THE HONGKONG TÉLEGRAPH, TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1986.
DEWARS
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Electrical Equipment For REPAIRS & REPLACEMENTS to AUTO, ELECTRIC & IGNITION SYSTEMS
TROUBLED RHINE WATERS.
HE Rhineland is Ger-
:
THE
many's western pro- vince, which the French in their hour of might sought, and failed, to carve out of the Reich; from which they thought to have removed the sting by the demilitarisation clauses of the Treaty of Versailles, incorporated in the Locarno protocols; and' on which they now turn a gaze of growing and tragic anxiety.
In the Rhineland the French and German general staffs .do not see merely a pleasant and wealthy tract of Europe. They do not hear
the good Rhine flowing In the heart of all Allemagne. They see it as a vital strate-
We are fully equipped for any gical factor in a battle still un-
nature of service.
Enquiries:—
HONG KONG HOTEL GARAGE
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DEATH.
EGGE-Pass away at the French ilospital, on 24th March, 1930, Pelagie E. Egge, beloved wife of W. Egge. Funeral will pass the monument at 5.15 p.m. to-day.
The
Hongkong Telegraph.
TUESDAY, MAR. 24, 1936.
IS THE COLONY
LIGHTLY TAXED?
fought.
ticr."
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tice Marshal Foch present-
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By
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the good Rhine flowing":
George Malcolm Thomson
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THE third was Locarno. From the
point of view of the French general staff this was a compromise. It involved a free acceptance by the German Government of the perman- unt demilitarisation of the left bank of the river and of a strip 30 miles wide on the right bank,
On the other hand, it envisaged an
To the French generals, the went, or left, bank of the Rhine is simply a base of concentration for a German attack on France. Germany has a foot on the French side of the ditch, a But this French complacency reigned in Germany and the dent that French propaganda stronghold within the defences waned ns the months passed morale of the people was at a and French bribes had falled to which nature designed for the and rovented that, though Ger- low ebb, a second and more dan win over the Rhenish popula- protection of France.
many would certainly fail to gerous separatist attempt was tion.
After a few weeks' precarious exis- The Germans point out that carry out the monstrous obliga- launched.
This time the French had pre- tence, the Rhineland republic col- some millions of indubitable tions of the treaty, it would
inhabitants, who, at Pirmasens, act German subjects dwell on the probably prove impossible to pared the ground for their ped, to the savage joy of the local
its wrong side of this "natural fron- apply in severity the separatist friends. Propaganda fire to the building in which the
legal alternative-a permanent had been busy among the Rhine- Separatists had taken refuge.
France's second attempt to solve French occupation of the left land people. They were "Celts, the military, problem of the Rhine-
like us." French newspapers, land had failed. A fortnight after the Armis. bank of the Rhine.
'magazines, and soup kitchens soldiers applied stressed the contrast of a dis- ed a demand for the separation FRENCH from Germany of the entire left themselves once more to the tracted Germany- and a strong, bank of the Rhine, coupled with task of detaching from the Reich friendly France.
Besides, there was the tempt n permanent occupation by this area which contains eight French troops of the bridge per cent. of Germany's territory, ing bait of escape from repara hends on the right bank, eleven per cent. of her popula- tions payments.
When Foch's plan was reject- tion, and twelve per cent. of her
IN the autumn of 1923, when carly withdrawal of the French garri. ed, the French sought the same coal.
German resistance on the sons. But this was compensated for Now there was in the Rhine- end by other means. Clemen-
of France's frontior against unpro- voked attack. A favourite argument by cenu believed that the Treaty of land a genuine local movement Ruhr had collapsed, the Separa- by the guarantee by Britain and Italy Versailles gave him what he for decentralisation. The Ro- tists launched their "putsch." Government spokesmen
It seemed that at last the problem man Catholic province of Luth Their leaders were Matthes, who that
wanted. Hongkong is a lightly-taxed
In fifteen years," he told eran Prussia had grievances had at one time run a Commu- was solved. France, with immense Colony was again heard during
nist paper at Frankfurt, a Ger- new fortifications defending her soll, looked out on a German zona empty Could the French make use of man named Deckers, who com- of soldiers, naked of defensive works. costs in the Logislative Council have fulfilled the clauses of the this local sentiment? They de- manded in Aix, Dr. Dorten, and Germany, on the other hand, felt the debate on administrative Poincare, "Germany will not against Berlin. on Thursday. In support of the treaty. If you will do me the termined to try,
a picturesque adventurer who easter in mind now that the menace, the very real menace, of the Separa- theory, figures were cited cam- honour to visit my grave, you
And so there opened the whole was called Captain Parsival, paring taxation here with the will be able to tell me, 'We stand bloody, bad-tempered and dis-
The rank and file, as usual in tist movement, was at an end.
