1958-02-08 — Page 13

M

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1958.

THE LAST DAYS OF SHANGHAI

Y last two years as a soldier had been amazingly interesting. All kinds of jobs that do not normally come the way of a soldier had been handed on to mo. Thus it was that I passed into the Russian Zone of occupied Germany. I was in a sealed couch, and it was at Helmstedt that I first saw the huge red flag of the Russian Army, and

Prelude

to adventure

decided to send me to

saw their troops deal with those remnants Trevor-Roper's investiga- of a defeated people who had spent their tions in Berlin. But it was day scavenging in the fields for a few Japan, and just before mouldly roots.

in

<!?"

creed,

a

] roamed

1

one

· Page 134

#1

a trond or two about the now they did. But the time for such the moment the Communist Chincre money changOTE spirit that wÁS sweeping the things lied gone long ago. They Army entered." I gathed the were out in the open with world, just could riot see it. knew nothing of the people impression that so long as the their little book-maker's". The Englishmen could, not see among whom they dwelt. Few of Chinese were left to go their boards writing ub the waya; ther couldn't care latest exchange gutes us What had happered in His own, them could speak the Shanthal own country. Ho shared with the dialect. They knew absolutely ess who governed. They were they were circulated by Americans the opinion that the thing of that great force that so used to mishule and exploita some letae system. People

was sweeping the country with lon that

government. Wit

kepi no money. Those hope, They knew nothing of seemed much like another. Of who could. Invested their the misery that was the lot of course, I am aware that there local currency In

goods. the masses who lived on the woro among the educated Tins of anything to cat,. outskirts of their unatial Chinese, many who understood buildings.

what was happening.

north of and battles of Vodka, the only was con- stuft it was safe to drink Shanghai, and there Times had changed. World War II had hastened the change. would happen once the city fell event, for you had to take a siderablo speculation about what

Going to the pictures was pa The trouble was that the people

main, in almosi

basket full of money to pay for of Shanghai wanted to put the Hut in the

macabre fashion, Shanghai clock back. And Just д

There was your leket. worked, played, danced and question of checking it. You glimmering of history, hot

dined, right up to the moment just handed over bago packets student's knowledge, showed

of its fall. No one believed Sir Winston you that the worst, the most Churchill In the moment of dangerous thing in the world is victory was the most dastardly to try to put back the herds of Ho the clock. The Shanghailander action in English history. just could not cee that the re- thought he was the last word in Jection of Sir Winston was no modernlly. As a matter of fact His language, his characteristics, personal slight, but that the he was dreadfully old fashioned.. British people had rejected u party that had led them to night was fashioned on the twenties. even his ultra English turnout destruction during the thirties.

Like the city fiself, his time wak out of joint. He was a relic of the past.

by JOHN LUFF

here just before the war. Those refection were the days."

Said a school teacher: "You thosdd have been here just After the war. Those were the doy's,"

As

of

the

because no

got on the plane, I was tolț

their way of life would change of one hundred Yuart notes tied one would accept up in batches of thousands, and to get off at Hongkong. I

the fact that Shanghai could do hoped for the best. nrrived here well ahead of

Day different, lan. short, their The streets were pited, with Not unaware of his-

of the Kerbalone convictions were based upon the goods

Huge line of dried tory, I was intrigued to classifications man forms in any papers. So again as

landish atmosphere Mao Tse-

ico cream powder, think that the architect his ill framed terminology quasi-elvilian

found that one was always

their desires. So in this wunder- hawkers. are meaningless. This form around, secing and hearing too late in Shanghai, yesterday

butter and cheese, atgar, în tăët Tung ordered his troops to cross lk and

the Yanise.

(UFTICLE of all the misery I saw of rat, who battens on the but that is another story was always better than today

a tilable grocery shop This news

But the was received in loose in the streets. around me, who has misery of his fellows, is at I took up my duties, finished As I saw the Shangfallander,

of the scandal of It was, they were all decided to be was one with his face peer-

Shanghai with a shrug service, tremendous are with his kind, whatever my

the Communist Armies reaped

ing over his shoulder blades,

shoulders, but there were signs goods that hind been donated to drew nearer, there was talk of harvest from German his nationality. His lonth. return to my de erved of it never spoke of today, always entrenchment, and the groun of THE DOOMED CITY ng hay while the Kuomintang here it was peddled

that the Nationalists were mak- China by the UN.R.RA, and A crimb about good times men who led the affairs of the duplicity, had travelled, me barter breaks down all schoolmastering, received an yenesday,"

sun atill cast a flickering against humanity If over there barriers of language, race, appointment in Shanghai, that had gone. Yet he had a British community, and whose as I was then travelling.

