POCKET CARTOON by OSBERT LANCASTER
18
પ
114
20
I repeat- 'Fifteen Wrens on the dead
Wren's chest, Yo-ha-koand a bottle of fruit
juice to you."
PARADE
GENTLEMEN
WITH RAZORS? Teddy boy" boom seems to be in sight, The news comes from just about the most reliable source on the subject-none other than the London tailors who exotle plumage for the
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1955.
A COLUMN OF the unusual ABOUT
PEOPLE AND PLACES AND "THINGS
THE REPUBLICAN REVELLED IN THE COURTLY LIFE-
So Dumas made
her his wife...
The end of The name "Teddy-boy stem PICK OF For just 15 -
from the fact that devotees Britain's med
the THE CROP Hngs a girl can of the cult affected
take her pick The from extreme Edwardian dress.
1,000 eligible bachelors affectation started among the who will gather at Grevenbight,
dandies well-to-do young
of Holland, in July be the third Mayfair about two years or so World Congress of Bachelors.
Just a 15 shillings create the ago. But it was picked up and
coun- elaborated to almost incredible fec into the Congress, and ALEXANDRE DUMAS. By Andre Maurois.
a man for
Hutchinson. 8s. 6d. 192 pages. lengths by teenage dance-hall there'll be
ony girl's habitues,
taste-from doctors, Lawyers, dentist, clerks, engineers, men Switzerland, France, the
try's teenage, "spare time
dandies.
They report
that the avant garde of the dance halls and amusement arcades are about to launch a complete fùm-around in adolescent fashion.
No one is likely to be parts cularly sorry to see the end of the Teddy-boy" era. For what started out as a sartorial fad developed into a social problem.
A British Crossword Puzzle
13
15
9
10
#2
#13
15
116
17
18
119
121
122
23
24
125
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
ACROSS
DOWN
1 Happen again (3).
1 Correct (3).
4 Current (G).
8 Made cold (8).
10 Superior (5).
12 Centre (6).
14 Ense (7
17
Villary
"body"(4).
19 Voter (7).
20 Unsuccessful thing. (7),
22 Giri's mame' (4),
#3 Looks at closely (7).
27 Thoroughfare (6).
29 Torment playfully (5).
30 Stress (G).
31 Fears (6).
32 Scolds (5).
2 Crumble (5).
.3 Subject (5).
Sound of a fall (4).
Skilful (8).
Sufferer for a cause (6),
Varied (7).
11 Calm
(8).
12 Expunger (7),
15 Vivacity (4).
16 Creeks (6),'".
18 Small animal (4).
20 Abstained from food (6).
21 Mad
(8).
24 Extreme (5),
25 Unsuitable (5).
26 Despatches (5).
28, Peruse (4).
entrance
The usual uniform-włuch often cost as much as
£30 United Siates, Gezinday, consisted of excessively narrow Luxemburg, Africa, all of them trousers, knee-length costs,
Lered aver 23. highly-coloured and embroidered A hundred thousand tourists, waistecats, frilled
shirt-fronts
probably 500 lonely-heart and droopy, tape-like bow dies, and
girls are expected to drop in With this went chunky imitation on the Congress. gold rings and bracelets. And extremists even took to wearing a single earring.
D
And a girl will get every er couragement to find herself husband. For a banNÉT, SCITES. the Congress hall will proclaim: "Bachel and spinsters of the world-unite!"
LEXANDRE DUMAS was the Three Musketeers rolled into one, plus the Count of Monte Cristo and a score of other full-blooded children of his own fertile imagination.
:
He is despised as R novelist by his fellow-countrymen. Maurois, in his gossipy, compact biography, can hardly conceal the fact that his admiration for the exuberant Titan is tinctured with amusement.
Yet Dumas, alone among the great writers of France, has made a universal appeal. He was the illegitimate son of a French general of West Indian blood who having earn- ed the dislike of Napoleon, was to rain. The young brought
father's Inherited his Dumas Negro hair and immense phy- sical strength.
