1961-06-06 — Page 6

THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1981.

Popular, powerful on the surface, but-

ARE THE TORIES

ON THE

WAY

OUT?

THE Government seems

never to have been more

popular, never more

power-

ful. After almost 10 years in office, it is still gathering in as if they were

new votes

nuts in May. Why should it not go on and on gathering them? Why should it not just go on and on?

Because the first pole signs of death are in it.

We have all known the moment when an old friend suddenly seems to have no more energy to call upon: the body has grown weary; the will has at last been broken, the mere wish to go. on living has suddenly gone.

Look closely at Me Mar-

Government Inblau's

faday.

Life

Is this not what 13 happen- ing to it? It

i grawing fired existing

Weary of a already gone pa beyond the allotect span.

I

which

Tarie has is no drama

In 1

tie change

condition the theks have not jame hollow nem maliyorint vaneer; there finch Toreboding is no hectic come mortal discuse,

Flut then, Governmeali du Tut usually due violent deatha, not even by self-inflicted. in- jury. They die from what con- ners call natural causes.

1

Ghastly

end

erceping

There is เอาly lethargy, everything being done by role, a littl more slowly, a Hittle less competently, and with such avhd boredom, The life spark is extinguished.

nf

by Henry Fairlie

Mr Mucmillan knots is the again. Mr Butler knots his sen tences.

Steadily the crimes of violeng continue to rise. As stearily the cry for more violent punishment ts raised. Unsteadily Mr Butter reports his arguments against it.

How long can the weary act go on?

strike which may result in the vliest bloodshed. In the Federa- Ho, there is only the quiet before the storm.

Determined

Mr Macleod began by being passionately determined to make multi-racialism the partner- ship between black and white- "Who wat that lady suw work. He has clearly determined you with ant split?"

since turn that eventually, there is an irreconcilable conflict "Why was that lady you between the twn, black must be 20 me with last night?"

backed to win. what I asdeed, Yes, that's who was that lady I saw you

with last night?"

Again, is irrelevant to the main point whether his Orst or

"That was no lady. It was

delegate to the women's hand Conservative conference."

Even the repetiiton

The patter does not change. election victories begins to faste like some terrible daily The problem goes on and on,

and no longer 13

there any

druk, keeping the body alive energy to meet It; just the au- but taking away the appelle fumatic repetition of automatic to live. To go on being kept alive arguments on all sides.

by the

voters when there is

no appulite for fe it is a Thastly end.

There has seatcely been ap-

in the way

pelite, relish, Macaitian

Bad taste

Promising

Turn to the other side of the Throne

there is the Bold!

ກ

M.P.

1 sreand polley is the better.

What is quite clear is that he the never thight out inplications of multi-racialism, and I am not sure whether he has thought out the implications of uni-racialism either.

Lastly, for the moment,

relations with Europe.

Cummings

PETER CHAMBERS To the heights-on stout and bacon!

IN New York they employ Red Indians building skyscrapers.

They are sure-footed and they don't get dizzy.

Go to the top of London's latest 30-storey building, and it's like patrolling the banks of the Liffey or the Kerry Ring. You meet nothing but Irishmen.

When you

shake hands with an Irish bulldingg worker you are meeting a "skin" and, per- haps, a somrüme "long-distance. kiddie."

The sign on the building site said: "Keep Out. Guard dogs on patrol." And the skin on the

gate said "Yes, sorr, if it's Paddy Torpey you want you will and him over there by the excava- tur."

Paddy Torpey, works manager on a City site where they ara building office blocks up to 22 Storeys, has lived 34 years in this country, but you'd hardly guess he ever left his we

Waterford.

From my point of view, ought to have entered Europe 10 years ago — and then we would have entered it as its leader.

native

of

Its face is the colour

Victorin plum, and it's some- thing more than Band-blasted. 11 is so pitted it looks as somebody has been testing bird- shot on him with a 20 bore.

Being a building worker is a

Accent

From the point of view of the Sunday Express, we ought to have backed the Cominoawealth with self-sacrifeing investment from

1951 onwards, and we flough life, and it shows. would now be leading a Com- monwealth of

genuine unity. power and prosperity.

What is impossible and, I suspect, impossible for them- selves to tolerate for rauch lunger is the self-deceiving, but nasone-Is-deceiving, perpetual qualifications,

parentheses, doubts, cogas, semi-colons, re- tractions, denials of retractions, with which. In 19 years, the Tories have faced this probleın.

Important

In an accent as thick as black stout, Paddy said: "I came to Englund when 1 was 15, and 1 worked for a time as a long-dis- tance kiddie.

That's the days when we from used to travel the road, | London up to the north of Sent- land, looking for building work. You had to own your own plek then, was paid

and shovel 114, an hour."

The long-distance kiddies used to make a fire and fry up their

IT'S THE IRISH WHO

ARE PUSHING

UP BRITAIN'S BUILDINGS...

