THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1960.
If Clore and Cotton
up
New York.
with America's
BRITAIN'S two most
dynamic men of pro- perty-Mr Charles Clore and Mr Jack Cotton - are looking for new worlds to conquèr, new empires to build.
Already Mr Clore owns 40 Wall-street-the fourth highest Mr in the world. skyscraper Cotton crashed the American real estate market when he Invested nearly £9,000,000 in the building of a New York skyscraper Ute world's biggrat office-block.
Now they are talking about a series of ventures in partner- ship. Now there is a whisper that they plan to link up with the Charles Clore of America... a picturesque $4-year-old giant of eft. 3. and 230lb. William Zeckendorf,
The shapes
called
The result would inevitably moan mare millions for Messrs, Clore and Cation.
t
prince of
property
by DON IDDON
ZECKENDORF Lives in a barrel
Profiles the man with a steel and
concrete empire ... and
head calculating machine in his
to this eminence which dwarfs out every three years. 1 Alled
all but two of the offlcea.” his own skyscrapers?
Zeckendorf himself says: "It What happened to the other Mr Zerkendorf took the of two summer a began in the I suspect would also produce some of the 1925. I was just under 21 and other two for himself, quit his Samuel uncle on the spot, and went most dynamic
the working for my uncle, shapes ព
preity big real mto business on his own. Later world of
Burchard, tomorrow-summe
drm of Webb he went to the estate mati,
and has looked and Knapp "Just before he left. Jor A
to me: upward and onward ever since. vacation me uncie said
100- rooms Hill, there are vacunt in our building nt 32. Broadway. I want you to see that they are filled while I am gone."
the most futuristic building that have
ideas
of ira
ever been
turned into teriak of sieel and in America and
толстете Bitrin.
The idea for this fantastic triumvirate was born, i gather, when Mr Clore bought 40 Wall- street from Mr Zeckendorf.
is worth at Mr Zeckendorf least £10,000,000 and only the grandiose appeals to him.
Де
of
I first met William Zecken- dort back L 1938 when Joined the conservative firm Webb and Knapp at
£3,000 a year.
mere
Al ürst the big man was given fille opportunity and the arm lost money; but in 1042 Vincent Astor turned over his $50,000,000 conumittee properly empire to
with Webb und Knapp as con- sultants.
Zockendur! shook up the firm, roorganised the properties, and when Astor returned from the war he got back his empire plus a $10,000,000 profit,
From that point on Zecken- dort has reached out further and further operating on
1
mammoth scale, expanding and planting the Zeckendorf flag in
coast rich property from coast of the States.
The dreams
to
lle is a dreamer as well as builder. He says "1 regard my career as having only just start-
cities
ed. I want to see super built that will revolutionise our way of lite.”
Among his dreams are a roof- top airport as big as London's Hyde Park, a
up
"'I raced up and down the Broadway for
Merx1 four months, telling every tenant, understand your lease is expir- ing, how about relocating at 32. on the Broadway'? I worked
run principle that most leases
The phones
a
He is always surrounded by lelephones. They dot his Mur hatian apartment, there are to at his estate al Greenwich, Con- necticut, and each of his cars is equipped with a telephone,
is
FOR 16 YEARS HIS ARMY WON VICTORY ON VICTORY
team Was
many of the important essen- tials of most complicated "pro- porty deals in his head." He rarely needs a pentit and paper.
Once he was asked to give an oppraisal of a New York depart ment store building, and within five minutes presented a figure which ezme within. 4 p.c. of the book value of the property.
WAS
Just before. Canada House, i magnificent new bullding Midtown, Manhattan, decided upon, a group of Cann- dian Toffletuln catleri Zeckendorf to discuss the pro- Jeet. Before the Canadian delegation had left the.
office
Zeckendorf had outlined the
the deal was closed.
Was he the
greatest
general of all?
96
blueprint and within two days WHO was the greatest military genius of all
· «time? Alexander the Great? Marlborough? Napoleon? Or someone closer to our own time?
fe has a framed letter in his office signed by a former pros dent of Curtiss Wright, the air- Taft frm, which says: "I was
meet very stimulating lo young fellow who, with little conversation, could
£432,000 In one morning.”
