WORLD. NEGLECTS PRECIOUS GIFT
There is not enough laughter in the world today, Mirth And gaiety are becoming scarcer every- where, and in some countries have kone out of fashion altogether. There is still, unfortunately, plentiful supply of mean neer- ing and bitter bumour, but there IN IL dearth of whole-hearted. rousing, roaring, contagious laugh- ler.
Fl
laughter?
The Press is said to give the public what the silly public likes. So the fashionable illustrated weeklica provide, for our serious regard, highly diverting photo. graphs of unknown and vacant- In ungainly at-
tooling nbakketeer at Deauville
Uitudes,
or eating at West-End restaurant. To provoke our laughter they sup This is very disturbing stateply drawings of tragie intensity; of affairs. Although there is no of wretched gin-sodden char- law against merriment, the feel women or other unfortunate ing of society seems to be strongly menials awkwardly saying or do- against it. Life is too serious, ing the wrong thing in the wrong Polities is too bitter and industry place. too hard presagd, Yel surely it In in such difficult Limes that laughter is needed most. It helps to restore our balance of mind. We all agree that good humour and a sense of gniety are mecra sary ingredients of the complete min. Yet we and ourselves con cealing our chuckles behind a cough, and blushing with embar- rassment when discovered Indulgat cocktail parties is to show ing in free, spontaneous laughter.
The nerd for laughter was never greater than it is to-day. The world is threatened by ambitious persons and policies that will certainly do us harm unless they AFC taughed out of existence. Argument or abuse in of it value, for charlatans and their parties thrive on such. Logle and debate may be worthy weapons.in social and political criticism, but ridicule is for more powerful. Rogues and their rogueries writh
Claire Trevor, the charming New York actress who is well known, too, in Hollywood, is planning to return to the stage "for good".
and wither in its blast. They can- not stand against it. For laughter is unanswerable,
And laughter is often na rellable "| as logic. It is an Instinctive reaction to all that is, theatrical and extravagant, Free, hearty laughter ought to burst from us all, automatically, at a spectacle or proposal which is offensite to the dignity and decency of human Ilfe,
SNOBBISH HUMOUR
THE HONGKONG, · · TELEGRAPH. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1934.
CHINA EGG EXPORTS
CRITICS IN.
BRITAIN
REFORM URGED
(Special to "Telegrapḥ")
London, Deg. 1.
There have, I understand, · been still further discussions between 11 muy be that, when scen the principai Importers of Chinese! through the misty distance, that ¦ eggs and the Board of Trade re- is most minds. the surtidness i presentatives, who are anxious fo and tragedy of fe
Keen! pure fix the quotas for the suggested comedy. But snobbishness is the reduction of 10 per cent. In the basis of this class of newapaper import of eggs in abiell from humour. One may laugh at char-abroad turing the first thren women and people below stairs. months of next year. But to laugh at the strange be- haviour of the people one meets
shocking bad manners.
WHY LAUGH AT CHAPLINT The theatre offers similar evid-
Apparently there has been no real progress made in reaching a decision as to how the quotas were to be allocated.. The Chinese Government was not officially re- ence. A cheap West-End drawing-presented, because it holds the room melodrama will bring the view that there should be no re- audience to tears.
duction of the quotas. But the crowd will always inugh at Charlle Chap in, the most poignant and tragic personality of the present-day theatre,
Admiral Gengo Hyakutske, recently appointed to Shanghai, his Chief of Staff, Commander E. Kondo, aboard the flagship Idzumo.,
MINISTERS' PROXY
I notice that Mr. Greenall, who represented The Overseas Eggs Produce Co., pointed out that China was only an exporter of The Auppression of laughter s ponaibly the cause of this modern shortage of home produced eggs, shell eggs during the period of violence which is breaking out all and Mr. Bundey suggested that it over the civilised world. Politics
would be a considerable hardship is becoming a "racket" everywhere.
