1953-07-07 — Page 4

THE CHINA · MAIL, TUESDAY,`` JULY · 7, 1953.

THE PRIVATE MOTORIST

M

IN TODAY'S RUSSIA

By. JOHN CUNCLIFFE

that

and

пте

10

body: of the

The

OSCOW Radio

have

that an experts

psiimated

Nor is the motoring press of

Оп 210,000 Russin encouraging,"

the in Itunsin nounced in

July, there

cars, one per subject, of the Moskvich enr 1952, that "motoring Passenger

ihousand population, ns com Automobil has mentioned such is rapidly gaining popular- pared with 2,500,000 carn things as the hand-brake not

Union. in Britain. ity in the Soviet

one for working properly, window The Moscow Central Motor 20 inhabitants. We know falling down while the car is

the

Soviet authorities in moljon, rain leaking through Club has several thousand an annual output of the Insulation round the wind- members-factory and office 300,000 vehicles in their 1030

usereen and the rear window;

Altering dust workers, engineers, scien- plan. We also know, however,

through cracks that

If that gure even

Www in the Bloor and ists and artists. The So attained 87 percent of pro- the erratic behaviour, viet Monitor of February 9,

duction de given

to formless windscreen wiper, which either 1961, provided similar in- leaving only 13 percent fails to work or sometimes can- formation and went on to for passenger cars, of which

not be turned off. The same Government re journal was not much murc percentage Boy:-

absorb four-

comforting about the Pobella, "Before the establishment of quirements

that the After listing a number of de-, Soviet

single Afths. This suggests pcwor not 2

Soviet car-owner prospective peasant in Estonia had a car.

concluded: time long may have to wait a

practice Now hundreds of working peo-

"Operating

shown for delivery.

that more than 50 percent of plo In rural areas ere car

Once he gets his ear, his next the defects in the ear result owners. In Georgia there l a

will be with from

electrical defects in the the preoccupation in big demand for car

the roads he Stallu collective form in Adzha-

must traverse, equipment. The quality of the may be electrical equipment and dislilusionment rin 20 collective farmers and

considerable... The situation is length of cervice of some in- -possess Pobeda cars."

Excellent: Let us follow the described "In "Russia's Sovle: struments are st unsallsfac- fortunes of

of a Stakharovite ( Economy"

tory, eg the induction coil, horn factory worker with a pheno- (London, 1951):

and starter". "New roads have been bullt menal output who is handsome- ly pold), an engineer, or other during the Soviet regime privileged individual who de ethers-improved, but the great sires to participate in the com- majority remain ordinary diri paratively new sport of motor paths, entirely impassable feuilles de nol end here as the

wiecled vehicles because ing.

letters of some motorista have or know during large

*testthed.

dim- It is extremely periods of the year. The paved-

network

tely rait, a rame parts of the Soviet rond

Is moderately well develed in the Western Union, to get one's car serviced. U.S.S... where many of the A group of ear-owners wrote to larger eles are connected by the Literary Gazette on October

223, 1051

polut out that such all-weather links. East of the Brats the network of paved a private car smirdimis becomes roads is grossly inadequate so burden:

"The fact is that, despite the that many important areas are withinus adequate motor linkage. swift and wide growth of per But even in the Western area sonal ear-owning in the Donbass, nobly here las concerned him- self about servicing private cary, it one of us needs to have his ear overhauled, to have a part was replaced (even a simple one), tu

First Step

The first step,

of course, is to acquire a State-made er of whlel there are four models

amallest, available. The

the Moskvich,

A run-aboul, rather like a German Opel and of somewhat higher horse power than the British Morris or Austin "bables." It is priced at 3,500-roubles. Next size

הנגיד

by 1. Schwarz

nut

by

is the Pobeda, which costs most of the roads are unsur 17,000 roubles, and is roughly faced."

with the Standardl

Nitecore." After that

cvines

Bad Roads

the Zlm at 27.000 roubles, and This state of affairs finally the Zis, rather like the conflrined

Packard, which

Parties

of

Tribulations

The Soviet car-owner's dif-

the June 5, 1862. The paper blamed or the tyres retreaded,

by Isvestiva on have a scratch on the body put, to have the battery

as

Party nabobs, and cosis much as 80.000 roubles. It is dlMeult to compare these priens with Western prices in the absence of any real exchange rate. At the official rate of 10 roubles to the £1 they would be quite fantastic, but at the more realistle rate of about 40 roubles to the £1, they seem rearonable enough, especially in view of the purchase tax which

their cars..

Engilshmen gill have to pay on

or-

his tribulations immediately

local Soviets and highway ganisations, and added:-

a careless begin, and "Bad roads attitude towards their exploita- There is not a single garage tlon inflict great damage on the in Stalno, Merkeyevka, State and collective farms. It lovka, Zhdanov and other towns

con- trans-

Gur-

Wime lies

over the ocean

My

RESTING

Beverley Baxter says he's A WOBBLER

BIGS MEDIA

POSTP

World Copyright by arrangement with the Manchester Guardian.

