POCKET CARTOON
"Let's drink to my New Your resolution to stop drinking."
Paul Holt's
Thinking Aloud
You Can't Have -T was
Your Cake And Ent Week.
Vyacheslav Scriabin, popular.
ly known as Molotov, learned
D
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1948.
Samson led the first
Jewish
guerillas
but was betrayed by
the woman he loved
and
ines, as they saw him, bent old and blind, grinding of the mill. his strength vanished bin Jokes and urido dlust. But they, too, inust. have been blind, for they failed. see that his hair had grown again.
10
and
Then, to mock him the more, they OWN through the ages }
dragged him from prison as a kin there have been many
of buffoon, and he was led 'stumbl- great love stories, and
ing by a boy into the enormous ban- most of them have ended in
quet hall to "make sport" for the Philistines at the feast of their god. tragedy, but few can equal in
Dagon. There were abou! 3,000 vividness and drama that of
people there, and after he had done Samson and Delilah. In all-
his "turn" Samson asked the boy tion to being one
lend him to the central pillar of the greatest, it
that he could lean against it in ane
the for 10 years they had been subject of
"Although you have done this, rest. oldest of them, for it was lived Philistines were Phoenicians of non- then I will be quiet," Samson said prayed, "I Lord God, remember me to the conquering Philistines. The yet will I be revenged of you, and As he stood by the pillar, Samson many years before there Was Semitte stock, who had effected when he heard the news. even a King David to rule permanent rettlement on the constal "a great slaughter of them"
He made and restore to me now my former in the shadow centuries
and strength....that I plain of Palestine
to then took to the open country, with myself on my enemies, and for the and will endure As
Mount Carmel, and, superlor in cul- a Philistine army after him, de loss of recurring inspiration in life, the tribes of Judols and Dan
ture and military art, had overcome manding of the Israelites
and urrender of the brigand. literature and art for so long as established their garrisons over the human passions remuin
Offcials among! essen- country.
the
Israelites tially the same.
visiled Samson and tried to 11 would seen that the yoke of sense to him. Ile returned stub the Philistines was not excessively bornly, "As they did to me, so have heavy, for nothing is sald of heavy I done to them," but when
Nevertheless the Israelites broke the news that they had de resented the domination, but they cided to surrender him, he agreed had no leader to unify them against to go quietly and permitted himself to be bound and led to the Philis- the invaders.
tings.
Israel B.C.,
an ever-
taxes.
from Gaza
The main motif of the story of Samson and Delilah-that of a man betrayed through his uncontrolled love for a woman, and she the will ing Instrument of his betrayal and punishment-crops up in a number of disguises in modern life. It was
At the juncture, Samson was born probably old in the Biblical times to Manoah and his wife, heralded when it was first recorded.
by the appearance of an angel to
at te word be born to the bine. wife, was required to dedicate her- nature The self and her son to God on a Naza-
Today it seems oddly sophisticat- ed, a colourful patch unique in the sober history of the Old Testament, the character of Samson, especially having an unrivalled reality.
this ageing truth the hard way. He began fe and said goodbye to the other three Foreign Ministers with n
RS onc of God's elect, chosen to lead the people of Israel out of bondage by the Phills- tines. But he failed to live up to
look of frank disbelief on his his possibilities, and became one of
face.
that Democracy is no
better
that
those who are always preparing to turn over a new leaf but never quite Ketting round to it,
Growing abnormally strong. Sam- son became a surt of swashbuckling guerilla leader, a practical joker on the Philistines, asking them riddles, staying them contemptuously with the jawbone of an ass, burning their corn. striding love-making their strongholds and escaping with the gates of one city on his bull-like shoulders.
into
His going left Britain very much where she was before. embattled on behalf of her old-fashioned girl- friend. Democracy, and inoderately cheerful in the fight.
There are some who say darkly
she should be, but we love her $111. Our water-Inden winds and gentle climate made her blow and made her peculiary ours. Just now the old girl is a bit of a burden to us, and there are some who shrug their shoulders ind would let At one stage he took to the hills,
hunted by the But she won't go.
entire her go.
Philistue proof of Army, and with the contempt of a And if you want the that, consider Mr. George Isaacs's Kuerilla leader, tricked them single-
Then the handed. figures for the first month of
came time when Engagement Control of
Order:
unc War
of the "judges" volunteered them-
becoming some sort into essential jobs-ten official.
60,000 people selves
were pushed.
There's
Democracy
for
you.
Good old gal.
For the record
CHRISTMAS
obstruction
up on 025
A
Father
to
he Israel.
woman
rite, which meant that the chlid Samson was to lead a life of austerity and purity, and not to cut
his 'hale.
