1954-12-22 — Page 4

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Lawrence--in Arab dress.

HERE is a good deal of strangeness and of mystery about T.

T

was.

ONE OF THE WORLD'S STRANGEST · STORIES

The Enigma That Was Lawrence Of Arabia

was, of course,

As a Fellow of All Soula By the time the First World saddening period of argy-bargy wife (I often suspect that Chere? ho was a member of the War came he was one of a small over the peace settlement had a lotte Shaw represented to Law- intellectual aristocracy of company of men who knew a catastrophic effect on Lawrence; renco the fulfilment of a deeply

"deal good

about the Internal or did he dramatise it as such? held fantasy about the sort of England. Yet he spent the affairs of the Arab-spoalding Lawrence, hurled angrily out mother he thought he ought to years of his middle man- regime of the Ottoman Empire of the high politico

politico-military have had, as he to her was the hood as

Arub

dream of a Seven fulllment of the wrote Tank Corps, and into the nationalism. From a chairborne Pillars lost one manuscript of sun); and he

private of

Job in the Arab Bureau, which # on Reading station, and "news" in the 1920s and the the lowllest of aircraftamen in the RAF. He died close was a branch of Intelligence in rewrote it. He had an obsession 1930s. He hated notoriety but

In Brilialt GHQ

Cairo, Law- about

Imited editions, and it that was what he got instead on 20 years ago when his rence was translated to a field was many years before this the renown which he had motor-cycle crashed on the command of extreme delicacy massive and splendid work was earned. road not far from the cot and responsibility with the Arab available to the ordinary reader tage in Dorset to which he forces which were in rebellion in anything except

ngainst the Turks.

emasculated version, had withdrawn after serving his time in RAF.

LEADER

The figurehead of this Arab the rebelllon was the elderly Sharif Husain of Mecca; and it was He became a legend in his from the Arabian peninsula, the spiritual centre and focus of B Lawrence not lifetime and the legend has 1stem, that the rebellion drove about what he did, for that in no way diminished since northwards w Palestine and you can find in the history his death. His military and Syria, books, but about what he political achievements have

been severely criticised and Lawrence's close companion, The man behind and be- questoned.

and co-commander in the whole yond the deeds is both. He himself has been expedition was one of Husain's oons, the Emir Felsal. There enigmatic and controver hardly less written about was a streak in Lawrence which sial. He was secretive and and "written up" by dis- sought always a hero to wor- exhibitionist, violently ciples and rivals than his ship, a leader to follow; at this averse to fame and all its namesake D. H. Lawrence. peak of his life he found two-

the British C.-in-C., material attributes, yet His character and his deeds Allenby

and Felsal. soaringly ambitious. He have been vulgarised and That he himself was an in- exerted for some

yeara glamorised. He has also spired and inspiring leader of enormous influence on the

the Arab irregulars, and of the political shaping of the

highly individualistic tile band Middle East, yet he pro- fessed to despise politics.

. He worked for and with

By

John Connell

he

Arabs and served them been depicted as little more better than army other in than a posturing charlatan. WOOLLEN OVERCOATS. modern history; yet his

task ended, he turned his What kind of man was

in fnct? strong, slim back on the Arab world and appeared, for the rest of his life, to give it not another thought that was not disdainful,

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One of his closest friends and supporters in his young manhood, D. G. Hogarth, the famous archaeologist, said of him; "Lawrence was an Arab: a street arab," Someone else remarked that he had an unrivalled talent for "backing sideways into the limelight,"

CLASSIC

OR.

of British omcers attached to them,

and

really

can be no doubt T.

The Arabe, as always, were

at their best when things wenz

going

ing well for thern; the phase of the campaign that was mill.

of

had richly

Sir Hubert Young, one of the 4 brief, most distinguished of a family

of great servants of the Britth. Empire saw Lawrence little monkey--a

This tremendous task accom- plished, he disappeared into the

mischievous

litite imp, and this mischlovOZS ness was undoubtedly a daw in his one character."

