! Page 4
"THE CHINA 'MAIL,
CHUCKING MY
JOB: THE BEST
THING I EVER DID
THE decision before John Braine was one that has faced young men countless other
who have dreamed of success. It was: to strike out boldly into a completely new way of life, or to stay in a secure and John not uncomfortable rut.
Braine made his decision —
to strike out. This year that decision paid off with the startling success of his novel "Room at the Top." This is a self-appraisal of the step he took.
Mathe
Y first story, written it!
of seven, splendid feature of an open ngo began with a German pilot portion with wooden seats. gloat'ngly watching a Sop-Whatever the weather, we with Camel, crashing, afre always rode in the open; the "Mon Gott," he sneered. cnclosed part was for the "What fools these England- soft, unadventurous growи- ers are!"
lle paid for this rash as- sumption though, meeting his match in a young R.F.C.
ups.
Poetry
by
JOHN
BRAINE
1 stopped writing poetry after the production of my verse play The Desert in the Mirror.
will
Th let's a quotation tron Auden and the fat that its theme was Faust in modem dress with Satan wearing a loud and a trenchcout American e
tell you everything you need in know about it. It was flop. Some of the criticisms that I went were so scathing into the woods hear by und rainlog and 1 wep!. It was
I have never caught cold written a line of poetry since.
Apart from poetry, wrote
MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 1957.
(SLEX)
GLLET
"Boy-with their regular bus on striko, aro thoy glad to soo
ma.
Raiso your 'at to 'om as we go by."
THE KREMLIN
ASIANS
OF
-the first in his 60s and the pendence, econd in his 70-travel abroad Tant trip is not without, ila
for
own
By ALINE MOSBY United Press Hollywood Correspondent
When Mikoyan and Varoshilov anniversary of Tunisian Inde-The Current 【)ECENTLY the Kremlin has allowed a few Asian Ricials of the Soviet Communist l'arty to achieve
There are good reasons for this with people like Mukhitdinov tragi-comic aspect. Gafurov Colour Trend
USSR at pilot ealed John Gerard Riding, perched high, in only a few short stories-very greater prominence.
Tunisian Independence Travers, who, his Browning the open with the wind and, silly ones about sombre, deomed change in Soviet personality policy. In its relations with and Rashidov, both of whom are who represented the
racing drivers, and Alm stars-
the countries of Asin and the Middle East, the Soviet only 40, one question comes to the
mind. Where pre having jummed, laid him low the rain in your face, you unlil at the age of 28 I did what
the Uzbek celebrations, would not dare, in
Hollywood. Union wishes to appear not as a European but as a
contemporaries of the Russian the present situation, to demand with a cricket ball which he were really traveling, not should have done in the first
1125
TTARRY Belafonte's re- Eurasian State, and to keep up the pretence it needs a Communist leaders? The answer independence
H ppened, never mind why, simply going from one place; I wrote about the things
number of Asians in representative positions-Asians who is simple these leaders, such as country, Tadzhikistan. Too many11 cord, nightclub, and to have with him.
and Faizullah Tadzhiks have already fallen in stage successes have made place to another; And the and people under my very nose.
can be sent on missions abroad-and who chuim to speak Khodahaeyjast their lives in that strucție for notiona.
America's cmancipation. quietent boy used to feel a
for the Soviet Union as a whole. So far, three repre- the great purge of 1037-38,
Gafurov, now sa him one of the raw a large number of them is most popular entertainers, little drunk and rowdy with
and
appear Including Tadzhikistan's but, he has just said, he speed and fresh air; you
sentative Asian Communists have emerged since Stalin's death-two, Mukhitdinov and Rashidov, from Uzbekistan, Rashidovs Arc the second Prime Minister, Shotemor, Its] wanted to shout and sing
and one, Gafurov, from Tadzhikistan,
generation ef Uzbek Com-. President and show everyone what fine fellow you were.
crashed The German straight into an ammunition dump and blew up half the Imperial Army.
I wrote articles about pubs, about monkey parades (if you den krew what they re, you haven't lived), trials, and British Restaurants.
about murder
They were all pubilshed; I began to feel that I was really Our special targets were a writer. But I wasn't really progressing. the trouble was lock schoolgirle Wo saw of time. I'm very slow writer, any riding on the open part of and it takes about two hours for We used to my mind to gut into gear. I other trams.
lo seo shows and flims. shout rude names and throw to pret people, to read, and toffee papers at them; there was something about girls which annoyed us extreme-
The villain of my next story was a gorilla who ter- rorised a pirate ship. After it had strangled six of the crew, the captain, Buck hearted O'Hara, beheaded it with one sweep of his cut- lass. I know now that goril- His are peace-loving vege and that Black tarians, hearted O'lara should have ly. spoken to it kindly and
Then one autumn evening, offered it a bunch of bana-with the dead leaves along Manningham Lane drifting on the pavements I felt an Cormous sadness.
