1938-05-16 — Page 8

Page: 8.

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 16, 1988.

23 Millions Learn About Life!

THE other day I happened, to be forward all the time to better and a bad moral Influence upon

Tlunching in the company of still better things.

Do you remember those jerky. a certain noble lady whose intellec- tual distinction has long been ac- bioscope westerns of your childhood no cepted by her fellow countrymen. days? If you do I need say Suddenly, to my horror, she openly more.

Frankly, however, this rapid ad- declared the talk having turned upon a recent film which most mem- vancement in taste and technique bers of the party had apparently is not my thesis. enjoyed "I never go to see these wretched pictures. Their influence on the people strikes me as appall- ing."

Such a maddening generalisation' makes my blood pressure jump peri- lously upwards.

It is so affected, so antiquated, so typical of a highbrow section of the community, and above all in corrigibly stupid.

50

was Precisely the same rubbish talked centuries ago when Caxton set up his printing press..

Dangerous, they said, to let the common people have access to the printed word.

Books would put ideas into their heads, ideas about life that might

to be pernicious and deadly community.

What timid twaddle that to us to-day!

the

I hope, naturally, for that Uto- pian day when every film will reach 100 per cent. perfection.

I rejoice in the films of our times which display outstanding merit.

But meanwhile I do not base my argument upon exceptional achieve- ments.

It is not these; it is the average contemporary film I am just how defending, the very ordinary movie, and especially the realistic movie, the sex triangle, the gangster pic- ture, the small-town comedy, the drama of the race track, the under- world, the divorce court!

In a word, all of those pictures which constitute the rank and file of movie production to-day.

I uphold these pictures against they conventional opinion because seems teach our people, and especially our

young people, about life.

There is, no need to hammer home the argument.

·

We can admit the inadequacy, individual books. the inanity of The mass effect of literature re- mains. And so it is with this new art, this marvellous reproduction of life, the moving talking picture.

We have all seen bad pictures. The first talkie ever made was a tinny song scena lugubriously en- titled "Sonny Boy." But out of "Sonny Boy" came "Mutiny on the Bounty," "Henry VIII," "Dods- worth" and "Emile Zola."

Nowadays it is no use maintain- ing that pious Victorian sentiment that the eyes of our younger gen- eration must be kept religiously away from what used to be euphe- facts of mistically termed "the life."

Ours is a realistic, modern world, folks and the sooner our young learn to face the hard,. cold facts of this hard, cold universe the bet ter for them and for everyone con- cerned.

The usual criticism, the usual at- tack directed against such films as The art of the cinema is moving I have in mind is that they have

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.of heaven

are.

What muddled thinking this is! As I have said, the pretence of innocence' is past. And the truth is that young people to-day learning from the cinema a great deal about the dangers of life, and. being forewarned are thus able to beware of them.'

We all know the historic bromide of the country maiden arriving in the great city and falling an easy victim to its perils because of her dear, sweet ignorance.

1

But that doesn't happen any more. The films have killed it.

Milkmaids in Wiltshire have seen Wise Girls" and "Mrs. "Three Deeds Goes to Town."

They are plenty tough, in sequence. They can take care themselves.

*

*

***

con- of

Seriously, it is this very precept of warning by example which makes me confidently affirm that the films play a positive role in building up a healthy moral outlook.

The crime film is perhaps, more often inveighed against by the Puritans than any other.

Oh! I have no doubt that after an exciting dose of Charlie Chan small boys are liable to alarm their parents with a sleuth-like approach and cries of "Stick 'em up."

But this is mere childish play. ** *

The vast majority of the dience comes away from like "Scarface" or "Little with a profound horror

au-

રા film Cæsar" of all.

Why in the name should we decry them?

Surely it must be admitted that for the reasons I have stated any films which represent life-not as it should be, but as it is-fulfil the highest social purpose.

And to-day in the cinema "most enlightened producers are so setting out to represent life.

Possibly the snob-consciousness, the type of mind, which delights in a pretentious French film-sub- titled in English--will here inter- pose to argue that Hollywood has never given and never will give us a true picture of life.

This is-sheer nonsense.

*

We still occasionally get an idio- tic film where white Hawaitan mai- dens and blue-eyed crooners blend upon exotic beaches in defiance of

the laws of reason. · :

to.

