1958-03-22 — Page 8

Part 8

Home Sweet Home. Next door to where

I lived in Shanghai,

THE CHINA MAIL,, - - SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1958.

THE LAST DAYS OF SHANGHAI

was a large Chinese house in the midst of nition would alter the con- ditions under which we

by John Luff

تر

new.

During January, the Govern- iment facked inflation The 7. M. F (Fonte's Miley) was extensive grounds. existed in China.

rated 28,900 to one US dollár, I had expected some kind were cleared to receive the books cpuid Mr Mao receive the lip of $4,900 To £1. Plentifully protected

At the fatne of demonstration, a few Russian text that found a he no badly needed, and if the time it became illegal to hold by huge trees, it flags, a pounds ̈with the ready maskel

loan, worth US$300,000,000 foreign currency. This was a from next

The Russian community now was pitifully small in viewer sputid move past stopped Chips made an ideal hoad- band

door playing the tunes they had cute into their own, and many the immediate needs of China, se ceramic evil, playing the Wick marisst. The Jaw was quarters for some been practising. But notice country they and, not es. Russian edvisors went with the very clens and very salt, and

felt a sentiment for at lonal it is möttan. part of the staff of lag flew in that long empty tenced for years. Nor were loan, and what the Chinese Lelt quite exact in its relation to he the Papple's Libera- street, dull and cold under my backward In lelun you about the advices I do not know. currency laws prevalling In any rate, the Incidents Britala: Punishment was more the January sky. Not a know that they occupied that t tion Army, and also cheer, not a smile, not even leading position in the com- of the time were extremely severe, however, for any foolish Inutily once held by the interesting for together they enough to Imagine that a trace quartered there was a flicker of recognition shembien Bath The Soylet proved the fallacy of actosalets of the

passed the guards who Club flourshed new and it clely. The techniuinus tee the in the old corrupt Ching existed On the other hand, consider- the band:

stood rigidly to attention in was there areinated the follow- new erociscy, and even if the

rewards of a capitalist's sdelaty nable awards were offered lo They were a very good the street through which ing incident.

During

history lesson are wiquield from, them, in informers, and many a foolish band indeed, and but for blew the icy wind from the at school while teaching Marxian terms, they form a foreigner who chose to Ignore the habit of commencing plains of Siberia.

the various stages c the Re- thesta ogolnst which we so the ultimatum of the new found himsclí band practice at 6 am. 1 The weekend passed and form Acts which at last gaye the the sante Hegelian theory, the Government, should have regarded them Munday came neat. anked British power and policy in their class non-technician must con- either blackmailed or informed

upon by his own servant, my Chinese lend clerk if he government, a Russian girl stood tend, and farm the antithesis. as excellent neighbours,

AL know that Retain had recog- up in the class and said that it

any rale, leaving the I was the hour of the under-· During the first week of hired Chun. He said that he was all rubbish. When I invited nedenle fight of fancy out of dog, but it could not last for January, 1950, the band kiew, in fact the Chinese her to qualify that statement, It, the Russian technicians were the reason that the Shanghai- turned its attention to that papers had published the fact. she said she had seen a fim at housed in the plutocratie district Chinese was not ready for such reforms. He had part of its repertoire which What he did not tell me was the Soviet Club which showed of Hungino. Here, they were sweeping

imagined that it was just on- included English folk music.

other racket with him teamed We were serenaded with

up with his Government to mak the foreigner, but when jo "Drink to me only with

Government had dealt with the thine eyes," and other items

foreigner, also taught the of a similar nature, but

Chinese that honesty means honesty. And a very severe best of all was the melody,

lesson it wSE. "Home Sweet Home."

