THE CHINA' 'MAIL, TUESDAY, MAY 11, 1954.
IT'S CAFE SOCIETY
London. HEARD Lord Porches- ter Hay to Princess Margaret: "The trouble with the Agricultural Wages Act...
EVE PERRICK charts the social whirl of the night life in the London West End upper brackets
Coopers, Lady Emerald Cunard, and the American-born Thelma, Lody Furness,
was not
Mr Danup Kaye (remem- ber him?) is coming to London-fifth time round- Mr
Naturally, it
long, in a fortnighta time. Noel Comerd has just got and sill sticking to the Ameri- way of fe, before the back. A party 18 bring can
aristocrats were sharing tables arranged in their honour, with the artists, Invitations hair just been sent to, among others, the Marchioness of Dufferin and busanilor, Lord and Lady Norwich, Eurl and Counter ace, Mr Terence Rattigan,
One lage further, and parties were being given in the Moun:- hattens Park Lane penthouse in of Alm stars, like honnur Douglas Fairbanks I
(Several stagea
home.)
and many Mr David Metcalfe, Six years later, Doug 1 reciprocated Laurence und Lady Olivier, by inviting the Queen to his Sir
and Lady Laurence
the Olivier,
Eair- and bankses, of course.....
Cafe society was off to a good start. And there has never been any time since it began here
11 hos
had not
when
I know patronage. How is it that what a royal lady and her
noble escort talk about FAVOURED when the music's sweet and the lights are low?
How is it that a host of men and women of dis-
inction ---
titled or talent. ed or both
will rush to ery welcome to an American entertainer?
Just
Iwo of there things that happen all the time in that roxy. chic little work! known as "cafe society."
THOSE WHO
royal
SPOT
After the Abdication the late Duke of Kent who, among the had always brother Princes,
Windsor's shared the Duke of tastes and interests. took over from him. With Kent came his
wite,
gay Grecian voly
Jess
Duke and Duchess of Kent were there on the night in 1835 that the "400" club opened. The Duchess still goes there, and at was to that favoured spot
the she introduced
two Tincesses during the early post. war years.
Some cafe society salons, like the Kit-Kat, which never did survive a raid at which the then Home Secretary, Joynson-Hicks, was among those involved, had the briefest of heydays.
Other-the peach auth, ice. Was Anyway, there
A big gream-gateau-cavern, the Cafe breakaway movement from the de Paris; the gold-silk, dâm and sort of at-home entertaining discreet "400" (all, incidentally. with powdered footmen handing fully fire-proofed)----live
Instead, smart-to be seen at places. round the gold plate. there were jolly Junketings in Places where a wisely spent £6 the 62nd Street basements, with a head (if you pick the right bootleggers delivering the drink night) will buy you a ringside seat at the West End's brightest at the back door.
und longest-running show,
When the cafe society buil crossed the Atlantic there was no Prohibition to give if the ex-
Burn of illegality-but citing
were our nwkward there Ticensing hours.
The night club emerged from being penny-plain the-wall to plushy paiser, competing with the new super. cinemas In the way
of printe decor.
on ng
MOTLEY CAST
Look at the cast! A motley group of aristocrais, actors, and Artists: barens and bankers and brewers; counts and cameramen hole-In- and characters; dukes and dress-
makers and dumb-blondes,
To
Almost anyone can join. be accepted as a life-member. though, needs a fair amount of money and/or charm, lajeni wil, good looks, fashion sense energy. Or a lester amount of
Ciron, which ended a here today-and-gone tomorrow 'exit- ence just a few weeks ago, hud as many changes of decoration- any three, plus plain persever. from Aithnets to butterflies, ance. painted murals to red velvet-
as it did owners end monagers
TOMORROW: Who Goes Where?
Ho
thou
"OH..AH.. AHEM! I'M SURE YOU'LL WANT TO SHAKE HANDS WITH OUR ASIAN VISITORS, OLD CHAP - IF CIRCUMSTANCES
PERMIT "
Bedelt
Senith
DIPLOMATIC COURTESY AT GENEVA
LEADS FROM
U.S.CONGRESS
com
World Comurisht ku arrangement with the Manchester Guardian
DILEMMA in duplicate
10
M
ли end
If combined with a
Y wife wanted me frontler..
lot, suitable settlement and popula- burn the "Get rid of this old tien polley, is designed to put Dac thousand-year rabbish," she said, sunuggle for the Rhine, in Savour
at a box full of of the German people,
nover look "It is an atonement for the a dred-fold Injustice ne at them. They only pick up by France to Germany with its the dust."
