Egypt: Shuffle for a Start

In response to recent riots and dem onstrations in Cairo, President Gamal Abdel Nasser promised to reform and improve his government. Last week he began the process. In the most thor ough Cabinet shakeout since he rose to power 16 years ago, Nasser sacked twelve of his 29 ministers, including two men who symbolized the pro-West and pro-Communist factions within his regime. He was apparently willing to part with such trusted associates in or der to give his Cabinet a fresh and more nonpolitical appearance.

The dismissed pro-Westerner was Deputy Premier Zakaria Mohieddin, 49, a member of the original group of army officers that overthrew King Farouk; Mohieddin was named by Nasser as his successor when Nasser briefly re signed from office shortly after last June's Six-Day War. Also fired was Ali Sabry, 47, a former Vice President and far-leftist, who remains the boss of Nasser's Arab Socialist Union, the country's only legal political "party."

As replacements, Nasser chose men mainly from the academic and professional groups, which in the past have played almost no role in his governments. The new Treasury Minister is a college dean, the Minister of Education a university rector. A Cairo bank director was named Minister of Supplies and an administrator at the Aswan High Dam put in charge of the Ministry of Irrigation. Most of the new appointees were educated in Western universities, but none were known for any particular political leaning.

The infusion of new men into the Cabinet gives civilians a numerical edge over the old military officers, who for years have had a monopoly on ministerial portfolios. But a fast shuffle alone is unlikely to satisfy the workers and students who chanted "Change, change" at Nasser. They demanded, among other things, freedom of the press, creation of additional political parties, and a crackdown on the widespread government corruption that was uncovered in the trials of the military brass. Such reforms would, of course, be difficult for Nasser to undertake with out running the risk of losing control of his tightly centralized government. Even so, Nasser, who last week went with other officials to pray in a Cairo mosque, promised that he would appear on television within a week or so to explain the next stage in his self-improvement program for Egypt.