The Yorkshire "Lawrence"
U
*
By J. W. TAYLOR
brave man.
Hin
JP l' Yorkshire, amid all torture went on. Still no sig
murmur from a very the recently revived and not a
Then they used a controversy concerning blg gun to fire near to him until Lawrence of Arabia, they're h cars and nose blod, talking alnut that other anger nails were torn out and with hot irona. the he was burnt legendury igure of
Still they could not break kim desert - Walter Greenway, town.
**i „wrence, the Yorkshire
Finally the Turks were con- who fornook a life of crime
vincest of his aunocence of apping to live in the desert as an and
talk, tuo, prayed for forgiveness for thus Arab. There is of putting back into print forturing a man already afflicted the two books written about and treated him kindly, him
40 years
ago, telling way Anally got back to with valuable British lines most vividly the strange formation story of this exiled York.
of his
denfress
Permanent injury
arm
by
They
Green- the
In-
to Green-
the
THE CHINA MAIL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26,
JULIÁN SYMONS introduces a new series about people who have gambled with fortune:" SIX PLAYED WITH FIRE. First, the man who
became the idol of the miners... A. J. Cook.
TN 1926 the most-loved and the most-execrated man
in Britain was n golden-haired, youthful-looking orator, a man whose blue eyes were oddly innocent behind their horn rims. His name was Arthur James Cook, and he was the Secretary of the Miners' Fedora- tion.
He was the central figure in the bitterest social struggle that took place between the wars, a struggle which caused a State of Emergency to be maintained in the country for seven months.
For good, sold householders Cook was the reddest possible symbol of Red revolution. From the time he became the Miners' Secretary in 1824 he delighted in outraging the respectable. He said that he was proud to be a follower of Lenin. He said that he was one of the Big Five in labour politics, and that he would be more Important yet. Sie William
r
Joy non-Hicks, Uhe Home Secretary, issued a solemn warning that Cook intended destroy the British Empire. Cook was delighted. What an Empire," he said on the platform, "I say to hell with such Emplie."
The miner tollsed him, was a leader spring from them- shireman whose exploits way's health, however, had been setves, a man who really knew
about practical forture, something any caused courage equalled in
hardships, He hal thing occurring during both Gangrene in his injured fingers miner's
underground in South led to the amputation of his left worked
becoming World War.
When sufletent strength Wales for 21 years. In the winter of 1915, the had returned to him he disap-converted in the process from a
Court pered to rejoin his Arab wite Bapist lay prencher 10 then Sheffield Police
Are is there children. Missionary. Mr Robert Holmes, Greenway's only friend, began to receive the first of
markable
series
lefters
Meanwhile,
there had been
news of bun at Sheffield for long time. but finally Mr of re- Himes revelyal from which were to be the lust Waiter
Mesopotamik, hurriedly Getaway was
scribbled in pencil on scraps of paper. letters that later provided Holmes with the main ingredients of his markable
biography
Walter Greenway.
't- of
111
נוד
They
story tobl 21 strange Greenway, whose parvets lived เ Ownlo near Duneuster, spoke several languages. Atte
painter 11 working
a clerk pristes, he bernie Shemeid, but try the time he was 29 he wis well on the Prime Soon he bad the record of nine convictions for burglary When arrested. for years. ho always made a pretence of being deat and dumb.
roud.
Torture By Turks
The Sheffield court missioner finally helped him to join the ship
<rew of
A
bouzent
the
to write
Jettors
Faithful Wife
and
L
They were wropped in gruss told leaf specimens atid how, still weak from his treat-
Greenway ment by the Turks,
bis slowly
mode his way Arabic home to And it had been destroyed and all his possessiLUTIA He became very ui una
Hi den.
there there wund AIS
unconscious and in a fever by his faithful wir, who had been searchingg long and for for her missing hus band. She marsex him back to something like health, and soon was off more desert neid other excapades for the British
he
cialist rutor.
50-
In private life he was boister- ous but gentle, it man who had On the way with children
In platform he was a ger. speeches of blistering power he
The coal owners.
The
Altucked Government, other labour He had a brilliant gift Ileaders
a talent for coining of mintiery, phrasen, and a power of rousing
natural to enthustasin
time revivalist preacher.
(2014-
a the gramophone of the meu! represent," he said, and they layed the time he played
ALL ALONE
COOK'S
THING
THE GREAT
GAMBLERS
ABOVE: Harbert
FRIEND
Smith, the miners' president, He thought the strike would end
in a few weeks
AND
. and in victory.
the
'FOE
end of the General
Strike.
union
at
The other
went
back
The
to work miners
stayed out. to settle their dispute with the owners,
on
WIN
more
BELOW: The Young Emest Berin. He detested Cook.