Once he sent a clipping of
by George Malcolm Thomson
1
to
he
the Englishman failed have a Great Revolution, won the Battle of Waterloo (this is conceded).
His attitude to women may be hypocritical (for him, they, are companions in the chase. Instead of being the object, of It), his political hatreds may be tepid to the point of com plicity in crime. But he has ar Empire. the Straits of Dover, governments that fast (OT And months and even years. every French republican loves his Queen.
A wit
Still the Englishman_ mains comic. For, in Franco can be taken only Frenchmen
seriously.
Tish
his hair to one of the French in celebrating this ecension by stories, he invented a character France with a French (second)
hoping taking a lover.
Dumas bore whose West Loctian Colonies,
Glass of gold
to
conversation.
son,
properly
of
That in itsel
bad enough. But "Edwardianism' did not remain just a tasteless, harmless fad. Something seem, ed to get invio dar too many youths as soon as they put on JUST IN Jammu University' in their
Dance-hall Anyery.
But combining the two ideas and NAME
Kashmir is just a name -- it
has до
of the seriousness of the French cinema managers began to re- port an increasing number of buildings, no students. But this
and the funniness of the Eng-
Pierre week it got a campus. A few
Darinas has brawls involving "Teddy-boys,"
zchieved
ot a European sle and there were cases of quiet days ago, Kashmir's head of
300.000 copies for a book in residential districts on the out- state Karan Singh, Chancellor
which a fictitious Englishman. skirts of London being invaded of the six-year-old university.
living in of them and donated a 120-acre orchard to be
Major Thompson, by large gangs
used as a campus. terrorised,
And it looked as though the
consisted wife. puts down his views on getting tbe Some psychiatrists wok
might be
this would induce its view that this rawdyism was a sore at last. Three years that
inhabitants to elect him to the his betrayal, like his marriage, principally of monosyllable in France.
terjections.
Daninos could hardly have to falled even if he were
a dull defence reaction by the youth ago, the Kashmir Government
He was always, willing who felt that unless they de- allotted a piece of land to the Chamber of Deputies. Once, in with equanimity,
I was rare that life found he held
in fact, He is, A foundation stone another constituency. marstrated how bough they university.
him unequal to its emergencies, keep young writers by adding writer.
wit almost a few an insulting heskier over
invited an artillery his own inimitable touches and possessed. were ordinary folk would laugh was taid, but within
months the Government with-river bank with one hand until Someone
colonel to dine with him: "You his name to their work; he tried enough for a book of 192 pages. at their cutragecus fashions,
The English have taught the eldest draw is grant and someone an apolegy was bendered.
will be delighted by his wit."
persuade his
to behave news from the stole the foundation stone. Now comes
the at table; it is Dumas sat silent throughout Alexandre, to join him in fruit- whole world howe
ful collaboration. "Teddy-boys" tailors that the
He could do everything with
dinner. whereupon the colonel
But Alexandre the Second French who know how to eat.
Abroad,
Frenchman new trend will be towards the
every His except keep it.
You
on his own. said: "I am out of luck.
meant to succeed saber
money twee is and
La arcurs were often sordid
comes from Paris. haven't said much tonight" The This he did with a play, rarely ungenerous. In his palmy novelist replied:
France is divided into "Partien me!.
based cr kept a champagne But have 1 asked you to are off me aux Camelias. days be
gold coins on glass full of
a cannon?" The rule said: Normal dress desk so that any guest could
Dumas had the One night he went to shall be compulsory at all meet-help himself.
kind af guests who would theatre with Soumel, auther of ings unless otherwise stated."
