1940-04-18 — Page 10

"How's that?""

"Excellent! It's White Horse-

I could tell it blindfold.”

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 18, 1940

I STAY WITH A GERMAN FAMILY

From the point of view of collecting first reappeared pushing a ten-wagon, hand Information about what people in Ger- many really think and feel, my first day at Leipzig was a total loss. But I suppose that neither the atmosphere of the Fair nor that of the excellent concert at the Gewandhaus to which I went in the evening was con- ducive to heart-to-heart talks. At least not In Germany,

"Tea!" exclaimed the children, delighted. "I never expected to have tea in Germany

"I said.. now,'

But my very crowded and uncomfortable train southward next day, proved to have Someone that one asset.

apologised for treading on my toes. I answered in my best German (fluent but atrocious). The fellow, suddenly interested, asked me where I came from-and the ice was broken. As easy as ple,

The conversation went on generally thus. "Ah, London! Do the English think they are winning the war?"

I admitted that they did. Then the fellow proceeded to tell me they-the English-were wrong.

why

In 1914 Germany and Austria could get supplies only from the narrow gap south; now they can get them from three sides.

Personally he did not think a lot of Russia as a military power-but when she had con- cluded that silly Finnish venture she would be an excellent.source of supplies, and, if needed, of men. The disrupting forces that had acted in favour of the Allies in 1918 would not be there this time. Germany was ready for every sacrifice-Indeed, enjoying it. I looked a bit incredulous at the last¦ boast; but he went on telling me what a our world wonderful tidy, peaceful world would be after the German victory.

However, he got out at a little station just of after Zwickau where a large number strangely-clad fellows looking like sailors on

"Oh yos," sho laughed, "we still have some pre-war stock. And you can even buy tea-of a sort, and at a price! However, we don't have it often. Only I thought, to-day, we might.".

This was all immensely strange to me. The last time I had stayed with them the house was run with at least 12 servants and everything was formal and expensive. There were tapestries and fine carpets and sprays. of orchida in vases. Now they véd like very modest people and got excited at the sight of a pot of teal

When the children had departed, they admitted that the blessings of poverty... comparative-were not unmixed. They had had a very anxious time and even when they had moved up to the Franken country they had had very great difficulties.

Then the big house was requisitioned, so they had moved to this dower house-and

-By-

A Distinguished Neutral

No other whisky combines so rare a fragrance with such mellow smoothness; no other is quite so soft, so round, so genial. Perfect blending and slow maturing "Dutch navvies," he answered with pride, eggs and vegetables. have made White Horse Whisky the equal of a fine liqueur.

the move-and loaded with sacks and bun- decided to "plenic," The children loved it. dles-got out from a third-class carriage Hér husband and Heinrich ran the farm.

I asked

were. Inext to ours.

who they

Of course they had plenty of milk, poultry,

"We are importing them at the rate of 500 lucky.

The millions of gallons of finest Scotch whisky matured and maturing ensure that the quality of White Horse never varios.

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г

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Bringing Up Father

MOTHER-HERE'S A

LETTER FROM

SONNY-

here.

They were indeed

his

The

a week. They are working in the coal mines Later on, Heinrich, in his room that, with souvenirs Best coal mines Germany-27 his books, his photographs,

In mines, 60 wells, 20,000 workers-but we need crowded in from his large Town flat, looked 30,000. There are also 2,000 Italians here." like the den of a sporting undergraduate at usual "Meanwhile, Eng-Oxford, told me some - more. A long, grinning sneer. How do you get over that?"" land is paying the dole to her unemployedi story. Most of the relations of his brother

I didn't.

in-law were scattered all over the world; a sister married in Poland was still in "War- saw. But somehow they had all escaped the concentration camp, though their money had largely vanished.

THIS FREEDOM! He got out. But a fat fellow who turned out to be a Chemnitz brewer carried on the conversation. He insisted on talking in English. Now I du t flatter myself about my German but it was a deal better than his English. But he said he wanted to prac- tice. I asked why, and with a large grin he whispered: "After the war-I may need it badly then."* I agreed. But I have a suspicion that we did not mean it the same

way.

are we

in

"You see how broadminded Germany," he boasted before leaving the train. "We have been talking in English for the last half-hour and nobody has said any- thing. You couldn't do that in London-I mean, talk German, could you now?".

