--
When a Mormon
knocks on your door...
"M <<T'M
he's spending
his own savings
to preach to you
# farmer and livestock man," says 50-year-old Clifton G. M. Kerr, of Utah, looking, in spotted fancy waistcoat, claret and grey tic, and with greying hair in fluffy wings over the cars, more like a successful small industrialist.
He is in fact currently a missionary president of the British Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, commonly called Mormons,
During his three-year
tenure of office the 150-acre
intensively cultivated Kerr farm in Utah will be run by hired help.
Not only is Mr Kerr un- paid but he reckons that his three years of office will cost own some $1,500 of his money. The last president but one had only just got out of debts resulting from his presidency when Kerr left home.
by
LAURENCE
THOMPSON
"We arc," says Mr Kerr, without any trace of self-con- of Ser- gratulation, a church
fee." One belteves him.
Anyone in Britain may be called on by one of Mr Kerr's
THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1957.
CLIFTON G. M KERR
He trods 175 missionaric, te Britain
his cheque for the family budget, The Briton is."
This difference in national habit causes difficulties. Unless the would-be British missionary comes of a Mormon family, or one prepared to be financially sympathetic, the church will be reluctant to "call" hin.
Three British misionaries' ure supported by the 200 American Mormon servicemen staitoned in England. Another girl, Margaret Jolly of Norwich, financed half her mission from savings, But she is a rarity.
There is another difficulty.
CONFIDENTIAL TRIAL
QUIET
"CALL RIN-TIN-TIN 1""
Mr Confidential has a card
on his desk
New York.
N arrogant man with AND IT SAYS
The Mr
Jikely to be male, Ameriem, law
in on paying carnest, and to address exceedingly politely with a cornlags. heavily emphasised "Sir."
175 missionaries, average age 23, Mormon church okeys the AN arrogant man with
Of the 1,500,000 Latter- day Saints sealtered alat the world only 32 are full- time officers and fewer than 100 receive (as does Mr Kerr) some financial help in the form of furnished ac- commodation and an 113 adequate food allowance.
OF
Of the average "ward." porish, 485 members strong, al- most 300 have seme unpaid job to de Ten wards form a stake. or Bishopric.
SERVICE
Mr Kerr. before he came to Britain, wes a stake president responsible for the cart ut 5,000 Aouls, as well as naming his own farm, 2,800-acre farm owned by the church. proceeds of which go to Mormon welfure services, and beleg in his spure time Speaker Senate,
They spend their time in a house-to-house canvass, which of two results in an average collage meetings day in the homes of potential converts.
They, too, are unpaid, except for their passage honic, and during their two years' mission, allowed they are not only not to earn a living but are expect- ed to pay even for the liters- fire key distribute.
one-tenth of
his his untidy office at 1697, Broadway, New York City,
"One girl in Glasgow," Mr Ker, had only 15s. of her the afternoon newspapers to was left when she had con-read what they are saying tributed to the family budget. She was very concerned about about him. Just now they
are saying plenty. her tithing."
says and leafs casually through WATCH FOR
SACRIFICE
the
by DON IDDON
The man is Robert Harrizon, most successful perhaps the
publisher
magazine country.
He is
The annual sun the church collects from tithing is known only to church members. To dential share this knowledge, you have scandal
to give Up tea, coffee, terests in only
ir
the
ku
LIBEL'
la
bo
is
partes Of every newspaper about your wife? To sita for about her little peccadilla with bet is just blowing up a lot somebody or other which went of wind. This is a job for the Into every kind of detall of Clovernment." what happened in that boudoir. Why permit that in
a news- paper If it isn't good taste in Confidential?
In
Britain?
"I'd like to ask-hes anybody BUT some They usually
any
stars have sued and won.
(The conclusive evidence that ask millions of dollars at any time any expose actress Titu Purdom is asking plece has ever even slightly three million) but often collect damaged the subject? I don't only a few thousand. know of anyone who bas ever been harmed in the sligheit,
Harrison's plans for a Briush edition of Confidential have would say "Rather I
but he is still they been held up. have benefited and gained, and trying. He says: "Tho demand so I've been told by the very is fantastic over there. Wo print people who have been written would start off with a up in Confidential magazine." run of at least 3,300,000,"
Harrison started his career as
a fournalist on the old New York Graphte, a lurid public- atlon,
why you can smear a man with Hes. The truth may
it certainly unpleasant but never unfair."
One of his editors, Jay Breen, delends Confidential even moro He vigorously than Harrison. says: "The readers not only dote on us, they respect us. I' like lo rend you a letter we got Springs: 'I am sending for i He started the first of his from a little old lady in Edgar
"girile" magazines, subscription to Confidential for several one year. I'm an old lady, 82, I Beauty Parade, In his shabby, read my Bible and good maga- one-roont apartment in mid-
The Bible zines,
shows how town Manhattan. From the people hehaved
ancient Arst he made money. Int times and Confidential shows
the owner et Coufl
Whisper. and sheets, and has in- teen him often at the Harwyn Top Secret, Dyna- Club, a hangout for belors and Suppressed, They live on their savings or
Expose, newspaper people. are assisted by thele familles. liquor and tobacco, pay over a
Lives, Inside Storp, He is always well-dressed, Inclined to One reason
and why only six-tenth of your income, and spend Private
dozen other kiss-und- courtesus, to Fix months' stoly and a the four three men, three, wome-af the
brooding ellences, although under- tell publications. eursent. 175 are British is that considered necessary to
claking "1 am a very uninhibited the Briton, unlike
stand the gospel, bised an the young
the
Faxing a total of $12,000,000 individual." Bible and the Book of Mormon, young American, has, no
say-
in bel netians, and with his
Asked if he would like the which Mr Kerr describes £15 ings.