When a tragedy that was being per- But they couldn't decide what accept this invitation.
poverty overlook him the glass formed. Dumas caught sight of Malayan Can- "normal dress" was.
a member of the audience fast ALLAH
but the coins were Said fully-clothed chairman remained:
asleep: "See the effects of your silver. FORGIVES munists were
last week: give in J.M. Morton-Stephens,
have never refused money plays," he whispered. to anyone." he would say, "ex-
same theatre, now and Allah will forgive you dress depends on where we are II we were meeting
toing in the
Dumas was watching the pre- cept my creditors." Asked This was the message that went meeting.
francs to the duction of one of his own plays. but 10
contribute 20 Moslem bandits at a club I would say normal
of a the dress just isn't,"
funeral expersés
baill: when Soume) tapped him on the commemorating message
member Hugh ShaylerHere are 40 francs," he said, shoulder, pointed to a man fast But religious fast of Ramadhan-
was adamant. from Tuan Hafi Bussein,
asleep. You see, your plays. "buy two," for nudists was undress
He was a staunch republican too, can send people to sleep." religious chief of Selangor State, This rule," he said, "would who loved cour's and decora- bar stripping at club meetings
"Not at all." Dumas retorted. tions, Hussein's words fluttered
deplorable departure from down to bandits in jungle out-
cur principles." hundred posts. A
thousand
casual BARE Nudists in conference in London, discussing a elegance of an English curry, ISSUE new rule for their Bri- gentleman. And Britons with a
are hoping tish Sunbathing Association, hit taste for quict life
a suitable a. smag. that there will be
behaviour switch in youthful to match it.
told
pamphlets dropped from the air.
And Hussein implored them: "It is during this period that Allah most readily forgives our sins if we repent. Communism 15is the greatest enemy of Islam, which stands as a fortress to prevent its spread in Malaya,"
YESTERDAY'S CROSSWOR D.-Across: 3 Maladors, 8 Ter, 9 Delicate, 11 Prepared, 13 Tern, 15 Eatresol, 18 Denuding, 19 Away, 21 Radiates, 25 Revealed, 26 True, 27 Solitary. Down: 1 Step, 2 Free, 4. Aver, 5 Avid, 6 Ovale. 7 Stern. 9 Dared Lemon, 12 Renew, 14 Range, 18 Sepal, 17 Lurid. 19 Acres, 20 Anvil, 21. Rapt, 22 Dear, 23 Tart, 24 Stem.
VIGNETTES OF LIFE
--- AND GET A MOUSTACHE CUP,
A THRONE, THREE***
NO, MAKE IT FOUR
GREAT DANES, A
PAIR OF CORSETS, A KITCHEN SINK, FIVE MORE RABBITS, —AND STICK-
AROUND?“
LAST MINUTE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PROP MAN, 197
I'LL BET HE GOT
IT ON PURPOSE
| CURTAIN TIME AND TIME TO PAGE À NEW PAGE BOY.
Normal dress
But it was a woman member, Mrs Dorothy Thornton, who had
the last word.
Said she: "We must keep a sense of proportion. If we met ot an hotel we wouldn't think of atripping off and popping about naked."
And most people seemed agree.
to
but
an amiable weakness
the
Next
million Frenchmen, ( After
What they think?
du
43
she
tragic love affair. rapturous first night, the young Dumas telegraphed to his father: "So great success I thought I
Frenchmen gaze at women; was a
the first night Englishmen pass them by. A of a
of yours." The old femme
is monde
scan man replied: "My Anest work dalised if she succosted, but is you."
bitterly disappointed if "My father" said the second isn't. (A femme du monde, Dumas with affectionate
the Major notes, s **a woman smile. "is a great child whom I who doesn't belong to anybody, had when I was quite small" not ever. her husband.") The greatness and the childish- ress of Dumas burst the strings of Maurios's neat little bid- graphical parcel,
an
The American pedestrian seeing a millionaire pass in a Cadillac dreams of the day when he will be driving in his; the Freach pedestrian dreams of the day when he'll get the millionaire out of it and make
been
which betrayed him inter marri- "It's the man we saw last night, MAJOR THOMPSON LIVES him walk.
age.
by
parrots, cat, golder.
