
people OF clean and happy life.
The Turk, nevcr enthusiastic on the
side of reform. has made. no attempt
OF those placed III his, power. Man
ners and customs that preyai!e"
centuries ago with no regard tor
in the T Holy Lana lana in !9i!. ToWms
reeked with dirt ana s1ua!or thu;
brought in their wake the inevitable
sickness and death.
The urgent necessity vas for
thorough cleansing and this the new
army set to work upon With a viii
The lately built railway from Cairo
proved one OF the greatest blooms in
the operation OF their TASK; for with
out it, the difficulty of getting enough
men, stores and implements OF labor
70 specified regions would have been
$50 great as Il anect materially me
have DELAYED il altogether. But with
no stint Of laborers or materials. the
work or reform ,[ was able to 20 for for
diseases that had ravaced the land
ever since Old Testament times be-
gan to give way before the thorough
TESS of Western hysienic methods
CISTERN WATER BECAME. STALE
AND FULL. or DEAn!.. GERMS
One example viii be sufficient as an
illustration. For years, the natives
of Jerusalem had collected their water
months in huge ciSterns that Were
neither protected from the air nor
cleaned al any period. The wate"
standing in such vessels 70. Il season
could not fail 10 become stale and fu..
OF germs. and those using it were
doomed as positively 20 speedy END,
the death rate. no Turkish authority
made the slightest effort towards 4
bette and healthier ,arraneement
engineer. who had only 10 see the vile
conditions 10 prepare 20 alleviate
them. The same principle was applied
II pure mountain water could be
brought across country % the great
cotton town Of Manchester, similar
ran could nc adopted for the needs o:
tho Holy CITY. IN The hills surrounds
ing it were crystal springs taat only
wanted tapping 20 pour forth their
treasure and, Min pipes laid from
them to tho thirsty streets, the nrst
step was taken towards The s,cmminc
Of sickness ana tho -n,ief OF suffering
To-day Jcrnsalems clean ana regular
water supply is nm accomplished fact.
Another question closely allied also
10 this one OF water supply is The cx-
tension of the AGRICULTURAL region.
There are tracts of land holding vast
possibilities OF fertility, both in Pales-
tine and McsoVo'ImiI and. If these
could be used. tine material gain is
obvious. Here up o The present. how
ever, IL is lack g: water that has pre-
vented the grown Of crops Eut thc
near future Will see advance in these
districts for already a scheme for their
irrigation Is under consideration ana
II is probable that before many months
have PASSED acres OF productive soil
VIII take tho place Of the present arg.
or barren land
EAPERTS HISS INVESTIGATING
~ A..