Show SYRIA UNDER FRENCH AND ZIONIST RULE syria tor for the control of the northern pa part it of of which the turkish nationalists are threatening to fight the french mandate holders and the southern part of which Is settling quietly under zionist and british control Is adoth another er nano name for or the holy land for under turkey it comprised the region extending from the taurus mountains to egypt and from the desert to the great sen its population numbers about three and a halt half millions of semitic origin speaking the arabic language and yet with so many races intermingled through the centuries of the arlous conquests and occupations that the people cannot claim any one race us as their own greek roman and european crusader have all blended with tile ancient semitic stock to produce the syrians of toiny today whom hom loid cromer in lih iiii ale memoirs termed the cream of the east t 11 in syria was the lie one green spot of turkey the Lelia inn mountains ir in ancient times llie ilie ere cre everywhere ery where covered etli forests forc ats the cedars of lebanon not only furniss ed limber for ahe I 1 in building of f Sol 1111 IIII temple in cpru jerusalem alcya hut but tile llie kings of egypt annually flouted floated large raff of logs log gs from tile llie arian coast to to supply the der minds of the cities of the nile this constant demand front from foreign lands to together gether with the lack of any system of reforestation has practically denuded tile mountains of the whole land once more to cover tile the mountains and hills with pine and cedar and oak woul be a simple task jr if carried carrie I on systematically and under llie file new control this work Is now being undertaken tali eai the chief ene enemies niles IQ in the last few years of reforestation by nature were the herds of gents which every pring roamed over the alie whole country soad and di devoured every green tiling thing the little seedling trees suffered especially I 1 in 1860 because of massacres the european powers insisted that chest mountains be made autonomous and following that date tills this little district became a living demonstration of what good government will produce and of ahat vi hat the people of the land are capable of becoming the steep mountain sides were terraced to a beight of feet find and planted to olives figs and view vibe taxes were e low safety to persons rid am property efured i good roads built anil and kept in repair the people constructed more comfortable homes and sent their sons to schools and college |