IN THE BIG CONTROVERSY

E

vision

new

threatens

the

(THE WEEK IN" "WESTMINSTER BY KIND PERMISSION OF THE TOPPOSITIO

Britain to which he can turn.

for an

Some of the criticism against commercial radio and television

THE NEW

BATORY CAPTAIN

From Colin Lawson .

Copenhagen.

FROM beleaguered Berlin I flew to Copenhagen

to meet the new cap- Polish liner

921

tain

of the

Batory. He has just come

but fresh from behind the Iron Curtain.

In Red Berlin

are the blatant signs of Communist rule: the power of the party member; the dangers of kicking over the political traces.

And within minutes of boarding the Batory I found unmistakable signs of the same system. A tough poli- tien boss, a trusted. Com- munist Party member named Peter Szemiel (pro- nounced Sheèmiel) is in charge of the 14,300-ton ship.

In name he is the first officer with the rank of com- mander. He has no marine or navigational experience, and has not been to nautical school.

Knows All

DUT ho watches every move by

BUT

the captain and the officers. Everything they do is known to him. He is the leader of a small army. His underlings watch the rank and ale sallora.

is difficult even to establish in Stalino oblást which does how many cars and lorries are work for private owners, Thero put out of

prema Is not even any place to have how

fuct is

a car washed". ain, how the in vain,

There

is little of the atmo- of freight

delayed sphere of carefree motoring in port

is because of bad and poorly bullt nil this; indeed, there is much roads. This exerts a particular 10 make the prospective car The next question is that of influence at the height of the owner pause, Certainly there is the air. It only remains for what effect it had had upon grammes and above all, there ging" was at the Anish, when And the first thing I saw was a

a great

deal

delivery, and here the dim deliveries of agricultural food- much to suggest that: culties begin. There

of stuffs, ore,

as well as during the needs to be done before motoring no available statistics transport course,

of manufactured becomes as popular in the Soviet current Soviet goods from town concerning the

to country Union as Moscow Ridlo would Statinical production of cars.

have the Western world belleve:

Immediately the ship docked the 315 Polish members of the crew were lectured for an hour by the political commissar and warned not to try to escape. Only sailors helping with re- provisioning and a handful of Danes in the crew were allowed to go ashore.

With the help in

shipping official, I got aboard,

little chubby

Ind, son of “tak Polish

with passenger, Red Star the slzc of 12 telephone dial embroidered an coch leg of his shorts.

London. As usual, the Americans no other broadcasting source in have gone tele- are a long way ahend of More than that, a State-con- In America goes too far.

mad. This us. Television has revolu- trolled television service. could The Ford Company regularly

the Metropolitan become a means of political pro- presented monster tionised life over there.

extreme Left Opera on the air with nothing ganda to alter

Last winter, in New York, I

but a dignifled announcement at Wing Government. visited a friend in bis home habits of mankind, for it where there were no fewer than it television would remain inde- years ago

By bringing commercials into the beginning and the end. Two went ола a watch has added sight to sound on four sets to serve the entire

programme household. When I asked him pendent, the increased revenue manufacturer's

mean more attractive pro- New York, and the only "plug- some new inventor to give family, he

The answered

cholce be

for the they modestly said that if you children won't go to bed; my us the element of smell, and wife is going blind; and my dog would be an irrevocable code af particular watch would still be

viewers.

safeguard there fell down a mountain-side that the illusion will be complete. has gone to see a paychiatrist, conduct to which the commer- keeping the correct time,

After watching Bome of the

claists would have to conform, On the other hand, manufac- programmes I knew that he was

losc

turers of deodorants and dand- their licence. not exaggerating at least not much.

Those are powerful arguments, ruff curers are unetuously un-

any rate powerful enough to speakable. Induce the Tories to go ahead.

Cranes, Railway and Rolling Material, Diesel Motor Trains,

Locomotives, Centrifuges, Autoclaves, Ships.

NIKEX Hungarian Trading Company for Products of Hoavy Industry, Budapest V. Dorottya u.-6.- P.O.B. 25. Budapest 51,

Well

Party issue

his

would

would

or

at

As

However, Jet

let us now look at Yes or No?

the other side. Perhaps

Can

a little by citing the

Us

JNHAPPILY, here in Britain condense it a

the future of television has case of Sir Thomas Beecham. So the issue narrows down to For many years he gave us this, Do we want State become a party political issue

Garden with monopoly giving

pro- fact which is much to be opera at Covent

the deplored. The issue, as you are pills.

Beecham's grammes without the spur of assistance of

In olher words, in

he competition? Or do we want aware, is not television itself but whether there shall be comfinanced the opera out-of-the a choice by the intervention of mercially sponsored programmes money left to him through his commercial advertbers?

Lady Violet Bonham business.

Carter. competing with iha State family

But he did not announce that Lord Hallfax, and Christopher controlled B.B.C. televisica

Beecham's opera way being Mayhew are trying to make up presented by Brocham's

programmes.

