Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 62, Number 302, Decatur, Adams County, 23 December 1964 — Page 2

Vol XXIII, No. CCLXXXIV

Hundreds Arriving In City For Emperor's Census

An Editorial r z Shall Bethlehem Betray Its Own ? It is a sad, sad day in the city of Bethlehem. As citizens of a community which has for years been known throughout Judea for its hospitality and fair dealing, we should hang our heads in shame —for in the past week our own merchants and innkeepers have, by their actions, blackened the name of fair Bethlehem. While we woukl be the first to admit that not all Bethlehem’s business men are guilty, the fact remains that a significant number of local commercial vultures are using the Emperor’s census decree as a means of making a fast* denarius. Prices in the city market place, cases and inns have doubled since the descendants of the house of David began pouring into the city to be enrolled on the census register. The bounds to which the extortive charges might go seem unlimited. As this edition of the Star goes to press at least one dealer in the Bel hie* hem market place is selling pomegranates for the unheard of price of eight drachmas a bushel. One local case is actually charging a denarius and a half for a basket lunch of loaves and fishes. And saddest of all is the fact that nearly • all the guilty merchants are also descendants of the house of David. This, they evidently presume, gives them license to cheat their kin. i r In a time when we, the Chosen People, are' a nation beset on all sides by troubles and misfortunes it would seem that our people would realize the need for honest and fair dealings with their fellows. * When the oppression of Roman occupation makes all the more important a united Israelite front it becomes all the more necessary to avoid creating strife among our own people. It is a'sorry sight indeed to see members of the tribe of David, one of the foremost tribes of our nation, guilty of such a traitorous offense against the hundreds of persons coming into the city for the census.

Police Department To Begin Colled ing Si ray Donkeys

Bethlehem police magistrate Nann Nedu announced early this morning that his department will oegiri collecting stray donkeys tomorrow and will charge 15 drachmas for returning them to the owners. “It’s abominable the way these travelers are treating their ancestral city." said the burly magistrate. "You'd think they'd have more respect for the home of their forefathers." Nedu said that many travelers have allowed their animals to stfay at will about the city or halve left them tied in no-hitching' zones. "They've got this idea that if they’re donkey gets away they can just ode someone eles's," he said. "And. the worst part is that none of them seem to mind it. I've never seen anything like it." The magistrate said that his office has been flooded with complaints from local residents about damage done by stray animals. "They're even bothering me," said the veteran law enforcement officer. "This morning when I wokc up there were three donkeys on my lawn and one”of them had eaten all the flowers in rpy wife's garden." ' . * * Nedu also said that his department had added ten extra policemen to handle the crowds and

celebrations which arc taking place au long-separated families are re-united. He urged local residents to be patient under the difficulties created by the crowds in the city's downtown area and reminded the citizenry that the reunion celebrations are not to be the occasion for undue drunkeness or noise.

/SRA£L WEATHER Forecast For Bethlehem Area Dec. 24-25 Tbnight: Clear and colder, high in the middle 40s. Low tonight 34 East to northeast winds 10 to 15 miles per hour. Tomorrow: Warmer with temperatures reaching the high 60s. Partly cloudy with possible dust flurries. Temperatures In Other Cities Alexandra, 76 Antioch ... 68 Athens 72 Byzantium 62 Cyrene 52 Jaffa 43 Jerusalem Nazareth .. .. ‘39 Philadelphia 36 Rome *. .. .JB Sythopolis 61

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Bethlehem, Judea, December 24, 21 st Year Os Caesar Augustus

Crash Injures Children

Merchants aid children after accident. (Illustration by staff artist, Shara Shann)

Local Lodges Filling Bethlehem lodging places swelled to the bursting point as hundreds of .tired and dusty members of the house and family of David c rowded into the city today seek ing food and a place to stay. Demand for rooms far exceeded supply desite the fact that most local innkeepers have upped their prices as the travelers pour into the city. Abriz Riada. general manager of the Bethlehem Tilton, the city's largest inn. answered with a flat "No comment" when questioned tbday by a Star reporter about tumors that the Tilton had tripled its prices in the last week. Nearly every local lodge was displaying a "No Vacancy" sign by noon today and local residents with extra space were beginning to offer rdoms for rent. “I doubt whether there's a vacant cubit in the entire town," one harried innkeeper sighed today. "If there is you can bet it'll go for ten times what it's worth, ouipped a nearby disgusted tiavh‘l . Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce president Regud Norah to"the most serious since refugees day termed the housing shortage crowded the city after the fair of Jerusalem more than S(H) years’ ago." Many travelers, unable *o find a place to stay, have begun to set up makeshift quarters in public buildings, 'stables, fields and caves. Though most of the travelers arrived carrying some food local merchants and restaurant owners are anticipating a buying rush as supplies run low At least one trader in the Bethlehem market place hai predicted a Serious food shortage before the census Closes. Commander Warns Os Six Escapees Bethlehem residents have been warned by the Commander of Roman garrison to be on the lookout for six Jewish galley slaves who escaped when their ship .fuundurwd off the coast near. Ascalon. The garrison commander- said that any Bethlehem resident- who harbors the escapees will find himself "pulling an oar on one of the Roman gallies."

