1952-05-26 — Page 4

THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, MAY 26, 1952

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I Went-But Saw Nothing

An Avalanche A DUTCH AUTHOR

JAMES RIDDELL vice-captain of the 1936

#4

Hagelandske British Olympio ski team,

Kad a close-up view of nature in its most terrifying mood-and came back to tell the story. It is a story of eight people who set out to challenge the towering Swiss Alps and had their challenge answered.

I was afraid-but stood spellbound

Twas still dark at. 4.80 All this could only, hays, bech I daw the a.m. when we sat out a moment of time.

hut under two Germans, roped together a from. n

little above us, in a state of Monte Rosa to make a ski frozen indecision. nacent of Castor (18.879 ft.)

To our left hy a huge gully, Zermatt guide Bernard and it occurred to me that the Perren, Mrs Jeannette avalanche might follow that towered To our right Oddie, and I were on one route.

uf ico as big as rope, with guide Egon great blocka

houses. Petrig and Mr and Mrs Ed- mund Goldberger on the other.

We had not gone far be fore one of my "skina"-the anti-slip covering on skis

came off and we had to stop for a few minutes while I adjusted it.

In, front was the avalanche, Below stretched the slope we had climbed. There was no way out,

The great white cloud crashed to the bottom of the cliff, and a 100ft. wave of snow came rolling down the terrace.

We timbed for three and a Silhouetted against it I saw half hours before we were the two Germans, turn and try passell by two Germans, who to run. I was conscious then thereafter led the way 'up by for the first time of fear---of some len yards. By 8.30 we had being suffocated by this wave crussel the Grenze Gletscher, approaching at 30 to 40, calles zigzagged up

up through the tortured per hour in the blinding sun- the Zwillinge Gletscher, light. seracs of the and slowly made our way towards the peak of Castor. In a heavy breakable crust that had formed after the four-day snow- tall of the previous week.

But I knew instinctively that it was wrong to run. The three of us on our rupe qufomatically crouched down, akis pcross the slope and backs Lowards the

TELLS OF HIS

VISIT TO

VISIT TO RUSSIA

-N the course of time By

By K. V

delegates consisting

of workers or artists

O

K. VAN DER GEEST

other countries and that history 'was falilled," Was it true that

every religiousfden is eradicafèd - to make way for the veneration

have paid visits to the M. K. van der Geost, a well-known Dutch author. was of Stalin and his 401, as we are Soviet Union. And on their a member of the Communist Party before World War sometimes fold in Holland? Ör return to. Holland some but did not rejoin the Party after the Liberation of the are these things lles. members of these delega. Netherlands, although he maintained contacts with them. tions have told enthusiastic He went to Russia in July, 1951, as a membor of a delega- Hence I wanted to find out stories about the social con- tion invited by V. O. K. S. (the Soviet Russian Society which what the child. In the Soviet Union was given to read, I was maintains cultural relations with foreign countries) and was accordingly very glad when I ditions prevalling there.

disillusioned by what he saw and did not soo. This article heard on the last day of our Sometimes these stories also really sounded as if was originally published in Hot Veljo Valk (The Hague). stay in Moscow that I was to be taken to the Stato. Publishing they were accounts of what the authors had observed religion can be practised freely camp or a prison, but you cannot Company for Youth. Thera I and unrestrictedly. To judge speak to the prisoners. 'You through unbiased and X- this I should have had to speak cannot form an opinion about had a talk with the, manageress. pert eyes.

with priests and with worship the coverity of punishments, it is As on every other occasion I pers, not with one of them, but even difficult for you to form an was struck by the fact that our The impression was given that with dozens, perhaps with opinion about the severity of conversation had to be conducted the persons who told the stories hundreds. I had, however, no

the bite

punishments, It Is aven via an interpreter.. I therefore, were conscious of their res chance to speak with any of difficult for you to form an Im- requested the manageress to ponsibility, not only to them-

them.

pression of the conditions speak in German on some other selves, but above all, to the

prevalling in a camp or prison. language. which · Ewriderstood. Dutch people and even to the I visited a large library, the If you were a party of lawyers Now and again she actually did Russian people.

Lenin Library, but did not get I should probably consent,Bu so Which proved that the

could speak German, She never whether the the opportunity of ascertaining now I must refuse this request." I cannot judge

theless

once again workers and

artists who what books were kept there,, for

quickly In itself this remark was not turned to

my interpreter and visited the Soviet Union really when I began nosing in a incorrect. But the same applied addressed her regnaries to him in lacked this sense of re- calologue, I was told by the ponsibility,

I can, however, leader of the several members of have my doubts about their

the delegation: "That is none about the powers of observation, their critical eye and in the case of four business.""" some-even about their good will.

the

breath sweetClimbing parallel to the long onrush-sheltering heads, with Rendering account

at the same time

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11

leewall, we came to arins and to maintain alr steep slope below the space for breathing. precipitous west ridge of the Lyskamm at 12,700ft. Then It happened.

crack

visited factórleg with machines and

conveyor belts.

1

to a visit to a, factory. Hera Russian, again we could not talk to the workers and could not judge After there had been an establishment, the avalanche of figures about the production or the machines in book production. of the State Publishing Company, pored n few questions.

use.

