1958-02-27 — Page 4

ANNIVERSARY STORY

Reichstag

Fire-

THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1958,

from spreading to all parts of the building, but the Chamber itself was completely gutted.

Leaders of the Nazi Party who rushed to the scene apoke angrily of "this Communist out- rago". Hier declared that the fire, was "a sign from Heaven to show what" wo should have como to, if these gentry: had gained power. Now we shall see where the danger en... The German people con assured that I shall savo from this dangor"".

roert

Hermann Goering, President

of the Reichstag, lost no time

in secking out the "criminals".

ON the cold, dark evening, to the Police station with hits in to rearly 3,000, CA

the

of February

captive, Turliament historic

While 'the arrest was being Chamber in Berlin, the made, more Bremen had poured the building and Fire Reichstag, was gutted by into

Captain Klotz relied the firo.

Session Churber at 0.24. A Hitler and his ruthless great blast of hent sent him National-Socialists, on the reeling back. He could hardly threshold of power, were see the benches through a thick

hi ze Hastily, the Kuscous determined 10 sway

called for reinforcements, clectorate at all costs.

udenburg was still head of the State but the techslag elections were to be held

on March 6.

1

Floter, n philossophy student, was on his way to his lodgings from Berlin University when he skirted the black bulk of the Reiclistag building at about o'clock. Turning right at the south-west corner, he hurried along the glistening pavement,

thuly

with encrusted

now show.

Looking up, he was startled

to see the dim figure of a man, waving a burning object, on outside the first floor balcony

the large window to the right

of the central portal.

Running excitedly towards

the far end of the darkened

building, the studert told

he

9.27, the moment of the Dutchins capture, are Cases ignited. A slow mufled ex- plosion shattered the glass dome above the Chamber and a sheet of flame shot upwards into the open air. Smoke and sparks poured out over the Konigsplatz and the Tiergarten. Heavy brick walls prevented the

fire

П

of

arresting Cun

during munista

night terror, Next day, Hitler pro- vailed on Hladenburg to sign o decree "for the protection of the nation from the Communist menace".

Vital

a

RS

WILFRED FIENBURGH, M.P., journalist and wit, wrote this-his last article-just before the car crash which caused his death

Are we really fair

I

HAVE reached an understanding with horses. I will guarantee to any horse- that I will not climb on its back providing the horse agrees not to climb on mine,

This makes things equal between us and satisfactory to all parties. It saves the horse the trouble of knocking me off and saves me a couple of weeks in bed.

Soon, the prisons were packed with dazed suspects and con

camps Wire centration tablished to accommodate the

In principle. though, and overflow.

"documentary Evidence" of nallen-wide from a safe distance, I am Communist insurrection was devoted to horses. So when "found" but never published.

I was invited to watch When, on March 23, 1933, the

Tibereita, D Grand Na- Relchstag passed a Bill making Hiller the virtual Dictator of tional favourite, in training, Germany, the 81 Communists I accepted on condition that who had won seats at the elec. I was insured against being tons could not vote, They bitten kicked, leaned were all in prison.

ngainst, ог attacked by horse fleas.

WALL ST. BLUES

policeman what he had seen. | UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE U.S. REACHES 4,500,000

The constable seemed unable to

group the situation

and Fiter BUT

was far too hungry to argue.

He went home to supper.

Meanwhile, another passer-by

had also seen the prowler on the

9.50 pm.

vanished.

n

for

I need not have worried. For Tiberetta, I found, was a whimsical mare with a placid eye.

When I met her she was patiently trying to sit on her manger. She was find- ing it rather difficult be cause she is as big as the side of a bus and the manger measured 2ft. by 1ft. Gin.

with

to our horses?

She played... with my waistcoat buttons

and ghost town which had been lost

to the world for 1,000 years,

wienerschnitzel

sauerkraut. THE AMERICAN HEART IS STILL BEATING

STRONGLY

New York.