I disillusioned him on that point. At X I changed train and, after a longish watt, a branch line took me out to Y, a little town near which an old friend of mine has moved during the last few months. I think the places and people had-for obvious rea- sons---better. be disguised...

Heinrich-let us call him so-is a friend of ten years' standing. We have travelled a good deal together and especially after 15 days at Mount Athos among incredible dis- comforts, I feel I know him as well as any of my friends. He was then violently anti- Nazi.

Also, his sister had married someone who was in quite a big position; in fact, at the head of a bank in one of the Rhine towns, Though fair and Nordic looking and having a very German name, he did not have the required percentage of Aryan blood in his veins.

Heinrich, who is now permanently lame through a climbing accident, had not been called up and had now foined forces with his married alster, who had retired to a pro perty somewhere in Franken. I had tele- phoned from: Leipzig and had been asked to spend a day or so with them.

EXCITEMENT OVER TEA Heinrich appeared entirely unchanged, We got in a dogcart-a big 'come-down from the Mercedes in which we had travelled to his old home during my last visit-and soon reached a very modest little house; in an- other ten minutes I was sitting in a homely, large room in front of a fire with most of the family gathered, around me. The child- ren wore Jodphurs; Heinrich's brother-in- law looked like a gentleman farmer, and his wife, in very English-looking tweeds, soon

"And how do you like it?". I asked. "After what you told me at Mount Athos, I don't see how you put up with it. Do you remember at Starvonikita,

"

"I know,. I know," he interrupted me, "but things have changed since then. What has here. happened In France has happened Only more so, We have all forgotten about Whatever I thought about Hitler politics. before, he is now the head of my country at war."

"My dear lad," I-said, looking behind may chair, "I suppose we are entirely alone here, You need not carry on like that. I had all the propaganda I wanted yesterday."

Heinrich looked surprised and somewhat grieved. "Don't you see? We are not fight- ing for our wealth, or our colonies, or our prestige: we are fighting for our tite. The moment it was clear that the English were after making an end of Germany once and for all, . *.

"But nobody wants that," I interrupted. "Don't they just!" Heinrich was roused for the first time in our long acquaintance. "Don't they just! Look at this." He limped to a bureau from a drawer of which be extracted a bundle of cuttings. They were mainly from extreme Right or (chiefly de- "Ger- funct)' extreme Left French papera. many Must Be Divided Into Small States." "Occupation of the Rhine for 20 Years!" "Reconstruction of Poland, `of' Czecho- slovakia".. "Resurrection of Austria."'

"You can't take the views of irresponsible people. . . .'

"

**Irresponsiblet" More cuttings come out this time from English papers mostly from "The Times" down to the most sensational Sunday journals. "Colonels, Generals, M.P.s. Prelates: These are no irresponsible peo- ple!! *35.

My dear lad. To write to "The Times". is one of the cherished privileges of the elderly British upper classes. Nobody takes those letters seriously."

"Possibly not. “Anyhow, one ought to ac- cept the views of ex-Ministers, or the òdi- torials. of a big paper as the views of the real majority of the people."

"I don't agree. "The only views that count are the ones expressed by the Premier.”

"Oh, your Premier!'! ....

(Continued “on, Page 11)

By George McManus

YOU BRUTE-

OPEN IT AND

TELL ME HOW MUCH HE WANTS -

THE DARLING -HES ALWAYS THINKING OF UG-1 WISH HE

WAS HERE IN MIAMI BEACH WITH

US-HE'S SUCH

A JOY

HE BAYS HE'S WÖRKING HARD AND HE HOPES WE ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME - THE BABY 15 WELL- AND HIS WIFE SENDS HER LOVE - HE MISSES US VERY MUCH-

IS THAT

·ALL, HE HAS TO SAY?

BY SOLLY-1 KIN HARDLY BELEVE IT WUZ FROM

OUR SON HE DIDN'T ASK FOR MONEY-

YOU DON'T APPRECIATE OUR CARLING

SON -

0