THE HONGKONG Telegraph, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1938.
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The
TWOMEN FIGHTING
for a REPUBLIC
TWO men are striving
furiously for con-
trol of Spain's young Republic. Gil Robles, the clerical leader, stands squarely facing the attacks of the liber- al Manuel Azana, whose popularity is so great that 400,000 gathered in a monster demons- tration to cheer him in Madrid on a recent Sun- day.
By HENRY
BUCKLEY
stilliterate; agriculture in President Zamora has an un- many parts of the land remains enviable job as referee in thin primitive. Wages are terribly tense situation. The Right says low, and there is no unemploy- he favours the Left. The Left ment pay for the 600,000 work- accused him of betraying the less. Rightly or wrongly, their Republic by admitting GI! reaction to all this is to blame. Robles and others who were not cloricalism, absentee landlord- elected as Republicans to minis- lam-rife in Spain-and the in- toriel office. Several weeks ago capacity of the ruling classés. the extraordinary scone was wit- They may be wrong, but that nessed of 60,000 people fling is their mood, and obviously silently past President Zamora's There the resemblance ends. something must be done about private residence with clenched Physically, the two leading Gil Robles is a brilliant politic it Foreignera nuturally find fists raised menacingly in the actors in this drama bear a cer- lan. He plays openly to the anti-clericalism an antiquated air. tain resemblance to each other, gallery and awakens delirious political banner. But Spain's
It was the funeral procession Both are of medium height, enthusiasm at his meetings and problems are liable to be both corpulent with puffed-out chests in parliament. Passionate in old-fashioned and ultra-modern, of the wife of Francisco Largo and big pasty faces typical of public speaking, he is glacially because the truth is that Spain Caballero, a very popular So- Castile, they are distinctly not cold in private conversation. has skipped the liberal ago of cialist lender, who has been Latin types. Baldness is over- Half-opened, very cold blue eyes democracy, free trade, progres- awaiting trial in prison for over taking both of them despite the centre fixedly on the interviewer sive capitalism, and wants to twelve months for his part in semi- the revolt of last October, and fact that Azana caps Robles's and his answers are quick, pre-medievalism to a controlled and who was allowed out of prison
plunge straight from youthful thirty-seven years with ciso, mechanical.
to attend the funeral, escorted nearly another twenty.
by a squad of policemen.
Both have voices pitched a shade above the normal and both are fluent and excellent speakers. Neither plays any
Azana is just the opposite. In public he is cold and aloof. Politics as such do not interest him. In two years as Prime Minister he never even took the trouble to form a strong party.
ordered State.
Gil Robles here is fighting a losing battle.. It was a fatal error to cut agricultural wages when. Azana and the Socialists left power. Peasants hate poll-
***
There was not a single cry or
a sound of any kind except the shuffling of feet as the enorm- ous multitude filed past, a con- Azana glomeration of workers and
President's
sport, but Robles is fond of Nor did he attempt to ensure a tics. Gil Robles and bullfighting and Azana likes constituency where he could get. menn about as much to them as well-dressed people. But all as shooting, although literature is returned--which would have Stalin or Mussolini; they are they passed the his chief hobby; both reading been easy enough. At the just names. But when the fall house, which lay on the route and writing, for he has four or greatest apontaneous demons- of Azana is followed by a drop to the cemetery, raised their five books to his credit.
Eration spontaneous because in wages from nine pesetas dally fists in the Socialist salute, his party is tiny and practically to six-a fair example of the which in this case was a men-
асе. reductions made then the re-
without funds-ever seen
NOTES OF THE DAY Spain, when 400,000 persons action of the dullest peasant is
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TUESDAY, TED, 11, 1936.
SLUM CLEARANCE
.A year
ago recommendations
on
*
mo-
natural and obvious.
The heavy police forces lean- ed impassively on their rifles and there was not the slightest incident. Among the multitude was Luis Alcala Zamora, the President's youngest son, lawyer and a Socialist.
tions.