The implshneas marred his reflection later years; it was of his inability to grow up. Yet

--50 diverse and complex is human character-he WAS • great leader of men in a time of crisis, a brave and daring cap fain, and a writer of something approaching genius,

PUZZLE

When the arguments about Lawrence rage back and forth, it is worth while pondering?.one passage in "The Seven Pillars," which offers not, a a complete ex planation, but several valuable clues to the puzzle and the pity of Lawerence's character and deeds (he is

his summing up views of what he did): "We

were wrought up with ideas in- expressible and vaporow, but to be fought for. We lived many Ilves In those whirling came

palgas, never sparing ourselves; yet when we achieved and the new world

took our

came out and the old, men

out again and victory

to remake in the likenes

of the former world they knew,

"Youth could

most satisfactory WOS tartly when Allenby's Army 30 driving up through Palestine and Syria in the autumn of 1918. It is dificult but not impos-

and Lowrence and Feisal were sible to disentangle the

front the man harrying the Turks

"Alreraftman Shaw" mət his

win, but had the myth and from

counter other side of Jordan.

death in a motor-cycle sooldent. not learned to keep and was myth. Like many of us whom But this was the grim and

pitiably weak against age. Wa the world describes as English, bloody

reward of many long,

stammered that we had worked he was

of very

of ordinary,

and a new mixett frustrating months of slow ad- mass

humble for a new heaven. ancestry. His father Wie A

思 inactive wajung as soldiery, Private-later an And

earth,

they thankœdus and member of the Anglo-Irish Vance

distasteful to Lawrence as to the Aircraftsman Shaw,

kindly and made their peace i landed gentry,

Pro- Arabs. old

The

"that"! of Importance Disappeared, did I say? Well, testant ascendiñey; hls mother With the Arab entry into hardly; for except when the Air passage is not that it was” or of Scots Highland Damascus (n city to the Muslim Ministry posted him to Karachi was not historically true origin. T. E. Lawrence-Nea to mind only a little less holy than he had a trick of bobbing baballoved it to be true! There -

that Lawrenco passionately the fardly was the second of Merta or Medina) Lawrence's into the pubile eye, ave brothers.

men

and

was

Tho

and

büt

brlof, memorable career as a He had famous and influential set down in burning words ard-- When he was eight years old military leader was over. The friends, like John Buchan and his glory and his pain, and each his parents settled in Oxford disillusioning and profoundly Churchill, like G.B.S. and his merges into the oiber! where he went to school and where he first discovered the passion for archaeology" which dominated and moulded his youth and sent him first to the

for

Q

NATHANIEL GUBBINS

I

I wanted to say they were all smashing.

Then you thought they would invite you to a party after the performance?

..

Усв.

And 1. you would drink cham- Yes.

J

year is sure to be up to some=: thing.

He spends the time rending letters from children and col- lecting presents for them, are pre The children don't, write 10

Christmas Eve,:;#0. him until that's a lot of honey. And col tecting is right. Where does ho get the dough to buy the presents? There's another, angle to the story.

He fought

brilliant successful campaign from the heart of the Arabian East.

WAS ALBERT, Did you want to write about the with only one day's work in the T peninsula to Damascus. The He was on Sir Leonard book in which he described Woolley's great "dig" at Car- THE ROBOT pretty girls?

Yes. this campaign, "The Seven chemish; he travelled all over

COLUMNIST, who

What did you want to write Ottoman Syria and wrote a book Pillars of Wisdom," is one about the

suggested that we about them? Crusaders castles of the classics of our lan which stretch in an Irregular should go to London for the

As an guage,

attached line from south of the Dead Sea week-end.

Orontes. the official in the Colonial Office to the valley of

Since he had a third fan under Churchill's leadership then: on his voyagings he often who wrote "Good luck and He spoke Arable fluently even letter from a girl admirer, and guidance he was one of wore Arab dress and he lived those instrumental in pro- and acted as an Arab, not as a bless you, Albert. I think ducing the best and most disguise but as an expression of you're very good," his small page out of their shoes?

It sounds libellous, Albert. his passionate search

You've got to take a chanse. workable Middle Eastern method of identifying himself success in journalism had As you appear to have only

entertainment The Low Down on Father settlement that emerged with a way of life that was not gone to his foolish head. He one idea about

would sweep the from World War I.

wanted to meet admirers in perhaps you would be happier Christmas

country. I con see the head the big city and hear them as a film critic.

Yes, I'd like that.

lines; u

Santa Claus Scandal say, "Why, not the Albert,

But they're not all full of 500-year-old Divarcce Robe surely?"

pretty girls, Albert. Some have Bank. Quote I Done It For The Now we are back at our desk bear what serious world Kiddies end Quote. Then there' after a whirl at the theatre and of art. What sort of films would the interview with poor

ms would Mother Christmas starving in London clubs Albert is not con- you like to neb bent with his job as, my, ngsist= I'd like. go to the Cinerama the now, She has sold the ant. He wants to be a crit of for nothing. They say it's won sleigh, eaten the last reindeer the drama-and the films, derful You're right in among and has gone on public' relief, gossip writer, and a londer the fim stars. The actresses alt Then there's the woman in the writer. He even has ideas about on your knee. being an editor and has already suggested that The Times could be brightened up with comic strip serials showing girls in bras and photographs of beauty queens,

H°

his own.