But the long struggle for the standards prevailing in Singa- on the Rhine and we remain on creditable episode, half-farce, such adventures, consisted part- strategie mastery of the Rhineland ended in a victory for half-tragedy, of the Rhineland ly of ruffians and partly of has not
France. pore and at Home. On the the Rhine.' former point, it was 'shown that
separatist movement. In the honest men.
And, even the Rhineland were summer of 1919, a handsome The red, white and green not rearmed, what, it may be naked the assessed tax in Singapore is
30-mile on a basis of 24 per cent., as
young Wiesbaden lawyer, Dr. tricolour of the Rhineland was by the French generals, is against 17 per cent. in Hong-
Adam Dorten, known as "Pretty resurrected from the museums demilitarised zone in these days of tanka and mechanised hoary guns Addi," procinimed the Rhineland where it had lain since the days which could cross it in an hour? kong. But before any safe de-
republic. The wind blew the of the French Revolution and
What in the value of the neutralised ductions can be drawn from
It is interesting to discover that proclamation posters away. hoisted by the Separatist storm Rhineland when a sudden secret mobi those figured it would be
But in 1923, while the fright- troops in Wiesbaden, Crefeld, ization could transform a million Rhenish civilians into A million essential to know how property Hongkong's defence forces are a
marching Reichswehrmen in a few values compare between Singa-match for a fair-sized enemy force ful, silent struggle in the Ruhr Aix and Coblenz.
which might attempt to take the
But from the first it was evi- hours? pore and Hongkong-in other Island by landing troops without went on, while financial chaos words, whether rental standarda preliminary bombardment on A are approximately the same, large scale, and that even should
NOTES OF THE DAY
COLONY DEFENCES
inasmuch as the assessed tax is such a force of invaders gain the 1911-1936: AVIATION IN HONGKONG
based on rents. Until this beaches and the more rugged in- 'point is cleared up, there is not terior country, they could be driven much utility in comparing as-back into the sea by the force sessed tax percentages. So far counter-attacks
of the reserves
-XACTLY twenty-five years
ago this week the first avia-
The flight was made on March
as the respective positions be- (including the Volunteers) and
such of those who survived the tor to fly in Hongkong took off at tween the United Kingdom and ret struggle on the beaches. It Shatin and, amidst the jubilation Hongkong are concerned, its gratifying to know that the of thousands of people who as would appear idle to make com- Colony's defence forces are efficient, sembled to witness his daring parisons, for the simple reason well-organised and keen on the fast, succoeded in flying a dis- that the conditions existing in job, and that in the face of an tance of 200 yards! the two places are in no sense ordinary attack from the sea, with similar. The standard of liv-naval artillery fire supporting the ing of the majority of the people landing parties, they can give a 18, 1911" by Mr. Van den Born, themselves. a Belgian. To-day, just over 25 there bear no relation to that good of the average taxpayer here in However, the official reports of years later, the Imperial Airways lessons learned in the recent liner Dorado inaugurates a com- Hongkong. Admittedly, it manoeuvres give
no roommercial service that brings Hong- would not be dimcult to show for complacency. It appeara that specific sectionis of the that, in the event of a sustained kong within 26 hours of Penang.
and within ten days of London. Colony's community get off re-and "ferecious" attack by enemy
Newspaper reports of Van den latively lightly in the matter of aircraft, Hongkong would suffer; taxation. The well-to-do and severely; and the Inference may Bom's first flight in Hongkong.
