THE · CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 1961.
~ SECURITY LEEK...BY JAK
•
IT'S NONSENSE
TO
SAY THAT
PEOPLE near me by the edge of a lake in a
Swiss holiday resort were contentedly dozing in their deck chairs in the warm Alpine sunshine. But I had suddenly been jerked wide awake, For I had picked up a copy of an influential and widely circulated American business magazine. And in an article on our current economic troubles I was staggered to read:-
"With her Empire almost liquidated and her Commonwealth markets fading, Britain is moving to the end of her centuries-long role as a global leader." Odd, I thought, that if this were true American business mer should be so keen to invest millions of dollars in buying up factories and building new ones in our tired old country.
In fact they have ink more money in Brilah than in any country in the world, with the exception only of Canada.
How strongs that if. as the article suggested, Britain had become lack, worn-out, and uncumpethiye so ontute à man as Henry Ford II should throw Away £120 million to get 100 per cent ownership of the mam- moth Ford plant by the Thames at Dugarihumid,
Strange too that so many Americans, with the free world wide open to them, should want to come and settle in a country which had lost its age-old glory and was rapidly becoming third-rate Power,
MORE CASH
And those rotund, highly eff cient Swiss business men with whom I had been chatting on holiday. Had they no! also told me about their mounting invest- ments in Britain
the
They had mentioried £11,000,000 deal by which the chucolate colossus
rul?
and
Nestle ho bought up our own Crosse and Binckwell food bust- ness. They had told of more Swiss money going Into marzłacturę nt Grugs and muchinery in Britahu,
And Swi changed cheques.
צנת
the
thes there were the banks where I had travellers' Every one of them was full of pamphlets aut brochures extolling the ad- vantages to the cautious Swing Investors of buying shares in British industry.
There were bills in the win- dows giving details
by
BRITAIN
IS
FADING
GT-BRITAIN
BERNARD HARRIS
placed country, a land of op- over which to transport people
and goods. portunity."
That statement was made by
Sir fancifully Canadlast-born
Charles named Swiss investment trusts Goodeve his presidential Iron and Steel which offered facilities to address to the vestora throughout Europe to Institute, in London, take an interest in a vast range
Sir Charles, who is a Fellow of British companies, from 1.C.1. to Distillers, from United
Sleet to Marks and Spencer.
Did the Swiss, then, share this American view thal Bri- tain was heading rapidly for declino? Did they think the time was coming when we would be back number among the world's Great Powers?
n
the contrary they said what a good thing if was to have money in 3:ain-which They described in those pamphlets as " leading nation In world trade and the centre of the British Commonwealth with about a quarter of the world's population."
OPPORTUNITY
As I
things 1
qualation which
over
OUR GOOD QUALITY BOIL, plus adequate rain and sun- shine, make possible a produc- {ivity per dere higher than almost any land in the world.
WE HAVE an outstandingly good position in the world because we lie effuctively at the centre of the populated Jozil areas of the globe.
Nat even Russia or tite U.S. or even the countries of Western
Sir
Charles;
The
Gaming
establishes itself ns
n
world beater within days of Hs ap- pearance?
Which of them Rolls-Royce, with
can match Its engines in 60 per cent of all the air- craft in the Western world?
Think of some of the other astonishing Inventions and dis- coveries in which this Emoll island has led the world-not in the remale past but in the life- time of adult people.
Household names like rader and penicillin-they were pro-
duels of British genius. And so
have
revolutionised dresa of the Royal Society and one Europe enjoy these advantages were rayon and Terylene which of the world's leading steel in such full measure as we do.
standards and are today found experts, set out the natural But there are still others. advantages this country enjoys.
throughout the whole acld of Britain has unique advantage Here are some of them
ever other countries in member-textiles from ribbons and lace to surgical dressings and tyre the Commonwealth ship of
cord. group of nations.
Sald Commonwealth links of trust, bakell on common basic social bellefs And
common Janguage, on mutual know- ledge and respect, give us a network of contacts which have enabled us to exploit our fifth advantage and to malaisin our position at the centre of the world."