If Chinn were to suffer a greater Parties rely on gangster methods, cut than 10 per cent. Mr. Vestey, N.F.U. Record has a reference to crime, and assassination, for their who, with Mr. Dundey, represented Chinese quid eggs in the report maintenance. We have the tragic the Union Cold Storage, Co., em- of its November Council Meeting spectacle of whole nations persuad-phasised the fact that China was as follows:- jed or driven into fanaticism and more seasonal in production than "The problem of imparts of egg
enslavement. We see them march-
any of the other foreign countries products and particularly those of Ambassador-at-large, who arrived ng, with upraised arms and eyes, exporting to England. Mr. Lewis|ilquid eggs from China was once, in London recently, left soon after- intent on vague destinies promised (representing Messrs, Armour & again very fully discussed. The wards for a tour of Continental by their frowning prophets. We Co.) added that China did not resolutions received are quite in rapitals. He will be buck in Lan- know of the cruelties inflicted by compete with the English pro-accord with the feelings of mem- auch savage enthusiasm. And weducer during the latter's period of bera, but they had the one draw-don for a longer stay in December. know also that such people have peak production and all that back that it is quite hopeless in Mr. Yoshida was formerly Japan- forgotten how laugh.
Chinese eggs (which were small present circumstances to put them ese Indeed it is not wise to laugh too loudly in such countries, for Jaughter sounds dangerously like treason.
So If our desire for mirth and merriment in too Armly repressed,
it may produce some horrid cancer
Mr. Shigem Yeshida, Japanese
Ambassador in Rome.
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drastic proposals than total pro-
AWAITING DECISION
We are now awaiting. the de-
hibition before the Committee, but Minister" for Europe and America, In view of the representations -.. made already to offeln quarters
and the obvious bearing the Ke- enormous difficulty of putting for- port of the Re-Organisation Com-ward a case for adequate control Agriculture has still more to demission will have on this matter, with any hope of success until a with it. Meantime, vitriolle at was agreed that any further long-range polley in respect of tacks continue in Chinese liquid definite proposals must await the egg supplies generally is in sight. eggs. The same writer who rubliention of that Report. The Meantime enquiries are being cently published an onslaught in Committre le fully alive to the immude respecting aspects of the "Egga" has now published one in pertane of the effect of these trade on which authentive in-
Feathered World", The imports, but has to recognise the formation is desirable,”
of our souls The impulse to excision of the Board of Trade, press ourselves in laughter will find though I imagine the Minister of some distorted way of escape if it is not allowed to function freely. Let us then hold fast to our right to laugh, for If that is lost we shall have lost our liberty.
J. M. 5.
SUCCEEDS TO PEERAGE
BY-ELECTION MADE NECESSARY
Lord Brocket, formerly. Sir. Charles Nall-Cain, died suddenly at Brocket Hall,. Welwyn, Herts., In November at the age of 68 years. He is succeeded in the peerage by Mr. Ronald Nall-Cain,
The pity is, of course, that people so often choose the wrong things at which to laugh. TheyConservative M.P. for the Waver- are not entirely to blame, They are persuaded into the belief that certain ideas must always be treated with respect, while certain others should always be received with laughter.
tree, Division of Liverpool, where there will be a by-election. The figures at the last three elections were:
1929
16,880
LA. Tinne (C) S.L. Trelenven (Lab.)... 13,685 II.R. Rathbone (Lib.) ... 11,723 (
There are many who read the Press reports of political speeches with grave seriousness, and melt, into uncontrolled merriment at Conservative majority the tragic daily spectacle of the
June 1931: newspaper comic strip. Yet what A..N. Nall-Cain (C) acnsitive mind can contemplate |S.L. Treleaven (Lab.) without a shudder these plalative afforts at synthetic humour? And what man of sense can read or listen to the promises and evasions of the professional politician with- out the desire to punctuate the rhetoric with penis of hearty
3,296
18.687 10,042
Conservative majority ... 8,045
General Election 1931 A.R.N. Nall-Cain (C)
S.G. Clark (Lab.})`
33,476- 9,503
Conservative majority. 23,973
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Chief among the St. Andrew's Day calebrations in Shanghai was, the Ewo Handicap Race for the Jardins Challenge Cup, won by G. C. C. Harper en Movement. Above is shown the finish of the raca and a section of the unusually large crowd which attended. The trophies were presented by Mrs. Jumta Macbeth, wife of the President of the St. Andrew's Society,
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--Miss Rità Cohen and Mr. Cyrlf Word, with m umbers of their bridal party, photographed outside 'the British Consulate in Shanghai after their wedd Ing. Mr. and Mrs.:W. H. Widdowson, brother-in-
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