Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-06-13
RECLAIMING JERUSALEM
First Task Is to Establish Law and
Order.
INHABITANTS GENERALLY AT Odds
Under the New Control the ArchaeoIo-
gists Of the Christian World May
Have an Opportunity to Make Inves.
LEGATIONS that Have Been Denied
Throughout All the Past.

| 9lsts OF tne SnristIan Worlo May
Have an Opportunity to Make Inves.
LEGATIONS that Have Been Denied
Throughout All the Past.
I A work has been undertaken in Jeru-
salem, freed at last from the yoke
Of the Turk, which in its peculiarly
characteristic way epitomizes the re-
newal following on the cataclysm OF
the war which Is already, both far and
near, giving the promise Of fairer and
better world. Jerusalem the ancient,
the city Of sacred traditions to Chris
tions Of the whole world, is being re-
claimed from conditions, the result of
long years Of Turkish misrule, as well
as-though this must necessarily be a
gradual process-from that spirit of
sectarianism and crude nationalism,
the outward and visible signs Of which
in the sacred city are those high stone
walls, partitioning Jerusalem into so
many reservations and strongholds.
Jerusalem cannot again, in the full
ness Of time, appear In something of
her ancient splendor, nor can she be
made a fit place Of habitation in a
new Palestine, unless Christians and
Jews and Mohammadans, and the
many nations which have engrafted
their interests within her walls, will
consent to dwell together IN amity.
The work, then, which has been under
tf ken since General Allenby entered as
victor within her ancient gates, is nec-
essarily and unavoidably of g. twofold
character. 1t is regenerative and res
torative, though restoration is a word
which those men who are giving their
time and energy to the work in Jeru-
salem would certainly repudiate, Je-
rusalem is not being restored" it is
being reclaimed.
A brief visit to England by Mr.. c..
r. Ashbee, recently appointed civic
adviser to the city Of Jerusalem, gave
The Christian Science Monitor the de-
sired opportunity Of obtaining some
account, at first hand, Of the work
which has been undertaken in the
capital Of Palestine. On the morning
on which a representative Of The
Christian Science Monitor called at
his house in Chelsea, Mr.. Ashbee was
comforting with a master glazier and
tile maker on the subject of tiles, the
quantity Of color and surface Of the
medieval Damascus and Bagdad tile,,
and the possibility Of a modern ap-
Proclamation to its perfection and dur
ability.
Initiating Ancient Tiles.
which has been begun in connection
with the Dome of the Rock, the fap-
GUS Mosque Of Omar, but only exper-
mental work is to be carried out in
England; the actual making of the
tiles Is to be the task Of school of
tile making in Palestine, one Of those
schools which is being organized to
recover and stimulate the ancient ma
tive industries. I'm the nineteenth
century," said Mr.. Ashbee, "the Eng
lish tried, and so did the Turks and the
Germans, to provide tiles which would
adequately take the place of the med
ieval ones, but they all failed because
there are certain things that cannot
be done by factory processes, and we
are going back to ancient methods and
the materials which were used by the
makers in Damascus, Basdad, and
Kashon. Their glaze was 20 times
finer than anything we have been able
to produce in modern times in Europe
l-barring William de Morgan who
knew more about 1t, and did better
work than anyone else. Look at this
sixteen century piece by comparison
with that from Staffordshire-theya are
both off the Dome Of the Rock"
A question as to the way in which
the work in Jerusalem had been or
ganized led Mr.. Ashbee to the subject
Of the Pro-Jerusalem committee. I'VE
owe the formation Of that committee" !"
he said, ito General Storrs, the Gov
ernor of Jerusalem. It Is certainly
unique Of its kind. It includes rep
resentatives Of all the religious bodies
in Jerusalem, Armenians, Jews, Greeks,
Latin Catholics, Prote5tants, Ziouists,
the Grand Mufti, the Mayor Of Jerusa-
lem, English, and Americans" All sit
at round table, with the governor in
the chair, and Mr.. Ernest Richmond,
director general of Public Monuments,
and Mr.. Ashbee, as civic adviser, are
there as experts. Every question is
openly discussel-the housing Of the
poor, the saving Of the ancient walls,
the water supply, everything that is Of
vital civic import and makes for the
amenities Of the Holy City.
Breaking Down Prejudiees.
The members of the committee also
have the task of informing their fellow
citizens and coreligionists. Their busi-
ness, so to speak, Is to break down
prejudice and antagonism, to exercise
an educative effect on the public opin-
ion Of Jerusalem. The committee, in
deed, Is laying the foundation for that
cooperation and friendliness which
will make so varied a community live
together in unity ITO give you an in
stance" said Mr.. Ashbee, "of how we
have to manage our difficulties. On
one occasion there was an appalling
slum which we wanted to get cleared
out, but one Of the ecclesiastical pow
ers had an interest in it. The slum en-
croached on the city walls so that its
existence was an infringement on Tur-
kish law. We brought the matter up
at a committee meeting as general
principle that slums could not be al
lowed, and that the existing laws must
be enforced. The resolution was pass
ed, the ecclesiastical power In question
circumvented, and the slum Is not be-
ing swept away by virtue Of the COM
mittee's action"
Mr.. Ashbee was asked about permits
for excavations. 1--WE cannot do much
-. .,at g., +ho+ d;raotiop - he pDlied.