THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, APRIL 27, 1963.
JOKES WITH A STING BEHIND THE CURTAIN
HAPLIN shuffles up to
the buffet-table at the fashionable banquet. ·
Romance beckons. At all
.
By HUGH SUTHERLAND
with honour. The tables were Dened "Stalin", "Chervenkov" (after Bulgarias. Prime Minis- ber), and Poople".
One day a deputation of Com munist dignilaries arrived from Sefa to vlow the triplets. · One was being fed, Another was asle, and the third was in tears.
Hugh Sutherland, journalist and radio scriptwriter, was educated costs he must captivate. If at Glasgow University and at Balliol College, Oxford, where he only he could create an im- was Domus Exhibitionist, 1924-27 and gained a First in Philo- Ile has held a Commonwealth pression sufficiently dashing sophy, Folliter and Economies.
Fund Fellowship in the United States. Widely travelled in Europa and debonair!
Gravely
and Africa, he served with the Royal Artillery troughout the war he lifts the siphon and aims of 1939-45, mainly in the Middle East. He was formerly Lecturer and International Relations at Queen's a jet of soda-water at the In Political Science
University, Canada. In the 1951 General Elecilon, he contested drooping carnation in his the Citles of London and Westminster
Labour candidate. "Stalin sa buttonhole The crowd roars.
the
Yes, no matter where the tune with common humani- all-powerful Anu Pauker.
former Foreign Minister and cinema may be in the Ven- ty.
Vice-Promier.
dee, in Venezuela, in Trieste But this quality, it has Pauker heard that a special or Travancore the crowd often been remarked, is a issue of postage stamps beaning roars its delight. For Chap- thing that belongs to the her likeness was not selling well. Incognita but indignant the lin, wistful; ragged clown of world of mime, of the cari stomped into a post office to ask genius, has the gift of evok cature without caption, of why. The clerk told her that ing the laughter (and sorne- the unspoken jest arising people complained because the times the tears) of all inevitably from character Pauker stangs would not stick. peoples, irrespective of race, and situation. It is the creed, or colour.
humour of the silent screen How does he do it? Surely par excellence.
the renson must be that Significance
Chaplin's hurucur has n
Ana spat on the back of ant: She pressed to an envelope and amete it with her fist,
"There" she cried. "It sticks perfectly weli.'
quality of universality, in NOT so, one would think, but surely you know that ou
POCKET CARTOON by OSBERT LANCASTER
"You must realise, dear Lady Littlehampton, that for those of us sincerely interested in the preserva tion of World Peace, the possible effect of thechanged Russian attitude on the caviar position is of. secondary importance !”
"Ab, yes," replied the clerk; with the humour of the people always spit on the face."
All the Pauker jokes are spoken or written word. similar, and 11 reflect the hatred Description and dialogue, the Houtmanians feel towards this however palatable, are wines woman who for years had been that travel ill. The "funny the bol and the instrument of Soviet Communist domination. story", it seems, is seldom fit for export..
sion
Le Sourire, „with-
Revealing
wing. For example:
worker
Here, for instance, we have a SIMILAR asperity appears, Russian-speaking Frenchman A time and again, in Roumanian puzzling his way through the jokes about the standard of Soviet periodical, Krokodil. And here is a Fre
French-speaking Rus- perusing Le out the trace of a smile. Does It follow, therefore, that ong country's verbal humour is un- intelligible to the nationals of another?
Not entirely, I strong "motif" or tendency is seen to persist In the jokes and anecdotes of a given nalion, these may well have significance for the world at large.
A young Roumanian went to a university, wishing to quality as a veterinary surgeon.
"Very well," said an offelbl: Tout do you possess any first hand knowledge of animals?"
"Of course 'I do," was the reply. "I wore like an ox; 1 live like pig; 'm fot like a conary: and Ten treated like a dog."
A collection of jokes current Immensely more revealing are
In Bulgaria and Roumania has the jokes referring to misery, recently come to hand. Let us hunger and death. consider
"That's what they do all day
mother- long," sighed the
feeding, Chervenkov sleeping, and People crying."
