1949-09-15 — Page 8

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BLOCKADE RUNNERS

THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1949. .

ASMARA--CITY OF WAITING

AND EXPECTANT

This is a city of waiting, expec- tant people17,000 Italians and

80,000 dark-skinned Eritreans.

All of them-blonde Northern Italians, swarthy Neapolitana,

By J. L. HAYS

PEOPLE

Tigre-speaking Coptic Christians, under British military adminis- erstwhile subjects we, too, are Arabs, Negrocs, Nubians are tration since the Camerons and waiting for the United Nations to The British task in Asmara has waiting for the United Nations Ghurkas of General Platt's Bri-say what happens to us. decision on the future of Eritrea, tish-Indian force marched lato'

been merely to maintain and or Asmara on April 1, 1941. an Italian colony pre 1900, wur

waiting for gapise; not to develop and spend They have been their futures to be decided ever money on what is still "officially" since the Union Jack was first Italian. hoisted over the Residenza Vice- of British rale, and a nandful officers began the task of ruling 860,000 people in a territory of 600,000 square miles,

Marriage That Rocks

A Continent

ched in. The streets have a curious pre-war appearance the clocks might have stopped all those 99 months ago.

According to yesterday's head- The only new cars I saw be line, an economic committee has long to members of the British been formed in Washington "to community.

The buses are square; watch ties." and shabby. There is a lack of fresh paint everywhere.

Only the Eritrens seem to have:

Apart from the danger of eye

place to watch them..

.

"IMF favours devaluation in latement."

Some of these statements bail-

need it, 100.

•

A Balkan visitor to London was recently refused tree, glasses under the health scheme.

But it is the people of a elty dazzle. I can't think of a better which provide it with atmosphere, women's kneo- and the Asmara high fashions (no "new look", no No "New Look" nylons) "date' Asmara more effec- This has had a numbing effectively than its buildings and it

traffic. Mostly blonde, mostly on the town and its Italian com- munity, and, despite the cool, Pretty, they are both stockingless

and shabby. 7.500 . It was at dawn on March 27, bracing climate (Asmara is 1941, when the Italians' white fags feet above sea level), the depress- been invigorated by British rule. They have moved into jobs pre- fluttered on the Keren peaks anding combination of political uncer-

When his sight was tested, he the British, outnumbered 10 to one, tainty, uncertain commercial con-

гог promeliori and not only read the smallest letters went on to storm through the last ditions, half-built office blocks and viously barred to them, found op-

a shortage of jobs for labourers, portunities

under bu! unhesitatingly pronounced roadblocks on the Asmara read.

Remember, now, how the Keren mechanics, clerks and artisans, has a better standard of life

But there of the produced an atmosphere of heavy British military administration, victory brightened some

are consolations for apathy.

the Italians. There is ration- By NOEL MONKS

darkest days of the war?

Nothing. Indeed, seems to have ing. Sugar, the last rationed com- "It contains 21,500 definitions We have been in Eritrea ever Writing from Balliol College, since. Like the Italians and their happened here since we first mar-modity, "went off" recently. Eggs, as against Webster's 300,000. So Oxford, on December 5, 1945, to

far-away bis uncle

Scrowe. Seretse Khama snid:

"Deur Father-I'm sorry you Occasions are so far away. arise when I find myself in need of your advice.

"I hope I shall not continue to mistakes na 1 nake 49 many

have up to now.

Britain In 1949

By “WINDRUSH”.

to

Controla

have

Temporary Boom

the words.

meat, vegetables and fruli are 578,000 words must be missing." plentiful and cheap.

I've worked it out, but 1 till don't get it.

•

The Italian population of As- mara has nearly doubled of recent❘ years, and in the European sec- tions, with their big blocks of flats

Qur contemporary's regularl and tree-lined streets of villas splash scoops which are denied But next day remind me of the old there is a housing shortago,

story about the the Italian working classes do not | newspaper seem to share the ideas of segrega- tabloid which announced in bold been tion common among most colonial type: "Yesterday we were Hirst "I am still feeling homesick.'

It is 10 years since Hitler England.