But that part which dealt with Although, under

Government the King and Queen of England visited by one of their com-

the foreigner was well nigh existing conditions, the tube qued the recognition later riding around in a gold and cry, patios, long resident in Shang- unendurable. The servants of

In the day, I learnt for myself, stal coach against a background hai, who thought he would mix the English realdents were seemed to have sinister A Russian language paper, now of ruined houses, and terrible a lille gccating with much gistered as a class, and they in qualities, I grouped it with with Soviet leanings, tald

I soon discovered what business. But the technictur the other English music, story. Britain's recognition was had happened.

any information By some clever drew a distinction between those turn tipped and considered that there a hypocritical action based not editing, some of the scenes from who are Soviets and those who that they thought might be of

Interest to the authorities. on friendship, but on a desire to the coronation of H. M. King are Russians, The police were was but one meaning to all resume trade, and this it follow- George were shown along rent for, and the next twenty- Even the famous Shanghal ET along, you gabby this. It was part of the ed with a typical Slav trade with some scenes of the recent four hours were extremely un- beggars had their day. No longer

demanded. I fraud!" said the did they beg, they which would against pernicious England,

the bomb damaged East End of pleasant for programme

At the same time, Madame Landon, so that it appeared that Russian,

and even resorted to force as gamekeeper, as the brilliant- hail the recognition by chang Kai-shek Spoko..over the monarch was revelling in

an auxiliary to their demarxisly plumaged jay shot past Britain of the People's De- the radio in New York, where the midst of misery.

But the Government soon round-him with a harsh cackle. A small mocratic Republic of China, she was permitted to sell the client, but I fell it to Illustrate

ed them up. The able bodied- American publie what tren how feeling was running at the cherous people the English were tinie. Spurned

and that they had sold their

Recognition

Chinese the how the

January 6, 1960, was a Saturday, and quite curly in the day we learned that Britain, along with some other countries of the Com- monwealth, and recognised the present Government of China, by virtue of position, us the factual Government of China.

Was

the slums.

Standstill

money

Shanghai

Generalissimo and Madame Chiang Kai-shek. Madame spoke over the US radio whan Britain recognised China, and the blast scorched us who were (gcked up in

Shanghai.

UP COUNTRY by THURLOW CRAIG

The unpaid watchman foils a poacher

"G

beggar was removed from the The man walked on to the town, disinfected, fed and cottage. Tho ga udy, clothed, and put to useful work, bumptious bird continued and thereby taught in a very gathering his supper, his practical manner, to become a self-repreting citize

hright eyes and keen curs At this stage of the reform, missing nothing.

its and more isolated and forgotten he saw something of the Same foreigners spoke of walk, that this problem is merely an bravely reared his lny body to

than ever.

was

sisters

AND

ruffled his plumage, squawked once, and went to sleep, sade out of the reach of foxes.

CD#

under the plekot-fence towards the tree that he had marked the previous Sunday, while the keeper was in church.

Ten Yards from it he looked up and saw the cock pheasant fast asleep. ita slihouette enormous against the night sky.

"Got you, mister," he thought, and cocked his gun.

Awake on the instant at the sharp, metalle dick, the Jay flew shrieking a general alarm the lengtli and breadth of the coppice, across the Beld. to tha lower covert past the keeper's ; collage, squawking all the way, Rabbits balted; small birde twiltered, blackbirds succumbed to mass hysferla. The pheasant hurtled off and flow until he pluched down into a black wood à mile away, completely blown and quite demoralised.

HE NEVER FAILS'

The last breath of life had souls for thirty pieces of silver, Doubtless, this rise of the now been crushed out of Shang- 1 suppose the ability to quote Russians and the get-tough with hal. There was a grine but de- scripture always goes down with the foreigners had something to termined atmosphere in all its some people, and I could only do with the visit Mr Map made grey streets that freezing winter.

Once he landed at the foot of imagine Madame Chiang Kai- to Moscow. With China now in Business was at a standstill, but the Government turned its at- bands of the People's wages and expenses rose dally. fention to that part of its social

a hazel, listened, pounced, and ale objected to the cheap price. the

But we in Shanghal, who were Democratic Republic, Mr Mae There was no question of de- problem which dealt with the gulped down a fat grub, now being attacked from both had to consolidate quickly, or faulting on any commitments world famous prostitutes of A furtive finish of brown directions, felt very depressed, lose the opportunity for over. undertaken

or now imposed. Shanghal. In a quick but comprehensive The

had to be found. Many people like to think showed in the undergrowth, and down he few, bul g weasel At about this time, there was industry that had taken Russia ing out and handing over their economic one, but such is 10 clutch the enemy. a little plak a irrifle wave of sentiment for from feudalism to the scientific residences