RE
OUR MINERAL SOURCES, though not excitingly rich, are situated close together and the problems of utilising them are less than in most countries.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS
advantage in easy access to ACHIEVEMENT
the sea through our many ports. No factory can be bulit la Eng-
thought
these land further than 00 miles from recalled another port. Cheap sea transport given this country had attracted a manufacturer In
a much greater number a few weeks access
of polential customers than earlier. This is how it went: corresponding factory in the
the
middle of the U.S., Germany, or Russin.
my attention
"On re-examining over-all position of Britain after four years Jand nothing substantial to alter
Thia
in my previous conclusion.
1
HAS EASY
And,
of
course,
Lo
Sir
Charles's list there is this to be added: We have much of the finest "know how" in the world, The kill of our technicians and craftsmen is unsurpassed.
Constantly you heur praises
af nur rivals.
The jet engine, the develop
the Arai ment of television, nuclear power station-all these enme from our iny country.
And yet to listen to some of the dismal folk who delight in denigrating their own country one would imagine that nothing that was any good came out of Britain.
This denigration has been at the centre of the campaign to inate is crawl for survival into the Conurian Market.
*Dor first chance of a crack at 'em. Osi, and Bleddyn Thomas 'as to tell us the war's over!"
London>Xxpress Service.
A TOP WRITER WHO KNEW THE WEHRMACHT AS A PRISONER-OF-WAR REPORTS ON THEIR SUCCESSORS
THE arrival of the 1. advance party of the German 84th Panzer Battalion is an occasion of heart searching among the British people.
*
The emotions aroused by the presence of Germans will in- ovitably be deep and, in some cases, bitter.
in
The new German Army, the
has beck Bundeswehr, existence now for pround four years. The Intention was that
mark it should
a complete break with the old Germon Army, the Wehrmacht.
It was this Wehrmacht which had created one of the most emclent Oghting machines that the world has ever seen-com- parable to Alexander's phalanx, the Spanish infantry of the 17th sentury and Napoleon's legions.
DIFFERENT
In
At Castlemarlin
вспом brokeshire I had a long frank discussion with the commander of the German; tank battalion, Lieut.-Colonel Karl von Kicist, and the German Military A tache in London, Lieut.-Colonel Albert Kraus.
The new German soldier: how different is he?
By Donald Edgar
They came from the military the presidental guard buttalion.. families of Germany, they knew in Bonn. each other, they were related to each other, they helped other,
each
with
And they knew that their political influence they could always run Germany- until they were proved | wrong when Hitler proved that he was more powerful than they.
The nearest equivalent we have had in England is the old boys' network of Eton.
When you met a German staff officer, you were quite consefors thai bere was a different animal from the ordinary German officer.
An Inalience on psychologi- cal training so that their soldiers would know about Communists, less square-bashing and more training in the Beld.
DISCIPLINE
When the new German Army was formed so democratic was th
attempt that ordinary officers in a battalion were hot allowed to give an order to u mon outside their own company,
But this fallod,
Now an officer can give an order to any man in his on unit.
Ja
is
the
They are different types. Von Kleist is a member of one of the most distinguished German. It was not the question of the military families, Kraus is red piping on his trousers or the more middle class, but he is a highly
exquisite cul of his uniform, or Colonel Kraus did, however, decorated officer who the slightly arrogant air, He assure me that disciplina fought in France in 1940, is the knew he possessed power. A st$1 strong In the German Western Desert under Rommel, In France again for D-Day und regimental
staff officer would patronise the Army.
enmmander many lastly on the Russian Front. ranks higher than himself, How I agree with men like My experience of the German Lort! Ferrier who, with 30 Army during the war taught me The private things. years' experience of trading in several the Far East, says there are far | soldier, whether he was too many people who run down peasant or a factory worker or Brilish management, British clerk, was stili ny
and is immediately obedient es quality, prices, services, and deliveries,
the Grenadiers of Frederick the Great-the prototype of the conquering German Army.
"We know," he said, "there of the wonderful achievements will be, and nobody can succeed are bad examples. There always
who does not make mistakes. But which of them can ap- But I believe that the bad is proach the Jaguar achievement for outnumbered by the good."