The Russians whence I arrived as the wonderful lust for life, Opti- servant I was, spoke of Shanghal was full of troops ray, One piece of indisputable was one. But Shanghal's answer was tho absolute was the gangster's answer.. I to a fault, Generous, ominous future. My advice wa and it took bat one brief glance evidence â sealed coach had a way with this kind. Communists launched their mistic

tricky at business, his eye to cut then and there. But to tell that they would never worthlessness of legal currency, don't know nothing."

was Yuan, as it through Germany. All The evidence they big offensive in the North. always on the main chance along

They The gold come the some old hold an inch of ground.

Suddenly, with the shock of "But you don't know were equiped well-stuffed Which prehude is to inform hard working, hard playing, answer.

with the latest attered, saared to astronomical

a thunder bolt from a cloudless Later I stood in the needed WHIN

zest for the Chinese." By that they weapons, but it was apparent figures in relation to the pound

the US. dollar. sky came the news: H M. It sterling and Lunker where Hitler hold pockets full of cigarettes the reader that I was in a hard drinking, with

observe

meant the age-old capacity for that their morale was low. as an turning night into day, he his urlesque Gotterdam- and chocolate, for the position to

likable chap, He had China to absorb all new threats was plain to see the question of Towards the end, the only way Frigate Amethyst. while pulling

several invacions, but and danger. merung. The Russians, in cigarette was international unbiased observer,

Co-operation between them and was to pay out the staff was to up the Yangtse on her lawful the civilian population hed not pay every few days because, by business had been fired upon their workily wistiom, currency, and a varton of had no stake in any place always they turned out the

My answer was, "Perhaps not.

been, considered. They fought the time you issued a pay by the Communist Army," something of for the buses, they I know treated this funk hole just Lucky Strike was a king's I went. What I saw, I saw. same way. They petered out.

shot their cheque and it was presented ct

The Shanghai people could Communism." as simple as that. He had been imprisoned by the

way into the have been ransom. So they took such It is

cinemas, they the bank, the money had lost Is it shoul

not believe it. So trinersed in Japanese, he had seen the elly placed them 1 hope that point is a die, but only to spring to life

In fact they as much as half is value in on

the

of undoubted superiority treated. It was rapally posta

It is one thing to be wise after paid for nothing. and

have again. No wall, and ex preciated, for what I

wonder then that becoming a cess spit. foul against

an ovent, but if ever the writing seemed more a foraging hörde hour or so,

the European were they that it 指

wall, it was in than a disciplined army. Their The only thing to do was to

was unbelievable. The Chinese to say will please none who be the Armies of Mao Tse-tung was on the

-letters

But they had high ZLE Cathay officers were arrogant looters, use hard currency and that was would not dare. had a stake of any kind in mustered for the kill, he was

Mansions.

everywhere the civilians dcclared legal or legal accord dared. A grim ent determined Against ns optimistic ng ever.

to the witim OL. the China was something altogether Shanghai.

ing

The old Chinese new Isolated in an anachronism,

authorities.

dollar came back into he was totally unaware of the

sliver

of

But it will not

and stinking. By to doing, terminated them. they forever killed a legend that this bastard soa

This was real history, and Odin could arise again from much I aw will appear in a latrine. I took a tile from the history hooks in the Hitler's office as a relic, it future. by the time I arrived back in England, It had crumbled to dust, as had the re- mainder of his jerry built empire.

tell the story as I saw it. The dry atmosphere of the lecture hall will be con- cerned with things that do not matter, such as the As # quasi-civilian, solemn pledges exchanged could roam at will, for I among the Allies. had been warned to be So with all this under cautious. I saw the black my hell, I returned to market in operation, and England, anxious to read a realised that the national book that would follow Mr

T

A

Shadow

for I

THE HAPPY PEOPLE

Said the talpan at the longest bar in the world, waving in his, hand the longest drink in the world: "You should have been These here thirty years ag were the days."

Said the bright old thing at the French Club: "You should have been here in the twenties when I arrived. Those were the days." Sald

Iny host, # business "You should have been

We

Should Lift!

KASAU

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

BAHAMAS

MILES 200 +GARIBBEAN SEA.

UNLESS WE

REALLY DON'T-

CARE WHAT

HAPPENS NEXT

from ROSS MARK, Nassau.