were this aerial are given below. the very poor, the last-named of be drawn that
rent or
account of
The First flight in Hongkong.
whom either pay no regular offensive maintained long enough The S. G. M. Port of March
are accommodated in the ultimate assault from the sca bed-spaces or cubicles, are not might find the defenders sadly de-20, 1911, reported:
"Keen disappointment was unduly taxed. Equally, Govern-pleted and their resistance much
weakened. We are therefore manifested by a large number ment servants and others who pushed to the conclusion that anti- of people who assembled at
"As it happened, the wind front of the hangar and, upon enjoy free quarters or house aircraft defence is the vital spot Shatin on Saturday afternoon died down and the few who re- observing this, a large number allowances get off lightly. But in Hongkong's armour, and that (March 18) to witness the ex- mained had the opportunity of of those present, the majority between these groups there is a any weakncee in this direction must hibition of flying promised by seeing Mr. Van den Born in the of whom were school children big section of the community be remedied before we are in a Mr. Van den Born. It was a air. The machine rose within a from Queen's College and other which finds it hard to meet the position to defend ourselves with beautiful day and high hopes comparatively short distance of-institutions, rushed to the spot. burden of taxation. In this real hope of success. For it is connection, we have to bear in most improbable, that in any at-were entertained of witnessing its starting point to a height of Seeing the danger of a collision mind the overcrowded labour tempted invasion of Hongkong air the latest of the arts of locomo- several hundred feet, in a series and possibly injury to some of market, which has a direct bear-craft would not play a major part. tion under the best of circum- of circles and descended on the more reckless of the specta In this connection let it be noted stances. There was some delay exactly the spot from which it tors, Mr. Van den Born with ing on this matter of taxation. that Singapore has taken steps to at the outset on account of the rose, thus proving the aviator's great presence of mind (for he If rents go up, carrying en- augment its volunteer anti-aircraft late arrival of His Excellency ability to fly, (a question much was travelling at considerable hanced taxation, the worker can defence. force materially, We the Governor, and when His Ex- debated during the afternoon by speed) swerved his machine not expect to get recompense in suggest there le material among cellency did arrive it was found the disappointees) and his per- clear. This left him too little. distance in which to make for the way of higher wages; he is the men of this Colony for the that the wind had risen too high fect control of the machine."
In ita issue of March 24, the the shed, and the result was a at the mercy of the landlord in organisation of a similar body, a such circumstances. There are complementary unit of men to be to permit of flying. The machine
of the machine was considerably many other aspects of the trained to work with the Royal Air was taken out of its shed, how-.S. C. M. Fost referred to an collision in which the forepart
ever, and the working of the alarming mishap: question which could be cited to Force in garrison.
motor displayed, but it was de- "Mr. Van den Born, the avia- crumpled. No Injury resulted show the danger of making com- parisons with other centres have not reached the limit of cided that it would be folly to tor, gave an exhibition flight to the motor, fortunately, and where the conditions are dis- taxation does not imply any in- attempt to rise in the teeth of at Shatin yesterday afternoon. Mr. Van den Born himself es- similar. Generally speaking, tention of adding to the present 4 gale blowing about 30 miles In the presence of a considerable caped with but a few slight
On March 27 he again made: howover, it must surely be real burden. Any such move would an hour. The people hung number of people he rose beauti- bruises." ised by the Government that meet with instant condemna-around impatiently, and most fully to a height of from 200 to the present is no time in which tion. The remedy for the of them were glad when the 5.10 300 feet, and performed several several successful ventures into to contemplate any addition to Colony's present plight obvious-train started for home, for, al evolutions. He had intended the air aviation was an accom The airman then went on to the existing scale of taxation. ly lies in the direction of re- though the band of the Rajputs rising higher, but experienced plished fact in the Colony.
Van den Canton, and gave a most suc The community as a whole, ducing expenditure, not in seek-did its best to enliven matters, contrary winds. Flying over the therefore, sincerely trusts that ing means for, the raising of nothing would have induced the railway station, Mr.
crowd to wait longer.
Born endeavoured to land in cessful exhibition there in April, the official submission that we more revenue.