THE HONGKONG Télegraph, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1936.
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"H.M. V" RECORDS
BY
HOME DELIVERY
OTORS
of the
now
1937
Vauxhalls
If you are going home on leave, this will interest you.
You can arrango now to stop ashore at home and drive away in a new, Vauxhall.
We assist you in this connection without any trouble or complica- tion to yourself' . '. delivered
I to you at home and subsequently
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Catalogue & Full Particulars from
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Stubbs Rd.
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The
Phone 27778/9.
PAUL ROBESON Hongkong Telegraph.
B-2619
B-3033
B-3663
B-3664
B-3956
B-4396
Deep River; I'm Goin' to tell God All
Oh I rock me, Julie; Oh I didn't it rain
Mammy is gone; High water
Old Folks at Home: Poor old Joe
River stay 'way from my door; Rockin' Chair
Since you went away; Wid de moon, moon, moon
Pilgrim's Song: Roll the Chariot Along
B-4421
D-4499
In a Narrow Street: Piccaninny's Shoes
B-4309
Mah, Lindy Lou; Ma curly-headed Baby
B-4352
B-4354
B-8018
Blue Prelude; Swing Along
B-8060
8-8202
B-8372
FRIDAY, SEPT. 26. 1936.
EDUCATIONAL SECRECY
One of the Colony's advisory bodies concerning whose neti- vities the public knows practic- ally nothing in the Board of Education. Its sitting are held in private, and the only means through which ratepayers
Round the bend of the Road; Take me away from the river can gain any knowledge of the Hush-a-byo. Lullaby: Got the South in my Soul
Snowball: Fat Li'l foller: Short'nin' bread
are
matters it discusses
the official reports of meetings per- iodically released for publication.
Little man, you've had a busy day; I ain't laxy, I'm just It would, however, be difficult to dreamin'
Swing Low sweet Chariot; On ma Journey.
B-8423
Gloomy Sunday: Honey
B-8438
C-1585
C-2517
C-2621
Shenandoah; Jes' mah Song
Plantation Songs, Part 1.2
There's a Green Hill: Nearer, my God to Thee Paul Robeson Medley, Part 1 & 2
S.
MOUTRIE
York Building...
conceive of communiques less in- formative in character, than these latest to hand, reports. The dealing with the meeting held "last Monday, is a typical' doen- ment of its kind. It bears, a much closer resemblance, to an agenda of a meeting issued beforehand to members than 10 a record of proceedings which have taken place. In brief, it states that the
& Co., Ltd. Board "considered papers remit-
Chater Road
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ted for its consideration relative to the filling of the racant post. of Senior Inspector of English Schools," and then gives a list of papers laid on the table with regard to four specified matters. What action, if any, was taken on these subjects is not in any way indicated, nor is any actual information relating thereto dis- closed. To take the question of the Senior Inspectorate, what the public would like to know, and what it has a right to be Informed upon, is the nature of the steps being taken to fill the vacancy, and, in particular, the financial aspect of the proposals before the Board. A scheme for eye inspection and provision of spectacles for pupils attending Grant-in-Aid Schools alsó figured amongst the papers laid on the table-obviously a most im- portant matter. Yet the public is not vouchsafed even on out- line of the proposals and is therefore kept quite in the dark on a subject which is of vital concern and interest to parents who have children at school, In other mutters before the Board, it is impossible to ascer- tain from the official report of the meeting details concerning any of these things. Whether the secrecy is deliberate or nccl- dental, the fact remains that the public, after reading the report, is left in a state of complete ig- norance on the subjects tioned. The Board of Educa tion, as we understand the position, is an advisory body. pr.somewhat similar in its functions
men-
On
to the Urban Council. It may nol have power of decision matters affecting education, but ea. it can and does proffer advice to the Government. There would thus appear to be no adequate reason why its meetings should
pr. not, as was formerly the case, be open to the Press, with a proviso that, on purely confidential mat- tera, It could sit in committee. Were this procedure adopted, the
He
LANE, CRAWFORD, LTD.ble would be ablo intelligently
pxisting comiftions, this is utterly Impossible.
T
SPAIN Is The
WENTY years ago the Great War was raging. Mothers' sons from nearly every European country were on the battlefeld, or on the high sens, or on the air. Women were doing men's work or eating their hearts out at home. The people were pre- pared to pay the price of per- manent peace.
It was said to be "a war to end war," and a wor to "make the world safe for democracy." It was fought through to these ends. It culminated in a disastrous pence, which bore within it the seeds of further wars,
Not least of the results flowing from the Peace Treatles
WAR Fascism, unscrupulous in opposi- lion and ruthless in power..