THE wind tumbled a mass of black clouds across the Caribbean sky. Over the Bahamas the clouds split and gushed a torrent of rain. Water beaded, glistened, and matted into tiny rivers on a soldier's naked bayonet. Out of the wet darkness knifed the voice of a Negro: "Give me that rifle, sonny. It is too heavy for you.”

The Negro, one of the strikers who have crippled this island in the sun, scurried away. And Peter Jones, a fit young soldier from Stoke-on-Trent, who bore his rifle with consummate ease, growled at the disappearing figure: "Guess again." We were in the courtyard of the plush Royal Victoria Hotel,

This is where the men of the hangovers of mistaken policies, panies over ferrying tourists Eoyal Worcestershire Regiment, to redress, even the anti-strike from the isle's Windsor airport.

Then the lads who saved Nass from people say.

the hotel workers, very real threats of social up-

chasing against that 1942 law. rising, are quanelered.

Consider, for instance, these joined in. Workers of the public complaints.

útlities followed. FIRST: the Bahamas Labour signed by the Duke of Windsor ns Governor in 1942. This scrap of paper denies Bahamian domestic and hotel workers the right to collective bargaining.

What do you think about this mess? I asked Poter, Cheerlly ond forthrightly came

his Act. niswer: "Every time I start tanking I get charged. ho grinned. "So I do my job and think afterwards."

Mobs

SECOND: The voting system tends to ensconce the wealthy.

Nassau was gripped by a thundering social protest.

The sky-rocketing prosperity of the island has staggered in mid-flight.

Before 1910 and the prohibi- ion ern in America, the rum- rick Bahamas had à total in- come of about £100,000 a year.

Now it is £500 millon The Bahamas "invisible ex-

year.

THIS is Petor's the is 20) on the political summit. Voles port" is tourists, running at second "job" A Christmas to those who have property the rate of 39,000,000 dollies a he sweated it out in another and to every company. tropical Coluny, In British I have learned that one man Honduras on the isthmus of the Americas, Here, as there, he is dealing with cancerous short- comings in Colonial attitudes.

ม

The Bahamas last year tossed controls 130 votes for the House 13 000.000 dollars a year into the of Assembly Anyone with Sterling Area's kitty.

£105 to spart enn register a company and have a vote. Thus

votes are £105 a pop.

This has made the poor

The lip

Eight days watching the trans- formiion of wonderfully fuhamtans-they bulge at more гTHE lost island eruption was happy blind people into ugly than 90 per cent of the Colony's in 1942. Then the Cameron mobs, ripe for eruption of 17,000 population-blüter,

Highlanders went into action.

endured

violence, have convinced me THIRD There is no income They restored law and order that London should take tho, lax in the Bahamas, but many after Nassau's main street was initiative in bringing social re- consumer goods, including food, mashed to a mob-looled pulp. form to its islands in the seas clothing and educational books. There was shooting, and people | of the Americas.

carry duty of as much as 27.3 were killed. In a sophisticated society the per cent of their valuo

The Bahamas today footer ..strikers of the New Provi-

One Bahamian sold to me: again, on the lip of a precipice. tlanco Island-Nassau is, the "Nature ordaing that one, man Young Peter Jones and his capital and it is the biggest of can read just so much, wine zo i chuma have done their bit, there lovely green atolls would much, and cat so müthi, me Now in tip to the Colonial be wrong.

"So the poorer people suffer. anibotiiles; and, thana wOAIRY They have proceeded illegally, The general strike here was poogie en Naman's Bay „Streck but certainly not ignobly. They at first a trado war betwuars It is for the island in the sun.

k have wrongs,, antiquated taxi driven and tour bus cŪDRA ba, ogena ẩn, out of the rain,

was

but

19

the world and

circulation.

1 wondered why,

I had known for a couple of cursed them and longod for the decades past, Shanghui had no day when they went into action right to exist. As monument and took their protecting in vist forces which had changed to

fluence elsewhere. European vitality, Shang wonderful. None but

Meanwhile the town went but the reason was made, very the face of the world.

had endured, Shanghai people could have would endure. He had

bullt the about its business, and I was apparent. as you will see later, no world's fifth largest city on 0

amazed to discover how lile it Thero was considerable specula- for gloomy talk, and mud flat. None could

bothered one way or the other. tion by all the wide have when at times I tried to get in caused business to thrive So it proved to be right up to every

100m

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