Yas.
Girls
People
And, most important of all, 1
need to wait around the city streets and to sit in enfes and pubs watching and listening. I
Of the three, Mukhitdinov has climbed the highest. In fier, he has entered the nate-room of the Soviet Presidium, of which he is a candidate-member, He
'Tashkent.
FIRST OF THE FEW
Akmal Ikramov
The
Mukhiidinova
By WALTER KOLARZ
afraid of
Rakhimbayev, and can't get a TV sponsor and most of the Ministers and high the movies are Party chiefs.
him.
At that time, he
too
Belafonte's concert here at the humble on official to provoke the outdoor Greek Theatre was o attention of the purgers.
was
PROPAGANDA
AND MISTAKES
During the Inst war he was
fading scripts that satisty, bis "artistic alegrity.**
"I've found censorship and I've found fear, the predominant Iuctor both in television and motion pictures whenever it comes to subject matter in-
record breaker the catire ciso belongs to Khrushchev's Chinese Communist Party Con- munists. They had no share in Cinfuroy bad studied in three-week run nearly sold out the national llberation struggle Moscow for four years, and the before he evin opened. He easily Their fathers with Suslov, Shepulov, Madame
waged
against Kremlin trusted him more than could make a rich living от Furtsova and other well-known Mulchtdinov's Uzbek coni Moscow, and they joined the the old guard of Tadzhik Com records or clubs alone, Prity Secretariat, side-by-side r
personalities, To give him even patriot, Sharaf Rashidov, has not Party only on the eve of World munists, many of whom could greater standing he Was ap yone
far in the Party War II, after the purge
But the singer's desire to star was not even speak the Russlan
in four one-hour TV shows, this pointed Chairman of the Foreign
was one of sub- Affairs Committee of the Soviet hierarchy. He is only an alter over. The spirit in which they language.
Not only did he survive, but season 15 slymied "because, All were reared of Nationalities, an office previ- native member of the
and his synlem of colonial rule. Moscow as a reliable representa-movie studios are perambling for Awly held by Shopilov, In Union Central Committee. But arvience and obedience to Stalin, the soon became indispensable to there's no sponsor." Although theory, these posts would re- cutside the USSR he has proved The Kremlin now humps posts Live of the younger Tadzħific his services he has difficulty Quiro" Mukhitdinov's presence in his usefulness to the Kremlin to and honcurs on them to keep generation, Mosenw, but he CHIL hardly
than them pliable and loyal. a much greater extent efford to spend much time in the Mukhild cov Various Soviet
The same may be said of Soviet capital since his main Job
have included him in
third Is that of Party Secretary of leaders Uzbekistan, with headquarters in their suites when touring Asian Bolzhdan Gaturov, the
in the new Communist countries and, no doubt, found man Fim a credit. At the end of 1955 Asian trio, of which we might he accompanied Buiganin and hear a great deal moro in e Khrushchev during their trip to near future. Gafurev's present appointedt Propaganda Secretary volving degrees," said Belafonte. India and Burma. In the
Belafonte talked broodingly Spring of 1950 he was Mikeyan's post seems to indicate that he and Second Secretary of Lic
in 1946 he was made Taxchik At the same As such he is the real ruler travelling companion to India, may have an even greater patt Tadzhik Communist Party, and about his beliefs aid problems. Vietnam, China to play in Soviet Oriental policy an's First Party Secretary. From autographs for a mob of tourists time he signed of the second largest Central Burma, North
Only recently than either of the two Uzbeks, that post he was directly called who surrounded him in the Alan Soviet Republic, and his and Mongolia.
of the Oriental to his present academic dignity-Brown Derby restaurant. Geem he returned from an even more He is Director appointments
Aslon tour with Institute of the Soviet Academy is main qualification for the
In Bul-
Jutter is his book, "The History
I come "When
to TV and Moscow Albi for the Soviet nationalities Marshal Voroshilov. merely calculated to provide an extensive
of the Tadzhik People." The Arst motion pictures I Until the XXth Party unin's and Khrushchev's large of Sciences. His position in the policy.