The philo-peoples; thousands of them live, to announce that the mayor had in cheap been murdered; today we are first Seretse was studying law and invaded Poland and the old abolished wholesale.

to an end. And sophy of "planning" is challenged, comfortably enough. was having grent difficulty over world came

"mixed" arenɛ.

to announce that the report is subject for

Perhaps it is this tendency to

untrue." Latin, a compulsory

now Great Britain is looking

"mix" which is responsible for the As reported in the "Ching the Oxford law degree.

fact that, whatever their shortcom- Uncle Tshekodi Khama wrote towards a general election. The Mail" today, more than 130,-

is in a Englishman sverage

England today is making up inge as colonists, the Italians have A friend of Myrtle's who mar- 000 tons of shipping have left right away to the Chancellor, ure-Kind of haze. He finds it hard and whether to follow sull, ope gift which is theirs alone the ried money lost her enormous

be done to Hong Kong for Communisting that everything

to make up his mind whet has Unquestionably the abolition of gift of spreading their language solilatre

engagement ring at a had England

'She ports since the Nationalist make his nephew's stay happy.

controls would result in a tem- and an essentially Italian atmoz- Trhekedi had no illusions about really happened

passes it Irom hand to hand blockade began. In point of

He does not know clearly what production, But there is fear that occupy.

among fact, the total may be much the colour bar, and he feared his since Hitler forced us to war.porary boom in certain lines of phere throughout the towns they pre-wedding party.

the guests, and it just nephew was too lonely.

True, in every colonial town the boom would result in general

didn't come back. Anyway, larger, as a number of other The university authorities at he wants to happen next.

the hotel dining room on the The so- least one corner a lawn-sur- vessels are believed to have oner introduced the young chief-

followed by collapse. It is a platitude that the world economic disorder and unbalance, under the Union Jack there is at

changed radically. In its called "economie freedom" would rounded club, or a cricket field first day of her honeymoon, she gone to Tientsin, etc., while apparent from Bechuanaland into

selecter homes,

WLLH relations Great end the present system of "fair perhaps which is so British that saw one of the wallers who had or international announcing their destination carefully

the party It hurts. But Asmare, under the assisted at glowingly Scrctre wrote simply as Korea or Tokyo.

and more difficult position that Let it never

won 18 years ago. But what the interest of all that is being gling, the bella chiming in the tall, retur a moment later with a Ut pointed tower of the rose-red plate of sandwiches. She bit in- But try na he would the young about the average man, the man done in England today is the very high insurance risks chief could not master Latin.

of the middle class, the factory the attempt is being made in cathedral.. might be any Italian to the top one, and what do you

think she found?.. hin wrote In 1040 Secretse

the tradesman. and

the build there, for the first time in market town on any rainy day. worker, bonus payments

Despite the showers, the tables

That's right. Cucumber. Iarmer, the common man?

world history, a society which

under the awnings of the tomatu. crews, the three or four hun- uncle, whom he called father;

is genuinely equalitarian, dred percent profit often am ufraid It is hopeless. I do so

Some classes have obviousty The Englishman has not yet cafes lining the wide Corso Italia want to stay at Oxford, as

up bis hut Latin is a prospered. The farmer, and the cleared

doubts. made is ample compensation like it here,

He is and the shouting newspaper boys,

A little girl dashed over to her farm labourer also, is better off being told that the present sys- leave behind them a woke of high-mother in great excitement. She

moving among the coffen drinkers. for the ingenuity of traders stumbling-block.

been before. "Oxford has a big name, I than he has over

lem of full employment,

pitched, excitable conversation. had found a pressed maple leaf in and shippers.

and has

ali.

in

The trade is a highly lucra-licople's kindness to him, a black Bitain is now in a much weaker shares" fur be forgotten that purple rainclouds, the gutters gur-guilty look he hurried away, to

live one. Even considering

to

MAB,

much

*

k

under

are

And

recent weeks the Nationalists/me much when I become Chi-Illand still employs more men in his job, hus resulted in every dér the plane trees dividing the "Just look what I found," she It is fairly obvious that in know, but this name won't help! It is well to remember that Eng- which nobody need fear losing Long, low Alfa-Romeos speed un-i the pages of the family 'Bible.

of

The

Bamangwatos.

friends

as the

-

more

In any other

that British industry war was

Hence body working less hard the nigh costs of British industry. Hence the difficulty of exporting the heads of their women passen- Hence the dollar crisis.

On the other hand he knows before the WOYs in many

cried. "

15

in

A Lonely Life

By COURTENAY EDWARDS

i

:t

bet it belonged to

2)

Yu

twin carriage-ways of the Viali Roma, ay handkerchiefs shielding Eve."

ers

There are sweet, sticky cakes Inli It's probably something about the pasticcerid across the road and, the climate in America. Accord- the shop windows are strictly Ing to an unreliable correspon-

Impregnated with single rich silk shirt with a match-hellum, so that if will font three ing tic.

Inches above the bath water and prevent you getting your hands wel.

