1958-04-01 — Page 4

THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 1959.

Young People

and the

H-Bomb

T was the absolute calm of the young men and women when I spoke to them about the H-bomb that struck me. I had already spoken to the undergraduates of Oxford about the problem. They were excited, interested, articulate.

But when I went to the great motor factories on the outskirts of the city 1 found the young people tranquil and full of an instinctive common sense.

The slightly hysterical campaign that has been worked up to bring pressure on the Government to abandon the 11-bomb-to give up atomic testato halt the building of the missile sites-all that had had little or no. effect.

And yet so many of them,

even with this fear and worry.

The apocalyptic warnings of the Bertrand Russells, the J. D. Pricilleys, the Canon Collinses--the young people in the factories had been undisturbed by them

There were sume who thought we ought to give up the bomb, but they were far outnumbered by those who realised that this is no time for panic.

There was a

young married couple who were having lunch together in a works gnafeen.

C

would have been pleased to be with in any battalion.

still thk that in the situation as it is today we must hold on to the bomb.

A

Report

to

the

Nation

by

DONALD

EDGAR

YOUTH in the shadow of the H-bomb... a generation whose future is threat- ened

has definite beliefs on whether or not Britain should give. up the weapon. Donald Edgar has been talking to young people of widely varying backgrounds. Yesterday he reported from -10..- Oxford-University.

There was Frances White, who is only 10.

"I think we ought to have In their honesty, in their soul

He did not speak freely and It." she replied in ʼn most deler- "Sa long as we Boarching, in their confrage before sily as the undergraduates of mined way.

dreadful this

Wadham bad bave I don't Hink it wil be problem they Magdalen r symbolised the young people spoken. His words came slaw used. So we nighta't

to give met in the factories.

ly, but forcibly.

Ft."

Peter Curtin is 22. leely, with great seure et fun. "I think we must keep the bomb," he strich." 's matter of com- If we do go to war mon sense.

got to have it we have protect ourselves.

Joan Wicks, 23, preity and

1 H-bomb is a dreadful smart. started

the olf

en- thing. I only hope it is never verstin with: The H-bomb used. It should never be red,

..don't think there should -be-such-a-thing. She lookesi.

at me out of troubled eyes. How could one disagree? There should not be available such means of mass destruction.

Then she added: "But, i the world as it is today, I think we have got to have the bomb,

T'S

Awful

r's awful, but I don't see any other answer." .She looked down at her hands. "When I read abotil the effects

"If we gave up the bomb, tip Rússins eould wipe the floor with as any time they liked. It's nonse Just having a general agreement to all give up nłomie bumber. That would leave the Russians, stronger hrenpse they have more men

intel more 46 ordinary weapons.

"But, surely," he went on,

nobody wants

gure

to

use the bomb and destroy whole naflons.

"There is only one solution in the long run. We must all give up the bomb. But mean while we must hold on to IL,"

·Good thing

As for those missile, baser any case, I am ail in favour of keeping close allies with the United States,"

they are a good thing. In

Today he moves from the colleges into' industry —-—---

I did find a few people ke Roy Williams, 20, who works on

Car assembly line.

That last sentence 1 heard He tanks we ought to give many times as I talked with the up the bomb - but he does young people. I found almost no not want Americu to du anti-Ameriens feeling among the same.

the youngsters who work in the stupa and the factories.

· It is a négative attitude, Edward Howlett, 22, is a hand-

17 rome-blond man, who opened "If we give up the bomb," he

But he still wants

weapons.

the U.S.

of radiation on children 1-feel Heather Coppock is that It's no longer worth having pretty mod gay. "I think it the talk with: "I've thought a sald, "Russia won't attack us." would be best if we gave a lot about this H-bomb business. a family.

the bomb," she told me. "Even And I think we ought to give it to provide a shield of stomie "We have reached A

Crazy If the Russiaus dropped a home up in order to set an example situation but we have got to

here

I wouldn't want us to to the world. to face it..

retuliate. I think the

"I don't think there ought "It's no use being cowardly should be stopped for the sake to be American bases here with and allowing the Itussians to of the children. There is 100 their H-bombs, their airplanes,

much radiation already.

rud their missiles, have their own way.

