HONGKONG' TELEGRAPH
December 5, 1939.
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The
Thongkong Telegraph.
Tuesday, December 5, 1939. Wyndham St., Hongkong Telephone: 26615
THE prax "Bpecial to the Telegraph" in vied by the "Hongkong Telegraph" to indicate news which is strictly copyright ander the provisions of the Telecommu- rations Ordinance, 1. Buch news a bears the indication " is received in Hongkong on the date of publication by the United Fresy Associations, who re- serve all rights and forbid repablitation, either wholly or to part without previous
Trauzoment.
A Grim Warning
SUNDAY'S disastrous fire in Shanghai Street is but another oblique, but nonetheless grim reminder to Government of the slum problem in Hongkong-a. problem which, the authorities have casually announced, is to be ignored "for the duration."
Charity Supper Dance And Cabaret fire brigade or
in ald of
Chinese Refugee Relief, and British Local Emergency Funds
under the auspices of
THE HONGKong chinesE WOMEN'S CLUB-
at the Peninsula Hotel
on THURSDAY, 14 DECEMBER, 1939 -
from 9 p.m. to 2 am,
Price $6.00
(Mah Jongg and Bridge for non-dancers)
(Please Reservo Your Table at Hongkong or Peninsula Hotels)
LONDON STUNNED! THIS LETTER MEANT MURDERT
Why did Count Duni Writo:11? What buffled Scotland:Yard? fitilons tonous crime-buster truppoilla london's greatest mysteryl, Thrill-romantel, Acifoni drenched shamalegh
You are hereby authorized by my Government to deliver an additional $1,000,000 in currency.
INMEDIATE DELIVERY IS IMPERATIVE.
bout D.L. Duni for THE GOVERNIT THE
SAINTIN LONDON
GEORGE SANDERS SALLY GRAY.
David Barns-Gordon McLeod. Athene Seyfer Henry Depar
SHOWING
WITH
"THE WARNING"
AT
TO-MORROW QUEEN'S
THE
"NOW I SHALL CATCH
IT!"
The Strange Story of the
Hater Who Didn't Mean It
L
OVING your enemies is --heaven knows!--a dim- cult (and; to my mind, a rather hypocritical) job, but liating them is a dangerous
Onc.
Consider, for example, the The appalling loss of life in
pathetic case of the man who this intest tragedy cannot in any
as the Arch- became known sense be laid at the door of the
Hater of the twentieth century. others who
I am speaking of Ernest LIS- worked so hard and despairingly sauer, who wrote the Hymn of
the in attempting to rescue Hate, possibly the most famous
war poem in history. trapped inmates of the two tene- ments. The blame for this lies The passionate polson of this solely with the Government epic of Prussian acid, you feel as which allows buildings of this you read it could only have. qua- nature still to be in existencenated from some blond German with eyes blazing fighting-man in these days of modern, fire-blue with hatred and muscular proof architecture.
body taut with actual experience in the field of battle.
רוד
delighted to play Bach, and a mind whose thoughts fell naturally into veraes.
Yes, Lissauer was a lyrical poet who nursed a tender muse under- neath the frame of a man- mountain. His face was as round or the moon. He had three chins.
He was a lovable person.
But Ernst Lissauer was a kindly, For years past the authorities,
naive and prepusterously fat man both through the cruel school of experience and from warnings with visionary eyes, fingers that by competent critics, have been told that the type of Chinese tenement houses so prevalent in the congested native areas both on the island and the mainland, are a menace to health, life and property. It is true there have been improvements in the more recent tenement erections, but in view of Sunday's disaster, it is pertinent to ask why Govern- ment has not thought fit to con- sider more seriously the in- herent perils of dwellings such as those in Shanghai Street and the adjacent areas in Yaumati.
This is the worst fire disaster since the West Point explosion, and its gravity is not the whit lessened by the knowledge that
it may possibly be reproduced in a dozen parts of the Colony at any time. Such a dangerous possibility cannot be ignored by Government, which should forth- with, assume its responsibilities and introduce emergency legis- lation capable of obviating re- petition of such a tragedy.
Pleas that the question is too complex to permit an immediate solution do not impress us. The lives of Hongkong residents have a greater meaning to us than the vested interests of a fow landowners. Government must co-operate with landlords, if necessary, to give effect to proper measures for the aboll- tion of these living death trups. The authorities must go to the extent of saying that not only cannot one-way tenement blocks be built in the future, but those already in existence must be pulled down, and now and safer buildings erected. Until this is
done, in conjunction, of course. with.. ameliorating, measures. against overcrowding,, catas- trophes such as that of Shang. hal Street can, and may occur any day.
THE 1914 war came, Ziasquer awoke o no morning to read that his beloved Germany was at- tacked. That meant, to him, not the Kaiser, not the landed wealth nor the economic treasures of his country, but that Goethe, Schiller, Heine were in danger. To the re- German poetry cruiting office! must be
defended!
But
the recruiting sergeant sent the man-mountain home again. Nature had not intended him to
be a soldier.
D
Bo Lissauer sat down at his desk and poured out war poema, mort of which had a life no longer than that of the average cartoon. But the seventh one he wrote took on. "This Hymn of Hate against Stefan Zweig has
was not by a long way the most blood-thirsty of the Ger- man war poems; it was only poetically the best.
Newspaper after newspaper copied it. It was printed on post- cards, publicly recited all over Germany:
fiate of the hammer and hate of
the crown,
Hate of seventy millions, choking
doton,
We love as one, we hate as one, We have one foe and one alone-
ENGLANDI
THEN the German War Office realised' that here was a plece of superb propaganda ready to their hands, and the poem was incorporated in army orders. It was oficially recited to soldiers wherever they assembled in military formation. Army newspapers, published it by order.