unjustable attempt during the
13 extend 1,000 yea tast realm to the Rhine,"
Now the sores and daughters of † pointing the odd "Prince of Wales set" go aking there with the Princess, papers. "You and are known as the Margaret set
That is the success story of bely, from the King's son to the Queen's sister
Not bad for something that began in the speakeastes of New York during Prohibition
Cafe society, in case you
that fl- are puzzled by used term of reference,
im means exactly what it plies: the people who fre- quent the cafes; enfes, al- ways with the accented e covering night and supper
And this is now it all begon. clubs, restaurants, bars, or any smallish enclosed space
Long, long ago an American and social
usage "and arbiter i that stays
open late
ausage selected just 400 names charges enough (£1 just to
as being the only people worthy to attend the unmani ball given to go in, in some pinces)
by Mia William Astor, widow keep the masses away.
of the grandson of the Arst John founder-member Jacob (The present John Jacob Astor and his wife Chiquita are London's must-seen- mong
Its origin
of the Hitish branch was the
Tuke of Windsor who brought around cate socialites.)
it here from the States.
He moved from the big hotel balls ous. whete Ire
musl
أ الورق
hitherto
of bis spen! night: -eut, into the matter mad smurkier atmosphere of the stat clubs and restauranta
BREAKAWAY
wat ide
But
York Sorial New Register contained 40,000 names. Perhaps the
+xcommunicated With hin
rear 39,600 decided to put
Or maybe table companies and followers counter-attruction, --1he Mountbateus, the Duit Mrs Astor's parties were boring.
De
<127
£
CHINESE
CREEDS
and
CUSTOMS
by
V. R. BURKHARDT
II LUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR
NAKONG
IDEAL GIFT
FOR FRIENDS ABROAD
FOURTH IMPRESSION
$18.00
3. C. M. POST OFFICES
KOWLOON
But Bd not burn thera. In atend, I looked over the paper.
And that is how I nave com to recover two forgotten de cuments which, dusty and grim though they are, nevertheles
Are of the inikute relevance.
For each in its own way does more to light
Pronch the US dilemma over German rearnia-
most up-to-the-
do
ment and the war in Indo-China than the most eloquent speech by M. Bidault or General Gaulle.
I DOCUMENT NO. souvenir I picked up back 1946 from among the tubble
Hitler's Chan
that had been
its
Now, no doubt, some of the British protagonists of German rearmament will call this "old, Blur, with DO Out-of-date relevance to the new Germany of Dr Adenauer.
I doubt whether a French- man would agree with them. 1 certainly do not. For the signi-
deant thing about this annexa-
on plan is the personality of
its nuthur.
Significant
rellery in Berlin. It is 39- until his
page typed the Fuchron
nino capitulated.
memorandum
'Injustice'
for
S Wilhelm Stuckart is the same Wilhelm Stuckart who, motor cieath
W113 smash six months ngo. Parly. Vice-president of the Refugees'
And that is a position that put him right in the centre of Adenauer'y policy-making
Its tille: "The Frontier be tween Germany and France,"
its author:
Stuckart, W. Secretary of State la Hitter Ministry
of the
Interior Dr Stuckart ha. signed my copy
of group.
For the "Refugees' Party" is the memorandum In his own one of the parties making up Ennd and added the date it was
the Adenauer coalition. it delivered-14th June 1941-.
represented by three Ministers City's before Franco
in Adenauer's Cabinet, all three
Nazi former
high-upg
and protagonists of the Greater WHAT the memorandum pro- Germany.
Equally significant is Stuc- poses is the annexation by
French karl's Intimate Germany of the entire territory running from Channel coast down to the State Secretary in Adenauer's Swiss frontier and comprising, Chancellery Is the most as Stuckart points out him fluential, selt:
"Economically the most figure in present-day Germany. important and valuable part of Dr Globke was Stuckart's France."
deputy in the old Nazi Ministry. The taritory includis As he told me himself, when Dunkirk, Lille, Cambrai and culled on him in Bonn recently, Valenciennes, Calais, Boulogne he Was eo-author with
Sluckart Arras, Charleville
of
many important Sedan, and Verdun, and about memoranda - among others 7,000,000 peoplo live there.
the famous commentary on the
und
the
and
Association
with Dr Hans Globke, who us
behind-the-scenest
Says the memorandum: "It Nuremberg laws against the
sald that the new Jews.
may
be
Two forgotten
plans hold the
key to today's
news-problem
anyway. by the pre- in the highest German position of Stuckart's party colleagues.
Document French
2
is
of
1045
that
the last few years getung much
their assets country,
"This," they argue.
"meada that our army is out of
deprived of Its best Instructors and that we must inevitably become in- ferior militarily to the rearmed Germans in Europe."
And they do not trust these Germans.
the among y-hom friends of annexationist
For French interest in Indo- China, these people maintain, is now a matter of prestige, not money.
