Some things
must be done-
THE CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1952.
DE LA HORSE ENCE
HAS TO ACECALL MID
Are They Really The Boorish British?
T
PETER SHIELDS
spotlights U.S. complaints about our actors
Hollywood. a way that makes Americans been quarrelling? What were
they separating? sranda N
T takes a long time for rotort: "Well, what can you ex- they quarrelling aboutte Were a man to become widely pet from the British?"
They have a name for somo
In Hollywood such questions popular, in another of Britain's stars in Hollywood.
"The Boerich are everyday affairs, and no man's country. In Holly- They call them
meant. But Mel Just now that seems offence British." wood the task can be es to go for James Mason, Stewart Granger's comments were all pecially hard for some Bri- Granger and Robert Newton-
unprintable. tish film stars.
to name a few,
At present, there is a case of Is it dair comment? Is their Anglo-Amerkan misunderstand off-screen unpopularity de Ing in Hollywood. It may seem servod? mild to the outside world, but
1 goes deep enough here,
One example of what can
Ал
a result, his pretty young wife, Jean Sim- mons, suffered by his abrupt handling of the situation. The reporters morely put the same questions to har, and, perplexed, confused and worried about Her
what to say."
I have investigated the com happen is well known in Lon- carcer, Jean didn't know quite plaints against the British stars, don's Broadcasting House where and in most cases I find them this story is current.... rather trivial, even pelly,
But they are worth mention rived in Hollywood a
A few weeks ago there
They had quarrelled, “yes”
ar-
ing because they show how. Britons here
quiet,
most young couples quarrel in the first years of marriage and
must apparently personable B.B.C., producer. take the greatest care not to
He planned a series of broad-
but everything was fine.
There is no denying Granger a
· but I drink MCEWAN'S IN'S
because like it
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THE WAGON, THE HITCH, AND THE STAR
World Cermakt. My Arrangement with Delia Harald.
get themselves talked about in casts with important people in screen success in America. Hoa
Abadan Is Grinding
T
To
Д
Cairo.
A
Now It
Standstill
By ARTHUR COOK
is reckoned ten' or stand twenty times that figure would.
few have to be spent. For the a dally on
more and major scale, and damage increases more important parts are being dismantled 'ani used in a make- shift way.
HE world's largest refinery at Abadan Is gradually grind. ing to still, and in n months is expected to be useless to Persian tech nielans attempting to run it. Corrosion in miles of pipe lines, due to lack of proper maintenance, damage caused by ill-made spare parts and the removal of fittings from one installation to replace worn out parts in another, are the main causes which may lead to its complete closure.
Spare parts, no longer dishe patched from Britain, are being by Persian engineers. are so badly made But these parts constructed that their use has caused serious damage to instal- lations,
Again work on the new giant power station ceased soon after the British left, and breakdowns are occurring frequently in the From Middle East oil older power station as machinery sources, I gathered the wears out Here, too, Persian workmanship cannot satisfac- real
Abadan torily produce the spare parts. picture of
is -the picture of what
Refinery fires are also taking going on behind the scenes their toll. They are dealt with and hidden by the tall by inexperienced officers, who refinery chimneys which do not operate to the master dire still gleam from last year's plan worked out by Anglo-
Iranian over the years. silver paint.
Inside the refinery few visitors are permitted, and only expert technicians, if they were allowed in, would be able to assess the damage,
Burning Wish
No Security
SECURITY among the workers is becoming almost non- existent, I am told. Palice guard- ing the refinery, part-paid in credit notes, are shutting their eyes to pilfering by near-starving workers as long as they are given part of the proceeds.
"THE burning wish of the few remaining Persian refinery
Only a fraction of the 70,000 officials, though, is to see the Persians employed by Anglo- refinery in full production again under Anglo-Iranian Iranian are still in full employ- and the olt- management, according to
to re- golds. These alone are paid ports that are filtering out,
a week; When the British were in fully at about £5 control over 20,000,000 tons of thousands of others are on.pit- Lance allowances. Many, facing
ment in Abadan
ell, mostly refined, pour year starvation in a town where
At the same time, however, hospitals In the ailloids of Masjid-I-Sulaiman and Agha
the movie business. He found big at the box-office. that such big names, as Dorg I wish I could report that Schary, production chietat he's also a social hit. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, studios,
were co-operative and helpful.
Intervlova were recorded, simply, and easily, with Schary and other top movie men.
