1940-10-24 — Page 39

THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 24, 1940

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

AUSSIE POLITICS

The spirit in which the forming of a National Cabinet in Australia is. approached by the party leaders is all-important to any successful compro- mise in difficult circum- stances. They have ap- proved in principle the proposed objective, but the road of past experi- ence is strewn with warn- ings of the need to pre- serve that objective from being obscured in the in- surgence of baser, party rivalries, initially fors- worn. It cannot be too strongly urged that no sectional considerations, no preconceived notion of individual place or pres- tige in purely party esti- mation, should be allow- ed to obstruct the negot iations for launching a united war policy, and es- tablishing the strongest possible national Execu- tive, recruited from all sides of the House, to carry it out.

The motives of Mr. Cur- tin, and of the all-Austra- lian Labour conference from which he derives his

LOW ON THE GOVERNMENT'S SAVINGS CAMPAIGN

"BRING OUT YOUR DEAD!“

Comradeship

Of Girl Guides

you

motor ambulances. They are to distinguished by a large says:

and

Day And Night Shifts

worked in day and night shifts In Nantes, Guides and Scouts under the Red Cross. The Guides

•Page 7

The Tiniest Island

Since the invasion and sub- sequent occupation of the Low Countries, there has been fre quent mention In the news gf "maintaining the status quo in the Dutch East Indies." The best known of these are, of course, Sumatra, Java, and the muth smaller but extremely beautiful Bali. Few persons, even those who have circled the globe, have heard of Palue Samboe. Yet, this first and smallest of the Dutch East Indies has a strategic im- portance not to be minimised; for it is to Palue Samboe that the gil from the wells of Sumatra -and Java is taken in Dutch ships for canning and inal shipment abroad. Not so very long ago, we were privileged to spend a day on this tiny' island, two hours by launch off Singapore, at the in- vitation of the resident manager of the oil company. He had been on leave in his native Amsterdam,

By Violet Alleyn Storey

where his young wife and two small children' were prolonging their stay so that the children might enjoy their first real Dutch Christmas.

*

We took off from Singapore in the mid-morning of a sultry Sun- day. The launch proved to be crowded with Melayans, in their | stiff-starched Sunday best, return- ing from church services on the mainland. Obviously courteous, they went out of their way to make us comfortable and the trip very short. The launch Empire Girl Guides have raised] evacuation without some damage., three times their normal size from seemed

need exposure. Guides who visited her landed in a rather desolate spot at £48,475 for two air ambulances "But I do not think

just £28,475 more

than they trouble about the cost of repairs in hospital were not told she was a small dock on which our host a fellow-Guide until twinkling-stood waiting. He greeted us with hoped to collect. As a result, due to her service at Dunkirk, as

and explained authority, in opposing there has been a conference with these will, in any event, be small, eyed Josephine saluted them when great good will

that he lived on the other side of previously a united Minis- the Admiralty, War Office, and and I think they will be defrayed they left.

he Reports from French Guides the island. We followed him, who are in England now give single-file, up a steep pathway, try, were before the elec- the Y.M.C.A., who were all asked from Government sources,"

how this money should be spent. added. tions clearly explained The Admiralty, has asked for All the Guides' gifts will be some idea of the work which was the steps of which had been made done in France when the Germans by pressing, discarded oil drums trefoil

into broke through in June.

the soil. There was no and appreciated, even by

be given twenty fully-equipped and an inscription which

vegetation in sight but a number critics who could not ac- ambulances, which will cost "Presented by the Girl Guides of

of barnlike structures were visible the Empire, Empire Weeky 1940,"

ahead of us. These were the com- cept the Labour view- £11,000

Bulletins on the progress of The War Office told the Chief the appeal tell amazing stories

inspection sheds. About fifty Hol- pany's refineries, canneries, and point.

Commissioner of the need for

The But circumstances have "quiet rooms" in all the perman- stories about Brownies who made

landers lived on the island. ran a creche and play centre for manual labour was done by Chin- ent camps, where services may be toffee and sold it to family changed. Clouds on the held on Sundays, and where men friends so that they could add the refugee children and helped ese, Japanese, Cingalese, and a ap- the Red Cross with a first-aid tent few East Indians. Each of these. international horizon may read, write, and rest during their quota to the Empire

the week. The sum of £10,000 peal; about a crippled post ran and canteen. They helped to re-groups had its own settlement and which then aroused mis- has been set aside for them.

ger who set aside the shilling she unite families by putting up a lived in accordance with its na- had left out of her tiny invalid large notice-board divided into tive customs. There was a school giving have now advanced The Y.M.C.A. suggested two

rension when her weekly five different districts. Refugees put with classes for-children of each and their menace is un-land and one for Scotland, which paid: of Mary, in an African or into Nantes, and found families had a club and all sorts of sports large complete units, one for Eng- shilling living expenses were their names down as they came racial group. Dutch employees mistakable. The choosing will help to replace the equip- phanage, who asked the matron and friends through alphabetically were indulged in.

ment which was lost in France. to send the only two shillings she arranged lists. This was done in of the period for the elec-

These are to cost £5,000.

had in the world to the fund.

the middle of appalling, heart- tions was a sign that those

In London-now that the fundbreaking confusion.