Suburban Jerusalem's Best Advertising Medium

Cites Prophecies Hermit Claims Messiah Coming

Among the hundreds of dusty travelers swelling Bethlehem's streets and business places today is an 81 year old religious hermit making his first visit to civilization in 64 years and claiming that the time for the long-pro-mised Messiah is at hand. The hermit.- known only as Norev of the desert, moved through the eity repeating his tale of the “promised one" to all who would stop to hear him. Most persons listened patiently, though a few had only laughs for the wizened old man. Norev. clad in a short robe made of goatskins bound together with sinews, told a Star reporter today that "the Israelites have grown soft and lax under Homan rule They don’t realize how much Herod has sold them out to the Emperor. "The time is at hand for the Messiah. Read the prophecies. All the priests who say it isn't so have simply been bought out by the Romans. They're afraid an Israelite leader will make them lose their hold on the people." Norev said that he went into the desert after receiving a vision at the age of 17. Sin'ce (hat' Jerico Leads* In SRF Contributions 'A The city of Jericho today surged into the Lead of ci'ies making donations to the 23rd annual Shepherds Relief Fund drive. A contribution of sixteen sheep, twelve goats and 97 pounds of pemegranates made by the Jericho Junior of Commerce put the city into the lead. The Jericho donation put Bethlehem in second among area cities participating in the drive. Bethlehem SRF chairman Syug Dab Ulis morning urged Bethlehem residents to- redouble their efforts in suppporting 'he capaign and reminded them that Bethlehem has led the list of contributing ,ci lessor the past seven years Funds contributed To SRF are used to maintain , the Retired Shepherds Home in Jerusalem to assist n?ea shepherds whose flocks havp been' wiped out by disease or disaster.

time he has, like the hermits of old, lived on locusts and honey and slept in caves. He said that he had spent much of his time praying to live to see the day when the Messiah would come. Norev quoted many of the ancent prophects. which he said definitely indicate that the saviour is coming within a very short time. He contended that the star which is reported to be moving toward Bethlehem is a sign of the Messiah's coming. Several of the old man's listeners warned him not to be so outspoken against the Romans, fearing that he would be imprisoned. "If more Jew,s were unafraid of the Roman jackals we would be pur own rulers — and not slaves,” he retorted. He explained that he does not intend to enroll in the census and is in Bethlehem only because the prophecies ixiint to it as the birthplace of the Messiah. For many of his listeners Norev recounted vivid tales of his life in the desert. He told them of nearly starving to death before he learned the ways of the desert and of almost suffocating in the great sandstorm of the third year of Juliuus caesar. He said that once he had to fight off a pack of wolves and that on another occasion he was nearly killed by a group of Samaritan ruffians. Norev walked to Jersusalem from the area near Hermon, which is more than one hundredmiles distant. He said that, despite his advanced years, it took him only three days to make the journey. I MARKETS I Jerusalem Livestock Sheep. 350: slaughter lambs steady: choice and prime 85-100 lb. 15 to. 16.5 drachmas: good and choice 13.5 to 15 drachmas: good 11 to 135 drachmas. Goats 112. Trading steady. 20 to 21.5 drachmas. ' • ' Jerusalem Produce Wheat .. 4 to 5 Dates .... 3-5 to 5 Grapes .. ......J... 28 to 3.7 Pomegranates 4.5 to 5.5 Lentils . 1 to 2.5 Cheese ... .... 6 4 to 8 Almonds 3 to 4 Goats Milk 4 to 4.3

Six Jewish school children were injured early this morning when two four-horse racing chariots, driven by the teenage sons of two members of the Roman garrison, careened out of control as they sped across the Bethlehem Street market area. The children were on their way to the Isaac avenue Tablets of Stone grade school when the accident occurred. All of them required medical attention but were expected to recover. The youths driving the chariots, Flavius Namo and Quintus Bura, were taken into custody by Jewish police and charged with reckless driving and failure to have their horses under control. The children were injured when the Namo chariot, an imported model from Rome was struck and knocked against a curbing by the Bura vehicle. The right wheel of the chariot snapped off the axle, flew about forty feet, and struck the group of children who were waiting to cross the street. The Namo youth was thrown from his chariot but was uninjured. Local merchants rendered first aid and made the children comfortable until a physician could reach the scene of the accident. The children injured were Nhob Dwan, 12, Aliz Tamn, 9, Mada Nilt, 11, Penh Name, 8, Lesum Reob, 12, and Dohl Nhoj, 6. The two boys were to appear in city court this afternoon but the Namo boy sent a messenger to his father, an officer at the Bethlehem Roman garrison, and one hour later the garrison commander issued an order for their release. “Jewish citizens are not to block the path of official vehicles of the Roman garrison,” the order read. “Henceforth Jewish children should be more cautious and more observant when walking the streets.” Bethlehem mayor Raud Dori demanded to know if the commander intended to punish the Roman youths. He was told that the offense would be “taken under advisement.”