✩ Ilis slogans split a nation, he was the tiger with the goldén tongue
His position was not helped rumours that by the constant
For he was in Moscow's pay. their
reasons the Rus slang contributed towards the miners' strike fund, but
At the beginning of the stop- the Miners' and page Cook, president Herbert Smith, never doubted that if the miners held out for a few weeks they would
demands. But Cook gain their
the
strike went on for month after was not in anybody's puy. He was a political adventurer eager month, with no giving way for power, whose only weapons either side.
per-
were a golden tongue, a sonality Of impulsive charm- and the trust placed in him by the miners.
ARREST HIM
of
THE
Cook was a great colner slogans, and he began the cam- paign with some slogans which adopted. were enthusiastically "Not a penny off the pay; not a second on the day," Wits the
most famous of them.
He rejected the
on
ARTHUR JAMES COOK they sent him á gan.
offered, and tried to induce the owners to meet them. This idea obtained no support from Bald- win, and it was dropped.
These deliberate do-nothing tactics were effective. The drift back to work began again in the Midlands, and quickly -in- creased.
it In a last attempt to stop Cook and Smith organised a "Council of War" of MPs and officials to tour disaffected areas. Cook's own speeches were those of an angry and desperate man
wont He accused thoga who
back to work of accepting bries, and said: "They have sold their souls and their children." But neither speecher nor platform tears and breakdowns had much effect.
The touring speakers bocama known throughout the country
üg
"Cook's Circus," and their proceedings took on a farcical ospect When a meeting of the Council of War was arranged in the Blackboy Hotel at Notting- ham, a party of 40 young local business men planned to kidnap Cook, carry him to the market. with place, and tie him there
the Union Jack round his waist. The attempt failed, and, in fact, for excited
sympathy Cook; but sympathy was no use
some
now. The drift back to work had become a flood.
vuried
Im- The stoppage ended in se com- Thomas, agreed to handle
triumph for Baldwin's ported coal in longe quantities, plete This made the strike much less policy. The terms on which the from any- miners returned effective, and more than
almost⚫ thing else inflamed tempers on district to district, but
everywhere they had to Recepâ either side.
longer hours and often a slight reduction in wages. The fruit of THE miners sul-
Ho the strike was a bitterness and tho among fened two heavy sparking point for trouble.
dozen letters a week sense of betrayal first received
be miners which lingers stili. threatening his life, which the
read out effectively on plat- in forms. He also showed on the 1 platform the revolver with six
The
blows, wis when
Government, spite of
their
Cook, as always, Was the
auggestion ranged the partially. bullets which had, been sent to
on
the
side
him, with the message: "Shoot
by passing the yourself."
that hours might be lengthened of the owners by
"Eight Eight Hours Bill, which made in a hours?
furlous speech:
the grass with sickness.
As
country,
an
the
meetings in
FORGOTTEN
HAD Cook's
BUC-
rumble creded he would have bocora tha influential most
Agure among Bri- Lish labour leaders.
Ho
tha
over
As his speeches became more If grass is growing on legal provision for the proposed avery pft, we will never consent extra hour. Baldwin confidently nearly revolutionary he was for
that this would end bidden to address to any lengthening of the work- expected
the dispute, and it might have South Wales and Stafford- ing day."
He made this speech at Rad- done so but for Cook. In War- shire. Questions were asked in 1 failed, and he was forgotten
as to why he was even in his own lifetime. Secretary of Once he figured ina daring ex-
In essence the dispute
stock and collapsed at the end wickshire and Nottinghamshire Parliament
arrested. The answer, remained plant, He planted time bombs simple. The owners wanted the
of it, falling off the platform to me trickled back to work, but not
attack of his visits to the areas brought which was not given at the time, Miners' Federation for the five to blow up enemy ammunition miners to accept a reduction of the
them out again.
was that the Government had years he had left to live, but
Influence The bombs were Ger-
Wages or an increase dumps.
toured the ho
no intention of letting Cook play exerted little tu intended
seven hour underground work-
polley When he made sugges KD-mude.
maklog two or more niners refused,
He coined a new slogan: "Back the role of martyr. the holds ing day, The
collapses
long they were almost moderate atalun placed by Arabs in
speeches daily, these
The hand of Prime Minister and concllfatory and, were British ships when coaling. The Government offered a sub-
became frequent He appeared, to work we go on an
and hoarse, haggard
to quo.
Stanley Baldwin guided Columbo, Except for reports of Greenway, the one time burgtor, sidy for Ure mines with
the hardly ever accepted. On the reduction of wages
platform
the tiger was tame. ship, nothing stole
and the bombs
turned iminelate having deserted
address three large meetings in
Retention of the status quo masterly inactivity of the Gov- for
earning everrybody
the A. J. Cook ended his life having Greenway of
fur them on the enemy.