They Built Well

All the Eritreans 1 met seem to speak fluent Italian-the porters

"Customs and Excise: · attrac- carcers offered to keep

at the hotel, the shop assistants, tive

even the drivers of the rubber-young men under 21,"

Yes-and do thern out of a tyred, two-seater, open gharris, rolling behind their ponies like pension. lightweight trollers' rigs.

Whatever their past sins, this

much must be said for the Italians, Says, an Indian, paper, "Water- They built modern Asmart in five loo was won on the playgrourids years and bullt it well, with wide of Eden, they say, rather exag- streets and avenues, high, office geratedly, it is true, but none the blocks, spacious parks and

dens.

gar-less correctly."

Something of the old Adam Now, it seems, It might well go there. to Ethiopia, with the whole of Eastern Eritrea, under. United Nations ruling.

was the grins

agriculture, than have exerted themselves to

upshot was that: Seretse Industry. The make the closure of enemy-left Oxford, and the young chief- Today the form labourer carns

to London to read held ports as effective as pos-to-be came

The a week. than £4 sible, and with this end in privately for his low exams,

farmer are not, any better offi Again he was lonely, but this in money income, The amenities view they have gone to ex-

of social te have been brought tremes far beyond their rights time he found his own

to them. Village life has been emclent Ban it is now, And the Roman in their draped displays of dent, the Intest invention, isa under international law. September 'Quake

Then came the letter that shook] Prightened. The country has been times of mass employment were à single crocodile akin handbag, a tollet soup

+odern They may have shown the

brought closer to the town. Not the most riserable most of inadequacy of their own Bechuanaland-and

only is the farmer better off, but British history.

The Englishman, the common he realises that he is better off! armed fleet, but on the few Africa-like an earthquake.

It was heuded: "10, Campden and is content-in spite of grum- man, has to deckle for himself he is better off, ог pccasions when they have all-gardens, Notting Hill Gate, bles over Alling up forms and whether

The succeeded in intercepting a London," and it was dated Sep-his inability even

to kill a pig worse off, under Socialism.

general election is forcing him ber 12, 1948.

without a licenco... merchantman, they have not ember

to clear up his ideas and give a I read "Dear Father-I want hesitated to use force.

With the other classes there definite answer. The Royal Navy declared to inform you that I am getting

no less married

over here. The matter has been improvement two days ago that it did not will not please you and the tribe certain. The coal-miners and the recognise the right of Chi-will not like it because the per- doctors, for example, have gained nese gunboats to seize for-con I am marrying Is. a 'white virtual security of employment,

Yet, man. Her

some psychologically though eign vessels, and

name is Ruth, Wil

these classes are as discontented tricky maritime legal issues lloms,

past. Coni Ceel Rhodes may have changed and biller as in the

nationalised, do exist, the consensus of

but the miners feels that he has juridical opinion is definitely the whole history of Africa, but miners have been

the London typist, by marrying

boss for merely exchanged one on the Navy's side. Just her African chier, has reversed

the new one what can be done to prevent the traditional black versus another, and

Pearcely more satisfactory than

"So you suffer from indikes- ships being fired at or im-white situation, and threatens to hold

It must be pretty grim being pounded is, however, an-disrupt social and political rela-

tions In All

Africa Southern

cooped up for four weeks on end

The Italians do not bother to tion?" asked the helpful friend. other matter.

The "Seretse affair,”

Two-Fold Changes

In those ex-corvettes with no room hide their distate at the idea. But Well, what could be better than Most British traders feel marringe of the young couple is

for proper exercise and nothing what they want more than.any- drinking a pint of warm water that the only way to protect

and unofficially labelled, The great changes which have to look at but the heaving sea and thing else in for the United Na- after every meal?".

"Indigestion," our established interests in is the talk now of all the krauls, taken place, In English society the familiar faces of the other 50 tions to say, finally, irrevocably.

towns, are two-fold. The first is that men in the crew,

what is to happen to their erst reply. China is to come to terms missions, trading posts.

I have Just been talking to while capital. there has been a tremendous shift with the new reality of Com- and efties South of the Line.

