The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-02
PEOPLES FORUM
nilInrd,n vierr of Errpt

| ders of the ancient world; we have seen the pyramids and the sphinx; we have ridden the camels and the donk eys; we have crossed the Nile and gone through miles of burn ing desert sand; we have visited the ancient city of the Sun where Moses was educated; have seen the place in the Nile from which he has fished when a baby (so they said); we have seen the sight of the temple where Joseph mar ried the bautiful daughtr of the priest of On.
 We have seen the tree where the Virgin Mary rested and the well from which she Is said to have washed the Christ child's clothes. We were told that when Mary threw out the water that balsam trees immediately sprang up. We were shown the trees. We have seen mummies by the score, among them those of Rameses II, who oppressed the children of Israel. and that of his son who refused to let the people go until God wrought ten mighty miracles. We have been In the land of Goshen and seen acres of sun-dried bricks with and without straw.
 We have walked the streets of curious, cruel, cunning, crafty Cairo; we have lodged and fussed at and fought with the hawkers, guides CD and thieves of fifty seven varieties. If old Diogenes with his lantern were to come to Cairo and search among the na- tives for an honest man, I am afraid he would have a harder time than he had in Athens. And, Judging from our experience with them, if David were to visit this city and try to get some reliable information, especially as regards values, am afraid he would scratch out the first five words of his famous sentence T said in my haste, all men are liars"
 We have visited the tombs of | the kaliphs and marmelukes; we have taken off our shoes and put on canvas slippers so as not to profane the, holy places and gone Into temples and mosques and uni- versailles. And, now that it Is over and we are getting ready to leave Egypt, l am tremendously glad that we came and ten times glad der that we don't have to do 1t all over again. I wouldn't want 10 live in Egypt unless I had all my family with me and an inexhaust;- ble bank account and a squad. of police to go with me whenever I went out on the street, and the further concession that we should be allowed to visit America eleven months out of each year.
 Oh, yes, there are some good things here. The hotel where we are stopping, the Continental-Sa- voy, is the best we have found since we left America. but you pay for what you get, plus. The National Museum had the largest, best and best arranged collection or Egyptian antiquities in the world. The geological garden has the beginning of a collection ef African fauna. The pyramids and sphinx, tombs and temples are overlapping and stand as mona- ments of Egyptian greatness and also of her folly. I see no hope for Egypt in her unspeakable dirt, both physical and moral, except in Christianity and education, Tine prejudice against Christianity is so great that the only hope I see now Is In reaching the future genera tions through Christian schools. A beginning has been made, but the progress has been slow. Since the war Christianity has been given a better chance and we should be quick to enter in lest the partly open door of opportu- nity be closed again.
 We will be in the Holy Land tomorrow. After two weeks there we turn our faces toward Birming- ham, the busy and the beautiful.
 J. E. DILLARD.
 Cairo, Egypt, Aug. 2S, 1923.
 To Improve Railroad Service To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 In recent editorial The Age Herald commented upon the intri- cacies of the railroad problem. particularly on that portion which has to do with valuations. Doubt less sooner or later an acceptable valuation formula will be found. Until a sound formula Is devised little progress can be made in the direction of consolidation, which, tt is expected. will result in very material economics. With both President Coolidge and Senator Cummins standing steadfastly for compulsory consolidation, with Senator LaFollette and his group attacking the valuations upon which consolidation must be based, and with railroad executives and security owners interested in maintaining valuations at least at the tentative figure reported by the Interstate Commerce Commis- sion, there is every prospect for a prolonged conflict.
 The advocates of railroad con- solidation have made out & clear case. They are able to demon- strate that their program will ef- feet some very material economies. They are not able to demonstrate. however. that consolidation can be effected either now or in the near future. That being the case. If all the eggs are put In tha: basket, the public must wait Tor better service and more economical service until the valuation war has been fought to it's finish. If we must wait upon the termina- tion of this conflict for improved service, dissatisfied public Is quite as likely as not to take a short cut in the direction of pub lie ownership. The practical question, therefore. Is whether we cannot have improved service without waiting upon consolida- ton or without depending upon the outcome of the valuations con- troversy.
 There is corrective measure as far as present service is concerned which Is frequently overlooked. It is the proposal for nation vile pool of freight cars advocated by the Association of Owners of Rail- road Securities, to which MT. Harding referred in his now ta- nous Kansas City speech. This plan provides that certain types of freight equipment most indis- m n n ha oh ha