Suddenly, mounting the crest of at the helm of State be- The Guide Of Dunkirk is closed-Guides are trying to More stories come in about the the slope, we came to a row of keep up a spirit of international English Guides work. They are white stucco, Dutch-style houses, lieved they could see for

And another £5,000 has al- comradeship in a world which has haymaking, picking fruit, garden-cach with a lush green backyard three weeks ahead. To-ready been spent on a motor life-seen most of Europe eliminated ing, pruning, and weeding. Some garden in which stood a cook- day no man dare assert boat, which made its maiden voy- from international friendships for have turned themselves into emer-house, detached from the home. age as a unit in the epic of Dun-some time, by taking over the top gency salvage corps.. ·One com--| At the corner house we followed that it is possible to see kick. The boat is to be christen- floor of the World Bureau. It is pany collected 5,000 used razor our host up the high stoep to a to become the home of every re- blades and sent them off to an screened door that was opened. ahead for more than days.ed The Guide of Dunkirk.

Writing to thank the Guides, fugee Guide in England.

air-raid warden who had an-instantly by a lithe, barefooted a Malayan boy. We entered The electors themselves Colonel. Satterthwaite, of the A small library of books in their, nounced that he could collect

a parlour sensed the tightening of Royal National Lifeboat Institu- own languages is being collected. million in a fortnight. Others are a parlour, so like

tion, said that the new lifeboat

Comfortable armchairs and writ-looking after child evacuees; oth-in, any modern American home as tension equally with had not come out of the Dunkirk ing tables are being used to fur-ers are standing by at first-aid to be startling when one glimpsed .the Indian Ocean through the Ministers and other can-

nish a clubroom where Guides posts.

A letter from a post ranger in, front window, between the scar- from Poland, Belgium, Holland,

branches of the didates while the elec-

France, and Austria will be able north-east England sums up the let-blossomed to hold patrol meetings.

who Flame of the Forest trees. They whole spirit of these girls

are growing up in a country at At timn we found the dining will be able to feel it is their very war. This crippled girl wrote: room typically Dutch, but the own.

"Australian Guides have shared "The night that we had the raid meal itself, prepared by a lavan- in the work English Guidee are my young sister and I had mother ese cook, consisted of Javanese doing for refugees by sending for casualty No. 1. She bled pro- riceplate, an elaborate sort

fusely, and we were thoroughly curry; Malayan bread, made from cases of clothes.

"They were beautifully tailored glad of our combined first-aid rice flour and pounded shrimp; Belgium, and new were tong knowledge. Emma did the running and a tapioca pudding, sweetened and France but also the headquarters said. So beautiful ment. We blessed the day when tree. Tropical fruits topped off the about and I produced the equip-with sap from an East Indian conquered people of Gerly made,, in fact, that it was a

pleasure to be able to pass them we both took up Guiding repast. many may be watching on: Everyone felt that they were which everyone who knows the tour of Inspection of the house. the signs of the times with person made them had done work is quite sure that Germany and later in the afternoon, when one who made bad done will not be able to break the day had grown in bit cooler, anxious eyes. As long as in that spirit."

saw how the, "other half” on the Germany retains military

island lived. (Continued from Next Col.) mastery, they are cowed

"Oh, that!" 1. remarked. 'reading and helpless. There are Guide companies all over Eng-

land have adopted refugees. The the title, "Mein Kampf. And I two ways of meeting such Maidstone Guides adopted a whole gave, if not an actual, a mental In his broadcast, to a mastery: from without family from Amsterdam because shrug, "Lot of nonseme, don't you

of Josephine, who was a Guide In think?"

lour with its American overstuff, Frenchmen, Mr. Churchill and from within. Britain an Amsterdam company before "What I have read so far yes, ed furniture and its view at the German invasion. She c6 I suppose," he replied with evident Indian Ocean. We were cilent, all hinted at an earlier end holds the fort from with- the

caped to Englend with her parents uncertainty. “And yot--I was in to the war than is gen-out. The sooner we are and Scout brother in an open, the last war, und, however fan of us, as people are who have en- joyed each other's company and erally believed likely. able to sally from that bout. They took a weak to get tastic such a plan of conquest are about to part. Suddenly, our

here. Nobody know how to row, might be "d

host, as if embarrassod by the A bitter winter is ahead. fort, as Mr. Churchill pro-and they shipped a great deal of "But," I reassured him as his silence, sought to shatter it He does not hide that. If mised, the harder it will water, which Josephine baled out voice trailed off without conclud-

"Read this?" he questioned with a gas music container, They ing his intended remark, it is idly, picking up a books that lay on Britain holds out, as she be for the Nazi overlords had no foad and very little water. dong way from here to Herr Hillor the table near which he sat ke has rosy hopes of doing, to meet the challenge Josephine had to be taken to here?

When they reached England or, rather, from Herr Hitler to handed ano a cumbersome, vo- the prospects of ultimate from within.

hospital. Her feet had swollen to And we all three laughed. (Continued at foot of Priceding Col.)

tion campaign was in pro-Nazi victory will be great gress; and the election ly dimmed. Not only the verdict registered the im- conquered populations in Poland, pression. What Mr. Men- Czechoslovakia, zies urged as proper and Denmark, Norway, The

Netherlands, statesmanlike weeks ago has now become a course imperative, nay unavoid able, in the eyes of every intelligent observer of in- ternational events.

TURNING TIME?

+

Escaped In Open Boat

it

of

It is a grand spirit—a spirit. After luncheon, we went on a

dume.

Our host invited us back to "sit abit" before we took the launch

for Singapore. So, onec again, we found ourselves in the little par