But I was unable to speak with Blunt refùsal the men and women behind the

machines. Not a single one of PERSONALLY I had no objee, they

them.

Finally, I very much wanted to know how the publication of a Book was regulated. In Hollaria'

make us believe that. to cur not being allowed the Russian people judge whether I glimpsed the Germans trip AND for the rest, I can only

assure my readers that I I saw so very much, but only to visit a concentration camp. I the greation of a writer and of. personally was fully alive to the superficially. And

have tenim delegations which every artist fits in with the responsibility of the task I had

vişlied concentration camps in "new, Socialist conception at the I could not and cannot cast Hiler taken upon myself when I agreed

"Politiek and from experience how Cultor Vol 2, No. 18).

de-

and become entangled in their rope. And then they vanished.

There was a' certain amount of wind before the wave hit. us, With a Corrible

and though nothing of the strength launder 1,000ft.of ice and snow I expected. Suddenly we were broke away from the west wull plunged from binding sunlight of the Lyskamm and plunged to darkness. Snow piled over straight towards us..

us, 1 cringed, expecting to be hit by rocks and

My Brat reaction, after the

missed heartbeat that the crack always brings, was to gape at the majesty of the spectacle. I had a ringside seat for a night I had often seen from afar.

its breathtaking beauty the avalanche seemed to be moving very slowly. I was only vaguely aware of the noise. I stood spellbound.

ce,

Soon we were gulping con- vulsively for ale.

י!

I do not know how long it Jasted.. Presently there was a great silence.

Looking up, I saw the vague outlines of Jeannette and Benny on our rope, They were un hurt.

Then suddenly the danger de- The sunlight came back to an gistered. Thla great roaring ice-strewn and Jumbled land- onrush of billowing white, in scope. The Germans had been appalling splendour, was death. swept down till they were quite This thought brought not fear close us, and they were trying but rather a strange elation and to extricate themselves.

The exciteinent.

party below us were almost out of sight over the curve of the But again they were

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to the

therefore

to undertake a journey to Russia. away the feeling that my visit and I Gey before the war, (Quotation from

Soviet Union was a casy it was to give auch a I realised that it would be im failure..

This is probably be logation the impression that such possible in the brief space of cause I had the wrong idea a camp was not a hell but a Actual practice three weeks, which the journey about the object of the journey:

heaven upon earth, was to take,' to observe and examine all aspects of the social

feld. I knew therefore that I The intention should have the limit, and ac- cordingly decided to peg out for

myself a certain section of this very extensive demain,

field.

delegation

A request that we

we might be LEARNT there that in allowed to visit: wireless: and, practice it was otherwise.. television stations, made by a The State Publishing Company is broadcasting musician, who was the only publishing house." "All,

!

que chloe is not as I had sups & memuty of our delegation writers must submit their work

posed for a delegation to was bluntly refused with the to this

company. If they refuse, there." I had read quite a few books acquaint itself with the social words: "We admit no foreigners to

to publish, the

fate of the bunk conditions. It was merely the

There is no by Russian writers and also a intention that our

scaled.

other means of having printed what great many articles about their should make a pligrimage

Thereupon we were myfed to you wish to say. Consequently, work and their views of litera- through the sacred places of make known any special wishes. there is absolutely no affestion ture and art. I was therefore Communism or what is termed requested that I might be of free criticism, which is

the not altogether stranger in this

this Communism.

brought into touch with one or test of whether the work of art + And I consequently

more Soviet writers. I was fits in with the new socialist. thought it would be a good And this intention was, of promised this should be done...

conception for

fe."

The thing if I made up my mind as course, fulfilled. The leader of

of the company for as possible to compare with our delegation was so thrilled But although I kept on repeat-management

I kept on repeat Judges, and that's the end, reality the impressions which I

representations of ing this request, and although few people with absolute, power all the by had obtained

through reading Stalin and by the houses where promises wore each time mado

And further. books and articles.

Stalin had lived that he did not that I should be introduced to even see the beggars sitting and more and more writers, nothing. standing on the pavement in came of it. front of these houses and flatly denied their existance,

No opportunity

ND let me say right now

A that I was unable to do so

What happened then?

In addition to the publishing office I also saw the large,

beautifully appointed - reading room for chlidren, which But the Dutch people do not I learned to my great astonish compared with the children? expect a delegation that hus

Two days after our reception however, had very low visitors

to

Then came the reaction. Some because I was given no oppor been to the Soviet Union to come men that we were to travel to reading room in Amsterdam. trembled, some

tunity. shouted, some

Leningrad that night. When I was able to observe that the back and tell the pilgrims talked a great deal,

Thoy expect the Pretested against this and ap- reading material in the Soviet When I was once again in the atorica.

up in very to. members

the Chairman of Union was divided acroplane that was to carry me

come back with Dealed

V.O.K.S., who had said that much the same way"; as facts. And how do they do from Moscow back to Amster this? How can they tell such we ought not to spend our time Holland, according to m dam I repeatedly · recalled to

were different ago, groups. mind the words of Goethe: "Da Soviet Union. If they have done toki: on our return you will

rosy stories about life in the in aircraft and trains, we

The two Germans answered

the main question. In the sloping terrace above us, con- cealed by a snow bridge, was a crevasse Which had swallowed

most of the lee fall.