"What is really important to us Its impact on the hundreds of in the distribution of national in someone who was recently a guest

In an office I visited the other ava come, Nobody is permitted to of Captain Harry Wall, on the is that there should be a decision," The oldest tradition of the i

"Yes,, Smith, 1: know :: #? on drums to spread news

earn very large that have been searching for the is not

BO Important. But for hoss say, Western trader in the East causing district and resident com-ple may still

the urna, but these are taken away missing Halifax and whose normal Heaven's sake let us know how we sou can't get married on the concern from is that he is willing to trade missioners

in taxation.

station lles more than 400 miles stand, so that we can plan for the money Ten paying you, and some 19

day you'll thank me for it". from Britain.

future." with anyone. Incensed by Congo across to the Zambest and the foolish commercial poll-down to the Limpopo. cies of the Kuomintang, the Strong Taboos merchants persuaded them- From the realm of the Rain selves that they might fare Queen Modjadji, chieftainess of tion and on and by just as

well, if not better, the Blaabudu tribe in the for artificially low food prices, made

down Northern Transvaal, with the Reds.

possible by the food subsidies. coloureda Capetown, where the Then came the blockade, who used to be Hottentots live in The second great change is that declared invalid both by the tragic isolation called apartheid, the government pursues a credit

Those are devices for checking United States and Britain, the prospect of a white chief polley and economic polley which

there shall be on the weather up to a height of but bringing sea trade largely fainess is regarded with suspicion guarantees that

and wonder.

no miss unemployment, at least 12 miles or more. Attached to a bailaan (which standstill. Business,

material can hydrogen-filled In spite of the advarice of a long especially foreign, in Shang-

civilisation,

tribal laws, customs continue to be imported for the goes up to 80,000ft. or more in 45 minutes) is a light-weight radio transmitter which sends out sig hai is paralysed, and proper and taboos are still very strong factories. ties such as the public utill- and a white chieftainesS will The changes, have been posat-nals every five seconds, giving the ties are all too likely to fall arouse deep human feelings. bis only because society has been changes in temperature, pressure,

Politically, the marriage could willing to pay a certain price for and humidity. like overripe plums into the

them. The largest item in the As soon as the cry "Balloon laps of the 'new

not have come at a worse time,

the ship's regime. if

Rabid nationalists in South price is the surrender, of certain away!" something is not done soon. Africa's Malan Government have economic liberties. The govern loudspeakers the officers of the There was never much long long been crying: "Basutoland, ment now controls in countless watch, standing on the bridge of term hope for these capital Swaziland, Bechuanaland” in ways the economic actions of the the rolling vessel, gives a running commentary on the balloon's pòè¡« holdings, but it is ironical much the same tones as Mus- Individual.

tion for the benefit or radar men, "Nice, that their decay and possible solini's

Corsica; Tunis"!

Theoretically he can be direct- who will be tracking it until a loss' should be hastened by patter

ed: into whatever employment) violent flickering of the "blip" on Southern Rhodesia

bas long the overment: considers desie-, their screen: shows that. It has Nationalist action.

had her eye on Northern Bechu It is very

necessary for analand, where there is believed able. He cannot undertake burst, and that they have spent wreat range of economic activity another £8 of the taxpapers Britain to co-operate with to be great mineral wealth.

withkit receiving licences. The money. America In this matter, and A spilt in Beretso's tribe after over

government determines the ten-Fascinating work the present U.S. policy is not the arrival of his white wife Int pattern of the national in novelty has worn off And in bo inspiring. Having struck off Serowe that might well lead to ports The individual must res Chiang Kai-shek, Washing violence would be a heaven-sent trict his foreign travel and his

opportunity for Southern

private motoring, 7, ton is not yet willing to come drain and the Union

munist rule in the country other tribes who no longer rely enjoy a very large income. Peo- Weather Observer, one of the ships) an Italian told me, "What it is, day 1 couldn't help- hearing, the“ san

to 1

+

At the other end of the scale, some wages are still pitiably low, These are supplemented by tree social services-medical, educa- the

as raw

ted

to terms with his opponents, Africa to press their claims to Until recently these restrictions or alternatively to fight Com- annex Bechuanaland under the on the individual were munism in" Asin actively, old, old alibl, sybatocing order!

Inany/cile, that blockade The disintegration of the tribe

·be settled if the

thise must follow will reduce trom one of třid, moet prosperòul

Thy South

4

Balloons Go Up

Life, on board, he tells me, re-

volves round the dreary routine of taking meteorological observa- tions every three hours and re- leasing radiosonde balloons every

hours.

schoes from

until the

tween balloon-filling and relaxa- ins, these "ket boys can normal-

1y, only read, play cards, throw daris, grilisten to the B.B.C 3-Now and in there 'I the ex- citament of a Almshow,” in the pattycancers recreat

radarevstikkstrip in the lif

The Connoisseur Caldbeck's

comes to

for

Hunting

PORT

G

By Courtesy

Commanding