Democratic Europe has watched. the jack-boot of Fascism stride ncross Europe. It has witnessed the Italian conquest of Abyssinia: Germany's repudiation of Treaties; and now it sees an engineered re- volt by Fascists in Spain, against a constitutionally elected Govern-
ment.
It sees a bitter and remorseless civil war being waged in a land
which has suffered already from 'internal strife. But this war is one in which all the modern apparatus of war is being used, and in which the rebel side is being given ex- ternal assistance.
How does the situation present itself to all democratic people? On the basis of a Popular Front," a Government was returned to power by constitutional electoral methods. Like all such coalitions, It consists of diverse elements. Itú "centre of gravity" is broadly Liberal and Republican, though it Includes "left" elements.
But it is not a "Red" Govern- ment; nor can it be so described by any stretch of Imagination. It represents. for the time being, the people's will; and it is being welded into a greater unity by the impact of rebellion against it.
The Spanish Civil War, there fore,-is-not-one-between-" Reds "- and Fascists for mastery... It is a war in which a normally elected Clovernment is fighting to main- tain its rightful authority against a highly organised and carefully prepared Fascist coup d'etat, utils- ing disloyal, elements in the fight- ing services, employing coloured Moorish mercenaries, and receiv- ing, directly and indirectly, help
EMBARGO Right?
by the Right Honourable ARTHUR GREENWOOD Acting Leader of the Opposition
and succour from at least one Great Power.
It has been a generally accepted canon that the internal affairs of a country are, nobody's concern but its own. And in normal circum- stances no one would question this.
Since the War, however, a new situation has arisen. From the U.S.S.R, there has radiated foreign propaganda. More recently, Fas- clst Imperialism has poured its in- fluence into non-Fascist countries; and now, Italy, Qushed with victory In its Abyssinian adventure, is giv- ing aid to armed insurrectionaries in a non-Fascist Stato,
What is to be done to meet this situation? It is clear that, sooner or later, the rule must be enforced that no State shall be permitted to interfere in the Internal affairs of another State, especially on the alde of minorities. But the eri- forcement of such a rule depends upon an effective League of Nations, or at least upon a pact between nations prepared to re- spect national integrity and to act in common against aggression such as Italy has committed.
The stark and unpalatable fact is thai, at the moment, action on these lines is out of the question. It would have been right and proper in the first stage of the struggle in Spain for friendly Gov- ernments to have come to the ald of the Spanish Government by means of arms and supplies; at any rate, pending any, interna- tional agreement..
I regard it as unfortunate that, at the outset of the rebellion, when it was realised that Spain had to face, not a sporadic revolt by dis- gruntled opponents of the Popular "Front, but a military coup, backed by disloyal elements and well- equipped with the means-of-war, Britain and other like-minded countries did not render the assist- ance of which the Spanish Govern- ment stood in need.
Unfortunately, as I say, that course was not taken. Instead, an attempt was made to secure a neutrality agreement.
One can understand the dimcul- ties of the French Government.
A CATHOLIC Looks at
Α
The "Telegraph" has received a number of letters from Catholic readers who say they are disturbed
by the allegations of ill-treatment of Catholics in Spain. Below is a' aurvey of the position by Mr. Bernard Sullivan.
T
as
HE Spanish revolution presented a problem to the Catholic workers of Great Britain that will not be solved by taking the advice of their new- found friends of the Press.
The stories being circulated of atrocities are reminiscent of the early days of the Great War, and generally come from the game sources.
The truth of the burning of churches and the mutilating of priests and nuns will not be found until the country is calm again.
It is therefore necessary for Catholic workers to ask themselves it the issue of the struggle means' anything to them. The Church may bo persecuted if the Government wins: on the other hand the Catholle worker in Spain will certainly lose his liberty if the rebets win.
A
the WAR
most Catholic workers in this country have no illusions regarding what is in store for the workers of Spain if Fascism triumphs.
They have the examples of Germany and Italy before them, There the buildings of the Church were not destroyed, but the bodies and souls of men wore.
In the great clock strike of 1880 a Catholle Cardinal stood beside the dockers in their great fight for justice, and his name finds on hondumble place in the history of the British. workers struggle för a living wage." The Catholic Church grew rapidly following that event, until to-day it in one of the great Institutions of this country.
:
Catholic workers in the distressed areas are suffering intensely through the failure of the present system to employ them, and tlie Means Test has added a burden to the familles who nover knew sufficiency.
The persecution of the Church will be less likely if Catholic democrats tuin this country stand by democratie inath tullons and prove to the Spanish Government that the Church, repre- sented by the ordinary worshipper, is not an enemy of the State.
It la not the Junction of the Catholic Church to defend the rich landowners; finaticiers and manufacturers, even if name of them are Catholics.