In Paris at the same time policy-makers are averse to the Stuckart are once more getting Implications of the American un top. plan that while Germany 19
Yes, I am very glad my wife being rearmed in Europe France led me to rediscover those two should battle
Indo- documents,
China.
στι In
-(London Expresa Service)
STEN GUNS IN GENEVA
From Ernest Ashwick
I do not know whether he been the important role played had a share in this plan for by the Americans in building the truncation of France.
power of Communis: Alp the But i
Jeader Ho Chi-minh in is made up to date enough,
after the Japanese surrender.
The Indielment is twofold. C'ubinet
WHILE the British who re- occupied the southern half bustener to Indo-China
10 transfer its administration
the result the French-with that southern Indo-China is to- from free day comparatively
Canununista the Americans controlling northern half handed it over skirts of Geneva just to see display of arms, to the Chinese of General how Mr Molotov, in his boundary Chiang Kai-shek.
No. memorandum which I brought back with me from anal last year. It shows up what the French claim to have
SEFTON DELMER'S Newsmap...
PARIBO
FRANCE
FURTZERLAND,
ITALY
MILES-200
A Hiller grab-plan turns up in a dusty file to lumine the problem France faces today. The heavily shaded area of the map shows the part of France that, it was proposed, the Germans should annex.
--
Geneva, morning
walks to
I
TOOK a quiet morning were turned back.
Nover, ride through the "Com- height of the
even in
War, has
the
the
Jocal
very
the
much
In the villa that marks
the
of Molotov's park
the the munist enclave" on the out- peaceful Swiss seen
in dolg, the Ameri-300 a month villa, and Mr there is no sign of any friendly the Chou En-lai, in his £250 a neighbourines. The two fami- anti-month villa, were spending British, tire practically In
lies there, one French and one
PATIK
2
by
1.4
the
WITC actuated, French
claim
anti-colonial the hours between talks on armed camp. Troops are billet- Imperialist prejudice against them.
ed on their lawn and in AT THE same time the Indo-China and Korea,
American steret service It was a bright sunny morning cellors. Every two minutes a
the belis of the tiny two-man anned
guard tours organisation O.S.S. (Office and
church at Genthod-one hun- the garden. If the innocent res of Strategie Services) sup-dred yards from Mr Molotov's ridents come home late at night, plied Ho Chi-minh's Com- bedroom window-were chim- Swis soldiers jump out of munist organisation (which ing out in competition with the bushes and shout half in a gut- then manqueraded as Nn-
tural Swiss-German accent. tionalist) with funds and But somehow the beautiful, And beware if they do arms in return for Intelli-
quaint old-fashioned Genthod obey. The officer in charge has gence.
village did not look the same. Warned them that after the Ironle reading this, for a The first shadow was at the third command the soldiers Frenchman. Illuminating level crossing
leading up the have been ordered to shoot to
kill.
Indo-China,
birds.
мета
hun-
not
fr vou and me. For today hill to the village. the roles are reverse: It is
Two Swise soldiers, tin- the Americans who want hatted and Ster-gunned,
NO FLAG the French to hang on 10 guarding the crossing. A
Molotov will not have the dred yards further on I hit the Swiss in his garden, so they have French reluctance, how-barrage. Swiss military guards,
from other ever, is understandable.
mobile transmitters,
guard him Important sections of guns and what-have-you-were people's properties, the French out in Indo- [Ühere.
No Ruslan flag is flying from and in the China, I found when I was Passds were asked for. I have his villa's flagpole, there last year, have spent one, but Swiss citizens on their grounds brown-sulled, heavy- booted armed Russians can- stantly wander around.
to
machine-
RENE MacCOLL Meets A No-Nonsense Star With That Champagne _Feeling**
*HEN
LI
W
1
LILLI WILL
Palmer
GRAPES
"You wish to talk to
I said: "I saw you and your my husband-or me?" sho husband in the very amusing queried, oncoming
Bell, Book, and Candie' in New дв A York in 1951. You are going to streetful of broken glass. put it on in London this autumn, "You, of course," I re-hear but what will you do joined, and I meant it-ho. about the cat?" causo I prefer interview-.
TREAD THE
NYLONS
IN
I took the bold course and told
"They have let me
For despite the Swiss efforts,
Russians
are taking no
the
chances.
At Chou En-ial's vllia, a mita Bway
the situation is the kame,
but the Chinese Communist fing is waving in the wind.
Machine-gun posts all around the grounds cover every inch of the territory,
There is litle contact between the Russians and Chinese out- side the
the official talks. Although nine
Geneve
London. lovely face-its shape is so good 10-year-old son of Miss P. and efficient and intelligent is apt to cleaners?
tons of foodstuffs, including caviar í and vodka, have been telephoned with the shadows round the Mr Rex H. There he was, the be viewed only with suspicion down. Disgraceful!"
