1958-04-05 — Page 8

Page, B

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1958.

SLAST DAYS OF SHANGHAI

some. What that

meant was, those bit of money overscas, and who had no visible ** it worked out, were

ablo to eatablish

WIN both

-

and

now But some

of

By John Luff

depart when his train arrived. He then spent a time in Tien- tain until he was further cleared by those authorities. And only when they were certain of every Incident, and satisfled in every detall of his affairs, was he

up and put in s prison camp, it was much more difficult to allowed to board a ship/

some representation would have obtain.

another

Inestimable value. IL

moans of supporting other life overseas; themselves in Shang- some of them are

in Hongkong. hai, and those who of them were just no one's were truly redundant concern, and for them life would be allowed to mediately, and hopeleas

desperate im- leave from Tientsin, any future. far away in North

It can be seen then, that those who could take this China,

long route out vin Tientsin, Most European

con- word those who had suffi- cerns were still carrying clent money to do so; or on the same staff they had the other hand were those

who had a firm to pay their convinced ho employed before Shang way. The heads of con- hai closed down. Salaries cerns had to stay where

wero until were still being paid, they

the quarters maintained, authorities were satisfied and all the perquisites its commitments. And the that the firm had met all that went with the job commitments grew every hai, I do not know. For all If you were in earried... on. But for day.

almost a year, not one cent's worth of business had been done.

The Experience

¡

Hundreds of smali Chinese existed at the time is almost To convey the atmosphere that businesses had just closed impossible. No one osn enter of smaller into an experience, unless they up, duzens Chinese banks had closed have had a similar experience. and as far as I know, there was and how the their doors,

nothing just like Shunghal. It ordinary people carried on

seemed city of forgotten tia nnyone's guess.

people, and it seemed that no une outside could have cared

Then there existed a less. population Western ex- traction who had been born in Shanghai, who knew no other home, who had enter- ed into its life and hind

In spite of what one wrote, It seemed that people as near of Hongkong imagined that every one up there was having a good me and were reluctant to leave, When we gathered round Jurned down radlo, nothing was

foraged a decent living one fald of Shanghal er ile forgotten

way and another. Some of community. I suppose had we

them

had

Every article he carried out, from grand piano' to collar stud had to be listed, and an inven- tory in sextet handed to the, authorities. A more thorough or mngine, and very nerve racking It was.

methodical search Is hard

to

been made. But we were not. In cost, it Was a humble one ill used us the worse that was of No one interfered with us; no document; in effort to obtain, it happened during this time was took days of time, and endless when the foreign owner of a

secure It. One cem was unable to ince! his urnoys from one authority to staff he had to employ, or rather, the next just within reach. financial obligations to a local moment it seemed unobtainable, he was not permitted to dis- In order that you apprecinie

Unless the people leaving had charge. He was locked in his this, let it be understood that office and held there until either your passport was worthless. It fed comparatively light, because a home somewhere, they travel- he got the money from outside was not asked for at all in the the long way out was expensive, sourers, or those in power were preliminary singes.

The ap- and it was unthinkable

travel more plication form for this Exit Per- around with huge crates of money. But unless an extsper mil was made on a fortis pro- Surniture. All kinds of things

employer Inslied out vided by the authorities. ugalosi his tormentors, he wan not locked up. It was about this time that some Americans

and that had to be a good they could see or hear in Shang- obligations had been met, and were held on espinge charges.

reason. Then the authorities. We heard about it, but wint had to be satisfied that all your

could see was a weary mund of bureaucracy which I thought must be directed to freeing the city of all Western influences, and then rehabillating in purely Chinese lines.

ated

had to be left behind, extra- The next step win to give vagant but useless gifts were nur reason for leaving Chine,wered upor acquaintances,

The Gifts

someone had to take your blace, not taking it with me,"

senior position,

"Would you like my car? I'm

Your servants were asked it

they were satisfied with the sum paid to them by their departing the

I am presenting my, piano to

ochroot, employers, and in some cases un grand."

út is a Bluthner unscrupulous servant could hold

That is the way it began, and bl employer to ransom, when the exodus was more especially if there existed any less complete, whole buildings Incident in the employer's career fully furnished down in Peking he wished to keep concealed carpets, were left as they were. from the authorities,

The first thing those wis were preparing to leave had to do was to obtain an Exit Fermit. Exit In the next few months, Permit haunted our lives night and day. It seemed the most Having been cleared by the previous document ever to enter Shanghat authorities, the person into the peregrinations of man- uy the true or is sliced kind.. It was more than a past- sent on the Tientsin bound port, it only for the reason that train, He had to be ready to

Those first to get away re- ported dire incidents in connec tion with their examination for an Exit Permit. We had it whispered that all photographs were examined with meticulous

was, con-

L

Was

THE SHANGHAI CLUB HELD OUT AS LONG AS IT COULD. This photograph_won taken in its prosperous days when it was looking forward to half a century's happy days. scrutiny, and cay snapshot that munity might reveal the Chinese in n

Frew smaller and One gained a Blue at Oxford; smaller, and very depressing another will represent Conada at

the subservient position

next Olymples: another fiscated. For instance, West-

went off to Saddler's Wells: Then came the news that the athers have risen in the erner riding in n tri-show or

Civil being pulled in a rik-shaw: General Gordon would put into Service and their

chosen pro scenes of picturesque squalor, or aku, the part of Tientsin, and fessions, but that day, they were of incidents not in keeping with we knew this was it. Everyone all schoolchildren.

with an Exit Permit would be

was -Everyone who aspira-

anyone An estigate turned up to that last the ship. of mod. on

concert, The w census was taken, and we know

Commonwealth Consola China, there was no justification for were all there, and the hall was were all taken trying to hang on. The school ablaze with flowers and lights. away by the would lose half its acholars at The scholars were

extremely authorities. So

talented ami self-corådent, and perhaps the occasion added la

the Way Out

had tucked away a been harshly treated or rounded 26 #SSESSENTS.