Clydebank and Glasgow, and to Was heard
the same rates of pay and hours ernment in dealing with than 45, a week.
the saddest fate that his than suffered meet
deputations The Mr Holmes
More clearly BOveral
of work that they had before strike, several years. began
the Crst to nyelve
Soon, however,
The odds were against
what Cabinet, Baldwin realised that, can befall a rebel. He had be- personal Cook
workers, all in one day.
the General Strike-wha Jimmy
Im come respectable. from Mess- began to fail.
detosted by was political He Greenway's letters
asket for. It was with a steady supply of miners After this he collapsed com-
WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED, Jented 11
What story was received in Shemaid popularity
leader of the railway of the Thomas,
that ported coal available, the strike Greenway was working for the from a British
imedical offic, future on the that an Arab miners' struggle. He knew the workers, and by Ernest Bevin of pletely and had to rest, reviving more apparent each week British by living as a Bedouin who reported
When he the transport workers. On the again to answer accusations by the owners and the Government was certain to fail, Arab, widering between the women had brought her English risks he was taking.
of the General Council of the TUC he Jimmy Thomas and others that had no intention of letting them
get t Even he had betrayed the miners by Drst became Secretary sho was
frlend Turkish and British lines and husband,
here Miners' Federation be had pro- had hardly
His sup-
the hospital, where
to devoted, to the
The by the Turks to be a believed
second blow Was
the deaf-mute.
he had died sortly afterwards.jected a grand alliance with the within his own Miners Federa- rofusing to negotiate. transport, railway and tion there was a party prepared porters said that he
of miners came when the raway wife was heart road
Government's greatest trade union leader the the Greenway'é Ieller told Another
accept
the century.
men, much influenced by Jimmy tragle suffering he was to bear broken at his tragic death and other unions.
eventually taken away by was of his war-shortened 11fc. The her father, a Bedouin shelk.
Pokalu.
[
with such furtitude for the rest
Turks
to
his health The end of thu
whoi
his slaked
1}s and
success
He had said that it would be fatol for the miners to act alone.
had become suspicious
Mr Robert Holmes, who later Now they were acting alone -- about him and had him arrested.
their spokesman. two books from these and he was wrote
hold the They fired rifles close to his cars letters and some research on the He proclaimed: " to see if he showed any signs of strange life of the criminal hemost important position in being able to hear Greenway hnd befrænder, died only four country today," and in a sense
he was right. showed no signs of hearing. The years ago.
KLM proudly presents
the all-new SUPER CONSTELLATION!
SUPER ·comfortable
SUPER · spacious [SUPER] «fururi curs
SUPER -fast
Only KLM gives you Super Constellation service
3 times weekly Bangkok-Europe!
The Super Constellation is the long- est, largest, finest airliner ever bullt, with 3 superbly appointed passenger cabins, a luxurious lounge, bar servies and galley, 4 lavatories, crew's quar ters, pilot's cabin-all air conditioned! And KLM offers you the 'klad of service you get only with the airline that puts your comfort first
Book passage now! Three classes to choose from! First class with restful "Sleepair"; First class with soft re- clining chairs; and the world's, most KLM comfortable tourist clam! Super Constellations leave. Bangkok three times a week-Tuenday, Satur day and Sunday. Dally through con- nections on Super Constellations frodzi Amsterdam to New York!
KLM recommended by all who know!
For fares, time zohadules and reserva- tions, contact your Travel Agent or Philippine Air Lines, Ind., denaral Bales Agent for EM in Hongtong.
KLM
"ROVAL" BUTCH
the
to
terms.
Σ
him.
of
the
+
of
tho
um-
At one point Winston Chur-
NEXT SATURDAY chill, then Chancellor Exchequer, met Cook and Smith The man who went on trial in Downing Street, was
pressed by the concessions they with a revolver in his pocket.
Have You Ever Seen A Tummy Dancing?
"H
in
+
his body remains motionless. Com The Emir now clapped experiences
So much for the primitive Damascus. strangest
furnishings, on hands and we moved structure. The
back, pletely motionless,TVORKO ngainat One of the dancers now takas. AVE you ever seen thirty years of travel,
the other hand, were dazzling in forming a semi-circlo
фор forward, while the* Tummy As the
the
luxury. station-wagon their
There were the mud and dung wall, while a
four young boys cleared away others form a chorus behind Dance 7," asked broached the top of a small luxurious divans, priceless car-
pets and gold embroidered, the debris of the meal. At the her. Faster and faster sound the Emir.
hill, I looked down upon cushions. There were riches piled same time four wizened old the truths and the violins what, at first sight, seemed
upon riches.
men entered, each carrying his wail and shriek.