I in the duty of the Church to pro. teel the poor against oppression, and
- Many courageous priests have spoken condemnation of the poverty of the manses, and Catholic organisations have bravely assisted their unfor- tunate .brethren through the Bt. Vincent De Paul and other societies. The Catholic Bocial Guild has gaih. cred studious Catholics together in groups to study the caimes of poverty "and "Inequality of wealth; Catholics Are more socially minded' than ever before.
They are in their Trade Unions help-
ing on the organisation of the workers to fight for a living wage and more. lelsuro, Under Fascism these organ- isations will be suppressed na they were in Germany and Italy.
The Fascistas said that Communism Was the enemy they were out to sup- press, but they never ceased to perse. cute until all other organisations had been closed except their own Fascist Front Even the Catholic newspapers that are urging Catholic workers to withdraw their aupport from the democracy of Spain will be suppressed in due course.
The task of Catholic democrata,, then, is to trust to the Church sur viving the changes that are taking place, and so to-mould the new world that it will give to every man and woman the greatest freedom bath spiritual and material.
That can only be accomplished when Catholics identify themselves with democratic institutions and are trade prepared to strengthen the unions by their membership and democracy by their. vates,
Our pastors will remember that Christ chose the humble fishermen to bo his apostles and denounced the rich Pharisees who gave material sup port to the Church, but who failed to petlso that humility that distin guishes the common people.
The meet shall inherit the earth.
The poor peasant and the city worker have been weak for centuries, and when they awake to their power, the Church should be in the front guiding them the use of that now- found strength. That strength will nover. be used to destroy the Church under such circumstances.
I began by saying that the Spanish Revolution had presented a problem to. the Catholle workers of Great Britain. The solution Iles in the attitude of the leaders of the Church, during the coming struggle for Democracy or Fasciard
France, like Spain, has a Popular Front Government, composed of diverse elements, united on a de- fined and Imited programme.
Who can be surprised. if this Government, faced with
the possibility of far-reaching reper- cussions, had grave searchings of heart as to the line of nellon to be pursued? It was of vital import- ance that the democratle Govern- ment in France should preserve unity in the face of the Fascist menace. It was, indeed, vital 10 - this
+
country that democracy should maintain itself in France,
In view of the Immediate dim- culties, inherent in the situation, France came to the conclusion that a neutrality agreement was the best practicable solution. Britain agreed,
Personally I do not regard this as a satisfactory solution. It is what I would call second best."
No reasonable person wishes to precipitate an ever-widening war. If it can be avoided. At the same time, I do not think, it can be denied that neutrality implies that a member of the League, a friendly Power, is to be left unaided to cope with a formidable rebellion, Jed by men who have batrayed their alle- glanar to their Government.
But at this stage let us, if we can. get a neutrality agreement, all nations standing aside. For I am convinced that, if the rebels were left to their own resources and de- 'prived of all external assistance. the Spanish Government magnifi- cently supported as it is, would re- assert its authority and quell the rebellion.
The neutrality agreement, how- over, is hanging, fire. Italy and Germany appear to be playing for time, as both these Powers have done before.
the They find flimsiest pretexts for delay. It is essential that Britain and France ́should sweep aside their pretexts" and excuses for delay and insist on an early understanding.
'When, however, such an agree- ment is reached, the fundamental question will arise as to its enforce- ment, I have no doubt that Britain and France would honour the un- dertaking.
Could the same be said of other Powers? Everything hinges on this. It must be clearly laid down that, should the neutrality, agree- ment be broken by one or more algnatories, the loyal Powers would be completely free to inaugurate a new policy.
I do not wish to go farther at this stage. Every peace lover is anxious to avoid war. Every demo- crat is anxious to see the Spanish Government maintained and safe- guarded, and Its authority upheld. 11 the neutrality agreement. which must be negotiated quickly or not at all, does not come to frul- tien or falls in its operation, then clearly democracy must assert it- self.
!
And here I come to the root question. Is democracy conscious enough of its responsibilities and its latent powers to take a firm atand? Does it realise the inexorn- ble driving force of Fascism, which must either expand or die?
Many proposals have been made, such as the assembly of Parliament and monster demonstrations. They may be the right things to do. But they must be directed, as every effort must be, towards the crucial task of fully rousing democracy to its grave and high responsibilities. Great War of 1914-1910 failed in its primary objects of making the world safe for do- mocracy and establishing world peace. To-day the same problems confront us, War is with us. De- mocracy is challenged.
The
T
If the spirit of democracy, and · the love of peace are truly alive in the hearts of men and women, they will see the tragedy of Spain us a call to action and service.
To-day's Thought- FREEDOM in a demòcracy is
the glory of the State.
-PLATO,