But cinemagoers to-day are vast- ly intolerant of hokum, ready "laugh off" coincidence, incongruity or drivel.

And why, may I ask? Simply because the educated them to do so.

films have

time

Think this over the next your children ask you for money for the cinema.

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PROGRESS

Barcelona, To-day.

A war bulletin published by the Republican Ministry of Defence states that the insurgents have succeeded in pushing back the Re- publican front at Valle de Lagusa, on the road from Teruel to Cantavieja.

_In_the_sector_of_Iglesuela, insur_ gent troops dislodged the Re- publicans from their positions on the mountain Almas del Caracuela after heavy fighting, but, according to the bulletin, were subsequently compelled to retreat,

Salamanca, To-day.

A war bulletin issued here, re- ports that the insurgent troops continued to advance on Saturday and that in some sectors of the Teruel front had succeeded in pushing forward their lines about. ten kilometres.

Several important enemy posi- tions were captured, including the two junctions of Cedrillas and Monte Agudo.-Trans-Ocean.

DOCTOR DEATH OF

MARINESCUM

Budapest, To-day.

The death occurred, yesterday of the world famous nerve specialist, Dr. George Marinescu.-Reuter.

CHILDREN

HAVE YOU ENTERED FOR THE

SNOW WHITE CONTEST

?

See Page 2.

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 16, 1938.

Page

GERMANY REJECTS PROTEST Declines To Admit Breach Of Treaty With U.S. ARGUES RIGHT TO MAKE RACIAL EXCEPTIONS

Berlin, To-day.

The note which the United States Government handed to the German Government on May 9, protesting against the application of the "de- cree for compulsory registration of Jewish pro- perty" to the property of Jews holding Ameri-

·SPAIN'S— SUBMARINE MAILS

Barcelona, To-day. Letters by submarine is the lat- est Republican method of over- coming the difficulties of commu- nication..

.

A special commemorative issue of stamps will be available for the first "submarine mail.”—Reu- ter.

can citizenship, formed the subject of an inter- PARIS PLEASED

view which the United States Ambassador to

Berlin, Mr. Hugh Wilson, had with the Secre- BY CZECH

tary of State at the German Foreign Office, Herr von Weizaecker, on Saturday.

DEVELOPMENTS

PARIS, TO-DAY.

THE CZECHOSLOVAKIAN FOR-

CZECH GOVERN-

GOOSE COOKED

Gunner Robert Hall, 20th Bat- tery, R.A., Pakshuiwan, was this morning fined $25 by Mr. H.R. But- ters at the Central Magistracy when he pleaded guilty to the theft of a goose, valued $2, from a stall at the market at Shaukiwan.

Inspector Wright said defendant was seen to take the goose by Ser- geant Summer who was on patrol.

Defendant said that he had been drinking.

NEW ADVERTISEMENTS

PUBLIC AUCTIONS

The Undersigned have received instructions to sell by Public Auc- tion on...

Thursday, the 19th. May, 1938 commencing at 2.30 p.m.

In explaining the German standpoint, it was point- ed out that the German Government did not hold that the compulsory registration and its THE ASSURANCE GIVEN BY extension to Jews holding American citizenship EIGN MINISTER, DR. KROFTA, constituted a violation of the German-Ameri- THAT THE can Amity and Consular Agreement of Decem-MENT WILL GO A LONG WAY ber, 1920. The charges that had been made in MAN DEMANDS, WAS RECEIV- VALUABLE HOUSEHOLD this direction were entirely baseless. Conse-ED WITH quently the German Government saw itself TION HERE. compelled to reject the United States protest.

The clause of the German-Ameri- can Agreement cited in this con- nection states, inter alia, that Ger-

commerce..

(Continued from Next Col:)

TO MEET THE SUDETEN GER-

at their Sales Room, No. 35 Hankow Road, Kowloon. A Quantity of

FURNITURE

GREAT SATISFAC-comprising :—

Blackwood Ware, Teakwood The actual situation in Czechos-Drawingroom, Diningroom, Bed- lovakia is now being understood room and Office Furniture, Carpets, better here, thus the papers now Rugs, Cutlery, Porcelain and Glass reluctantly admit that Czechoslova-] Ware, E. P. and Brass Ware, Gram- kia is not a solid Czech state, as ophones and Records, Enamel Bath, a Eleotric Table Fans and Lamps,