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The Flag

Usually I am not given to showing the flag, but that even- in a buge Union Jack was un- furled alongside the banner of St George, and before the con- cert opened we rose to sing the British National Anthem. in pride nor in deflance, but because it was the Anthem of our mother-lands.

into a depart in the turned flaeif. future

began relief ship by turing both fore aft Into $ kind of to set our photograph albums and

floating dormitory. Nothing was guaranteed but deck space, but No valuables could be ixken, that was enough. No one unless it was proved they were criticised accommodation or part of one's personal Jewel- luxury; all that was asked was Jery, and all objects of ancient a few inches of space on a ship Chinese culture were examined, selling away. And if the piece in question

At no time was any attempt should prove 10 be a rare made by our Government to ald muscum plecr, it was confts-

no nationals in getting out eated.

neither did the ships plying No newsprint could be used between Hongkong and Tientsini In the packing of chip or put themselves out to help in other fragile objects, for fear, 1. the wlihdrawal. The Heinzich suppose, it should contain in- Tergen auled like an ark, while formation the authorities wished the British ships took a dozen to keep Inside the country, or so cabin passengers, umally So the pioneers reported back in the employ of the shipping to those of us who should leave · Arm. It cemed, and it still then, after Mr A. K. Murray

at a later date, ond all over seems to me, that 28 far as the town there was a sympton effigial and semi-official British what I called Shanghai suthorities were concerned, we nerves.

could be in Shanghai now.

of

The thing to do, and It was not easy to do, was to stay out of trouble; anyone out of line with the authorities was avoided for fear of contamination.

The Exodus

So the exodus began, at first a Irkle, then a giant flood then a trickle again."

of

frat

The numbers at the Shanghai British school, were now down to something like one hundred and fifty scholera.

April and May of 1930 would sca the exodus from Shanghai ot its greatest.

Not

It would have done your hearta good to have heard it sung as it was that night as the forgotten community rose and sang.

The children remarkably well I thought, and performed,

had made the announcement that told the sad tale of the uncertain future, the school sang Bong we borrowed from Harrow for the occasion.

Q

most

"Forty years on when afar and cninder, parted are those who are singing today...."

One should never be ashamed of tears, unless they aro shed for one's self, and it was sod We decided to hold a last that night, for whatever great concert and Anish in style, Shanghai falled to do, it did not The school was polished and fall with His Brich ochdols, and scrubbed, and that morning I the School code of honour. It walked all around the place to is the thing to scoff at ruch........ seo that everything Was Institutions now. Then more's The huge famous clubs, In- order.

the plly. For those who went eldent to many romantic stories delightful, English garden where Shanghal Britis

Its lofty entry was set in a

out to challenge life from the

school pre the Shanghai were victims of the new order. Faced w Engilsh flowers in an allen sented

formidable Acit. Il spacious grounds challenge. with heavy ixation and. 4

marked were out for games, dwindling membership, they

Sir Robert and Lady Urquhart closed one by one. All kinds of where in the long twilights of a. said goodbye, for they were

summer evening, the masters due to leave, and I schemes were, thought up; senti- tried to recapture their ancient ment ruled in favour of keeping akit avith o well oded gricket Nothing now remained to do them open, but much money bal.

but to collect our Exit Permits, - was thrown away trying to "And in a lie. Ilke coy girls, lock up our doors, and cherish meet the over increasing de- stood a row of willow trees, and in our hearts all that was finest mands, and at long last it was on that April day, they stood of the old days. seen they would have to go.

new clad in flimay leaf dress.

The children who came that -The-closing-of-the-clubs

day are now scattered wide-up- really marked plain for the most

on the faer of the earth, and obstinatoly optimistic foreigner some have brought farne to thst the old days were gone. No more would the fabulous French Club and the oper near professional gambler put- ting your's salary on a hand of cards.

The British Country Club tried hort; a Bowling Alley was erected to attract the compatriot who had up to now found his fun outside of established re- creations, but it was of no use.

The American Country Club with its dine swimming pool, und its atmosphere of hot-dogs and trolles, was the first to go. Tho Italian Club with its fire music and good food managed to hold out for a bit, but it had to go.. Most of the clubs held a fual gulo festival, and withough they did not immediately close their doors, the big occasion, held wallo there were still enough "Toroigners to attend, marked the end of it all. We attended each club in turn, and very enjoyable it was.

The Shanghof Club,

with

its

fumous long bar and 3Ls equally famous -topers held out the longest, or so I belleve, but no longer did iñe famour Saturday sessions,lako place. Real Scotch was as rare 'ca the Dodo, and we did not Brust such brands ad "Old Skipper" and others of his ilk, untilled in othe- berthluba, of Shanghai. | Monty of us were drinking Vodka, tha quly drink you could trunt...

"The number ablo, to leave ̧nt". anyone time was stall owing to the fact that the only ships patering: Tientsin weep://lopasfal Mvessels, and prmonger

modations

exceedingly

limited, és Nevertheles weeks' paspod, the gocelan

eir old school,

Javish

GVer.

was all

NEXT WEEK: The Long Trek To Tientsin

ZANIES

Lamy