The privations of the common people and the class distinctions of the so-coilled classless society are clearly to be seen in this popular story from the market- place:
Having bought food for her family, the wife of a Communist Parly official met an acquaint- ance, the wife of an ordinary workman. Bidding farewell, the official's
"Now wife said: really must hurry home. have lunch between ene
When do you eat?"
"On Tuesdays and Fridays."
two.
JOK
Shaggy Dog
We and
TOKES on this there are being exchanged sotto vece throughout Bulgaria and foumania, and even the “shaggy dog" story-once sɔ popular the West has been pressed into service in an attack on the Om munist denial of tree speech,
A deg living in Constanta was snualing round the harbour when he saw an old playmate trotting, down the gangway defi Roumanian ship. He Breet him.
ran -10
"Hullo, stranger! Where have you been all these months?"
"In France and Italy," "Didn't you like it here in Roumonia? Are things better over there?"
"Hush Growl
for softly, Heaven's sakel Naturally, things are terrible in France and Italy" Then, why on earth did you
that
"This year's conferences
confirm the impression that we are in a period of political doldrums"
BAD
SIESTA ON THE SPIRAL
BOYS'
azzz
World Copyright by arrangement with the Manchester Quardian.
CASTLE
TAKES IN ONE MORE
THE great grey castle of Augustus the Strong of Saxony towers above the village of Colditz, looking down on three sides to a sheer precipice of rock, impregnable and supreme. In the declining years of the Saxon princes it had become a lunatic asylum, then a con- centration camp for the
Oh, no special reason. Only political opponents of Hitler.
sire to
und
all the Allied
I had an overwhelming de- Now it housed Offng 1Vc; There is
open my mouth
"special camp" for wrong- a lew examples and pathos in the oft-repeated tale bark."
Our last example is the most doers of try to discover their general of a Bulgarian woman who.had
of all. It is the nations. significance.
given birth to triplets. True to revealing
humour of the condemned cell, Jorn, the Communist
Strindbergian nightmare. chilling and macabre.
regime
a
In Roumania there are many frede the most of it for pro- stories,
from whispered
one pagandist purposes. The mother eltizen to another, of the once was decorated, feted, showered
Printing of Distinction
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LEUND
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The f
m
LASMAY CONNONTIES BINTAIMTUAR,
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How Man
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, LTD.
Telephone› 20002 and ask for Mr. Labrum OVERSEAS ENQUIRIES INVITED
A poor old woman les fast
the middle of the night, there is a knock at the door. She starts
slaring
into the
asleep at home. Suddenly, in
up,
darkness fed,
"Who's there? Who Is it?" "Death."
"Oh, how you seared met 1 thought it was the Secret Police."
Barbed wire and machine guns bristled on its parapets, and even from the roofs
Preceding chapters: Cap- Lured by the Germans after escaping from a prison camp at Thom, Poland, the author and
• ecmpanion, Norman Forbes, R.A.F., are necused of espionage by the Gestapo- but eventually returned to the military authorities and sent, with other would-be escapers, to Colditz, the "Bad Boys' Camp.
They Have
Their Exits
sentries watched the pri- AIREY
soners below "dangerous" British, French, Belgians, Serbs Dutch, Poles and united in a common desire to Infuriate the Germans, and to escape.
By
In spite of the falture there came a tremendous outburst of tunnelling in every corner of the castle.
་
the mont betrayed them, and the tunnel- way, crossed
at the lers were led sndly away to bridge and halted
solitary confinement, The great guard house. gates of the inner courtyard were opened to admit us.