This ill-starred Biblical love
story is one of the world's
great romances
BY A SPECIAL
CORRESPONDENT
the the
may revenge
formal revenge two eyes'I may take one
talk
they
IE Philistines grected the sight of him with exultant shouts, but as he drew near, he broke the cords as though they were "flax burned with fire," then pleking up an im- promptu weapon-the jawbone of thousand of them. an ass he slew a Intoxicated with power, as he hit out, he
he song of his prowess, and secins, by his spirit and have routed them shut.
to
With his not inconsiderable. feat the curtain dropped down O his life for years, the Testament mere- ly recording that "he judged Israel twenty years," which suggests that his tribesmen established him 113
some official capacity.
Samson had
arrived at middle age when he appeared in the Testa- meni ngalu. Apparently he retain-) ed his predilection for Philistine women for the chapter opens signi- fcantly. "Then
went Sumsan Gaza and saw there an harlot went in unto her."
10
and
The Philistines got news of the presence in their midst of their old enemy. They surrounded
the and
house, locked the town gates,
watched and waited through
Samen
Then grasping the pillar with his an adjoining one right hand and with his left, tragic, no longer un- dignified, the blind glant cried out, Let me die with the Philistines," and with that he brought down the tors, killing himself and all the com- appalling avalanche on his formen-
pany.
Own
No doubt dazed with their tragedy, the Philistines let the dend hero's kin search for his body among the chaos and bear it re- verently to a quiet grave among the hills of Dan to bury him beside his
Inther
III
SIDE GLANCES
By Galbraith
L
COR. 1947 BY KEA BERVICE, ÎNG, TIM, HED, U, KUFAT, DEY.
"I like to defend' oases like this one with an element of chance either we make a nice bit of money or you go to Jall!"
:
IF IT'S QUICK
THE JEWS
WILL WIN
JERUSALEM.
N the lounge of my hotel
a radio has just begun broadensting the o'clock news bulletin in
Hebrew.
Reven
the The life of the hotel has come
of Samson Frew up physically night in silence, so as to capture to a standstill. Everyone, from of strong, but occasionally back-slid him as he left in the morning. the waiters smooth. durk
in the matter of austerity
Samson must have suspected the and But with the appearance of Dell- purily, and a love affair brought trap, or got news of it, for at mid-young men from Berlin and inh in his middle
age. Samson's him into active
with Budapest - to opposition to the night he left the place, and,
the guests- story became tragedy. She was the Philistines. Attracted by a Phills typical boastful humour, lifted the quiet, comfortable, middleclass
created from the tine girl he saw at Timnath, he in- gates of the city beginning of time to the downfall of sisted on his parents obtaining her and
cican out, posts folk who began life speaking all. carried
them on strength-conscious, vain, frolicsome as his wife. At arst they demur- shoulders to the top of a
his Czech, or Polish, or German-- iants like Samson, and his fate was red, but saw in his
nearby
is in the lounge listening. hill, and left them there. demand sealed from the day he met her. hand of God and
"After this he loved a woman who arranged Delilah was the last of Philistine women
series of inarriage, and Samson went to Tim- dwelt in the valley of Sorck, and she Samson loved, nath to see his betrothed.
was called Delilah," the Bible story although apologists might ar
continues. Some claim that Samson gue that she was a patriotic heroine On the way, a young llon in a married her, others that she was who betrayed him for the sake of vineyard "roared ngainst him." another prostitute, but there is no her own people, the more general Without a weapon, Samson "tore description given of her. view is that she was simply another him as he would have torn a kid." sold her lover for On a later visit, he found that a swarm of bees and had taken pos- session of the lion's carcase, 50 took the honey, ate it and brought some of the comb home to
erepl rather uneasily. Christmas was fined £1 at Walsall for
Conventry children
Torbidden were pantomine fairies...a wild turkey esenped from the London Zoo, but WAS happily recaptured sudden death overtook it holy war between Jews and Arabs money, Was halted while Jala oranges were collected.
Quotes
before
the
woman
who
TE story of Samson's betrayal and parents.
fall is one of the most graphic
A Flat company has existered and Bible--alder
be called, "Far From
dening Crowd."
Night ride
the
HE is 22. At the northern
versity where he
March-
uni-
studying for a B.Sc. he had found life turbed by the number of heardet
oaths pards, full of strange odd adventures, but recently de- motbed.
