Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-02-01
A Free Egypt

Announcement made that Great Britain is prepared
to grant the Egyptians full independence subject to Great
Britain being the paramount foreign power dealing with
Egypt and the safeguarding of British communications to
India and the east.
If the Egyptians realize their dreams of Independence
it will be the first time many centuries that Egypt has
been governed by the Egyptians The first nation in the
world to become civilized, the first to evolve government
Egypt is among the last to achieve democracy.
The change from foreign tyranny to native rule is
of the results of world war; which has profoundly affected
all nations and all peoples except the United States which
does not yet realize that the old order passing The will
ngness of Great Britain to bow to the inevitable and there
by hold through friendship what would eventually be lost
by force characteristic of the foresight and genius that has
created the British empire Yesterday Ireland freed
today it is Egypt, tomorrow it may be India changed
overnight from dependencies free states thereby strength
ening the empire
For at least thousand years, Egypt has been civil
land for 5000 of them probably the highest type
civilization of the time Here originated the of metals
the arts of writing, sculpture and architecture Periods of
progress and prosperity have aeaed with periods Of decay
and mpovershment Governments have risen and fallen
Dynasty has succeeded dynasty and conqueror conqueror
empires and fell but before has the Egyptians
dreamed of democracy
1t Egypt that originated the god-kng the human
divinity that has cursed the world Egyptian rulers af
feced be descendants of the sun god R and the idea
borrowed by Alexander the Great, by the Roman
the German kasers the Russian and count
less lesser maeses that prated the divinity of kings to-
tyrannize mankind
Egypt also originated priest-craft and wtchery and
capitalized superstition and mystery Egypt has bequeah
ed to modern religions much of the supersucture of mystic
ISM rtuaism and formula that cucumber the teachings
their founders In the struggle between church and state
the former usually triumphant and the priests of Amen
established virtual papacy that ruled Egypt with kings AL
their puppets
What sort of people these modern Egyptians q
Are they the people who for so long held aoft the
he of
lower castles of ancient Egyptians with the many
conquerors who have the land the slaves imported
by the maraudng pharaoahs and the various dspossesse
peoples who have at various periods found refuge in the
marts of the Nile.
Egypt has been turn conquered and ruled by Syrian
Ethiopian, Assyran Lbyan, Persian Creek Roman Arab
Turk French and British Some of them remained for cer
tures and were absorbed by native stock udean Phi
ne Phoencan and Babylonian settled in colonies for COM
merce and their blood mnges with that nomad Bedouns
OF the desert in the Egyptian of today Upon the original
amc stock has been grated strong Semitic strain with
lesser strains of Ayran and ethiopian stock.
Slavery and serdom the cornerstone of all ancient
civilizations, Egypt among them AS in all other cviza
ons the higher castes corrupted by luxury, died out or
were Killed war The lower castles survived and
Vaons reveal that the skull shape and physical form of the
ancient Egyptians very similar to that of the modern
Egyptians.
Egypt has since the British protectorate was
IN 1914 enjoyed measure of home rule The country is
ruled by council of native ministers subject to dec
sion by the sultan There is legislative assembly for ad
sory purposes only of sc elected members chosen Indirectly
Tor term of six and II nominated bv the
ent 1t may initiate legislation and must be consulted on
sca matters railways and irrigation It's resolutions are not
Dlhdng the actual power remaining with the sultan and
MS mnsry except that the of the assembly is
necessary for taxation Provinces and towns arc
erned by councils who have authority in local affairs
1t is presumed that Britain will enlarge the powers of the
assembly and make it segoverning body along the lines
ol european parlamens What the fitness of the Egyp-
tlan is for democracy to be determined bu since
ana England have exercised supervision there has been
great extension in education well as remarkable deven
OF the resources of the neglected country At any rate
egyptians will have the chance prove their canacitv
The liberation of Egypt is the first trunpb of = s,s
temac and organized campaign to free the brown races from
white supremacy and sgnazes the renaissance of Islam,