AT THE RATE OF 2 FLOORS

A WEEK

sibly the biggest building firm in Europe.

He is 19, a pubile schoolboy. He travelled hardly any dis- tance at all before they put hinu in charge of three major con- struction sites In Central London, Alistair pushed me a cup of strong tea across his office deskt and said: "We build very fast in Britain. you know. I don' think we have anything to learn from the Americans.**

Outside. concrete-gangs, steel- Axers. and scaffolders were working on a muili-storey offer block a few hundred yards from

Buckingham Palace,

"This building will go up at the rate of two floors a week," sald Alistair, "Everybody is un on bicentive bonus."

Bonus

the bonis is a very

Every issue I have mentioned own meal, and maybe sing is one which the Tories faced 10 song or two. That kind of Hie You never hear a years ago; every one they have į has passed. refused in face; every one is in-wark-song on a building site portant tu 125 all; every one, they these days, and a canteen dishes now seem to be admitting to up the grüb. themselves, is one

Menu: boiled bacon, cabbage, Fixing they don't

and mashed

potatoes, The complex operation hammered want to face much longer.

boiled bacon 15 unvarying. out between workers' represent- Building workers cat every alives and the management The day.

concrete gangs the rent inus- No long-distanc kiddie is clemen - aim to take a 10 per Alistair McAlpine, great-grand- cent bonus on their wages, which son of the founder of the Mc- can mean a pay-packet of £35 Alpine construction firm pos- on Fridays.

Personally, I think they were very lucky at the last General Election. A Labour Party which exit had been unfted since 1955

might well have hounded then out of office.

Let us get one thing clear. The decision whether to go into Europe or not is the most erucial one which the Govern- ment should have taken in the whole of the last 10 years, and

the minst which faces us today.

sti

Let them, therefore, foolt at that the union con- the fact ferences suggest that Mr Gail- kell may be an established and authoritative lender within six

from crucial one months

now with a paited party from now.

1 passionately believe that we should enter Europe and often feel like reminding Lauri Beaver-

brook that Canada was won not only on the Heights of Abraham bef, more certainly, on the bat- tlefield of Minden - by hired German troops.

More to it

"But don't think the lads don't work hard for that," said Joe Mitchell. Joc, another Irishman, is "steam-boss" of Three big London building sites. which means he looks after all the machinery from bulldozers to concrete mixers.

"We start work at eight, in the nurning," said Joe. "And

ព

abady knock, ef till six. To eat the bacon the men get Junch-break of 30 minutes, and there are two 15-minute brenks for ten.

"Some sites we work round the clock under floodlights. You can put in 60 to 100 hours week on a building site."

Cars

D

The big money shows In the car-park. Out of 100 men on the project near Buckingham Í dace more than 100 come to work in their own cars,

Cement dust rose like smoke. I tramped across the site with men in steel-tipped hoots. gang of deat and dumb workers

A

in the precast concrete section siganlied rapidly to each with anger and palm.

other

Compared with America, a British building alte looks untidy because the men won't wear regulation clothing.

t

"The green dungureen and the proteclun helmets are all stacked up in the store," said Steve Merry. "But how do you get the men to wear the stuff? They all come In their old

Well, the Irish are a notori- Dusly Individualistle race, but they don't like

Individual bang om the head any better than most people. It only needs Romebody to drop a scaffolding hammer from the fourteenth floor off goes the victim to be stitched ૫, and everybody, sudulenty blossoms out in protec- tion helmets.

да

"Yes," sok! a cynical works manger. "This

may lust a whole three days. The worst thing is when somebody dróps off the roof and kits himself. You get a terrible feeling on the sile then, and It takes three-or four weeks before work

back to normal."

gets

the

Four men died building glant Shell offre block on the Sooth Bank.

Firms

Construction is big business, yet many of the biggest firms remain family enterprises. Youna Allstair McAlpine, for example, has men working under him who joined the firm 20 years before he was born.

An employee told me: "I had row with my wife and Mister Alistair sald: "Why don't you get off the beer tonight and

Ho take her to the theatre? Have me

for Oliver!

tickets

two

Black Atout is the stuf for the construcilon worker: makes him strong. The pubs around bullding altes ст be pretty seente on + Friday night, whereas Thursdays the business Is zero.

But skins work hard for their skttu).

"Stakhanoviten?” I wald to Steve Merry, after a tour of his work-crazy domain. Nobody even stops for a smoke except the lorry drivers awaiting load.