A COUNTRY WITHOUT A DEPRESSION
il
world. His un-
gathered to hear him speak in Madrid, he never used one of
Hence the peasant rally to the the political "cliches" which all recent Azana meeting. From the farthest nooks and corners politicians use automatically.".
Indeed he throw cold water of Spain they came; many in his audience. "Be quiet! motor lorries bumping over
The tide of popular opinion is were presented to the Ministry of Be quiet! How can I speak if hundreds of miles, in cold and
One group of pen- not difficult to assess as regards Labour by the Unemployment in-you interrupt?" he shouted in. discomfort.
sunts and their wives drove direction and strength. Many surance Statutory Committee for disgruntled tone when applause five hundred miles in an open of the Right want Gil Robles to the extension of the benefits of un- stopped his speech for a
lorry from an Andalusian village anticipate events by a coup insurance to Agri- ment.
and started the same journey d'etat, but he has always dia- Despite. the comprehensive employment
cultural workers. These recom. Cold in public, Azana is a nature of the slum clearance mondations were subsequently nc- charming conversationalist. As back in the rain after the meet- claimed any dictatorial ambi-
ing. plans in Britain, there is a feel-cepted by the Government. Yester- Premier he would often leave ing in certain quarters that the day the Bill passed second reading politics behind and go over to In effect, the benefit rates original the Rumanian Legation, where schemes laid down on paper arely suggested have been increased, not being carried through as according to the text of the Un- the hostess was the bright and Princess Bibesco, Insurance (Agri-vivacious expeditiously us possible. None employment
cultural) Bill, published at the end where over ten a small inter- the less, a great deal has already of December. It is estimated that national group would chat gaily been done in, wiping out blocks 750,000 farm workers-700,000 of art; music, literature.
Gil Robles controls Parlia- of tenements in which over-ales and 50,000 females will be
"OOM PAUL" was the Solo- the younger to choose the piece crowding has long been an evil affected by the Bill, and the great ment with the largest single
mon of South Africa. He he wants," majority of them warmly welcome group; 110 Deputies of his and in providing alternative the
The land in which Paul Kruger measure. The Bill provides party. He has a
was renowned for his practical! powerful the weekly accommodation for those affect-that
contributions, clerical Press behind him. The wisdom, and also for the vast administered his ready justice ed. Hundreds of thousands of which will be paid both by employ vast power and influence of the wealth of his land. The story contained some of the richest gold
deposits in the ers and employees, ranging from houses are marked out for de- 14. to 42d. according to age and Church are in his favour. The is told of two brothers who came willingness to allow the foreignera molition, calling for the rehous-sex, will result in weekly benefits wealthy grandes subscribe to to him as he sat on his "stoep" who came to seek for gold their ing of huge numbers of people, ranging from three shillings and his party, and Don Alfonso has and asked him to settle a pro- rights and privileges in citizens
sixpence to fourteen shillings. The on more than one occasion open blem of inheritance. The elder brought his rule to an end.
brother claimed the right toļ Because of this South Africa, us Here in Hongkong, we also have former sum refers to girls under ly advised his supporters to divide the farm their father had a whole is part of the Empire: á slum problem which urgently the age of eighteen, and the latter collaborate with Gil Robles.
left them. To the dismay of the she is enjoying an almost unparall calls for attention. No-one can to men over twenty-one years of age. These conditions will result
younger Oom Paul Immediately eled Gold boom.