↑
The
imprudently He hasn't come to yet." Having
Dumas wrote surrounded
IN FRANCE. By Pierre
French have brought his current mistress a royal reception. he received a menagerie--three monkeys,
Daninos. Cape, 93. Gd. fottered by the praise of this hint from the significant.
his two
192 pages.
rough Imaginary islander and heat, the Duc d'Orleans: "It is pheasant and a vulture (which
amused by his absurd crlil- understood.
Dumas, lived in e my dear
barrel) was puneti- N France the Englishman is cisms. The English may be. that you could have presented lious in using blue paper for an invincibly comic charac- curious to see what a French- only your wife to me."
novels, pink for articles and ter (pipe, tle, tea, lack of man thinks they think about Tous Dumas, against his yellow for love poems,
philosophical principle) al- the French. better judgment, became A At one time, when he was though a modicum of respect busband. His wife best no time paid so much a line for serial accompanies the derision. For,
Home Talent Drama
"I'M SUPPOSED
TO BE A
MAN-AT-ARMS
AND THE
COSTUMER
FORGOT
TO SEND
THE PANTS/
"YOU'RE
LUCKY-
THEY SENT
MINE/
BY HARRY WEINERT
THERE IS MORE TO
ITS TOUGH ON AN ACTRESS WHO HAS BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO PARTS WHERE SHE SAID "ENTER" TO HAVE AN ENTIRELY
NEW LINE GIVEN HER LIKE *YOUR MAJESTY, A CAVALCAPE
APPROACHES THE CITY GATES"
PLITTING
.ONA
SHOW
THAN MEETS THE EYE.
COFR, 1955 BY GENERAL FEATURES CORF, TH.WORLD RIGHTS: RESERVED.
2-20
THAT IS WHAT
I CALL
"THE SHOW IS EDING TO: BE A FLOP THEY'VE CUT OUT HIS GLOCKENSPIEL
SOLO:
NO CITATION, By James Allan, Angus and Robert- son. 12s. 6d. 222 pages. WHEN the Beaverbrook Mission arrived in Moscow in 1041 it brought the hope of tank and aircraft to Stalin - and the hope of liberty to Corporal James F. Allan,"
"Allan had been captured by the Germans after Dunkirk, had escaped across Poland to the Russian frontier and after many hardships had fetched up in the Lubyanka jall in
Mascow: "Russia was at war with Germany; Britain was at war with Germany. That makes us allies. Yet here am 1, a British soldier, sitting in black hole in the most dreaded gaol in Russia.”
3
no
Until the day came when
less bewildered, he was
benevolently hustled from his
cell to an aircraft outside Moscow and found himself bound for Archangel in an aircraft which contained Lord Beaverbrook.
I'm
"This
boy's had enough. going to send him straight home was Beaver- brook's crisp verdict when he had heard Allan's story. Back in Britain the mission's special train was stopped at Carlige by Beaverbrook so that Allm could go home, to Wakefield The corporal was awarded the DCM-without citation, in the London Gazette to
траге Russia's feelings.
Other Books
thed
• FLAMINGO FEATHER. By Laurens Van đér. Post, Chatto and Windus, 12, 6d 320 pages. The great mystery of Africa and the lesser mystery of modem. international conspiracy. restlessly together in an adven- ture story. John Buchan could have
managed the Lenser mystery with a surer hand. Van der Post excels as the evoker of his own dark continent,
||
DANCE OF THE SLAVE GIRLS OR WHY DIRECTORS GO CRAZY.
PERFECT CASTING')
"WHAT ARE YOU
SUPPOSED TO A S
IF ANYTHING ?
OF COURSE THERE IS ALU
COMES ALONG AND ASKS A SILLY QUESTION.
§ ALAS, POOR GENTLEMAN, By Norman Bruce. Heinemann. 12s. 6d. 238 pages, › Agreeable comedy novel, about a million=" aire who couldn't sleep and a poorer man who could do, hardly anything else.
ART, BUCHWALD'S PARIS. Chatto and Windus. 10x 64 144 "pagesPractical high-spirited young American's eye-view of Paris, Left Bank and Blekt, est ing playing and living: phasis on living,