"As for these Summit talks-

are being difficult"

"We shall just have to rely

"I don't on America," he said. think they would let us down."

· GRANDMA GILES MYSTERY... the solton

"Honey, will you kindly explain to your Mama that not everypp-sergeant at

the Base is radioactive.”

DOLE QUEUE, US.A.

AND I'M INIT

But I am glad to say I did not DID you ever stand in

find this attitude widely spread. Among most of the young

we

the

Krent

Tradition

117-

Potts,

Autos TV sets, washing

2 queue for the FROM GEORGE WHITING: CHICAGOhines and other big tic- appliances are" feeling So far as 1 can see there. 1 respected her point of view.

aro helng people there was a feeling that dole? 1. have just spent

pinch, but last week we bomb we two depressingly These discovered that the young which I suppose must be negotiations, Sutomit talks must take place.-girls of the country who have talked about because people are we gave up the

about the H-bomb-I should lose the Influence.

Leonard comfortable hours at it week, as against 4,400 last are all worried"

grainaged to turn our minus There, must be an answer. It's cunsidered the problem

the of think

Russians have been have in deciding worried

the effect about all so terrible."

Her husband, David, ls 23, a radiation on the children they reasonable. I think the Ameri- problems of international affairs.in this once brash and year-and that is quite a elevator driver; Ed Sper- into plus for the first

sizable slice of recession, man, painter and decorator; this year." brassy city-trying to sheet metal worker, blond, will be called upon to bear in cars-especially in Washington

learn how it feels to be million inhabitants.

even for a city of four Oliver Sykes, serious and the sort of man one the natural course of their life

shipping nd the unions? Irwin at the no-business end

Czer-s, of the Federation of of what the politicians So I went out into the mowski, die-getter; Roscoefour, had this to offer: warehouse-type hall Williams, toolmaker; Josefey used to say that if and the economists call vast America's recession. It that the State Unemploy- phine Green, Aling clerk can't make money in ment Commission have offered similar unhappycago you won't make it the feels bad.

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I asked him what the position "would be If we had given up

and the bomb threatened Us" with "one,"

He smiled. "Weil, in that case, 1 think we ought to have something up our sleeve."

the Russians UT now I wish to come back to my original theme, the calmness at All these young people.

When you

about falk bomb

they will discuss the matter with you.

Which made me think the English have not altered much through the centuries.

clerk; Kazimierz

But they have no great daily The grey-liveried tourist of the City's biggest stores.

blaring in- "I am 50 and I workedkers were laid off last worry about the problem. tout among the ice puddles Printed notice is very typical. 1e some will say to you: "Well, it all when he assured me we shuffled in our seedy "I have tried and tried t

11 is not fatalism-although at O'Hara Airport began structions at us not to loiter for years to keep my son atk."

seemed pretty pointless as Harvard," said Mrs Green

of

Howlett hates the whole ide

destruction mass women, and children by the H-bomb at times he convinces is not so much fatalism-os The himself that 05

matter traditional 7

response

the it's not much use worrying any- ol men, way. is it?"

But that declsion not to worry unending number of never queues towards the counter find work rather than com

of conscience we ought not to people to danger.

or this be part of an H-bomb arma- They had the same fatalism ment race. And then he realises which many foreign observers that

might we

be

left thought

was crazy-in 1040. When we stood alone,

defenceless

So he adds: "We ought to have something up qur sleeves."

CITY LIGHTS

"You know, str. I can't. understand, how you always manage to beat mel

`London Express Service

1957 GILES ANNUAL

BUY NOW! stock is limited. $5.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST L TD., HONG KONG & KOWLOON

The young people whom spoke to in the factories are not Beared.

They hate the idea of the bomb being dropped-either on us or by us.

But. by, and Inrge, they are not wiling to give up freedom an independence out of fear.

Obviously the Campaign for Nuclear, Disarmament hös Ita altractions.

of youth.

No panic

Wacky

that "Chicago provides an

to be forgotten scenes of clerks waiting to check the educational value for the pink and white forms clutch here for compensation. Bu ed in hands that cannot find it looks like the good day visiting student.'

work.

are gone."