In the schools the children sald It over and over again mechanic- ally until they had learnt it by heart. Before long sevenly mil-
by STUART FLETCHER
lion people could reclie Ernst Lissauer's Hymn of Hate."
Lissauer, the visionary poet, who had never been in England, knew nothing of politics, understood nothing of the causes of the war, but had just rushed like a great sentimental ox into a situation which he was possibly too great- hearted to understand, had re- leased a wave of hatred which was finally to break on his own head.
Meanwhile, the Kalser decorated him with the Order of the Red Eagle,
WHEN peace came the In professional haters Germany hid their own less successful martial outpourings behind Lissauer's bulk, pointed accusing fingers at him, and dubbed him "Hata Lissauer."
The poor hater was so bated that he had to leave Germany and ve in Austria. Few would print his verses. His plays cessful.
were
unsuc-
On the outskirts of Vienna he wandered in the dreamy woodland where Haydn and Schubert had wandered before him, writing. In
Stefan Zwelg's words, "n series of plays and prose works and excep- tionally beautiful poems, rich and pure in quality but they passed unnoticed."
When the Nazi revolution took place you might have expected a return to favour for the poor man, even against his will. But no! His writings were banned. The man who had been outlawed because he had been too German was now out- lawed again because he was not German enough,
LISSAUER was a broken man. He died (just ten years ago) in Vienna, completely lonely-in-abject- poverty. He had come to long for death.
Even recantation had not helped him. He had written: "I know now that my poem would have been better expressed as a song of love for Germany than hate for Eng- land. It hurts me now that my
name is associated with ideas of destruction.
death and
"It looks to me," he had added prophetically, "as if a new war would mean the final annihilation of Western culture,"
So this sorcerer's apprentice who played unwisely with the dangerous magic of hate and taught the formula of hatred, to seventy mil- Hons of his fellows, letting loose an emotion which he could not con- trol, ended by hating himselt.
GRIN AND BEAR IT
10%
By Lichty
"Of course she's unhappily married--but the little fool docan't realixo it!".
A Look Through The “Telegraph”
50 YEARS AGO
Dec. 6, 1880. Sinokolens powder has proved a hum bug, as it will not retain its normal explosive quality under prolonged field. service. Such Is the verdict of the English Department.
Professor Paul
Wiegert, A dis- tinguished German, figures that 7 centa worth of food will keep a strong man In good form from day to day and that would all be healthier without underwear or overcoats.
WO
The recent order of the British Admiralty directing that all the sob. sidized merchant steamers intended for use in time of war shall strip them- polven of yards has been complied with by all the subsidized vessols sailing out of New York.
·
During the building and decoration of the present Parilament leuse in London, the Queen expressed dia- approval of the robing room to Mr. Harry, the architect (father of the late Primate of Australia). At which Mr. Barry and "I am very sorry, your Majesty, because I like it, and there's an end at the matter." And be walked eff.
25 YEARS AGO
Dec., 1914. The Press Bureau announces that. His Majesty the King travelled-to-France last night on a visit to the British Headquarters.
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•
Wo have somatimes thought of run-
ning a daily record of the sine, negligences and ignorances of that. divinely ordained institution the Bong- kong Post Ofẹo, but charity and want many of space forbid. Among the minor masterpieces of system on which one might congratulate it, in the con dition of affairs that obtaine on matl days at the registered letter and stamu counters.
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*
To anve the crews of warships struck by mines, or torpedoed by submariner, winen other warships have been pro- hibited from going to their assistance, the Admiralty will supply swimming collars to the officers and men of the feet. Thu men are Instructed that the callar shall be carried on their person when they are awake and kept inflatal eur each individual when
La asleep.
10 YEARS AGO..
しみ
Oslo, Dea, b, 1929. The Nobel Committee of the Storting has decided not Prizes for 1928/20.
award the Peace
Officers and members of St. Andrew's Society observed St. Andrew's Day by laying a wreath on the Cenotaph this morning, Those present assembled at. the entrance to the Hongkong Club and walked to the Cenotaph two-deep. The wreath was laid by Mr. A. H. Ferguson, the Chieftain.
These present, in addition to the Culeftain, ware Mr. R. M. Dyer, Mr. Wylie, Mr. R. Butherland, Mr. E .. Besden, Mr. P. Tod, Mr.. K. E. Greig, Mr. K. 9. Morrison, Mr. A. Ritchie, Mr. H. R. Forsyth, Mr. P. W. Ramang and Mr. G. Duncan.
5 YEARS AGO
"Paris, Dec. 6, 3934.
Li-lateral Although France has no treaty with Russia, the two nations aro agreed upon common polley for the protection of the peaca in Europe, de- clared M. Laval, the French Forelan Minister, whan speaking to the Chan- ber of Dopsties to-day.
He urged. Proaldent Hitler of Geri meny, who bad airmed his will for ponce, to Join France in her Eastern European polley and urged Germany to re-enter the League of Nations,
Berlin.. The revelation that International Jewry had made a peace offer to Germ. many, on condition that the Germa Government changed ita pulley regard- ing Jown, was made by Herr Frick, Minister of the Interior, in a speech at Chemnits Lo-dgy, More Frick added that the offer was not worth codaldar- Ing. The Jews in Germany had no reason to complain of unjust trant- ment.
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The two Far Eastern express liners.. Scharnhorst and Oneisenau at present under construction for the Norddeuts cher Lloyd, will be put into service ins the spring and autumn of 1935 respa¢- 1tively.