The trio
U
a
by Dee Wells
them.
A Montgomery-or an Eisenhower--who could barely move. And slaughtered mastered the complexities of modern warfare, and iba's my make manoeuvred armies and 60,000 men. By the time he got Roman troops
At Cannac, 70,000 of the beat foll. Hatyaibal equipment that earlier to the Alos 20,000 more had lost 8,000. In all, almost 80,000
The legend says that Zeekendorf once made $1,000,000 in a minute; but he denies this: but, jokingly adds: "It was only $900,000."
He
generals could never even have pictured?
bombers even
More, in that one and soon hen died.
four his worst day, than were killed in
months at the First World War batile of Passchendaele.
This was the moment when, kad Hannibal chosen, lie could have marched on Rome sad ruled world.
What kept him from doing so no one whi ·wer
purely
been killed or taleen prisoner. It was now autumn, nature was to be enciny. *Tanks
Starvation, festering wounds, bazookas faligue, and icy blizzards in the rockets
guns... are com-gh mountain passes were to and sten
claim thousands plicated
го- weapons. They
more of quire skil. Intelligent, well Hannibal's thinning army and
of falted men. But wonder.
tris stalwart, patient elephants. man
At any time this would huve know, But he didn't. Instead, boon tragedy enough to anie marebed up and down the
But, once.aver length of Haly for 14 more. invading army. the Alps, Hanmbal's weakened, years, Battling here, plunder-
were to face ing there, dallying with the real enemy. The enemy pretty girl here and there, he
to seek piled victory on to victory. they had come so tor
The
The Romans feared him and out
huge, well-trained
hated him. Bui it took themi years to recover from their louses at Cannae, and they never again chose 20 attack him in force.
He is as inuch a family as a super business mat can be, was divorced from Irma Iwo Lovy, the mother of his
Willem Jun, and children, Susan, and he moreled Marion
exhausted forces 19
Griffin in 1940.
One of his principal aides his son, William Jun; but the father dominates everything.
this not imagine that Do
a cold prince of property man. He is, of course, ruthless, but he laughs a lot, likes 10 joke, and is a super showman. He does not shun the spotlight, but seems to glow
under its
His offee today is a window less, cylindrlesi, barrel of place, 2811. in diameter. His
is the sky, warmth. only outside view which he can
by gazing
the of One
many of plastic through a handful skylights, Mr Zeckendorf can ordinary things about this new
Rockefeller is that be only look up.
by
ALEXANDER_THOMSON
sce
I wonder if, for sheer genus, the greatest general wasn't one of these ancients.
A man who, 200 years before marched Was bora, Christ 100,000 men from one continent to another, and invaded the powerful Roman Empire. He has
A man who, for 16 solid years, # cocker spaniel
on armies from Home. he has fought the greatest army named Blackle und
earth, on its own home territory. rage to live.
And in those 16 years was nevēr clash with once defeated.
dynamic
Whether he will the almost equally
This man almost toppled the charm se, the course of history would
Clore and Cotton is the big
Behind the pink, Roman Empire. Had he done
In
INEVITABLE
in Northern Italy,
There, on that scrap of land the two armles were to fight it out, And that battle they were about to Bight had long roots in history.
North
elty
The
African
BUT
TIT FOR TAT
When Hannibal met his de- reat finally, it was not in Italy. It was, instead, back in his own country.
Tiring of the
who
question, smiling moon face, the and the Buent wit, Zeckendorf have been entirely altered.
He didn't topple Rome. has a temper. If the big three extra-
that the end he was defeated. do join forces my guess
But, even today, this general's depended on the Mediterranean
turkey-cock works Zeekendiort will be the giant.
strutted tactles are studied and copied, as its main artery of commerce.
Rome, growing ever
arrogantly For centuries
death after his
the Romans powerful and swarming over about their Italy, the mere mention of his name Southern
controlled launched a tit-for-tat rivasion Europe,
of North Africa. that Mediterranean.