Their talk excited him
The somewhat bizarre story, has treated in three ways been
he theologians and students. Learned dis-hooks have been written on "what It owes to the Greek." By some it regarded as an excellent piece of Hebrew folk lore, ranking with the wonderful stories of giants heroes like Hercules, with astonishing feats of strength
ani
in the lecture rooms and, perhaps for this reason, he decided to try
riddle was
cater
he
his
"Out of the
came forth ineat; "Out of the strong came forth
sweetness."
They are listening with the tension I know too well. It is the tension of Warsaw during those last days of August 1939. As they listen they all seek an answer to the same question Is there to be war?
Yes, I have travelled to many THIS time. Samson's enemies re-{countries during the past two sorted to strategy. The leadersyoars where history is being approached her and asked her to find made. out the secret of his great strength pressed me with the same senso But nothing has im- so that they could capture him.
way.
trulha
Sefton Delmer's NEWSMAP
reporting first-hand from Palostino's front-line villages and weighing up the chances as both sides mancouvre for position
The headman wild he was being callesi ort to pay 317 Palestine pounds a year for his land instead to now. of the 10 he had paid up "We shall refuse to pay ng much na plastre of the new tax," he said, and the crowd angrily roared assent. "We have lived here since the time. of the Prophet, and even before. Here we stay."
A Jew speaks
THE other side of the pleture was
given to me when I called on n Jewish friend of mine in Telaviv.
"Dear friend," he said "I have a favour to nak you. Please when you walk about the streets in Telaviv do not speak English. Speak German."
The Jews, he said, were furious. because the British were giving army to Arabs and taking them away from Jews Yet in theory, troops and police have orders to confiscate all arms they And held by un- authorised persons.
In practice, as I found in the Old City of Jerusalem, you just cannot areas through which ro Jewish bus prevent troops and police feeling.
can pass without being attacked.
certain sympathy for Arabs after Jews, Arabs and British were killed fare from the organisation which is During one week in Palestine, 500 experiencing two years of thug war- or wounded in partition battles. This now requesting and expecting their is forcing the British to implement help. cdministrative partition.
To add to
the confusion; the British, much to the disgust of the Arabs, are Ignoring legal military training being
undertaken by Haganah.
'Pre-partition"
Confidence
While we stay here and yet per- THE decision to withdraw British
and Arab police from the Telaviv mit all this disorder, we only make area and hand over power to Jewish it more certain that a blow-up must Each offered to pay her 1,100 pieces of historic drama as what I police while at the same time-per-come and that it will be on-the- its intention to make a screen. even than the spectacle of Job bowed
of silver. Delllah agreed readily. have seen going on here in this ning the Jewish Agency to recruit biggest scale. "Far under the weight of version of Thomas Hardy's
This marriage-breakfast, Samson and set about the job. accumulated
and arm a local civic guard respon- pocket-handkerchief From the Madding Crowd." I as
territory sible only to the Agency, In effect human misery, cursing the das est propounded 4 ridtile to the Three times Samson put her off of Palestine. the title his birth; or Jeremiah weeping over Philistine guests, giving them seven with three lles, playing with her in that
established intended, however,
Jews in sole command shall be changed,
The film is to the lost, condition of his land. And, days to answer it. He promised a his characteristically clumsy
It will affect the whole Middle of this area. with Samson's death, bound, blind prize of 30 shirts and 30 coats to possibly even aware that her Philis: East territory, whose security.
What is the strength and How this pre-partition partition ed, enslaved to the hated foreigner, the one giving the correct answer, tininn friends were hidden behind
determination (a) of Jews comes that touch of sublimity that end if no-one could answer it, they a curtain in her bedroom, and over-contentedness and prosperity works out I saw for myself when I
(b) of Arabs? The trouble has inspired writers for centuries. were to give him the garments. The confident of his power to deal with have for generations heen of Sheikh, Muwanis, just outside Telaviv mined and both are arrogantly over- visited the small Arab village of is that both are fanatically deter them.
vital concern to the British The village came under police control confident in their own strength. At length "when she pressed him] Commonwealth. daily with her words and urged him
of the neighbouring townlet of
Araba have talked to me of driving Now, these are the main Ramatgan.
the Jews into the sea, flooding the to that his soul was vexed unto factors in the situation as far
lentl." he told her the
Before the new order was imposed a Jewish State-with Arabs fron Jewish area-they refuse to call it belief common in
antiquity-that as I have been able to discern the Ramatgan station consisted of Palestine and Arab States outside. Determined to get the answer, the is strength lay in his hair, the un- them during the time I have Arab and Jewish constables working
They boast that large stares of shorn and Philistines persuaded Samson's bride
of a Nuzarite.