But for that crovasse the entire avalanche would have hit 128, And had we been perhaps six minutes quicker on our climb we would have been standing on,

cr cressing, that crevasse when the er-ack came.

We decided that Castor had won, and went back to the hut, was thinking about how that skin came off and held us up for four or five minutes....

(London Express Serica)

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sich ich nuu, ich arme Tor ("And here I stand,

poor nothing more than stand in be received in Moscow by twelve

writers." simpleton"), "Und bin za klug Kremlin?

worship before the walls of the als wie zuvor.".

("I know as much as I did before").

Given no time

To bring back rosy accounts,

I thought, with some bitterness, of a journey is not only un-

"

Bat I was astounded at the enormous supply ... of chlidren's books that was available, and I doubt whether there are many children in. Holland whe tin boast of having read anything by Dickens when they were fen or

having seen every possible hops Pendelt

in.. But..

put n

of the friends and acquaintances permissable, it is criminal. It pur when we got back, after eleven years old.... who would ask me what I had. is downright misleading. seen and what I thought about

monument And yet these rozy reports are museum, and everything. And to whom I being put out by members of Leningrad, we were allowed no books to one side, and asked should have to say: "I have seen our

By decent line, but we were sent on to whether I might take them with nothing."

who would not cheat the Georgia. I protested against me in exchange for a number of people who Yes, I admit I have been in milkman or the baker out of this visit to Georgia, because I books from Holland which

glob to the Moscowli Moscow, in Leningrad, In Tiflis, five cents. Why, then do they prefer to stay in Moscow to would

do this? Because it is expected round there as much as Publishing House for Youth.

to return

in Zubdidi.

of them by those who let them Possible, or other broadcast Promise.

I travelled a few thousand come to the Soviet Union? To to Holland with kilometres by plane, journeyed me this does not seem a decisive musician. I only agreed "to ro four nights in beautiful sleepers, reason. At most it would be a to Georgia after I was given the the windows of which had to reason for me never again to assurance that on our return to remain mysterious and perhaps foolish kind if ever I were given a not only by 12 Soviet writers, with ine. "The Ugly Ducking

some participate in a delegation of this Moscow I should be received, MIGHT take them with me I was told. I might take "reason, although it was stifling chance.

but by 32.

i

by Anderson and "Oliver Twigy" hot in the compartment.

When we arrived in Tifis we by Dickens, and so many other

closed .for

saw famous museums and Seeing the outside

pictures,

were received by the Georgian books which had been translated

V.O.K:S. and this time I had Into a Russian, 1 was 'agen only one wish to meet writers, promised a Russian bobic abo I saw a football match in the you must not travel round The deputy chairman of the the Dutch Mustelull,

I too much.

famous, Moscow:

Stay as long V.O.K.S. aald tilis: wish could

."We have However, when I asked I visited a State farm, where as possible in the same, place, be easily met. the cows were rather lean ac- and have a good look at every-wellers in plenty, and you may them as we were leaving the State cording to Dutch standards. I thing rather than travel from speak to as many as you like." Publishing Omce, I was promised one end of the Soviet Union to. I did not meet a single one.

that they would be brought;to

· saw, a model pig aty.

tho ther, spending your time

my hotel- When” I wan”, Iesving Moscow

to roturit to Holland I. Back to Moscow. No writers s

was promised that the

ho, Books It was with these words that. And so during the four weeks would be sent on to majk the cultural delegation, of which I had no opportunity of having

I drank tea which had come in aircraft and trains.”. direct from a plantation.

*

Not an answor

B

I was a member, was oficially even a slight look round in the ·I have been wa

nwälting. new welcomed: this @tuminter" in realm of literature, the only fold months, I have received, some Moscow by the Chairman of the in which I was perhaps come school books, but not the Looks JUT tho production. of V.0.K.S. After this the leader petent to form an opinion. I had asked for Nono

of the delicious tea and pigs-that

dalegation bega

began summing therefore learned nothing about Anderson, none by Dickens pro reared on a model breeding up our wishes. According to the social position of the Soviet was only allowed to sen that

outside of them when I was in farm disclose nothing to me this summary we, as a delegation, writes or about the conditions. respecting the pros and cons of very much wanted to sea: n in which he lives. I did, how. Moscow. In the same way an a Soviet Government, factory, workmen's houses, ever, learn something about hia, all of us were allowed to, sen

plonsor, camps and a concentra- freedom I visited scores of churches lon camp. A

But in an entirely everything there only on the -different schis.

outside, or shd" saw: these: *churches :: filled 2006 with, old womens I even - sdwThe concentration camp van. I wanted to know whether children being baptised, there. Immediately struck off the could possibly be true (bat But from these facts I should not The Chairman, of V.O.K.81% the children in Russia were, de- dare draw the conclusion that said we can take you to a Inerkley inis informed about

(TO DE CONULUDED (

TOMORROW).