10
Machines now run the world. They are the Mastor as well as
the Sorvant of Man.
One ricctrical Arm has in ten years produced the man-poteer of, 160 million.
A mechanical digger does the
work of 15,000 martier,
One man in a modern for mi can do by machinery as much as 8,000 hand millers,
A mechanical stoker made by eight men in eight days displcers forty stokarsa,
Murbfues can make calcio- then an intricate that mathe maticians are busted. They wrap chocolates, arrange clpers, prude fruit and rurtabies, jaster then Mera con work and minds can reap Thep detect flares that ewape the human eye,
The Machine has brought to the world abundance and cheap.
But the price
$1055.
OR three mechanical yours I have been the Blave of the same relent- less machine. I see this machine every morning. It walts without pity. It is my master-my enemy-my life.
To other eyes, perhaps, It is merely an elaborate arrange- ment of wheels, cogs and levers. But I know, that when the hooter blows the electric motors will whine, and this machine will come to Hfe. Then for eight and three-quarter hours I have to fight against it, never relaxing and calling upon every resource of my strength. But it Is an unequal contest.
To beat the machine and to "keep on top of the job" Elves me a grim satisfaction.
But if I fall to keep up with. It I have to exert all my self- control to suppress the hysteri- cal revolt that surges up within me like a spiritual storm.
At one end of the machine enters an endless stream of
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1936.
CAUGHT in the
MACHINE
"To be a slave to the Machine seems to bo my life's purpose and destiny' (Arcene from Choplin's "Modern Times," which is now being shown in nearly crery town in Britain, and carries the same grim worang.J
e-rlboard pucking cases, . They emerge at the other end folded, glued and sealed. They are cur- ried in an unceasing, madden- ing procedon on a mechanical conveyor. It is from this that I have to lift them and pile them neatly On alongside
wagons brought
Que contents of these inter- minable enses vary, and I must Watch them to see that I do not mix the loads. But for this necessity to keep alert, I would soon relapse into a mental stupor and become a heartless and brainless automaton. The only means of expression for my iving soul would be in the rhythmleal swing of my body as I stoop to ft each case,
There is an emergency sign! for me to switch on If anything goes wrong or I have to esave n respite.
It lights a red lamp visible to the machine opera- tors, and to the foreman, whe strides menacingly towards me to see what has happened, this way the machine acelatnis its triumph and humiliates me.
a
And in the evening, when the hooter shrieks again, I have to pause to free myself from a nightmare, daze. I have to re- cover my sense of balance that I may walk steadily.
As I drift from the factory building I feel myself coming to life again in the freedom and
fresh air. From this merciful relense until I can stay awake no longer is the only time I am really allve with a human Iden- tity.
Often my mind begins to wander unt my attention is recalled by some little irregu- -larity, Then I lose my train of
thought.
I begin to think about all the people who go into shops where -they see arrayed before them a vast selection of mass-produced goods in attractive wrappers.
How many of them are nwATTS of the mechanical, human toll and oppression of the human spirit which make it possible for alf these things to be brought to them at such low prices? Do they hear the din and turmoil, feel the strain of the Inetorles, see, the turning wheels, the Ured. pallid faces?
At other times, I think of my self as a servant of the public. Jabouring so that people may have the things they need. The load I put on each wagon is sent to all parts of the country for distribution to the shops. I am one of a million- insignificant togs in the ever-turning wheels of production and consumption. My favourite day-dreams are those which take me to places I
To-day's Thought------ NOW that the machine is so perfect, the engineer is
-EMERSON.
nobody.
J
by a Human Cog
have visited during hoildays or week-ends-places where there are great trees and grass and liquid sunshine, where life can be peaceful and leisurely all clay.
Or perhaps my tormented thoughts wander to some little Job I am doing in the house for my wife, to the film we saw on Saturday, or the football match --when suddenly I notice that there is a delay in bringing up an empty wagon.
I walt Impatiently, anxiously. for each precious second the ad- machine 1s gaining an vantage over mé.
In the same department are two other machines of this kind. During my three years I have seen many men come to work on them, and go-beaten, Sometimes they aro given notice; sometimes they leave voluntarily, suddenly.