peacefully together under a British arms are pouring in and that there spent here:---
chief. If police had to sent to Sheith are plenty more where they came their to worm the answer from him. Delilah
now summoned the Phills- and threatening her that unless she dirt Samson
fine lenders, and, after coaxing
The British are unwill- British or Arab. never Jewish. But fully trained cadres who have seen Muwanis they would always be from." courage. In their belief it belongs they would burn down, her father's to shave off "the seven locks of his
to
They insist that they have en she called a barber sleep, she
Ring to be parties to the now it is only possible to send Jews, to the folk tales of the earliest days house and her in it.
war service with the British Army of the Israelites, when they
head." Then, with perhaps a sud- forcible conquest of Palestine. As a result came close to being and are equal in tactical leadership lighted in the spirit of
revulsion, she thrust him away by Jews. It has to be forcible lynched when I tried to enter the tnd discipline to the best Haganah I must have been n
den miserabla
-from her and
and roused him with the in view of the Arab refusal to warned would be impossible. eymoon, because Samson
village--an undertaking I had been forces. had
"The Philistines are upon thee, recognise the to withstand the feminine persun- cry,
The Jews fell me they do not ex- right of Jewish stons of tears and allegations that Samson.
The Arabs had hidden armed peet it will take them more than a Some evangelists have gone so far he "did not love" her. On
Confident that he was'n glant in immigrants to establish
an m guards in an orange grove outside, few days to clean up the Arabs. Near Huntington it happened. as to identify Samson with Christ seventh day, the nagged so much my world, Samson went out to nutonomous State in what has and as our car slowly lumbered in "We have a hundred times better
in the and Delilah with the There was a man ahead
Church that Samson told her the answer, deal with his enemies, but the wist been Arub country for 12 cen- two of them leaped on it and drove discipline. more emcient leader-. middle
the road, swinging n ol
selfless love and a selfish one--and She rushed off with the news to her not that the Lord was departed from turies.
ship, and us as prisoners into the village.
a superior intelligence torch; The driver pulled up. have hung treat weights on slender countrymen, and they came to Sem- him,"
It seemed to me a long time before service. What munitions we do not sun Just before sunset and recited: Samson fought as valiantly as he The British have declared my admirable Armenian guide, John produce In Palestine we shall get Just then the young man saw three allegorical wires.
had in bygone times, but figures running from the left hedge;
his that they will not take un Mavrisian, was able to convince it from broad. And we have got the They claim that the 30 Philistines They
strength had gone, and his three more from the right.
Jews:
meant money." focs steps to enforce partition be villagers we were not vaunting their solution of a riddle
a easily overcame him. They put out fore giving up the mandate and ed around as we were offered Turkish carried guns, he thought.
no harm. The whole village gather- them after they driver Samson has asked
-In one version, "pulled He shouted, and
AD WE Dre
Hmbs leaving the country. There have wormed it from his wife
eyes, bound his ponderous stepped hard on the gas,
Samson representation of the
went a significant
off to another with brass chains, bundled him off
In fact the clash between Arabs coffee as a symbol of welcome.
The
Informed me the headman was a burst of firing behind them.
science. Philistine city, killed 30 men philosophers and men of
and to Gaza, and harnessed him to the and Jews has already but the shots weat
They wild.
And that the regrowth of his hair is stripped them of their garments 40 grinding mill in the prison house.
partitioned first act of the Jews had been to im- the country Into Jewish They were
arcas pose an urban land tax in place of carrying
the symbol of his repentence
as to redeem his pledge. Then he and
Samson's capture and cnslave- which the Arabs can visit only at the much lower rural aren tax they
Arab had paid hitherto. the Lord," which is the ren! secret frily back to his parents.
do-
to ride down to London by night lorry.
The driver said: "Well, we ngen't But I'd be glad of supposed to.
adventure the company. All I ask is--don't and boisterous stories of exploits of go to sleep. Keep your eyes skinned superhuman prowess. the left side of the road watch the right."
got away.
the
while
a cargo of carburetters and spark-
"What is sweeter than honey? "And what is stronger than
lion?
.
the
out"-isis
ing plugs, worth quite a fortune. I regeneration, so that "the spirit of delt his wife and stumped of an- ment were vaunted by the Philis-danger to their lives,
Dick Turpin rides the night roads of England again.
Mechanical Cows
For G.I. Joe
The US Army is going to Bome "mechanical cows" to
send
of his strength, returns to him.
L
But most people interpret i, in
the way St. Paul did, as o
story.