Under the brilliant young Roman ships blockaded general Scipio they landed Carthaginian
ports,
And about 30,000 men. That, they haughty Roman emperors de reckoned, should be enough to manded that Cathago withdraw lure Hannibal back from Italy. from Sardinia, and any foothold it was. In 202 B.C., 16 years in Europe.
after he had crossed the Alps, ed from Southern the 45-year-old Hannibal mail- battle with the invaders.
Italy to
in North Africa,
For a Congo Giant-
there is little pessimism
Brussels.
Congolese stood impassively by the lifts as I perties walked into the Union Miniere headquarters here.
I had called to get an on-the-spot report on how this great international mining concern had come out of this year's Congo flare-up.
A giant among giants, a large slice of its shares is held by British investors.
about
a
Sir. Ulick Alexander and the the world's coppar and
of its cobalt, 60 per cent 70,000,000-cubic | Earl or Selborne are among its
mineral used to toughen steel over directors, foot Palace of Progress the
An official told me: Pennsylvania Railroad's
"Every for building jet engines and the sprawling station in Manhattan, thing is going on at our mines like.
per It also mines about 25 automatic a massive
parking as 17 nothing had happened. skyscraper building.
Production of copper and other cent at the world's germanium. this. This is a key material for mak- Zeckendorf's most avid dream minerals will be higher
ing transistors, the tiny volves picked came in 1940. Ha
year than it was lust.
and of the United the present sile
"We had a few disturbances that go into radios
com- Nations headquarters in odds after the Congo was given in puters. and ends for a mere
How does the company $8,500,000 dependence. but they were
the outlook? and prepared blueprint of the never more than minor ones,
con- super city within a city,
"With us, the worse of then
eight taining 57-storey office build- lasted only
days. And ing, a 60-story hotel, and a even then, there was no damage Convention Hall as big as to any of our properties." Wembley Stadium.
.
The UN planners suld his Employs
dream was a nightmare, and he was turned down, but Zecken- dorf made $2,000,000 ол the dae).
or
conjured up terror. And Roman mothers could quiet the most unruly child into quiver ing silence by one chilling | sentence:-
HIS GIMMICK
"Sash! Hannibal is at the gates)"
A tremendous amount has been written about Hannibal. He
It was inevitable that there would be conflet to the death between the two glants.
At Zams,
Roman intelligence was good the two great armies, from the
They. knew
two greatest cities in the world,
is best known for his incredible it mot swift."
feat of marching. not only exactly where Hannibal wad.
ar Muns with cumbersome And they grouped their anales me for their final contes battering ras over the Alps to attack.
The Roman armies depended elephants. into Italy-but of taking with him on this incredibly difficult on might. Their foot soldiers sent his elephants charging in- breakaway journey 37 elephants as well, fought, with heavy short swords,
in tight formation. · A The elephants have become tight mass, they were formid
he able opponents,
ENCIRCLED
As always, Hannibal Used Much as..modern -general would use tanks he
the Romans had learned a rigid, against Scipio's Romans.
about cleverness too,
Instead
In-
Union Miniere has, of course, Government been lucky in having all its pro- Kalanga.
This time it didn't work: For in Katanga where
How is at stake Hannibal's gimmick. In addition, there Ishombe strong-man
bit quickly
the company's export and other got them up the tortuous passes, took control.
totalled How he kept them alive. How to taxes, which last year
of Leking the full Independence there seems
he trained the huge, heavy
impact of the elephant charge bo proceeding along the lines more than £17 million.
animals to tread lightly on
the Romans that the Belgian Government
walled in alience If Mr Tshombe gets his way paths only inches wide,
Hannibal, with his depleted where forces, could not possibly match
unill the animals were well had pinned for the Congo as a
~and the money--he will a single mis-step meant death.
carshot. within
Then them tight for might. Or even
they whole.
surely wish 10 .sce Union Belgians are carrying on with Milere staying well run
man for man. He had to depend did a very curious thing.
stead of raising their words, traps and their jobs, although as a pre- prosperous.
they raised their trumpets. And, Hannibal fought in one great blast, the Roman
the ele one of the greatest battles of trumpeters panicked history. A battle that ranks, phanist with Marathon, Ypres, and RUBBLE Alamein.