ནབ
At one time a machine was specially speeded up, and it was then necessary for two workers to take off the cases. At the end of a hard month, their nerves strained to breaking point, one of these exasperated men made a casual, fi-tempered remark to the other. The swollen tor- rent or revolt broke loose. The
11
122
24
two men had to be dragged apart, but not before they had both drawn blood.
How the red light shone in triumph! Those two men had been friends. The machine had turned them against each other and thus defeated them both.
For many health has broken down. Their strength failed them. During the first six months, I lost over a stone in weight. I have never recovered it.
People ask why I still keep on; why I do not find another job or do some other sort of work.
De-
I have a wife to keep. pendable Jobs are not so easy to get, and somebody must do this one, I have proved that I can do it by the evidence of three feless years.
True. I have for short periods been transferred to other operá- tions, too soon to be recalled to battle with my old enemy. I have become fatalistic about it.
To be a slave to this machine seems to be my life's purpose and destiny. It gives me some- thing to fight against. It makes the battle of life a real fight against a visible, yet unconquer- able enemy of steet.
OUR BRITISH CROSSWORDS
「籃
116
10
372120
123
123
29
1:37
10%
12
2
36
130
118
19
12
133
THE
FUNNEL
BLUE
LINE
FAST
REGULAR AND
FREIGHT AND
PASSENGER SERVICES |
LONDON SERVICE
ดานิโล
MEMNON
2 Dec. for Maranilies, Onsablanca, L'ilon, Rotterdam, Hamburg Glasgow ANTENOR antis 16 Dec. for Mac'ios, London, Rotterdam & Glasgow LIVERPOOL SERVICE
HELEN OS
AVITA 1 Dec.
NEW YORK SÉRVICE
PHEMJUS mails 1 Doc.
for Havre, Liverpool &
Bromborough
for Boston. N.Y., Philadelphia &
Baltimore vin Manila, Batavia, Straits & Cape of Good Hops
PACIFIC SERVICE via Kobe, Nagoya & Yokohama)
wails 12th Dec. IXION
for Victoria, Vancouver & Sentile
INWARD SERVICE
LYCAON
Du 30 Nov. From U. K. vin rails ANTILOCHUS De 4 Dec. From Europe via 'traits
Specially reduced fares are quotas for cargo aloamors with
Imited pamerger areommodation. For freight, penge rates and information apply to
BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE.
Tol. 301333.
Agenta.
1. Cornaglıy Road, C.
Y.K.
General Passenger Agents in the Orient for the
CUNARD WHITE STAR LINE. 7
San Francisco via Shanghai, Japan Ports & Honolulu,
Chichibu Maru
Wed., 25th Nov. at 6 a.m.
Tatsuta Maru ...
Agama Maru ..
Scottle & Vancouver,
Wed, 9th Dec. Wed., 6th Jan.
Holan Maru (Starts from Kobo) Mon, 30th Nov, Hikawa Maru (Starts from Kobe) Wed., 16th Dec, Now York via Panama.
South America (West Coast) via Japan, Honolulu,
Los Angeles; Mexico & Panama.
London. Marseilles, Antwerp & Rotterdam,
+Noto Maru
Helyo Maru
Hakone Maru
Suwa Maru
Fushini Maru
Thurs., 3rd Dec.
.Fri., 4th Doc.
.Sat, 6th Dec.
.Sat., 19th Dec.
Sat., 2nd Jan.
Mon., 14th Dec.
Wed., 28th Nov.
Sat, 26th Dec.
.Sat., 28th Nov.
.Mon., 7th Dec,
Sun., 29th Nov.
MARFAK
Martak lubrientes steering systems, shackles, wheel bearings, universals-pro- tects them with a tough, stringy Alm that stays in -place several times longer thari ordinary lubricants.
Obtainable at:
GILMAN MOTORS
Hongkong and Kowloon,
TEXACO
DOLLAR STEAMSHIP LINES AMERICAN MAIL LINE SAILING S
S.S.
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY
WILL SAIL FROM HONGKONG
MIDNIGHT, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER
28th
FOR SHANGHAI, KOBE, YOKOHAMA, SAN FRANCISCO
THENCE TO SEATTLE.
All persons holding Round-the-World- or Pacific Roundtrip
tickets are requested to call at Dollar Line office for information and, reservations.