Three Persians Following Strange Star Sighted

Three Persian priests, all astronnmers, are presently ■ w?nding their way toward the Bethlehem area as they follow an astonishing moving star which has mystified Eastern astronomers for the past several weeks. The trio of religious astronomers are presently in the Kavir desert near the Caspian sea. Dispatches from that area indicate that the three believe that the star will pass over or near Bethlehem within the next two weeks. The astronomers, who are all members, of the nobility, believe that the moving phenomenon, has .some deep religious significance, though they are unable to explain exactly what it might be. They also reported that they were making their journey against the best wishes of their superiors at the Medean abbey near Herat, - Persia. The superiors, the trio, believe that the star has; no religious meaning and is, at; best, an interesting astronomical | occurence. One of the priests did disclose I that the members of the grour I expct to find some sort of “holy! person" at the<,end of their jour-*" ney. He confided that they were carrying special gifts to present to this person. The group, traveling by camel, has been progressing at the rate of about forty miles a day. They reported that at times when it becomes absolutely necessary for them to stop and rest, the star seems to stop also or at least gets no further away. Various scientific experts have declared that the star is really .... ' . r

David’s Descendant’s Responding To Decree

The influx of descendants of the House of David reached peak proportions this- afternoon as members of the tribe poured into Bethlehem to be counted under the new census-taking method prescribed two months ago by Emperor Caesar Augustus. Members of the clan, responding to the ruling which requires them to be enrolled on the census lists in the city of their ancestry, have been crowding into alreadypacked Bethlehem for the past two weeks, despite the fact that the census is not due to open officially for two more days. The census decree, which was issued in Rome by the Emperor more than two months ago, reached Israel’s King Herod only three weeks ago. The decree carried with it an order for immediate implementation. On receiving the decree King Herod called a special council and met for two days with Saran of Bethsaida, the minister of internal affairs, Jerob of Arimathea, the secretary of state and Joabal, Herod’s appointed high priest. Offficals of the Roman’occupational force attending the meeting ineluded Vietas, commanding gen-, eral of the Jerusalem garrison, and Actius, head of Roman affairs in Jerusalem. ) Also present for several of the conferences were Herod’s three sons, Archelaus. Antipas and Philip, who reportedly figure high, in the aging governor’s succession plans. Reports which filtered out from the conference rooms were that Herod feared that the census decree would provoke rebellious sentiments among the Israelite populace. Shortly after the conquest of Gaul tweny years ago, a census decree issued by Caesar caused riots and bitter feeling among the Gauls. Herod therefore decreed that every inhabitant of the province should return to his ancestral city for enrollment. This! he pointed out when issuing the order, is in keeping with Jewish religious

a comet, a meteor, or a planet. Other equally renowned star, gazers have contended that the star is a “stella nova.” A “stella nova", is a star which suddenly increases in size and brilliance for no known reason and.

I -050® p 7* * ASTRONOMICAL JOURNEY— Three Persian priest-astronomers are currently 'following the mysterious star which has been sighted over the desert east of Bethlehem. (Illustration by staff artist Benjam Hrit)

7 Drachmas

tradition which requires families to keep their genealogies up to date by sending the names of any children born back to the town of the families’ ancestral origins. “This is a less convenient method,” conceded Herod, “but it is in keeping with national religious tradition.” The decision to have the Em-pire-wide census enrollment was made by Caesar Augustus after his financial advisors pointed out that knotty tax collection problems could be eliminated if the names of all the subjects of the Empire were inscribed in the public record. » All male residents between the ages of 14 and 60 are subject to a one-denarius poll tax and the census, when completed, will ease the tax-collecting work of the publicans and, at the same time, make it virtually impossible for citizens to escape paying the tax. - All the nations of thq. Empire, including Rome, Greece, Asia Minor, Syria/ Egypt, Africa, ..Mauretania, Spain, Gaul, Germany and the Balkan lands, are to be enrolled in the census. Roman officalsexpect the work to be completed within a year. At present, a small army of Roman clerical workers have descended upon Israel and are busy setting up shop for the official opening of the census rolls. Minor squabbles have arisen in some communities, where the census takers .have sought to use the offices of local public officials for the duration of the census. One group of census takers has set up shop in the Temple at Jerusalem and the priests of the Temple are reportedly preparing to lodge a formal protest with Herod. Bethlehem mayor Raud Dori, anxious to avoid disagreements with the Roman officials, has offered the census takers the use of the Bethlehem municipal offices. During the time of the census city business will be conducted from the homes of the officials.

then burns out. Others have maintained that the star does not really exist and that the three travelers are suffering hallucinations or some sort of ‘'desert hypnosis” from their miles of travel.