Enticing yet denying -: the We were sitting in the a collection of half eggshells
tumimies' acemi Lunch consisted of two 48- Arab "muste" f the form of
violin... or
tom-tom style mobile, sensial famous marble hall of the standing on end. This, the four old lambs, roasted whole,
alive. No longer a part of the Orient Hotel, Damascus. We Emir assured me, was Delr- over a wood fire, sweet potatoes machines
body, they expromed, the whole Now for the dancing --- and gamut of love, Glanging round had finished the innumer- el-Aadass,, which his family and "yards" of native bread.
the tummy dancers that few at my Arab friends, I noticed able dishes of a typical Arab had literally owned for Ten of the "eldery" had been people really believer exist.
their perspiring faces, open dinner and washed down nearly five hundred years.
mouths and clenched hands, the
Just when it seems the whole meal
several with
As we entered the one main
world is filled with shrieking, crowd of glasses of arak, the native street of the village,
armi-naked chlidren, and twenty drink.
of the male "elders" came for ward to greet us. I noticed there were no women among the onlookers.
"
Roasted Lambs
bla
It
Six Beauties
invited and the twelve of us circle in sat on cushions in a
Blx the centre of the "room." women had been preparing our meal, and when it was ready, Softly, softly the "drums waing music and I can sou nothing but turning, twisting brought it to the door but no start up - gerrily, gontly, the tummies, the Emir claps ka When I replied: "No" to
further. Two of the youngest "violins Join them, Suddenly, hands and there is a sudden men then carried it to the walt the sunshine streaming through silence like the moment after a his question, the Emir (local
out bomb burst. • Then the dancers ing circle of men, and placed the open door is blocked Province Commander) took
Into the room drift six of the collapse on the Boor, sobbing it in their midst.
most beautiful Syrian girls. I breathlessly and stretching out a giant puff from his hookah, stared meditatively at the
All of which is explained by have yet soon in this strange stinky finds to catch the shower
country, After many fraternal greetings the fact that women
Their young of silver coins that their patrons in this wild little bubbles of air which
tho between
Emir and rose to the surface of the followers (and cordial hand part of the world are regarded tests are covered with small disdainfully throw down
silver and gold shields, and A dew hours later. Lwas back strange as to inferior to men that the from their hips swing fine in my hotel. I thought of the glass bowl, and suggested I shakes
have con gossamer sidris.
dancers and listened to the be ready at 6 a.m. the next "Ingilz"), we were escorted to Emir would never
any of his
Without moving shoulders or music of “Don
and tis the largest of the "half egg-sidered allowing
teet -- not morning.
shells" the Emir's country re- four wives to dine with him.
inchi the young bodies begin often as if the ever-inysterious sidence.
The tiny lambe had. I was and, for the re- This "residenco"
now swaying. To and fro, alde to passions of the East were, some- turned out
cut into reasonably small sito, in unison with the pagan how silming in my own blood, mainder of my life, the to be a mud and cow-dung
music I thought of the mid walls, tho now the eighteen feet portions, and we set to with the music. But
In village of Deir el-Aadass, structure, about
quicloris, the drums tako on cully implementa
4. rising crowondo of sizinge music high, the same diameter at the nearly one hundred miles base and tapering to a point. A the world-fingers and thumbe more imperative beat and, un- and the tumany-dancers, danc-
dancing. south of Damascus, off the small opening at the top allowed There followed mighty belching beleving yet, I see the sternachs ing.
the dancers move slowly macadam road leading
from a charcoal (a polite sign at enjoyment) of to the smoke
aris - round" portéesly; Jordan, will rest in my other source of light or air was chore announced the end
brazier to escape. The only from all the gucets, and this round.
of clearly-just their stomache-
the remainder while the bizarre meal, one of the the, low narrow door. memory na
with
bo
MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN
THE CABLE --BROKE
MANDRAKE~* "WE'RE FALLING!
THE CABLE SNAPPEDE
OR ONE OF THEM
CUT IT!
boor
oldeet
IMPOSSIBLE! BUT I PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY? WE'LL RELEASE BALLAST AND FLOAT BACK UP.
a fraction of an Blx. Slock Alo
of the
By Leo Falk and Phil Dayis
NO,THORNS WE MUST SEE THIS THROUGH. I'M CONVINCED WE'RE FACING ONE OF THE STRANGEST ADVENTURES MANS
EVER HAD ON THIS EARTHE
TALK
ABOUT
MAGIC
More
Charles Anderson
יו