Death of Zaghlul

As it must to all men, Death came last week to Saad Zaghlul Pasha,* 66, onetime Prime Minister of Egypt, leader of the Nationalistic Party, most potent figure of contemporary Egypt. Funeral. Under a blistering Af- rican sun, the Zaghlul funeral procession wended its way through the streets of Cairo to the Imam-Yhafel Mosque. At its head marched mournful bands, laborites with lazily wagging flags and banners. Next came political groups, army units, the coffin covered with a silk Egyptian flag on a gun carriage. Some 4,000 official mourners, a body of Freemasons and mounted police constituted the rear.

Career. In 1882, when Egypt was a backward province paying heavy tribute to the Sultan at Constantinople, when the Sudan was the happy hunting ground of murderous, dancing dervishes, the 21-year-old ZaghJul took part in his first revolt. It was led by Colonel Arabi against the Khedive and the British, was squelched by Viscount Wolseley.

Great Britain seized Egypt as a protectorate during the World War and forthwith Zaghlul arose as the prophet of Nationalism. Eloquent, he whipped the natives into riotous frenzy against their new overlords. Twice he was deported by the British. After independence (with reservations) had been granted in 1922, Zaghlul returned in triumph to be elected Prime Minister, and later President of the Chamber of Deputies.

His death leaves leaderless the Wafd, Nationalistic Party. Though his methods may be criticized, he stood as the very symbol of modern Egypt, the Father of a country that had not known freedom since Cleopatra was bitten by an asp.

* Pasha is an old honorary Turkish title given to officers of high rank, civil and military governors.