White faces peered at me from the windows and men in
Many tunnels were organised strange clothes puced
up and
nlong international and commer- down in the shadows. Then I
cial lines, with boards' of saw John Hyde-Thomson, sent directors. Floorboards were the castle after his escape prised up and ingenious trays of from Thorn, walking in clogs dust laid at the entrance to fun
stones. His nels to
nels to mask the gaping holes orange high-necked sweater and below. The chapel, the dentist's
to
on
tho
cobble
ancient, khill shorts were o
genial challenge to the frown-, surgery, and the sick bay all had tunnels. Gangs of mole-like ing walls. He came towards me Laughing. John was a regular beings worked day and night, soldier and a companion of my
In that huge plic upon a cliff, Oxford days.
sheer on three sides, these stun
It was as if we had excated nets had little prospect of suc- from a turgid pollicel meeting cess. I favoured a bold attempt NEAVE salon Blled with wit and to leave by the front gate in self-confidence, if not with German uniform. But while I this possibility I sartorial good taste, so different brooded on was. Colditz from the depression joined the board of on Inter- al Thorn.
Among the twenty tational tunnel. I had no falih
active fewer in it but it was British officers were than three clergymen of the absorbing. Chaplain's department.
D.S.O.. O.B.E., M.C. Early one morning at the May we marched end of from the station up a cause
SAM WHITE'S PARIS NEWSLETTER
GUITRY WORRIED
OUR
FOR
SENSE OF
PARIS.
was hounded by Communists on charges of collaboration.
ABOUT HUMOUR
At the moment the two most heavily backed candidates for Auriol's post are Foreign Minis- ter Bidauli and ex-Premier Pinay. 10-
OR the 125th time, 68-
Others bought their way out Jyear-old actor-play by making heavy contributions wright, Sacha Guitry, took to Communist funds and adopt
"friendly" attitude
But look out for a dark horse opening-night curtain ing a
the party. Not 50 when the political parties gel bow at the launching of his wards
Guizy.
He went to gaot and down to some serious bargain- latest play, Blue Blood.
Was released only after being ing.
an
formally cleared of the charges against him.
QUOTES
Before him in the front row stalls there was a gop. His ex- wives, who are invariably In-
Despite his vanity, Guitry s vited
to his first nights, had
rarely seen in public. He avoids. AUTHOR Francois Mauriac: staged a mass demonstration rst nights (except his own) We live in an age of mini- mum falth and maximum and stayed away. The missing and fashionable restaurants and could be identified as follows:
spends most of his time working fanaticism. CHARLOTTE LYSES (a Faris either in his Paris home near
Or in his Actress society figure whom he married Napolson's tomb In
Riviera divorced 1918);
Nudity villa. -1907, Singer YVONNE PRINTEMPS
He owns a superb art collee- dignity. (married 191
for divorced 1934); tion arul has a 1919.
weakness
flowing Professor Henri Mondor: Actress JACQUELINE DELU fancy waistcoats and
Is the most in which he kiss
pleasant BAC (married 1035, divorced dressing gowns, 1938); and,
usually receives visitors,
method of getting acquainted Cultry is going to London for with a microbe,
10 and hopes the Coronation
Beauty
queen
GENEVIEVE
DE SEREVILLE (married 1939, divorced 1945).
His present wife, the beauti-
Спо
is
*
Helenco Perdriere: Is Incompatible with
A
"What Arc you parsons doing here?" having known Spangenburg.
1
ankt
I asked, Belgian officers,
The "directors" of the tunnel wicked were British, French, Polish and The entrance at was in the pick bay under a bed
In one of the warda.:
them
"That's what we should-like-We worked every nlant for icur months, with broken to know."
knives, forks, door latches, towards the obviously unobtain.
The padres led us up a sonr staircase to a great hal upon able. By that time the tunnel
COLDITZ CASTLE — FORMIDABLE PRISON**
SOCAJTRAN
for twenty feet ·
tha first Door where all the stretched show some of his plays there, Film producer Henri Janson: British lived save for a hand beneath the parcels 'office,
storful of senior officers. I felt 13 it But he is worried, by the Eng The difference between
I was no longer at Colditz
try to
sphere often changed to that of ward had betrayed the scheme. though in later days the alme. It was sold that a patient in the
down We zal
When I was not wording in
ful Lana Marconi, whom he lish seaso of humour: "You and a starlet is that the one is I was being ushered by mastuEN. married in 1949, was on the zer, I occasionally try say always seen in the company of to a school for walls and slays, when the tunnel was discovered.
something serious but, as I a producer inside the studio stage playing opposite him.