But
James Mason and Stewart Granger didn't want to be disturbed or bothered.!
Perhaps they genuinely couldn't spare the time,
Not Appreciated
What other reasons are there
being forced to send all serious social popularity poli casos tu already overcrowded Abidan.
Road Back
of
to
Barged In
Then there is....
Robert Newton's apparent dis. regard for convention hasn't endeared him to Hollywood, A
recent night-club episode, where
Is reported to have barged in Milton Berle, "Mr Telovi- sion," who was visiting the film capital, got Mr Newlott several columns of unfavourable publicity..
The man who made beadifacs a year ago when he brought bis four-month-old son, Nicholas, to America, often dresses like a beachcomber for his rovings in the gay spots of the town, Many believe he will settle down oker his forthcoming marring to a studio steretary here,
Jarl are also running skeleton for the British stars' allegedly So they are tow rating in the Hollywood casualty staffs.
Take, ürst, the case Before Mason and his wife, Pamela Keliino. decided settle in the US. and enjoy the and TIDUCATION
sun-drenched swimming pools Anglo-
of Southern California, he had Iranian bullt and equip-of
schools before sounded off with more than a them
to the few strong criticisms of Holly-
It is only the Brish new- wood and its people. is
The Huddersfield man with a comers to Hollywood who have the unfortunate reputation of Cambridge Mathe
(and drawl) uses the Queen's Eng- ummanding big money while lish well but the Americans being discourteous to the nation don't appreciate his particular that pays them. That's the way
the Americans see it. brand of sarcasm,
The Masons own a mansion A little more co-operation in Beverly Hills with a huge with swimming pool
over
Abadan's transport work ers' buses, lorries and ears is gradually disappearing from the reads. Like many refinery in- stallations, transport parts have desperate been canabalised in a attempt to keep some sort of a The shortage system working. of glant tyres £80 spiece ped over 30 has practically brought to
Ghanding standstill
the fleet at long education authorities distance overland tankers. For being carried out under
tremo difficulties without most leading tyre manufacturers have refused to supply tyres on British supervision which gave a Persian credit.
chance to 20,000 pupils to reach univeralty standard. Some schools as attendance has have closed dropped, and Abatan's technical college functions now in only miner way.
་
Harassed Doctors
THE giant brick factory near Ahwaz, capital of the oil pro- duced 4,000,000 bricks a month vineo of Khuzistan, which pro under the British, has almost
And closed down.
despite Anglo-Iranian's plan to build thousands of new houses for the workers over the next few years, not one has yet been com- pleted.
the
что др-
0 new
Oh, of course we love it here, don't wo, Jamest" says Pamela Mason, with an odd smile.
reporters, courtesy to columnists and care in public behaviour would, obviate... oll criticism.
One Exception. But I'm told that Mamn hard-
Tho old school of British Alvis without saying actors here always had a warm place in Hollywood's heart. The magnificent Sir Aubrey Smith, the Colmans and others of their ik were great Ambassadors for
Sport bas almost cească to shocs and equipment wear out. exist as
Stocks of clothes and food are dwindling as workers proaching the standard of lite ly ever drives his bright yellow known 40 years ago before the British British discovered ofl.
Mossadeg goes to The Hague how superior it is to American Court, and compensation for cars. My Hollywood friends say were true, Anglo-Iranian may be discussed. that, even if that In Abadan's two hospitals, if Persia could pay what the all would be tactful not to men many of the 600 beds are now installations were worth under tion it so often. closed. A harassed and small the British and Persia cannot staff of doctors and nurses are Mossadeg would have a bad bar- Wrong Impression
in gain on the present state of the check the increase in blindness, installations, a legacy of his na-i child mortality and disease. jonalisation policy.