ACROSS
report when it
3
1 There is cracks. You'll easily get this, it's 50 seasonable!
Which should make it clear. — 11 Like chaff and laugh. 12 There's Chiclónian
13
about this course.
י
touch
corporal's have no feline sociations.
14 in two isn't certain.
17 Often grimy, but may help you
on the water.
20 Too Inte, too late! Ye can- nol--now." (Tennyson's "Guio- tvert.")
22 The power that wins,
23
A little lock.
24 1 wish this variety of coroner
would limit himself to talking..
28 Certain to give you twelve
months
27 Social occasion that
would
show the attendance it the 1me were not omitted.
28 Blotch..
31 There's a lot in such material. 34 To be more than keert,
35 A Jugoslav
30 Part with it, and it will y
37 What the relentless never feel
about a code.
38 No old hand In Tyrone.
39 Found In any resort.
2 Composer.
DOWN
3 Used to produce one copy; now
It produces millions.
To make a song about a vehicle
is frightening.
5 Sort of lid, but if you take off Ila head, there's still a hat left.
0 Could it ever have been sold to Indicate one's station on the
- railway?
7 Cruel confusion.
8 To do it to a boat requires
neither ribbons or lace.
10 In the waste-pipe. (No, this is
no trap.)
15 Bury him in the meanwhile? 10 Any toad (magram). 10 Advice to dog and bird. 10 Graceful.
20 Finished,
21 Issues a report for which the
lazlest pupil doesn't care one shot.
25 Migrate (unagrom).
26 Guin like a band of singers.
28 Wine given on leaving perhaps.
29 Most of this wood has the
quality of the herring.
30 Back prefix.
31 Goddess like a sequence.
32 Evokes no sign of insubordina- tion on the part of a traveller. 33, Pold by the Istener.
Saturday's Solution.
= FIDDLESTICKSET DEMNOBANUMORCH )
MPETUS CERTAIN LWORTH IN KEN@ME C LOÏRYEQUZ SETIA UETERERUPT GEN MESSR SEEDASTRI D I THON SCORNERE* NEBULARER TREAD 8 AMANNYARNSEE GEC TUBES LE O. BA IZ E- I MYLE BIT-ANTA NÍ 01 LCAKE INSTANT IN ONE IN OF RETAM EFNIGHTINGALE SE)
܂
Liverpool-va Port Said; Beyrouth, Istanbul, Piraeus,
and Marsellles.
Sydney & Melbourno via Manila & Ports.
Dakar Maru
Kamo Maru
Atsula Maru
Bombay via Singapore, Periang, & Colombo.
†Tokiwa Maru
+Genoa Maru
Calcutta via Singapore, Penang & Rangoon,
+Hakodato Maru
Lisbon Maru ....
Shanghai, Kobe & Yokohama.
Hakozak Maru
Terukuni Maru
. Mon., 7th Dec.
Fri., 4th Dec. .Tues., 15th Dec,
Kitano Maru (N'saki direct) Mon., 21st Dec.
† Carge Only.
Burns Philp Lines, Joint Passenger Agents,
Gibb, Livingston & Co., Ltd.
Tel. 30291.
MAM
MESSAGERIES
MARITIMES
REDUCED PASSAGE RATES
NOW IN APPLICATION:
Mr. & Mrs. Y. Mori MASSAGE
Aexpunetore, Moxocamle and Bona Betting) Holder of Japanese and Hongkong: Govern ment Liconors. Cores forsland Ankle and Wrista. Recommended for many your b Local torpilala and Doctors,
4 Wradham Street. (1st floor). Tel. 20031.
DOLLAR STEAMSHIP. LINES * AMERICAN MAIL LINE**
•
12 Pedder Street
CANTON BRANCH
21 French Concession. Shameen
COUNT THE
"TELEGRAPHS"
EVERYWHERE
MARSEILLES
LONDON
1st Class 2nd Class 3rd Class
A
£78
£62
£39
B
£75
£59
£38
A
£85
£67
£44*
В
£82
£64
£43*
• 2nd Class from MARSEILLES to LONDON by rail.
For full Particulars, apply to:
Tel. 26651.
Cia dos MESSAGERIES MARITIMES
Page 10Page 11