Hannibal regrouped. But the And he won it by tactics, Local recruiting had swelled initial panie had rouled his Hanalbal's army to 50,000. But He tired his old encircling tac- formations, and he was doomed.
Romars out-
caution most have sent wives and families eliter Rhodesia or back home.
Gradually
into
Meantime,
more
strategy. On
on
cunning.
At Cannao,
and The controversy still rages on thewhere Hannibal crossed the their company
tells me that this Alps. It rages too on whether year's output of copper, its main his elephants were indian (and, revenue earner, should top 300,-if so, how and when did he Import them from India?) Or 000 tons.
smaller and vastly This goes against 280,000 tons the in 1980 and allows for a 10 per difficult to train African variety. cent cut in production in Jing And Congolese are being with other world copper giants. trained gradually to take over
We have seen that they have had
thu To anyone but historians the Canne, the Romans poured. He time. the more responsible posis.
a good half-year, and What le Union Miniere's re-
Union Miniere should have done controversies are pointless. The in 80,000 highly trained troops. Hanked film, S
Outrimmbared, Hannibal drew fact remains that Hannibal did up his men in a bow-shaped Mr Tshombe? well, too,
It was Cannae In réversO, A latibnship with
anyone would "Very good." the official said. Of course, it still has political what almost
line, the centre bulging towards massacre. Hannibal's army was
cut to Has Mr Tshortbe any thought uncertainties
Mr agree was impossible.
pieces. the Romans,
The Second The Romans, as
Punic War, that had dragged on 17 years, was finished.
its
DWINDLING
He marched that huge army,
their was
Jet
steep
them. in.
to face. of nationalising the company's Tahombe, I gather, hus people
That we "None I was told: "We
know in his government who believe we mines?
With for do not plus elephants, from the North way, attacked centrally. are over the Bmenit of our of."
always accept his point of view. African city of Carthage, up their short swords they chopped Carthage, Rome's greatest rival, set-up Indeed, the financial
But the impression I get here through Spain and France and neatly into Hannibal's Celtic was defeated. troubles, if that is the right ex-
of Union Miniere in the Congo today is that with
When the Romans sacked-thle`. pression to use.
Angers over the then nearly impassable legions, Hannibal a lew more should help to preserve it from crossed, Union Miniere
city, they did it so thoroughly is now Alps. He "There may be
they were fought
hostile When
who siniall disturbances In the any such threats.
facing the future a good deal barbarians and Roman outposts Hannibal signalled to his flanics that today archaeologists,
drive out 10 miles from Turie, 1 carned today that a block more hopefully.
to move in. Northern part of Katanga where
nearly every inch of the way, The veteran African infantry rubble to sift through
have only a mountain of some of the tribes are hostile to of 18.1 per cent of its shares is
Hunnibal sei ou! on his fanned Bround the Romans, Mr Tahombe, the breakaway held on behalf of the Congo
North Africa, as a Power, went State, Premier.
encircled. 218 B.C.
Jammed into
into a decline that hasn't, even "But none of the possible It will be a matter for argu- the big fall in Ha shares sur momentous expedition early in and the army of Rome was
When he crossed the Rhone unwieldy mass, like cattle in a yet, stopped. And the only trouble spola is within one hun- ment now as to who collects the rests.
his great army had dwindled to corral,
soldiers the Leopoldville of dred miles of any of our mines." dividends,
The Union Miniere concern operates five big mines in the province of Katanga, where How has he done (? How employs 2,000 Europeans and has he risen from a Job not 20,000 Congolese. much more than that of a clerk It produces eight per cent
Certainly more hopefully than
the Roman
Cummings's New Parliament to fit our New Politics
Couches to enable the Tories, free from attack, to get more benefit from their stumbers
Speaker's chair moved to the new centre of debate
DEXT
memorable game that has come down to us from the destroyed city that made a bid to check the power of Rome is Hannibal
TALKING
POINTS
Sweet is the mile of home,
the mutual looked S When, hearts are of each other
BUFO.
KEBLE,
He will never Havas ītrām friends whole afraid of making dnemies,
-HAZLI
de not Made banguoting upon bört