desperately trying to hold
The Precious Stamp That Is Carol's
From RALPH HEWINS
Stockholm. X-KING Carol of Ru
ly but
out of the 'refinery into business is almost at a stand- Emania is trying to dis-
water
tankers. And 7,500,000 tons of still, have already
wandered the highest grade aviation fuel away to return to the nomadic
рове of one of Europe's At that time tribal life they knew years ago. was produced, Mossadeg'a Government
There are other difficulties, rarest and most precious timated that only 6,000,000 tons, too. Abadan's
supply postage stamps, last year was would suffice to bring them system, which
It is the unique yellow three- more revenue than the royalties supplying nearly as much fresh
the Metropolitan skilling (face value at that time of £30,000,000 year promised water by Anglo-Iranian,
Water Beard supplies to Lon-threepence) which was printed in error 95 years ago in Sweden However, tho torget
don's eight millions, has dropped alarmingly through lack of and has been "lost" since King 6,000,000 tons hos as yet not chlorides and bad management Carol bought it for £5,000 from nearly been reached, and not of its huge pumping station. a London, firm in 1937. one gallon of aviation spirit Green lawns and hedgerows on is being refined,
Now it has appeared again in which thousands of gallons of Further
Stockholm where an anonymous even before the wi
water used to be poured daily
to sell it British wore expelled
from are now becoming wildernesses, syndicate is hoping
Swedish State Postal Abadan Inst October, it was And the plumbing in many of estimated that £1,000,000 the
houses Museum for £10,000. 20,000 workers' worth Di ntw parts
from built in Abadan and the oil- The Hungarian-born philato-
has failed England were needed to replace fields
through 1st, Dr Imre Vajda, who bas damaged and stolen machinery, neglect.
charge, of the stamp here, told
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to the
me:
"The syndicate refuse, to my who they are but I understand they represent Carol, Ho do- cided to sell the stamp in 1930. Until then. It seemed to have Vanished. It might have been lost when he fled from Rumarila, Or he might have sold it secret ly. The stamp world is full of surprises."
In 1855
Britain.
be
There was, and still is one
Is, exception. His name is Charlie Choptio All this makes no difference There's no complaint against to the film critics. They give Chaplin's manner or his Mason preise where it in dus. haviour. He is respected by all His portrayal of Rommel was but not loved by many. The widely acclaimed. But there are reasons are obvious! "hia political some people In Hollywood who
pronouncements and his refusal, say that Mason is still some after lying so many years in Uimes possessed by the sullen the U.S., to become an America
citizen. and harsh spirit of that part.
That's an exaggeration, of course, but it's easy to see how the wrong impression
Hollywood's favourite story of him concerns the night when Edins
Wlison Melanor, the late
American Ame
ground.
bumorist psicod Now let's see what troubles Charlie: "Why don't you bo Hollywood about
QUINO
an American citizen? The reputation Granger has You've lived here most of your
two sets of row
got for himself in Hollywood, Swedish stamps were printed, the blue-green three settings rightly or wrongly, e dhut he Heatedly, Charlie replied: "I
(face value eight pence),
Printers then used a separate block for each stamp on the sheet and by misiake a three killings block silpped into the yellow sheet.
On July 13, 1857, the Swedish botanist, Olof Leopold Sillen, discovered a raro moes and wrote to his brother, the squire. of Munga Estale in Central Sweden, to describe his find. On that letter the batanlat absent. mindedly stuck the three skill- ing yellow thinking it was eight skilling.
The country' post office was equally unobservant and passed the stamp.
The letter and stamp mained at Munga until 1688 when the squire's widow Mrs PW. Sillen, had her 14-year- old grandson to stay for Christ- mas. To keep him quiet she let him take the stamps off her old letters in her chest-of- drawers.
The boy, who later became A Belgian Industrialist named Colonel Bacicman of the Swedish Reno Berlingin is acting for the Army, took his haul of three mysterious syndicate and has and eight skilling starops to a released the stamp for dispiny Stockholm dealer and got the here as to rouse publia in equivalent of Ts, splece for
them.
Queues have formed outsido Only then-20 years after, the toaco "the three-skilling printing was the mistake dis- goldmine":"and · avory, tow. paces there has been a detective Covered. The dealer sold bla
And to Vienna for - £389,*/ to forestall any gang coup,
It is proposed to reprint the The stamp pussed from dealer stamp (with a surcharge) In to dealer and in and out of order to raise money to pay modest private collections until
King Carol bought it in 1937, the record prico which ex-King Carol syndicate demand. As every year pastes and no Yet the faded pale yellow more three skilling yellows furn stamp does not took exciting up the intrinald value of this
But the history of the stamp is fascinating and le confirmed on gath
specimen increases and world" wide kaflatious adde alili more to the market price..
"just doesn't give a damn.”. was born British I've lived
A short time ago he was British, I'll die British/
naked
about his marriage to To which outburst Mezner Sean Simmons. True, the ques- answered "Good Heavens, man,
were direct: "Had they haven't you any ambition?" lons
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