But when she is not buy brought in by air from Moscow (Mrs Jaw-bone, and the big dark eyes spit and imago of his father, in England. In England, they
and what have you
I was kneeling on the drawing-room not only suffer fools gladly being Prussian the charm hovets for the Russians, they are not Rex Harrison) to ask entranced.
sharing over her lite a halo. And she He had to send a group of his floor, playing a game of elabor- they worship them!"
it with Bir Choi Yanlal.
for an interview, there was I said the first thing that came alely miniature cricket.
Though I rolled with the possesses the port.of cultured a considerable edge to her into my head. This gambit is Since he has just come from punch I queried her again about background wiilch is in pleasant men and two lorries to voice.
frequently disastrous, but this
Now York, and is destined even- the temper. She explained that contrast to a good many of her to buy foodstuffs from the host Aime it paid off,
and most expensive shops. The tually for Eton, he has, of course. It was probably inherited. Her stage contemporaries.
Sho likes to rop off the dates bill in one shop was £260. to know about cricket. So he is father was a famous German
To *200-strong Ruan learning it the hard way. In Burgoon who, when something of the principal betting in ze
Hotel Metro- miniature.
went amiss during an operation, Punic Wars ("I love to read delegation at the
to be big was went to hurl a handy history"). And with glos she pole are proving scalpel through a closed wig showed me the reproduction of buyers of other, things too. - Miss Paimer that I thought she
Cow.
a portrait
had painted had sounded on the telephono
WANTED NYLONS. which, it was clear, contained ilke a woman with a temper.
In Ha teclunique, all of the in- What about It?
They have ordered thousands but when I lose my exorable enesty which Mias Pof pairs of nylon stockings, Migs
Palmer's lovely eyes temper I am so miserable after- inzists on conversationally. Point is that a Siamese cat darkened, like clouds as the
wards. I reproach, myself #0 For all of her overly liked and some watch shops in the
öf Genova, have plays a prominent role in the storm shows up. "Yes, have a much and then lose it again, her very much. It was fun centre
practically all their stock' to. There ensued slight thaw, and play. It has to miaow at exactly temper," aho sald (not admitting You think I don't like women? when she talkod, of the house them and the Chinese,
the right moments, and everyone it but insisting on it). "Also I Aha, but you are wrong! I in Portofino, Italy, which she on Broadway thought that it was am famous for saying the wrong have many Womon friends and Rex Harrison have built given a surreptitious pinch. thing. I say exactly what comes genuine oLOS”
They have a vineyard, she said expressed disapprov
disapproval of Western up and this summer thore will be drinks, four of them or Miss Palmer, who mada o," said Miss Palmer. It into my mind. For better or
At one tafe her mind that she wanted to a wine harvest. "Imagine me because it feels like i
"I am terribly, terribly im-
however handsomo. (Why
ing pretty women to men,
is this? I don't know.)
anyway that evening there was, in a perfectly huge, dower bedecked apartment on the edgw of Berkeley Squaro, clutching "a
dively at this woman,
She is extremely chic, intelli gant, sophisticated, as well as being aftractive as an thought, She had on a dark blus
after
und
*
ད
"Oh.
But
sold
Jorge Russiańs have
gin and tonic, and gazing atten... does not need the glooh. It talks for worse. Take it or leave, bo an actress at the age, of fivo, „treading the grapes in my hylow dared the strongest Swiss Lique... their games, · Thynni · And suddenly. I realised a patient, Listen. cannot suffer was born in East Prussia. And stockings! What a vintage emptied certain kinship. Bliss Palmer Tools gladly. Oh, how I wish as a Prussian, he likes pro But
will alto reminds me The stuff was water, they
' threw them; down in dis The Blamesa: Is] the Siamese cat. Both that phrase could be translated clafon. And discipline.No Siamese cat beautiful to look upon. Both Into German. It could only be nonsense më bier,
beautiful, but, firs..' 'It is, the ] and ·
refused to pay BOAR articulate without being pinched. England which could produce She is accoftingly more than most temperamental, of cats: T
roaring, trade, Both diedainful, but not unmind sich a phrase Anyone who is a trife impallemt over the shott is apt to be himly original doin fut of attention.
***bomings, or lite in way going. Although it used a Langtungo al 14 But, the Bwlaries the ab BrHalow Thorsharwomen? malof its own, you are havne left in few days of the word versen to meet The Camillar mass of off. We were chaperoned, Miss
* Author (u #t Paul, 11 Corinthiana (rosen to date and they do the slightest, doubt", about? the now thankings. mahogany hair, was piled up just Palmer and I and my gin and alaTimey her food halls, motor soy and, undereweth won this tonic, chaperoned by Carey, the eerien we souratives are wier
coat-and-skirt Job (the skirt Bloated) and a light mauve
window-was-EE DUNDAS