2 new motor-car that
-(London Express Service).
BRITAIN internal communications, with ia rich and well- short distances and easy terrain with
G
via
TO JAW JAW IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN
"TO WAR-WAR
驢
disciplined
Then came the NCOs deret ly bullying their men, hard of heart and with litilo sympathy.
INFLUENCE
Above them came the ordinary regimental officer. Generally a · middle-class - mari who was just a wartime soldier. A good nighter, reasonably in- telligent and also willing to accept orders implicitly in the tradition of the great German Army phrase, this "Beichl Yat Befehl "Ast order 38 ad order."
But above them came a very special elite, the officers of the Aronso Generalstab, the High Command.
QUOTE
--by a boy of 14 at Wimbledon juvenile court:--
Mo
MONEY in the most import« ant thing lai Alfe. 1'zimst have it.
Mr by
Denzil Treath, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Science, sperking on Britain's space programma.
WE beller sur programme is V. beleging far more in the wky of solentino knowledg® ikan by vending men er even dogs so into (2105.
It was this sort of privilege that enabled von Stautonberg to enter Hiller's bunker and plant his bomb.
In
my discussions with von Kleist and Kraus I asked about the prezent organisation of the German army.
"An order is on order" sti]] the watchword of German Army.
But they have brought in a clause that no mon can be ask- ed to obey an order If it is a crime.
ties they had no option but to ohay because it was the Gerisan tradition that "an order is on order."
I asked, the German officers if they__foll_that this new spirit: would impair the Aghilas ansils iles of the German soldier,
They sold that they felt 19 would not, because they insisted on absolute discipling in the handling of weapons in the feld.
Now for the question of the General Staff Officers.
I was told that the German Army is now fully integrated into NATO and that thole stafi officers serve In mixed inter- national etoffs.
I was told that the power of the old geporal staff has been broken and that they no longer have any political influence.
IMPOSSIBLE
Of course the German Army has changed. It would have had to change anyway in the world of rockets and H-Bombs. A different sort of soldier is needed today.
But it is impossible not to wonder whether the military spirit of the Germans, which made them such formidable He can refuse and ask to see soldiers, has been changed-in
spite of the lack of jackboots. the superior ofcor.
This was obviously a product For, I believe, part of the changes that had been made BU
They told me of the many of the Nuremberg trials when German soul is obedience and German many
military from that springs
the
no jackboats, no goose-stopping, leaders said that although they danger.
no presenting armis except by haled carrying out their" atrovi..
ell
(London Express Sérvizė)..
WHY THESE AMERICAN GIRLS
SNUB
New York.
A 17-YEAR-OLD New
York youth last
week had licenco sus-
THE BOYS
ALL IN THE
CAUSE OF
pended for reckless drive SAFE DRIVING
ing. But outside the
"If you stop dating the wipe guys, It will help a lot,
will mean, the bareful drivers instead of the wise guys will be the, popujar follows in the school.".
Immediately, collega and high school newspapers campaigned
courtroom he got the friends," sald `n spokesman" of for the 'ben,"
`In some ́ Greg® traffic" viola- worst "sentence" his the National Safety Council,
"The way things are in America tions by teen-agers are down girl friend snubbed him. today he loses every, vestige of as much as 48 her cont.
And one Oklahoma hitch.
It's happening all over the "prostige,” 15. Bight, #chool and college girls are enforcing a "date ban” | against teon-age hot-rodders.
The result: Reckon driving
The ban was suggested by school has gone'as tur uz-TAKLİTEM Governor Abraham Ribicon, a directory outlining the drivin Boorelary of Welfare. He told habits of its schoolbors.
• group, of college, and high,
by youngstore has dipped school girls from all over theme might be followed to
preciably.
'A nothing'
UBA,
.
such descriptiona as. “Cautione Charlle," "setiavas like bulli "Older people get into bad when tie seep red light."--an
The reasoning: “A young, driving habits. But if people o" "Plain speed, hog. Mey. man without diri friend is your age develop good ones they from him and do more l "nothing. in the eyes or his last a lifetime:
time!London Bipeuns #érüldėj,
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