come as an which he has held tollion of this work was 100 pro-entity" Academy, Congress it could be said that no entourage, Rushidov was only
he sold in his poetic Central Asian native had been one among many, but during only since las! Aulumu, automa- Tadzhik und insufficiently pro- manner. "I have bea thorough- and Voroshllov's teally brings him into contact Itussian from the Kremlin's ly embraced by the expert represented either in the Party Mikoyan's
dis- large number of or in the Party journeys he has been much mare with a
point of view. Presidium
The chapters alage, records and nightclubs, most Secretariat, and Mukhitdinov's in the limelight; indeed he was tinguished foreigners. As he is dealing with the Russian con-
promotion was intended to dis- almost on a footing of equality a full member of the Communist quest of Central Arin had to be "Thus I can't hưp but be Committee and the revised. So even an Asian Com- frustrated and stubborn. I can't pose of this awkward argument. with the high personages he ac- Central Mukhitdinov's first and most companied. Rashidov is Chair- Supreme Soviet, he can also be munist like Gafurov, in whom buy the skeleton in the closet.
abroad in 1 politics! Moscow mission abroad was man of the Presidium of the sent
has put its trust and The guys in to any flannel urportent
1950, Supreme Soviet of the Uzbek capacity. Only last March he who for years has been the suits are busy lo Peking in September,
talking about. indoctrinated, when he accompanied Mikoyan, SSR, and a Vice-President of went to Tunia to participate foughly
not pulse reaction of TV viewers the celebrations of the Arst above ideological mistakes. they don't even know their own then chlef delegate to the Eighth the Soviet Union,
pulse.
don't make coles and I never if any character straight from life. It's imply this: I must be in contact with people in I can't live in I was hired of my old self. I arrier to wrile.
en the girls an ivory tower. But, frankly, if I'd been didn't want to
It wasn't possible to do all Inspecting the hold of my Dolore and Fishface and Fatty wanted to give and Skinny, I
thUrg hi work ship and a Monstrous Thing, hem the most beatiful names these
So Helen and Bingley Public Library too. its eyes pools of red murder, could think of. had loomed up gibbering (Iire and Diana and Lalage, in 1951 I resigned my job there throw tefice and went to London to be u writer, with only £140 full-time quote) at me, I should have I didn't want to
1 wanted to at them. paters
behind me and not even one taken precisely the same
tho-vzfy Kently tonces, course as O'Hara.
Good foffice covered in milk cable article written. I didn't stil, even possess, at that time, the Or better chocolate.
I had dis most valuable aset of the self- In short, flower: covered that women exist; the employed man, good health, Tender Trap bad caught Braine one and for all.
I stuck at this stage until I was about 15; then one day, riding on the top deck of a Bradford tram, there came the Great Discovery.
There aren't any trams in Bradford now, more's the pity: but at that time they were sti? running on some routes, and all had the
FATHERS
us live!
It we then that I began t write poetry! It was very sad, and bore no relation whatever 11. My to Ute favourite adjectives were cold, wild, last uzet lonely, and ny favourite noubs love, snow, roses and death.
From
one point of view From leaving my safe job for almost certain poverly was the
But It stupid thing I ever did. was my turning point, then on I was in control of my
cace be wein being in prison own life. It was like the differ- You may and being in battle. be killed in battle, it's true; but you might as well be killed as live in prison.
I failed to make a living as a writer in London-my earnings were exactly 100 in eight months--and crawled back home to spend 18 months in hospital. But in hospital I had the chance to And out what exactly
encourage your children's wanted to write.
quest for knowledge
THE
GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS
will answer their WHO? WHAT? WHERE?
Obtainable only at
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST LTD. HONGKONG & KOWLOON
$9:50
I
It was there that I began "Room at the Top"; partly, I ihinic, to prove to myself that I was only wounded, not defeated
For as long as you keep on Aghting even If you're actually killed you cannot be defeated; I learned this when I rejected secuilly, Now I'm a full-time writer again. This time there is every prospect of my being А for the rest of full-time writer my life. It's all that I ever. wanted or dreamed of.
Got aboard!
is
HERE'S AN 80 M.P.H. ARMCHAIR
ROBERT GLENTON
road tests
the
Austin
A 95
THE sun is curling the cars a year should suddenly
Teun is and poetry in
They are turning golden like the tinder pages of an ancient fairy story book.
It was on hot white
these that your car
that
The
I крочи af cvizet, I'm only as good as my next bock the professional wzler
secure, can never be
But I'm not frightened. I stopped being when, frightened of failure against all common sense, I lott my job six years ago.
Had I not taken that decision
I should still be a librarian, I shouldn't have written "Room at to Top" and I should be spending the rest of my life cursing myself for not daring to break free.
Let me tell you.
I was motoring along in tho new two-pedal automatic drive Austin A.05. I was
remarking on its truly impressive accelern- days 1:on. was all
born. The Italian sky over drove Monza was insipid with
I have mentioned the acceloza- tion. is like having your own pub chucker-out under the bonnet.