From these bleak statistics understand the English sense of while the other is always in his
o mental home. obvious. humour it a playwright is funny company outside the studio.
the English look for the serious in marriage to a point where in three out of
message and if he is serious they look for the joke.” remorried four within a year of being divorced.
This also provides ars 2011 portant clus to his talent and
Guitry
//
cases he has
AFTER AURIOL
character: he
he needs the stimuli- O 60-year-old
President
CASTLE FOR SALE
io drink stows from Un bowls
from
and eat German bread and lard the tunnel there was time to off the bare boards. The food think of cocaping by the front dressed... na "far Gaman gato THE small town of Boussac, in
was well supplemented
soldier. It was first RECOSSARY" Central France, is putting ho Red Crors cupplies up for sale a castle which, aver
to discover the Cermin system biscuits, Jam and
of controlling the entry to the looks it. Among the bidders: carefully rationed.
inner courtyard. “MAS millionaire racehorse owner
tion of women's company both Auriol will not stand for Marcel Boussne,
re-election this year for the post of President of the public.
to provide him with living examples of the feminine pay- chology in which he specialists as a playwright and to feed a gargantuan vanity,.-
"his"
chocolate,
Every officer in this castle had
For many months past the So far his bid has not been but a single thought-to coape. Anally accepted. Said one elly Like all genuine escapers they prisoners had formed a Coon counciliar: "We are undecided conformed to no pattern. Many Watch," a continuous obscive. He has made it clear now how much we should ask from were cerentrie and unusual men. tion of enemy activity within the
castle, Changing of adottica, that he will retire from political M. Bausstic for a costle bearing Enthusiasm for escaping is a life when his term ends this his own name."
matter of individual character, movements of the Gorman, geld- December. He plans to
knowny ko Bus- and most of us in Colditz worked webel. Gephard, kne some foreign travelling,
do
write
his memoirs and lead the le
DAY TRIP TO LONDON
the stato
notad
of
out our own science of escape, romann Pricin of a country squiro in his native. TRENCH tourist, agencies are knivo hoards of keys, wiro,
The observer say high In private book the courtyardila analdovo
above looking down upon
upon the gateway.
tb
and useful bits of metal Officer, we
werd concealed werd "hides" all over the castle..
MAN OF COURAGE WITH one exocption his wives
also been
orgarsising one-day trips getresses whom he has fastrionid village of Murat. Pygmalion-like to his stage His
from departure
the London for the Coronation. needs
French political soene is fraught One four la planned to reach
As a newcomer I played no through narrow window. It is posibly this inability to with dangers. He is almost the London; at 8 am, on Coronation
part in the first big attempt by French
AUMD statesman since day, leave London the distinguish between life on the only
Then it was that I began the homo In the atage and ite
the war who has enhanced his ovenlog. This trip, Including British officers to escape in Juno, a which has made his separations reputation through holding high meals and a feat for the pro 1941, by way of a tunnel which vastly difficult task of siding a ran from beneath the floor of the German uniform for my, attempt a matter of mutual relief. Sald office.
cussion, cosis £70.
to walk outITTYS" They and ex-wife: "He acts at break-His great achievement was to The other tour, via Le Havre canteen to beyond the outer, fast; it is ghastly?"
outinanoouvrant General de and Southampton, with a seat eastern wall of the castle, Gaulle when mode Gaulle on the Victoria Embankment had bribed a German sentry with money and cigarettes to turn a triumph accrued inevitable and and a cold meal, costs £30.
blind eye when they emerged at to do it with dignity and con-hy Bookings are reported to
the far and, of the tunnel, Ho siltutional propriety
Guiley: Is a man of consider able courage. After the Libera tion he, in common with other Frutich slage and worvon, stars,
heavy.
be
Tomorrow::Walk
Out.
t of Comp