UNITED STATES unem-

"Have faith in America. Don't sell America short. There's not going to be a depression,"

sound.

from-

DON IDDON

ominous.

nes

wad

"I think," I said, "she is pretending to be a hen."

"That's just her sense of humour," said her owner.

Next Tiberetta pretend

"Massive shoulders," he said. "Enormous teeth," I murmured, and stepped farther back.

It is not for me to tell the trainer of a horse ke Tiberelta, who came third in last year's National, how to sol about his work. But as I watched the

So I N

When we were told that to reach Peirs we would have to ride Arab Legion stallions for 50 miles across the desert I let it be known that for me, Petra could stay lost for another 1,000

cars,...

When I had stopped trembling I found myself on a horse. And I discovered that it was quite casy really.

The other is a foal from a couple of our farm horses, We keep them together for com pany."

Jike

Millhand

M.P.

soldier

humorist

THE M.P.

WHO LAUGHED AT HIMSELF

By IAN AITKEN

WILFRED FIENBURGH,

Socialist M.P. for North Islington, who died recently was a politician of energy, ability and con- viction.

But, through his writings, be was perhaps even better knowa ns a humorist,

Ile laughed and laughed uproariously at almost every- thing. Most of all at himself. Not long ago he wrote an anticle called, "If the Sputnike hits anyone it will be me."

And in it said, "I must, I think, be Recident prone. have just listed the accidents in my 38 years. It is a grim and aistressing list......'

Tragically, there was just ono more to be added.

His sense of humour was often his worst enemy. Many of its critics accepted his portrait of himself as a cynical, swashbuckling politician.

They were wrong. He WHA sensitive, sympathetic, hard- working: a devoted constituency, M.P.

Once wounded Fienburgh (pronounced Feen- borough) grew up in Bradford, a Yorkshire millworker's son.

He began work at 10 a toillhand. But a year later ho learned his Left Wing politics the hard way as one army of unemployed.

In 1939

of tho

"I can see the difference," I said. I tapped one of them on "This one has the back end. splendid hocks,"

The trainer nodded.

he joined another "And massive shoulders," he Army as a reman in the

{fe Brigade. nodded again.

A year later he was commis-

He "Looks

emerged, a good hard stoned. horse," I added knowledgeably, wounded, from the The horse knew the way and "Should do well over the general staff major.

His political career began~ ast as

union official. But I let the reina dangle on his

"Yes," said the trainer. "As | zoon

head of the he was neck,

said, "no "Look," I

long as the plough does not got Secialist Party's research office. hands."

in the way. That's the young And in 1051 he became an M.P. In 1955 he accepted, a big new cart horse you are stroking."

jeb as political adviser to the Granada TV organisation,

nerded no help from me, so jumps." No jumping

balcony and informed a police- ployment figures show sergeant, Buwert. It was then the huge total of 4,494,000 It was then that they saw u - increase of 1,120,000 flickering light moving

from unemployed in a month, and but the heart of America is still window to window

of the the highest total since 1941. The figure of unemploymented that my handkerchief horses their training I ground Boor. Following

along, the light

These are the grim facts which, It is generally conceded,

was a carrot and ate half of noticed that they did not prac- will reach 5,000,000 within the Thaler another passer-by yelled behind President Eisen- next few weeks, is

When she started to Use jumping. it. to the sergeant to shoot it the hover's words of strength But it must be remembered that play he loves me, he loves fourth window. Buwer. fired

confidence for the America has a labour force of his revolver and the light an

67,000,000

me not," with my waistcoat and nearly he said, in nation when

Britain's biggest un-

buttona I was suddenly Women. Inside the building, Serano-effect:

employment gure during the afraid she was going to witz, f house. Inspector, and

depression WGS moro than

pretend to be a kitten and 2,000,000, Junior offleer

had been

but America's Learching

In-

11,000,000 and more.

climb on to my lap. possible condlaries in the maze of rooms

Eisenhower, in what his pull-terminated the interview, around tbe Sussion Chamber.

