Driving into town over the dusty, pocked road, Homer gave the newcomers
to his group more background on the care and control of the genus _mob_.
He was obviously speaking through considerable experience.
"Using these quarterstaffs brings to mind some of the other supposedly
innoxious devices used by police authorities in controlling unruly
demonstrations," he said. "Some of them are beauties. For instance, I
was in Tangier when the Moroccans put on their revolution against the
French and for the return of the Sultan. The rumor went through town
that the mob was going to storm the French Consulate the next day.
During the night, the French brought in elements of the Foreign Legion
and entrenched the consulate grounds. But their commander had another
problem. Journalists were all over town and so were tourists. Tangier
was still supposedly an international zone and the French were in no
position to slaughter the citizens. So they brought in some special
equipment. One item was a vehicle that looked quite a bit like a
gasoline truck, but was filled with water and armored against thrown
cobblestones and such. On the roof of the cabin was what looked
something like a fifty caliber but which was actually a hose which shot
water at terrific pressure. When the mob came, the French unlimbered
this vehicle and all the journalists could say was that the mob was
dispersed by squirting water on it, which doesn't sound too bad after
all."