I entered the Near East at Beirut. having flown there from Istanbul. Prom Beirut I went by car to Damascus. -Amman. and Jericho. meeting with our officials at each of these places. Outside Jericho I visited one of the refugee camps. where the Arabs. who fled from Israel during the war. now live. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency people were making their monthly distribution of flour. soap. and margarine at the time of my visit. and while. to western eyes. the rations looked distressingly inadequate. I was assured that they are a lifeline to the people of the camps. It is difficult to imagne how the refugees live in between these distributions. A few have obtained jobs. but in some of the Arab countries they are prevented by law from working. and misery festers in these camps. The Arab official who accompanied me to the camp emphasized the degradation of the refugeesneedlessly. I might say. for I could see it with my own eyes. The children seemed pitiable and the adults were sullen and aloof. My guide said that Communist agents were active among them. and that they were increasingly turning to communism. When I asked what they could possibly find in communism. his reply was. "What have they to lose?" I shall return to the problem of the refugees in a moment. but will take you with me first on the remainder of my trip through the Holy Land. From Jericho I went to Jerusalem. where I visited many of the holy places in the old city. There I was met by our consul. whose offices are astride the IsraeliJordan border in the city. and he conducted me through the new city.
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