1932-11-02 — Page 18

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THE HONGKONG

SPARTON

RADIO

TELEGRAPH, · WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1932.

kong was politely told what it must do. There are many who aro atili convinced that the better way would have been to have con- tracted out the undertaking, after having called for tenders, at a Axod sum.

As matters aro, It is impossible to say what the final bill will be. The point to be stressed, however, is that the ar- rangements were made without

ita approval. The same proced-

ure has seemingly been followed in the matter of the concession for a wireless station in Hong- kong, it having been just disclosed at a meeting of the Chinese Cham- ber of Commerce that this fran- chiso has been granted by the Government to the Imperial and International

DAY BY DAY

REABON 18 A VERY LIGHT RIDER, AND EABILY SNOOK OFF-Swift.

The P. and O. liner Rajputana, from Shanghai, is dus here at 6 am, on Friday.

Mr. Arthur Hanson, of Burroughs Sulyang from Shanghai to-day,

Only .01-inch of rain was registered

the Botanic October. This fell on the 31st.

Gardens during

at

SUICIDE-OR THE FOREIGN LEGION

By P. C. WREN

Author of "Bean Geste" and other of Foreigners Is a glorious re- novels which have established him|giment, and as a fighting force as the interpreter to British eyes porhaps has no equal. It is also of life in the French Foreign true that this same regiment re- Legion

ceives the harshest treatment; Two English youths, aged seven gota pay that is practically negli- teen and eighteen years respective-gible; and that it has attained its the Council being asked to signify Wellcome and Co., arrived by the aly, recently cacaped from the reputation by forced submission

French Foreign Legion.

to the hardest, cruallest, sternest, with the iden of joining the Legion in the world.

Young Englishmen dallying and most rigid, military discipline

would do well to profit by their

Probably there are about twenty experience, and may I say by thousand men in the Legion, very The Hallowe'en rounion dinner of mine?

many of them desperate souls the Scottish Company, H.V.D.C.,/} Joining the Foreign Legion ta longing for death, as that Boems will be held at Volunteer Headquar" not a step to be taken lightly, to be the only way of escaps from tors on Friday, November 4, at 8 p.m. Recruits cannot wander in and a life of deadly montony that kills wander out again because they do the spirit and fosters madness; The local Y's Men's Club will have not like it. It is a far more serious labour on roads, bridges, forts and from a life of heavy manual their monthly dinner at the Chinese matter than that.

a A boy who enlista voluntarily other buildings; from Communicationa, Recreation Club, Causeway Bay, on

Thursday, November 8. Interesting enters the French army, and no bounded by incredible puuleh topics will be put forward to be disarmy can be maintained exceptments for petty misdemeanours, or cussed by the members

by discipline. The authorities for no misdemeanour at all; and say: "You came here voluntarily, from a life entirely ruled by non- didn't you? Then you must take commissioned officers who make and break the men whom they con- the consequences."

It is useless to reply. "I never trul absolutely. Imagined that it was like this."

The French Foreign Legion is a

Incredible survival.

agree.

guests.

and their

life

Most of the mon are what is called "hard cases." There is a

proportion of criminals, there is a

doubtless also on instructions from International Communications, Ltd., Home. Nothing has so far been revealed as to the nature of the The second concert of the sonson

will be held at the Helena May in agreement, and even the Hong-stitute to-morrow at 5.30 p.m., when Sparton Model 16. kong Telephone Company is up the contributors will be Mrs. H. L. Lockhart, Bilas Amelia Loc, and Mr. A beautiful six-lég console modelparently encountering some diff. Reg. Anderson, with Mrs. F.thing apart, an anachronism, an

proportion of adventurers. Nearly with butt walnut panels and the culty in its efforts to learn pre-Griggs and Mr. True at the piano.

all turned to Madame la Republiquo finest cabinet craftsmanship, cisely how matters stand. Has powerful nine-tube Super- Turning to the Ottawn

The water supply in Queen's Road The Men Who Join.

because they were down and out, Central from Pedder Street to

Having said this, I will go back and, being near the recruiting heterodyne completely shielded ments, Hongkong would appear to

Garden Road will be shut off between to the ease of the two young men, office, saw a temporary aclution to chassis with push-pull Pentode,

the hours of 1. p.m on Saturday, 6th one of whom could not swim, who what appeared to bo Insoluble Automatic Volume Control, Toncave been once more lustructed November, and 1 p.m. on Sunday, 6th threw themselves into the sea-difficulties in their private lives, and Static Control, Full Vision from Home what to do, with the November, to allow certain altera- and

a cold, rough, somewhat tions to the water mains to be carried stormy sea at that rather than Legion there are many accustomed Among the men of the Foreign Dial, Phonograph Pick-up Jack, consequence that the local mea-

fall in their escape. Voltage Compensator, Antenna eures were put into force without

to manual labour. A great pro- Equalizer,

Could such young men bo men- portion have been used to leading modern

talls, morally, or physically unfit a rough, difficult life of hardship, for soldiering? Clearly not. The privation and evon danger. Their qualities which they displayed in level of intelligence and social in- evading military life, as it is lived tercourse has always been such as In Algeria and Morocco, are just obtains in the regiment. those requisite for living it.

A Blind Alley.

and

الم

Demonstrations & Sales. IDEAL RADIO SERVICES Tel. 27806. Morning Post Building.

Distributors THE HONGKONG HOTEL GARAGE.

The

Hongkong Telegraph.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1932.

out.