magazines under "the original teachings,
the kleis same treatment in Confidential how they behave now. There and
lights in Hollywood, Harrison that he has been giving Clark Jittle difference." organisation, of the Master."
completely unperturbed. Gable, Ava Gardner, Frank Why doesn't Harrison go
Why should I be? Sinatra, Errol Flynn, June. Fellywood and face the The 10,000 British Mormons "Worried?
number only My magazines have never had Allyson, Rory Calhoun, Marie so much free publicity in their Macdonald, Joan Crawford, Uite. Cleculations arc up, Lizbeth Sco, Judy Garland
says: and others, The converts are mostly low-business is good."
would please me, more. class skilled middle mechanics, bus conductors-with
"My youngest boy, aged 12, has begun to save already," saya Mr Kerr. "If he does a job, I tell him to keep the money, put add to their it into his savings account. The steady 1,000 a year. of the Utali Amerless boy who goes out to work isn't expected to hand over
LISTEN TO
The Story of Jane Armitage
1
er
au occasional doctor, "a number
a
Energy
vas
of cornmerelal artists", and Manchester steet manufacturer, ARRISON
absolutely delighted,"
"Nothing
**ky:
I doubt it. For all his bounce
and bluster Harrison is a prey making to insecurity and self-doubi,
one of whose church jobs is to $500,000 every ume Con- Although he has made a huge
take a blind lady, to church. "He's tickled pink
with that," says Mr Kerr.
ી
"How
The usuni drst question to Mormon missionary is: many wives have you?"
traced his ancestry, dreds of wives."
The fact that
convince
Adential hit the news stands, ferlune he hates to spend which is usually once
every money, and tries to two months. Now he expects himself that many of the stars to make $750,000. He has love the scandal,
defled the Californio Court order to appear in the Holly- wood trini and is confident of
poly-winning the cuse.
inches thicker most people's. His Howard Rushmore, who has
Smears
of the victims". of Confidential and Whisper recolled from the
D
inscribed,
NOBERT HARRISON
lo
fult
Today he has a luxurious penthouse sulle, a Cadillas, and WCOTS $200 suits, But his offlee remains cluttered and informal. There Is a Ultle card saying "Watch for ilbet" on his desk. But Harrison. apparently, has not been reading it lately.
The truth is never unfair.
fear and halo
"We haven't practised gamy for 60 years," says Mr
SOME Harrison is a bustling man of Kerr, cs If rather tired of this
seething energo”, with # skin have not Then, with one.
a certain
than published smears, Harrison warmth, "But we're prepared to several defend it on
ex-ditor, proudly displays pair of Biblical grounds. David, from whom the Master been giving evidence in Holly- "In deep gratitude, Sammy
expensive cufflinks, had hun-
wood, snys: "Bab is rude, Davis Junior." crude, unlettered, and totally unprincipled in the ordinary The man is quite frank about orchestra of
his business. He says: "There which the film stars have for "He would
print scandal are over 4,000,000 people who him? about his mother if he thought buy. Confdential every time it
Because he's too busy making it would sell, and then would comes out. I think that in itself
almost contemptuous of court proceedings in the elly. He says:
the missionary Is probably American is also handicap, notably at times like the Suez crisis.
sense. Q
He proclaims:
"Confidential
alls that mad desire to know what's going on next door-call that entertainment or call it a vitamin."
He boasts of his publications' accuracy.
He has
an editorial staff of 17, some of them his relatives, and employs dozens of news popermen and free-lance journ nists. Not long ago one of his salt told me. I could earn $500 for an article on Lady Iris Mountbatten. I showed him ie door.
Confidential is in business for keeps, according to Harrison and his editors. They think the current Hollywood three- ring circus will soon be forgot- ten and they are not frightened --of threats.
wife, Dick Powell, whose He is
Junc the
Allyson, was given the Alm
# treatment (this was per- the most Jurla Вправле of articles Confidential "Let's take Susan Hayward. printed), says: "What can you. I recall reading on the front do when a pack of lles appears
But the real obstacle," says be indignant if you criticised is a justification for Conf millions in New York,
Mr Kerr rather sadly, is the hhn for it. Yet he is a likable dential. absolute lethargy of the British fellow. I don't disilke him-I people about the value of any have contempt for him." roligton et all."
I have met Harrison at occa- sional
nrd publishers' parties
-(London Express Servler).
"When a man steps Into the limdight be forfeits his privacy. Do you feel the truth ever saners anybody? I say the only
ever
A witness brought from London the Confidential magazine
to
trial In Hollywood was order. ed in court to re-enact a scana
had that the magazine
оп. titled: "The Hottest Show in Town Wasn't on the Screen
the Night Maureen O'Hara Cuddled in Flow 35.!!
The witness,
James Craig,
35-year-old filim producer Britain,
粗
in
an
was formerly azulctant at Grauman's Chiness Theatre in Hollywood. Craig told
the court that in November 1953 he had asked
Miss O'Hara-pictured here --and her escort to leave the theatro. Ho sald he first found - the actrous lying ДОГОВ three seate. Her blouse was undana and har clothing was dia- havellad, Lator he found her sitting on her escort's lap. Craig was then asked to re- onact the O'Hara splsade with Leo Belcer, a blonde news- paperwoman, In allenco Craig sat down on the end chair and pulled Mies Balcer over on to his lap and put her hand on to his shoulder,
Starts
TO-DAY
This is the story of all women, of any woman, 3 story which echoes the heart-broken oppoal of Jano herself when she begs "What- ever you think of me, my children, what I did was for you!"
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