Ucal opponents describe as a Constable Porschel, also on the

crisis in emergency statement, prowl. met Sertnowltz just

said: "From the bost advice i outside the Cimber. They

can get and, on my own study looked in ut 9.22, scarcely a

of the facts regularly placed be- minute after Latelt. another

fore me, I believe that we have to an officer. hnd scen only

America worried

the had most of our bad news on two or three small fires.

current recession was spoilt the unemployment front. I am Now, there

30 Lo were

40

convinced that we are not fac- slightly By the fact that Mr Leparate fires and the benches

prolonged downswing lo Eisenhower and his wife prompting burning ftercely.

ly went

for yet another scivity. Every indication is that two men rushed through an Holiday trip to Georgia-this March will commence to see the start of a pick-up, provided we uvenue of fomes into an ante-time for ten days. room, Bismarck Hall.

There are no breadlines in apply ourselves with conildence There

In the New York State at the moment.

to the job ahead." crouching shadows, was a perspiring man,

but there are long lines outside clad only In trousers and form

Government the

assistance shoes. He made no effort to offres, and they get longer, escape and responded at once

Senator Gore, of Tennessee, to Poeschel's order "Hands up!" declares flatly that, breadlines

were

The

Going up

E psychological lif

his statement gave

olf

over

it will

which

ecme

The excitable Scranewitz structure torming all over his State.

I don't thinic the man with his fist while the constable pinioned his arms and down to soup kitchens and

In searched him.

his hip-hunger marches. There's a good a Dulch pocket was

Passport deal of calamity-howling and bearing the name, Marinus Van panic talk in this election year.

HIFI TRANSISTOR RADIO

SHORT & MEDIUMWAVE

TR-74

YOU CAN LISTEN

ALL OVER

THE

WORLD!

THIS IS A PORTABLE RECEIVING SET ON ONLY FOUR TORCH LIGHT BATTERIES IN USE

TRISI TV DEVELOPMENT CO, LTD

5. Mik

Closing down

is unfortunate that the Presidents advisers have

sach little skill with words. A phrase such as "*March will cummenco to see the start of" is confusing to a harassed publie and poor comfort to the jobless. The Stock Market has been

months. pessimistic for

Wall Streat is full of woe.

Signs of the slump are evident all over the country. There were more bankruptcies last year than ever before in America's history.

Motor-car sales are down

drastically. I've been shopping

for a new car this week as my old one has done 65,000 miles. Car salesmen were all very frank. "This is the time to buy. You'll never get a bigger allow- ance on your old car and we are willing to alash prices on any model you want," they said.

The President's $2,000,000,000 construction programme, help to beat the slide. The money will be spent on enlarging, re- placing, and completing more tban 14,500 post office buildings. No one will grumble about

4

The trouble with big pots such eg these is that they are almost as lethal when playful as when actively hostile.

I learned to ride on a horse called Rox, who subsequently He was all right went poity. when I started with him, but efler a few weeks she begun to wear a puzzled frown whenever I mounted.

and

He was too old and dignifled to make a violent protest, so he would sway backwards forwards, moaning softly. Then he would le down and try to roll over with me underneath.

Her points

NTOW

one thing I do know Now

about the National is that horses are expected to jump. So I would have thought that they would spend their days leaping about, starting off with a few bounds over a canal and ending with a hop or two over

haystack.

to the trainer:

I put this "When do they practise fump- ing," I asked.

"They don't," he said. "Never?" I sald.

"Practically never," he said. "We teach them how to jump when they are young and from then on they just jump. They don't need practice."

is

Then before

us appeared a

60

Her humour

small crack in the earth. I hardly noticed it. I was confident that I was lighting a cigarette at the time. Suddenly

do you can't really tell after the stalifon left the ground without warning and the desert all. Horses are pretty much flushed by a long way below me, I grabbed at bits of horse but It was too late the desert rose and hit me in several places.

1 picked myself up and shook the sand out of my eara.