With

With more haste than seemed necessary the

We were spared that. Yet that Times

of a Danish

I found 31-year-old Captala Tadeus Meissner. He was sur prised to see me.

Could we have a chat? I had come such a long way to sco

hlm.

"Ah, yes, wo shall talk. But I must fetch my First Officer, Commander Peter Szemiel. Marine etiquette, you know.“

"Not Told"

and The A covered lounge

into the smart

smlling.

Goverment committed itself to

carpet- walked

Conservative is precisely what sponsored pro- to the paper is with them Szemiel, 31, fair-haired,

WE

hilt.

I think the public a old enough to think for self,

As a critic and a politician, however,

cannot pass my

I stiall

vote

programmes, and, with grammes will do. an obstincry that slightly Too critical ridiculous. Mr Allee has an- nounced that when the Socialists E shall have soap operas, as dilemma on. return 10 power they will.

the Americans call them.' for sponsored television In unsponsor the sponsors.

Guinness is good for you might Parliament for the simple reason So even in the realm of enter-well present Alex Guinness in that I would rather have it. than tulament we are to have the scenes from "Hamlet". We shall another Social Government, dreary process of denationalisa- have plays by the courtesy of but I shall vote reluctantly. |tion and re-nationalisation, Players, and there will no

un-

I asked what they knew of the escape in England of Cap- lain. Meissner's old colleague, Captain Jon Cwiklinski, Promptly they mapped out: "Nothing. Poland has not been bold. There is nothing offlal."

So-1 showed Um Britela

mant by Captain Cwildinski, that

Hebburn-on Tyre bocause he he left the ship, at feared arrest if He returned to

home is a form of enter: newspapers with the announce

Poland.

As for myself I have a split doubl be bassos by Bass.

le not an

an unmixed mind on the subject, Politically, Well, what does it matter, if blessing, comforter the lonely I belong to the honest wobblers, the programmes are good? These and makes the home attractive As a good many readers must products are advertised and, but it will hurt the lying theatre, be in the same condition i sug- therefore, "it could

be argued the concert hall, and the cinema; pest that we set out a balance that Baxter is writing a spon- it will hasten the end of corThere was a moment of ex- sheet to try to clear our minds. sored column. So what is all veraation as an art; it will ada citement. Eagerly Captain

the howling about?

to the process of making useissner turned to Commissar There is a difference. In

race of twiddlers; and the dust Szenici. newspaper you you read will what you want and skip the rest, Brow on the books in ou

For: Against

but on television there is no

DRIEFLY, the Tory case is that,

I sholi wobble from this despite the success of the alternative for the eye and the column to a comfortable chair, B.B.C., the principle of monopoly car to the plugging of the ad- find some good music on the is' wrong. If an author or nctor verliser. Nor can the advertiser radio, and read: Carlyle's simple runs foul of the B.B.C. there is tell me what to write.

inle of the French Revolution!

Next, a swept-wing jetliner so fast.

it will stop the clock.......at Id. a mile

BACKWARD FACING SEATS

THE world's first delta-wing

Flying at 40,000, it at more Because of its speed and sizo, airliner-in model form than 650 miles an hour it will it will carry passengers, at a was unveiled last week by Sir cross the Atlantic so fast-five coat of only 1d. a mile. Said Roy Dobson, head of A. V. hours that it will reach New St Roy: "No such claim can be Roc, the makers, It will carry York at the same local time as made for say stier alrerast."

it leaves London. Ite name: He promised delivery, by, 1856 up to 131 passengers, in back- Avro Atlantic. It is larger. --and that is the, dute," cald "Bir ward-facing neats, which have sequel to the Vulcan delta-wing Miles Thomas, chairman of been showİL to be much safer bomber, now In production for B.O.A.C.,, that ho wants Jet In case of accidents,

the R.A.F.

'afrliness' for the "Atlantis"route.

"Ah this is something thew for us ho elad and started to translate the article into Pollsh. When he got to the passage bhad to g. 1

would have

been

e laugh- was Ivery surprisexi to learn that my old friend Cwik- liuski had jumped his ship. We liavo served together.

f dan understands ansliety over bis wife, an adh dhughter In Gdynin, not for reasons he gives (fear of reprisalspn them) but because they will now have to wack to lives.

Busy Day

ZEMIEL shrugged, then said: "His wife should be all right, Sho should certainly not bo arrested."

I atcered the conversation und to Commander 'Szemlel's Job. Was he not young, at 31, to be in such an important positiont

Captalis Moissner sild: "Well, you know, his job is not nauti- cal. Before the war it would... have been called, perhaps, ene tertainments

Now wo

can call to ince

Would the captain, and his political colleague care to lunch with me? The captain hellat- ed, looked at Szemiel, then re fured. "I have a busy day, you Ther would Commander Sremiel care to lunch? Ha declined abruptly.

"It was time for me to go,

1