Ornaments, etc., etc.,

also

Continued at foot of preceding Col.

many and America reciprocally un- "Le Soir" publishes a statement was sometimes pretended, but dertake in principle to place their from London which asserts that conglomerate of nations, respective nationals.on an equal the British Government is plan- footing with their own subjects inning to support Henlein's demand lengthy comments on the London The Sunday papers again publish respect to the exercise of trade and that the Sudeten German districts visit of Konrad Henlein.

be granted the right of self-admin- The fear that British statesmen The new regulations enforced by istration, and that Czechoslovakia thay go too far in supporting the the German Government does not be given neutrality in a similar Sudeten Germans is openly express- place foreign Jews in a worse posi-manner as Switzerland and Bel-jed. tion than Jews having German citi-jgium.-Trans-Ocean. zenship. The view set forth in the American protest note to the effect that the German-American Agree- ment does not admit of discrimina- tory treatment of specific groups of citizens of the other contracting. party on racial grounds finds, ac- cording to the German view, no support in the text of the Agree- ment.

GERMAN CONTENTION. This American view, it is con- tended in Berlin, 'would give rise to an extraordinary situation in

FAR EASTERN MIRROR

A Fortnightly

Some Interesting Articles in the Present Number:

which it would be inadmissible, in A STATEMENT, the treatment of subjects of the other contracting party, to make any distinction regarding, age, perience or professional qualifica- tions.

By Madame Sun Yat-sen

ex-APPEAL FOR REFUGEE CHILDREN,

The official German reply to the

By Madame Chiang Kai-shek

American Government's note will FAREWELL MESSAGE TO THE

be communicated to the American Ambassador in form of a yerbal note.Trans-Ocean.

WITHDRAWING INTO SHELL

Cairo, To-day, The King of Yemen has issued a decree forbidding his subjects to leave the territory of Yemen for journeys abroad, declares a report here from Sana, the capital of the Kingdom of Yemen.

The King's radical measure, which is practically unprecedented, is said to be due to the fact that the Ye- menites abandoned their native cus- toms and adopted foreign ones which "endangered the social structure of the country," during their journeys abroad.—Trans-Ocean.

CHINESE PEOPLE,

By Bishop Logan H. Roots NEW WAYS OF FIGHTING DEATH,

By Robin Hyde

MR. SUKIYAKI,

By Emily Hahn

THE FRIENDLY ROAD. QUESTIONS ABOUT JAPAN THE CURSE OF WAR

AMERICA'S BLOOD GUILT

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Obtainable at all Bookstores in Hong Kong

35 cents a copy.

$6.00 a year

One Lady's Side Saddle.

One Gentleman's Saddle. One Child's Saddle.

On View from Wednesday, the 18th. May, 1988.

Terms: Cash on delivery.

LAMMERT BROS.,

Auctioneers. Hong Kong, 16th. May, 1938.

........

The Undersigned have received . instructions to sell by Public Auc- tion-on-

Friday, the 20th. May, 1938 commencing at 2.30 p.m. at their Sales Room,

4, Duddell Street

A Quantity of

VALUABLE HOUSEHOLD

comprising:-

FURNITURE

Teakwood Bedsteads, Divans, Dressing Tables, Wardrobes, Chests of Drawers, Chesterfield. Suites, Hatstands, Dining Tables, Chairs, Armchairs, Sideboards, Desks, Cabinets, Typewriter Tables, Filing Cabinets, Tables, Teapoys, Carpets, Rugs, Pictures, Cutlery, Glass & Porcelain Ware, E. P & Brass Ware, Electric Table Fans & Lamps, Gramophones & Records, Filters, Typewriters, Clocks, Cook- ing Utensils, Books, etc., etc.

also

A Few Pieces Blackwood Furniture

1 Teakwood Dining Suite

1 Pianola "Aeolian"

1 Motor Cycle "Coventry Eagle"

1 Cash Register

1 Electric Refrigerator

trolux"

2 Electric

}

vinator"

"Elec-

Refrigerators

"Kel-

2 Portable Typewriters "Corona"

3 Radio Sets

8 Tientsin Carpets and Rugs

On View from Thursday, the

19th. May, 1938.

Terms: Cash on Delivery.

LAMMERT BROS.,

Auctioneers. Hong Kong, 16th. May, 1938.