Hi3

once wer as

But then he threw up most of money-making activities and went back to the hard but satisfying toll of resarch work alike... a head, a fail, and in the East End of London. leg nt cach corner. Stili I hova faith in Tiberetta and I hope she wing the National. She has

hocks. She splendid

shoulders. And

mussive

has a sense of humour.

And that was how he died, He was returning to his farm- Hemstead, to house at Hemol has his young wife and four child. Saturday ofler a heavy Blieren.

In studying housing moming East London,

"So sorry," sald the Arab

And thinking of the jumps in Legion oficer gally. "I should the Grand National I reckon have warned you that Mustapita sac needs it.

is

A

Most natural jumper, horses would have walked over that lay erect in the earth. But no: nur Mustapha. He just Now this struck me as being loves to jump,"

monstrous deception. Look

at it this way. Here is a horse

"If Mustapha is such a clever setting out one ine day with a jumper," I said bitterly, "ho man on

back, For weeks may now take a running jump he has not practised jumping. at himself. From now on I ride Then suddenly he finds Becher's & camel,” Brook in front of him.

this Despite all

I

Bm still by horses, and AT first I thought this was

At this stage the really smart fascinated Just a little joke, this famous horse would say, "I was not after an hot with Tiberotta, I equine sense of humour. But when he tried to brush me of prepared for this. It was not reckoned myself a pretty sharp to walk with a slight roll like against low slung branches In the contract. I will not jump Judge of horse fesh. I began it. I will get down on my

and I grounded cowboy, realised he was playing a knees and curl underneath.”

chewed a

straw as we strolled across a paddock to interview a couple of foals,

subtler gune. He was prefend-

ing not to ke me, and, I feel the horse would be on actually, he was becoming quite a gond thing here. I put the convincing.

case again to the trainer.

"Don't worry," he said. "It the horse Is Jumper he'll Jump."

But the mare

Tiberetta was all coy friendliness as her owner went over her points.

They galloped towards us, and desperately I prayed that their brakes were in good working order. They stopped with inches to

out spare. I came

"One of them 13 very

"Splendid hoeks," he said. I I realised in a flash that gingerly from behind a tree.

was right, Once I was nodded, not daring to tell him he that to me a hock is something will

that comes from a long, slender Jordan and we were invited to Promising," said the trainer.

Laken liberally visit

sums

| th project, 13 the United States post office is extremely Inemcient. by British standards. And they won't complain shout similar or bigger being spent if it halls the slump. Cabinet members have failed to stress that the Government's programme to spend more than $80,000,000,000 in cold cash this your is almost

guarantee gainst a real depression,

President Eisenhower pro- mises action. I think it rather sigalficant that he will be the guest in Georgin of Mr George Humphrey, the former Secretary of the Treasury, who once said that unless firm.measures icken thero could be "depression that would make your hair curl"

are

1

bottle and

on a parliamentary delegation to

11

place called Petro, a

“And the other?” I asked,

His ear swerved and hit a lump standard. He never open. ed his eyes again.

ROUND-UP

BERLIN

TOP secret order issued

members

A military intelligence organisation lays down tt Gemarang

rules:

1. They will not visit publie houses, drinking halls, places of entertainment of restaurants in groups or parties;

2. As a matter of principle, they will refrain from gelting drunk in public;

3. In the event of their violating these rules the senior officer present will be held responsible for all consequences, He will also be responsible for ensuring that no matters connected with the service are discussed in public.

According to the news magazine Der Spiegel, these orders follow a somewhat wiconventional party attended by West German intelligence staff men in a Cologne night spot called "Hamburg Ahol

It is said that the porty-goers heatedly debated certain personnel changes in the upper ranks of their office while pouring down a good measure of strong drink.

They drank so much and quarrelled so loudly that the peoplo at other tables overheard fascinating details concerning "sources", "shadows", "safe houses", and much else concerning the secret service.

Der Spiegel reports that the debate ended in a drunken fight.

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