While a girl in they AS

existed, the case. I do not know why, per- everything Russlan. It was to power she is today. China's Derelict businesses were willing of Shanghai's famous spots could to and needle-like teeth noise to disturb half the popula

it

similar, wishful be the second language taught in problem hapa

hungry Jaw8. but ly offered as a gift, but no one earn as much in a night as her showing between the gaping. tion of the toppies. He loudly the schools, and everywhere greater, and apparently Mr Mao wanted them. thinking, but somehow we mong

And above all,

could in

a month in a

With a curse the jay zoomed the second-hand book- caw. China's future lay along even if you were willing to feetory, the economic pressure upward. One just doesn't play had imagined that recog shops I haunted, whole shelves similar paths, Only from Russlu teave everything, you could not was obviously not the only dee with the weasel tribe.

The dark hours passed quiefly At first the get away. The huge clubs and oiding factor.

until at last a waning A LANGUID MEAL bars in which people had for girls, were spoken to. An upperl

rose to shed a vale light. to their self-respect merly while away the night was made

The sun was setting when he well before dawn an hours now became sober places, and to such patriotic feelings

"Good" for my old night- roosting-place and clock, muffled by a pillow, With a diminishing income, the they might possess. This work-reached his

watchman," he cald, pouring only practical thing to do was cd with a number, but some just languidly finished up a fat field the poacher.

Presently he selyed He apped out of bed fully two mugs of ten made the best to close up. But there was not preferred the life of languorous mouse."

for plimsolls into way, well boiled with milk and suffelent money to do so. And ease, and escaped to Hongkong.down, but for a while could not dressed save

Te sugar already added, "He never Some did reform, and their de- get his head under his wing. He which he stuffed his feet, you had to keep on the staff. You were not allowed to sack larations were made publle. In was too full, and f: gave him opened a bottle of beer in the fails. That'll be a two or

dark and swallowed the con- four legged varmit for sure: them.

a way, it was like an Oxford hiccups.

The other wild things were tents, then reached for his old and my guess is two legs."

A cock gun. It was the workers' hour. Group testimony, and usually it

Within four minutes of Later we saw the marks of a triumph and they were solid be- ankhed with their stated inten-selling down as well. hind a Government that showed tien to buy National Saving pheasant raced along the hedge waking he was a hundred yards crawling man leading to the from his tumbledown shack. tree overlaid by the footprinta Under

Certificates with their tainted as though pursued by devils.

He thought he had seen a fox. Snall-quiet but ewitt as a there such consideration.

at the same malefactor, tupning Almost overnight, such a polley, money flowed back money. Into Shanghai, and the workers, Shanghai became a puritan city. paused at the spinney's edge snake he slid down the dark to look. Then ha clucked in the side of the hedge, not disturbing

even ablackbird.. stupid, give-away manner of his kind. and ducked under the At the coppice-end he stopped, hop," chuckled the keeper as wo fence to the brushwood. to listen, but it was so, quiet fofled up the hill. haven't

He new clumsily up on to a

you could have heard, a dor- shot a joy for years and they bare brunch

snoring, so he crawled know it, the cunning, things,"" 'making enolagh mouse

rever

0

well off with a Government that pegged food

prices at a worker's rate of in- come. hoped it would last forever.

NEXT WEEK The dying City

MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN

CAREFUL-2

GÁNOSTERT

POLICEMAN NOW!

HE'S A REAL GOOD-HERE COMES BANGSTER-

Cop

OUCHT

OLD TRICK-- WORKED--

WHAT'S KEEPING EP SO LONGT WE CAN'T STAY HERE WITH COPS BUZZIN' AROUND-

The keeper and I were gotting ready for a day against carrion crows in the hills, where the And ewes

were lambing, when we alarm heard the rockeL woke

fost in the opposite direction.

1

"You can't beat a Jaybird for keeping the ponchers on the

By Lee Falk and Phil Davis

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