T the time of the wheat harvest,
written for our admonition-that A.he apparently thought botter of
hose with the greatest endowment thugs and
and that a life beginning with the
returned to Timnath,
kid. .present of a
and
BY THE WAY by Beachcomber
of personal power may be perverted bringing for his estranged wife the MALEPESTE! A writer, dis- midle age smiles in sympathy Įmbroglio fairest prospects may end in dark father-in-law broke the disturbing mians, says, "Yes. Their youth Granny, granny! He's lying! DE
His dismayed cussing Murger's Bohe- with Marcel! news that. thinking Samson had left was gay and carefree. But what
ness.
African
Can't we carry. on this corres-
A forecast.
BUT the most confident bet of the Jean is the diplomatin one. Abdullah-who is reputed to do what the British tell him-is anxious to annex to his kingdom of Transjordan Arab sections of Pales- tine lott
against
Our
with the
"Abdulla, partition.
Bay my Jewish friends, "will make a show of joining In a holy wor
114. Then, when we have got Palestino, Arabs on the run, and chaos among theih fa-at its-height, he will come. In with EAR Miss Slopcorner,
his Arab legion to restore order..
"Peace and goodwill will break her for good, he had given her to of middle age?" Out upon such THE South
Abdullah will become Когод
carpenter pondence at a higher level, without out. one of the Philistine guests at the
employing third persons? All friend and with his help enhanced and other places in the Far East
wedding breakfast.
rat-talk! Sensible Bohemians who swallowed 2,442 nails was really want is a photo of you. All by dissenalen among Arab States Lack of fresh milk in the Orlent
THE poet, Milton, was inspired by
play the fool in youth, and then probably employed by the Ministry that offelal stuff was eyewash. I we shall make friends bren and Pacifle arena "has long
Hastily he added that her sister
of Food to advertise an alternative want it to put beside my bed. Can Arab world." the story to one of the greatest was younger and better-looking and
become ranges.
to sausages made of mud. I was I have one? considered a major problem, due to
It sounds good to me every time ho wrote.. He presented would moke a suitable the
Bubstitute. soldier's licing for poems
once returning across the Mediter- average
hear it-un! I remember the Recall Samson as a proud patriot, imbued But Samson was furious and vowed "Scents
the closing lines of the ranean from Trobizond when on with the twin ideas of serving God vengeance against all Philistines. milk," the authorities sald,
fanaticism of the Mufl and the fury de la Vic de Boheme." artist fell overboard with all and his people, who came a cropper
his Arabs. Says Redolphic, "Let us go dine in baggage round his neck A whale Handel
As a start, he caught 300 foxes, our old tavern in the rue du Four, got him, north of Cape St. Vincent, wrote an oratorio on the theme, and coupled them tall to tall, and, fas-where we were so hungry when we and we threw one-inch nails into Dear Mr Grampound, So the Quartermaster Corps will Saint Saens turned it into romon- tening lighted torches between the had finished eating." "Not 1," says the beast's throat, hoping to make What hna my daughter said send experts and equipment neces
he turned them loose,
to thus deterring ill-organised Arab the opera, as did the Russian, An- talls,
to Marcel. "I don't mind looking back him vomit the artist. The whate you to incurridge such familiarity allies from Joining in they will win. sary for producing reconstituted dreyov, in his play, Samson in wreak havoc in the standing corn into the past, but it must be with a choked to death, and we hauled and you a Mayor The poor girl
Chains,"
of the Philistines and to set up
But if it becomes a long-drawn- ů bottle of good wine, and sitting in a him aboard and cut him open, and was in tears when she brought me out war, the economic disorder and bush fire which consumed neigh- comfortable chair. I'm corrupted, there was the artist strolling round your letter with its scandylous re-riisery which Arab guerillas can The age in which Samson lived bouring vineyards and olive groves, you will. I no longer like any the bolly, admiring his own pictures quest. Pray Iny off is the earnest cause will become intolerable for the was one of the least civilised in the The Philistines replied with the but the good things of life." How which he had hung on the nails, wish of history of Israel. The moral life of wild Justice of burning Samson's extrenie youth despises that ending all round the inside of the whale.
Jewish population confined to the Yrs truly. the Hebrews had deteriorated, and father and Samson's wife.
to all the Jolly ragamadolfo How And a murrala ba you all.
adding that Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Gusm and Okinawa are unsuitable for dairy farming,
milic.
European occupation troops do not have a milk shortage problem, the U.S. Army Bald, because Danish dairymen supply their needs. Associated Press.
over a worthless
woman,
his
Yours ever,
T. Cleverley Grampound.
of
My
can
keep
Palestine
Mabel Stopcorner.,
parrow const.
own belief is that if the Jews
the
struggle with tho Arabs short and sharp,
beachhead on the Palestino