One moment you are there. The next you are gone,
The steering is light, but the understeer is nouocable,
Now for the figures:—
ACCELERATION:
"I can understand how person could wind up very bittes, if I were a white artist I could make many motion pictures and TV spectaculars,'
Two films already have boom made on inter-racial romance, GEAR SPEEDS; Top, 83 miles "Band of Angels" and Bela- an hour; third, 72 miles an fonto's "Island in the Sun", but hour; second,, 40 mila an hour, he thinks movie studios "never
stories of Negro life а. At 50 anlies an hour the spoedoive
bloom-everybody 18 meter was 2.2 miles an hour chance
fraid someone might be hurt." fast.
030 He thinks his romance with
Iry Fontaine
"island" It goes round corners KCA milles an hour, 6.1ace.; 0-50 Joco
should heye bean further small boy fleeing from retribu- miles an hour, 13.8see, tion, but don't be misled by this, FUEL CONSUMPTION: developed in the film.
miles a If you drive with too much Driven quite hard 21
"Compromises were made for verve the front wheels will gallon.
a small group that makes a big break away from the road
FOR THE TECHNICAL: noise in ro empty tin cc but it Engine-six cylinder, overhead pounds Ilke 1 tremendous irst,
In fairness I must odd that valve; espackly, 2,630 c.c.; armada," he said.
fron-Independent, you have to be driving hard in- ruspension,
"If Fox Studio had not deleted deed to get into this situation.
coil spring, rear-live axle, half what they did the reaction to the And I have an odd complaint. elliptical.
beom picture would have The steering wheel is too big.
PRICE: £1,043 175., including same. They might as well have tax of £348 176.
shown an honest relationship on WILL IT FIT YOUR GAR- the screen instead of just šug-
Length, 15ft.
2." 04;gesting things,
HANDSOME
the
Rapidly I developed the samo 、AGE? And then I thought of those famous men who affection for it as the village width, oft. 4in.; height, 501; Fin. Bekfonte Is not happy with
nt Brooklands in the maiden, bound hand and foot heat past who would have given in the melodrama, has for the when a designer wiped his their cars for such cars as we circular saw. As I said to my lace and above the roar of have today. Grand Prix Ferraris explained enterprise his Iden for your brakes,
The steering was conceived vehicle,
on the back of a leaflet for a bullfight, in Barcelona,
The shock absorbers created on a tablecloth
dazed afternoon
תנה
Marts.
were
foundation
For it was theiz which
tho was of the modern
"This is bigror companion! than both at us?"
For the rest, the A.95 is handsome cur.
It looks good,
UP TO DATE And I thought of all those on a racing drivers of the moment, at Lo who when they have stopped announcing their engagements, wil spend the golden days of summer evolving the tomorrow.
All these ideas came home to the grey factories of Britain,
I can't explain this logically, They were bulled, they were but I know it's true-
It you don't board your destiny at the time It's scheduled to stop for you, the gunayi won't back it up for you, and. It will never stop for you again,
car, of
ם
it will hold the usual holiday family and the luggage,
This is not a car that is mip- posed to do a frightening num- ber of miles an hour, but if you are happy travelling in the late eighties then it will do,
I would be happy to leave it
The outside
most Expensivo
The As is right up to date, hotels in the world. savaged, they were polished,
"What Ap idiotic (or an They are in your car today.. One is inclined to dismits
adjective like that) landbruke," car as either badly or Before you go off to the nex-
well I would my. And my foreign side this week-end think of finished. This Austin In
not friend, unless he were a com- this.
only well finished. It is tasteful. plater moron, would tumble over
You wonder why follow like myedf who drives so many
is as comfortable as a rock- hirowolf and the handbrake --- ing chair in a coltage doorway, 10 agree,
Very healthy Some under
-steer. Well above its class. Excellent for
The pas senacts.
GLENTON'S SCORE CARD
(MAX. Pte. 101
Comment
Eartoo
Steerlog
AcocirraTM
10
tion
Suspension
Watch
Cornering
Comfort
B
That steer
ing wheel!
14
Gearbox
the
front end.
Ten for trg.
CLEMEN control.
his three movies (he has said
was
"terrible but "island" you do what is availablo").
Now Fox chief Buddy Alder, whom Belafonte describes as "one producer with intelligence", wants to sign the Negro star, Ho may appear la movies about such part-negra persons no Hansulbai and Alexander Pushkin, Bide fcate.also wants to stor k Western and portray a Mexican In another story.
Any auch would
be
movie contract unprepodented ki Hollywood history, and would be a milestone for the man knowo as the First Negro Matkioo Idol.
"That" phrasó is a far pronter tribute to the thinking ka tho world then to the one who beare the title" he said: