Page 247 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (3)_Neat

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NEGLECTED ARABIA 13

Something About Then and Now

Rev. J. E. Moerdyk
i x REMEMBER my last ride on the “comfortable-going” donkey, as
we used to say. It was the first year of railroads in Mesopotamia.
i I had in my pocket a military pass for a journey to N
* :—, where
r. I was to do a little work for the Army Y. M. C. A., as well as visit
; .and help our Bible colporteur in missionary work. While bobbing along
\ x ? an my chariot to reach the railroad station, some British Tommies passed
f - • |u on Army Transport Ford and they almost twisted their necks oil to
I call out, “I say, \vhen do you expect to arrive ?”
We have arrived to witness the making of an ever increasing number
of roads in the cities and connecting the towns throughout the country.
It is sad to know that many of the first made roads are already sadly
ucglected for repairs. The Ford car is still in demand even though
% many of the larger and heavier automobiles are replacing the “old reli-
l ,able.“ A strike on the part of auto-taxis in Basrah brought everyone to
’realize how many people ride to and from work and elsewhere. Why,
people could not get around to meet their appointments! One British
river transportation company of years' standing now has eighteen craft of
all sorts in commission, while other companies run up and down the river
in sadly neglected steamers. There are numbers of motor launches of
all sorts and sizes for sal? or for hire. One need no longer bump from
one bank of the river to the other in the old-fashioned sail boats. The
railroads are good and save much time when travelling to stations along
the line* I might say here as a matter of interest that one can (if he
wishes to. spend the money) travel by the Air Line from Basrah to
Cairo, and from there to England and then across the Pond in steamers
to New York—all possible in a trip of fourteen or fifteen days..
Because of these greater advantages in transportation one would ex­
pect improvement in business and in labor. There was an increase in
*. business during the war, of course, and there may still be an increase in
the aggregate; but every one is everywhere complaining of hard times.
Labor has not gained in efficiency. A skilled garage-man is quite a
blacksmith at his job and skilled carpenters and masons are very unsatis­
factory. Although wages have come down since the war^ they are still far
better than formerly. But people have learned to spend and there is an
utonishing amount of want among the poor: and even the better class
wd rich people are spending more than their income and are selling
property to make ends meet.
I am now stationed in A „ . This town of some ten to twelve
thousand inhabitants used to be rather overstocked with Turkish offi­
cials. A few of the old pals are still here; and almost every time I
meet them or see them wasting time in the cafes I, recall the times of
old. But now I can go to the government offices and, after a pretty
reasonable amount of time, accomplish necessary business. Formerly the
official would put me off with the remark, “Come to-morrow. Come to­
morrow.” Our Bible-shops and reading rooms are not now closed at the
whim of the police because of some framed-up complaint. I can now
visit with men and usually steer a pretty reasonable course in religious