The city which existed as a faw make a tour of the more con- in an increased charge on the Gil Robles has everything upheld this claim, and told them gested districts of the island Exchequer of £600,000 a year. It except support among the to return to him when the divi-tin shacks fifty years ago is to-day a miniature New York with sky- The Spanish working slon was made. A few days scrapers and magnificent resid- without being made painfully has been stated that the agricultural masses. aware of this fact. In the hu-Industry will have no responsibility class, the peasants, the petite later they stood before him ences. The small mine dumps of for paying off the general debt on bourgeoisie, are disgruntled to again on his stoep. Oom Paul those days have risen as grim white man rabbit warrens to be seen the Unemployment Fund, The
day.
said, "It was the right of the mountaine of scyniado treated in some localities there are rates and benefits scheduled in the
Most of them live frankly elder of you two to divide the earth on which not a vestige of Scores of old, dilapidated Bill are lower than is the case of
unemployment Insurance In urban badly. One person in three is property; now it is the right of vegetation will grow. On a windy houses, dark, and ill-served industries, but agricultural workers from the sanitary point of view, will not be at a disadvantage on which cannot by any stretch of this account because of the cheaper the imagination be considered cost of living in rural areas. One of the main reasons why agri- as fit for human habitation. cultural workers were not covered There are laws setting forth in the first place by unemployment specific minimum requirements insurance was because of the small in the way of light and air-degree of unemployment in the in- space, but economic considera-dustry; but, largely owing to the tions result in people being industrialisation of agriculture, un- herded together in tenementa employment has increased of late split up into innumerable cubi-years, and this has made the intro-
duction of the Bill. necessary. cles and bed-spaces, with mani- festly injurious effects on pubile health. The problem is one not that in Malaya, comprehensive easy of solution, for it is one schemes for slum clearance have thing to demolish whole areas been evolved, but that legal diffi- of uninhabitable houses and culties have been encountered in another to rehouse those who prosecuting these to the extent are dispossessed. The difficulty considered necessary. How- becomes further pronounced fever, an official has been sent to when consideration is given to London to gather first-hand in the necessity of accommodating formation regarding the present work-people in premises near to position of the Home Acts, with their place of occupation. a view to seeing how far the Whilst in any scheme of slum provisions can be duplicated in Set. clearance, primary considera- the Straits Settlements. It is tion must be given to those for understood that the Hongkong whose benefit and health the Government will keep in touch programmes are conceived, the with these developments, and rights of landlords have also to the Information obtained should be taken into account. In this be of value in examining the connection, the English Acts possibilities, of remedial action dealing with the problem have in connection with the Investig- been considered too onerous inations being carried out by the | cortain respects, with the result committee appointed some time. that various amendments have ago to consider housing and latterly been made. thereto. overcrowding problems in this Nevertheless, there is still ap- Colony, That the matter calls parent a disposition not to por for serious attention locally. is mit heartless profiteering by beyond question, and it will be vested interests, nor to allow all to the good if we are able to the perpetuation of conditions profit from the experience of which are manifestly harmful others in dealing with com- to the masses. We understand | parable conditions.
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SIDE GLANCES By George Clark
"I hope you're not telling her you didn't kiss the boys when
you wore her age."
day there white mountains scatter their useless dust like a fog for miles over the city, Johannesburg, stands a Phoenix amidst the ashes from which her great wealth and vory being have been drawn.
Such aro the paradoxes of modern economics that South Africa did not reap the full reward for her Gold until she suddenly abandoned the gold-standard while In a death struggle with depres sion. At once a boom began, and it still continues. The gold city.. itself has been the first to display the now riches. Magnificent build.. Inga have sprung up in the business quarter. The residential areas have flowed out over the country... side. The city is becoming'famous for its beautiful homes. Many have, besides their own tennis courts, their private open air swim- ming pools which are a special de- light in the long hot months,
Rash speculation has mingled with sound business, Bomé, have built up fortunes while others In a moment have lost everything but withal there has been a steady increase in prosperity.
JOHANNESBURG is a nerve
centre bringing life and riches to an otherwise waste land. A vast population has to be fed, and farma aro at a. premium in those parts.
Native labour is used in the.. minesome 300,000 natives being: employed at a time. They serve under contract for a stated time, and live in specially constructed compounds until they have fulfilled; their agreement. They then acat tor for Into Africa to their tribes, taking with them money that raises the purchasing power of their.com- munity. They also go back froed from old superstitions, and withi (Continued on Page 4)