tely. Their general scope was outlined in an agreement made
between the British, French and Russian governments in 1916. Under that
arrangement Republican France was charged with the preparation of a
scheme of self-government. The town of Alexandretta was fixed upon as a
free port of entry for the new nation.

[Illustration: Photograph]
Copyright Underwood and Underwood, N. Y. British Official Photo.
JERUSALEM DELIVERED
On December 11, 1917, the Holy City was entered by the British forces.
Following the custom of the Crusaders, General Allenby, commander of
the British and Allied forces, made his entry, with his staff and
Allied officers, through the Jaffa Gate, on foot.

[Illustration: Photograph]
British Official Photograph.
ANCIENT AND MODERN WARFARE MINGLE IN THE HOLY LAND
The distinctly modern British soldier uses the camel, that extremely
ancient beast of burden, to get him over the desert in Palestine. The
Imperial Camel Corps gave valuable service in the campaign that led to
the capture of Jerusalem.

CHAPTER XXXIX

AMERICA'S TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS

When America entered the war there was a very great increase in the
volume of business of the railroads of the country. The roads were
already so crowded by what the Allies had done in purchasing war
supplies, that a great deal of confusion had resulted. The Allies had
expended more than three billion dollars in the United States, and as
nearly all of their purchases had to be sent to a few definite points
for shipment to Europe, the congestion at those points had become a
serious difficulty. Thousands of loaded cars had to stand for long
periods awaiting the transfer of their contents to ships. This meant
that thousands of cars which had been taken from lines in other parts of
the country would be in a traffic blockade for weeks at a time. The main
difficulty appeared to be that of getting trains unloaded promptly.

The declaration of war by the United States made the situation very much
worse. Not only did the railroads have to handle the freight destined
for the Allies, but there was a very large addition to the passenger
movement on account of the thousands of men that were being sent to the
various training camps, and the immense masses of supplies that had to
be sent to these camps. This included not only the ordinary supplies to
the men but thousands of carloads of lumber. Moreover, all over the
country mills and fac