Such then is my · 1958

se-up of what I'd call a

Cabby's advice

My

Cohen,

Imp In a city where asslatarzy slums jostle minky nearest neighbour, Jack tall, gaunt jockey. commissioner of unemployhtspots; where the cold.

and

the State tera of Lake Michigan capped, turned out to be ment for Unfortunately for the Irwin Filipowski, a 35-year- Illinois, received me in hing mist to mingle with sucker-seeker my cab-driver, old welder from the Inter- North Canal Street office smoke of the chimneys. one Hank Schlesinger, waa national Harvester Group. listening: "Don't be fooled

advised Hank.

"If you wanna

know

ber.

FOOTNOTE.-There are

where he has had to doubfd the smell of the stock- his staff now 900-to cords; where the bells of by that salesman, mister,” -- "I was laid off after 10 with the rising tide of "re Chicago temple church years in the job," said Irwin cession" since last. Noveral hymn tunes in your ear

day.. without bitterness.

all beems slightly The threat of total annihila- what's going on in this town "I was making one Hig

far-from-cheer! It tion-in a particularly revolting right now, lemme take you hundred dollars

a pop-eyed Inno- week charts showed a state tacky to 21 way--must; affect the thinking to 1608 West Adam Street." (about £23). Now they employment roll of 198,nt from the village of

Tondon. One hour later 1 was pay me 29 dollars 50 cents as of now.

(just Over shuffling my way around compensation

"Seven per 'cent. among more than 500 unem- £10),-Him single and I can - ployed Americans, whites, make out dish-washing and Chicago's insurable, worko gangsters here any more. I could flad among are unemployed and: QUT the woolly, emotionalism non-whites, BUT

hear whites, playing the piano.

ceiving an average of days. peace-loving of the campaign-the dire Mexican Puerto Ricans warnings, the Intricate

"But the outlook is bad. dollars 82 cents a week itizchry were: the uniden arguş

Incumbent ments have not made our youth plus one aged panic..

who claimed direct descent Another 1,200 men were laid compensation," he told rifled gunman who shot Mrs Bather Sandler dead. In off my old plant in the last They are n extraordinarily from the Indians who

"Illinois has unemper kitchen....a Chineso hard-headed, common-sense lot, peopled these lusty parts

two monthe.".

called Moy ment funds available of laundryman 'million dollars. But we dong found shot after u paying it out at the rative years sentence for 20 million a month belling opium....threo rob- suspects caught With worrying a machine-gun ..........

these young people.

They look the danger. in the when Chicago was a Lake face, I think they prefer the Michigan swamp. riak of even the H-bomb to "Go out and talk to

slavery.

I was not really surprised"

those guys," said Harold

Income drop

Paul Ryder, married with against a collection rate r Weapons may change but Spaeth, whose managerial one son, has been off labour. 8,000,000.

race,

not the spirit of the British job it is to pay "unemploying since his firm closed able to draw compenstwo gas station burglars. These are my thoughts after ment. compensation" to down three months ago. His for up to 20 weeks you who took the attendant for polico. talking to these young people nearly five thousand people income has dropped from 80 see how right we are ta ride....and a

people who are not orticu- every day of his life in this dollars a week to 84.

Bon the picture depressing man's 12-year-old late out of ambition or egotism. one offled..

named Robert Merchant

So do not be misled by tallos

woolller"

*

sprinkled cleaning... flúkd all over the place and then

for writings of those who were Ten other centres aro "I am unemployed, and so Fred Goerlitz, man who, rifled a school doek, described to me as "the old doling out the dollars in is the ico-box back home," director of Chicago's

the people who similar fashion. Two more he told me, "With rent at merchants association are trying to make out that the

are being opened this week. 15 dollars a week, you could siders things had. youth of Britain.Is pacifist (or Încutralist.

After all there are 107,005 say I got my own personal begin to pick up at It is not true..

unemployed in Chicago this recession,” added Paul.

Or else

Bet fire to the lot at the cost. of four hundred thousand dollars.