PARADISE FOR SHOPPERS

From: HUGH DUNDAS

New York. ridor of hell on earth, can be TOW nice, how nice when come fairyland if those who do business there post Father something legendary Christmases at every corner. turns out all it is cracked Santa's bells, carol singers,

Why do you want to be, q up to be. That goes for the clinking of cash registers

critic of the drama, Albert? Fifth Avenue, New York, operating at full speed, combine

I want to sec to drown oven the roar of the

the actresses on, a Saturday afternoon traffic. Why, husbands inden after the show.

before Christ with parcels rise above their shortly

usual resistant mood as they follow their wives around on a Christmas shopping spree

mas.

CAREFREE JOY

After lunch I took a glass of brandy for courage Filth Avenue. and a wad of dollars and stepped out to sample the excitement of the most bril- liant shopping street in the world.

aru

On

we

There

is more to it than thai, Albert. A drama critic must have a profound knowledge of the theatre and must write an honest and carefully considered opinion of the performance of oach player and the quality of

play.

the

He can still see the actresses afterwards,

He might be too busy. Any

that's not the idea. cold

It's only an Illusión, Albert. Boy, oh boy, ghat an sion Are you thinking of Marilyn Monroe again?

Heh, hell, heh, heh, heh. That will do, Albert. Heh, heh, heh, heh, hely, hehu

FATHER CHRISTMAS SCANDAL

case..!

Remember what the Press Council has said in its report about exciting imitation of the wrong conduct in the news- papers, Albert.

And, boy, is she a 'glamour. pis? She is blonde, 21 years or old, and who de entering for the Mas World beduty competition? on Monday, solih all the right.

When

Houre measuremente. Vawanin

Turning to the news, I read asked by our reporter an item about a London store love at first. sight?” she -Rays,”

It certainly was love at firat abolishing Father Christmas

Why do you think they have sight of his cheque book. The fred Father Christmas, Albert?, bid, so-and-so has been robbing

the banks for centuries”. And, Perhaps they want a younger, then our reporter says, "Do

ideas.

conception of it.

TIKETA with new

But the

It feel Funny to be married Father Christmas

that he man 425 years older than your be drink champagne should

olg and benevolent fairy does, greeted by Use happy, Info

the cooler for an "more" trusting Ittle children.

Perhaps there are no more should worry

ten year

A bowler-hatties Englishman chased round a great store with a carefree joy which I am sure Three hours later 1. had won he normally moves for the through the dollar But at hunting Two old womeni least knew that everything I were swept through the door out of their shoes, had heard about Christmas behind me. "Where

That's not done any shopping time in New York was now naked one. "Never mind Albert. According to Ad trusting little children. Perhaps don't think (You'd)

where we are, let's look around who is now almost 60 and ought they know he's too old to get good editor, Albert true.

anyway, her companion ro- to know, it plied as she swept forward with

"the Well he ever done,

down chimneys, especially in I'd make a wonderf could

Få beat the Loty What' aglesos in her eyes

Plays

for nothing.

modern flats.

the Fathe There must be another reason, I'd follow up Only if he is an nccredited,

with another stuf What is the secret of Find Jo Christmas in a critic and is invited to the play I know. They don't loant, the mas Avenue? Spell it out in, two enjoy spending

I was tahamed of you what children to be miced up in a to what would that bet buy words-bright yuxurious pack of razor blades and it will you clanked up to a box-omice scande. He's been divorced. If a thing is not really

Father Christmas?se

low down then display it with such bright be wrapped for you

A

Yes. What a chance we have, ross and galeky thất)it appears," case of diamonds: Orica #houting?"press."

of a 'ind.......... Why, you can seven make.'go into the most responsive tremora days 'urn" plso over.

TWO WORDS

packets of detergents, look like

a million dollars if you to them into a slagh with mather Chri

that draw and silver ring

see all

my thought, all Journaliste

frea:tickets. abop in the world, and it w in the?" mood, and the

***If,T,had. defres:seat buy silk tam fron' Paris mention tha' actinuses. Iri thich will be laid out for you, column, pang

bert?

had

What

Not Mother Christm Don't let your enthusiasm for What do you could Journalliam get the better of been doing since 145 any, "yutar Judeners, Albeob: Besides, knew Henry the

father, cheletusagsla teyond the Cusanova, plate age of romance

tima spina. 190

Apes my foot.

Aipas marriedk