"Yes,"

said. Steve

E

drily. "They'll all be rotiring to their

forms at 65,"

-(London Express Service),

The channel swim soldier

NIX weeks from now a British Army officer

SIX

But there is more to the argu- will plunge into the sea at Cap Gris Nez

ment than all that. I believe it is one of the objects of Tory Government so to change the climate of opinion during its term of office that when, as is

feated, a Left wing Govern nont will not be able to do much

No argument inevitable, it is eventuaily de-

ins handled that- Bad Barren - that's how You Blake alfairs,

You might

Apell 17 i asked a Tory have thought, who used the phrase to me -- atter Burgess, Maclean, Crub, Mr Selwyn Lloyd. He produced Lonschle that he might a remarkably promising Best want to give vene nzurance Budget. the country that the Tories are But the prondse can only be seriously desertramed to do fulfilled if he himself finds the something abunt the security energy -- and the whole Cabinet services,

finds The

to put Cherry

its weight behind him to sustain

prolonged aksnult n present punitive taxation system. I have such awful doubts ruw. It is atment 10 yauts since the

As the Treasury spirit over-

Onc London paper the whelps get anther reformulng Foreign Offe. Ingd to cover

Sunday Express believes Chancellor, as the date of an- the treks left by Burgers and

equally passionately that ww Election draws should not enter General nther Maclean, and the journals bearer and concessions

Europe, and who tried to uncover them were sentimentality

the voters should build our strength, our reproved for their bad taste.

have to be inade, where is the Prosperity and our independence on the basis of the Common- good taste, sheer energy to come from? man knot-

werdth. From Mr Macmillan From Guards Mr

Butter? Already

pre- There is a strong argument tie for the thirty thousandth occupied, already not very mic- for my pobit of view. time in his life, Mr Mae- cessful ex Chancellors them- millan announces unother meet- selves Support from them? There is a strong argument for Ing of Privy Councillors, another If you belleve that, as the Duke the point of view of the Sunday independent inquiry at all levels, of Wellington said, you'll believe Express. another report which may or anything.

There is no argument for may not be published.

There 15 Bone slfence in Tury Party which, during 30 Why should it not inppen all Africa now. The silence which years of office, has over axalr next year? Why, accumpuales death. In South decision neither one way nor the

Afrien, we wait for a general other.

Now, with weary

1ke an agi

ting his Brigadu

Indeed?

ol

Cummings

Commonweal

to the

Д

taken #

STAY MARRIED

TO ME

- OR ELSE!

serious harm.

a ship-

and strike out in darkness for Dover to-shore radio link will crackle into life the most scientific swim in history will have begun.

Behind it lies a story of team- work, meticulous planning, ap- plication of medical setence and human effort which is unparal leted since the feat was liest ae- As far as I can see the total effect of 10 years of Tory Gov-complished 38 years ago,

The swimmer himself says: ernment has been to retain a Tory Government in power at "All I have the cost of what I would call [arnis. Socialist policies plus the added The "gumco pig" for this efflofency, comfort, and tem- | 12-14-hour test is a 27-year-old porary affluence,

If the Government, as I think. is on the way out, it simply leaves the field wide open ta more Socialist policies, without the added attractions of eMelen-

to do is tur

TIM

THE WORLD

OF SCIENCE

by Peter Fairley

captain in the Royal Engineers named Mike Nanson. Swin- ming the Channel, he explains was surely his destiny.

"Before the war. my father

was fully trained and all set to me to Dover, I found one

go Then his firm refused him neighbour was a Trinity House ey, comfort and even temporary time off and his backer with pilot, another the captain of ailtuence.

drew. So I grew up with the Dover Swimming Club, my unli When the Army posted field one of the greatest weight.

-London Express Service). kea.

MARRY Mme. COMMON -MARKET

·OR ELSE!

“One shot-gun marriage Is bad enough-but two of them at the same time

$

leaves it

to science

lifting experts in the country, and the regimental doctor was very keen to improve athletic performances.

"There was nothing else to do but start training,"

A kind

of superman

It begun on October 12 last year. A team was formed. Captain Peter Theobald of the

London Express Vervice.

Royni Army Medical Corps supplied the latest medical knowledge Staff Sgt. Middle- ditch worked out 11 weight- Hiting exercises to develop the long supple muscles, stamina and strength which a rymmer needs. Captain C. R.

Dench, the professional pliot

#avo details of Udes, currents, and timings for a swim programme.

Slowly, a schedule was drawn up to tom Nanson previously a good, average swimmer-Into & kind of superman.

On the orders of treiner- manager DXC F. Hammond, Nanson swam a mile a day ini fresh water and spent one and a half hours each weekday in the gymnasium. wwwhis сол Uued until Christmas.

The swims were lengthened. In April, with the water tem- perature only 49 degrees, Sca training began.

"It has taken until now to condition my system to swallow- ing salt water," said Nanson,

A stone

will vanish

Every 10 days, Dr' Theobald carried out head-la-too checks

on the "guinos plg.", testing weight and pulen rato after spells of violent exercise, // The rine of his heart was watched.

eat, cat,

And Nancon was made to eat.

"From Cup Gris Nez to Dover, Ishall lose about a stons,” he explained. #how hind to force marvelt to eat so that I shall Isa alone in band and Deduce the feeling of cold","

via extra-lib, of prime sfinks a day and 1,000 fallout oil cap- nies, have helped to ral tits weight from a normal lärt, Gil. |to nearly 1481.

➡{London Express Bervice),