During

the week ended October 20, four cases of diphtherin (onu imported) with two deaths, adeath, were reported to the health authori casu of meningitis with one clea Deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis totalled 40. On Mon- day, two cases of typhoid and one case of puerperal fever were re- ported.

Boldior.

I receive a good many letters from adventurous young men of all

Those men survive the disci- classes asking my adviec on the line, labour, and terrible marches subject of joining the Legion more or less successfully; and M. Professor R. Robertson

Many are out of work and merely their complaints and grumblings Professor of Economics and Political want board and lodging; others are, on the whole, the usual com- Science, will deliver his Presidential any address to the Hongkong University are unhappy at home or think plaints and grumblings of the old

Law and Commerce Society on Mon- they are; others are what they

8.30 p.m. in call "fed up with the humdrum It is the youth in search of the Union day, 7th November at Room. The life they have to lead;" some have romance who meets with cruel

unfortunate love

disillusionment and, nine times affairs; subject of his address will be "Capi-had tallam and The Russian Plan". All while others are pure romantics out of ten, breaks under the strain. interested are cordially invited. who want adventure, travel, life, It is not his pluck that is at fighting, and strange experience. fault. It is not an inability to To all invariably give the same rough it; It is not lack of stamina advice-Don't-and T nak them for ordinary hardship; It fa not a what is wrong with the British weak-Tallure to surmount difficul- Army if they want to go soldiering, ties; it is not a dislike for disci- pointing out that India is quite pline. It is all these things mul- a romantic as Africa and the con-tiplled a thousandfold, and sub- - ditions of #1 soldier's life infinitelyjecting him to a strain for which better.

life hitherto has not prepared him.

SUGAR MARKET ·

THE LATEST CABLED QUOTATIONS

SPARTON engineering features, debate of any kind in the Council. A remarkable instrument So far as we understand the mat- highest quality.

ter, individual Colonies might Height 44 inches. Width 26 have been permitted to decide to inches. Depth. 12 inches. what extent they would come into inches. Weight 58 pounds.

the movement, but in our cage the Home authorities appear to have Instructed us precisely how we should make our gesture. Not that there would have been desire to keep aloof from the Ottawa arrangements, but there is a feeling prevalent that the situation might have been more openly explored before any de- finite decision was renched. If we take the three instances men- tioned, wo find that the Shing Mun scheme involves millions of dollars of publie money, that the wireless concession affects The The following cable at the close

The French Foreign Legion is The boy is brave enough, but con- Colony's interests in a most vital of the sugar market. yesterday:

has been received by Messrs. Pen-no place for young Englishmen, ditions of life in the Foreign way, and that the Ottawa ngree-treath and Co.

particularly young men of educa-Legion demand more than courage. ments Introduce a new policy in

tion, from good homes-nor for Escape is incredibly difficult. any other Englishman, unless jie and quite naturally the French internal taxation. Yet on none of

athlete, a trained soldier of authorities do everything to make these issues has the public been

fino physique. .or. Not once, nor twice, but on

a manual it so. You do not get the finest. either directly or indirectly con-

Inbourer accustomed to heavy toll fighting force in the world, and numerous occasions of late have suited. Whilst some people may

Even in such cases life is far the worst paid one, from extremely we encountered a fairly wide-not complain at government of

harder than it is in the British mixed material save by the most spread feeling in Hongkong that this type, there are many others

Army on active service, by reason rigid of iron discipline; and rigid of the fact that his superiors as iron disipline can be, and very the public, or its representatives amongst the thinking section of

well as his comrades are for-pften is, another name for bru on the Legislative Council, are

eigners, and he is cut off from all tality. Brutality causes desertion.- those little amenities. comforts, not taken sufficiently into consul-

and pleasures of social intercourse tation by the Government on mat-

with his fellows to which he is ters of vital importance to the community. The point might, be takon a step further by stating that even the Government itself is often subject to orders and in- structions from Home on ques

The "Landed Gentry. tions in which it should have a far greater measure of control' When the history

of the last than it is permitted to exercise. decade in Britain has receded In these circumstances, it is hard-sufficiently to

CUT-AND-DRIED

the community who cannot but regret the tendency to settle mat- ters of such real importance with- out the full concurrence of those who in the long run supply the funds.

be viewed in proper perspective, most

com-

ly to be wondered at that very montators will agree in featuring. many people have come to the the rapid decay of the old land. conclusion that it is useless to owning class. Living, ne wo do, in concern themselves with public a time, of exceptional trial for problems. So many schemes ap-practically everyone, the misfor- pear to be cut-and-dried before tunes of any single class do not there is any opportunity for a arouse particular notice or sym- pathy. Since the war especially, general airing of views, with thetho public conscience has been reant that the average taxpayer dulled to the respective fates of reigns himself to the thought that aristocrat, middle-class, and prole- the only thing expected of him is tariat. Under all the surface on- to pay up his dues and amile na mitics and bitterness-which came best he can. Thus is elvic spirit to a head during the General Strike there has rested the instinctive dampened in Hongkong.

bellef that alt-classes are in the If we take the Shing Mun gorge

same economic boat, and must swim schenie as a case in point, we Andor sink together. But the his- that the Government had definite-torfan, when he comes to weigh the ly committed the Colony to a con- sacrifices paid by this generation tract running into millions of for the security of the next, will dollars without in any way con-singlo out those of the landed sulting the Legislative Council, gentry, and he will question That oven the Unofficials were not whether the benefits that accrued aware of what had occurred is to the State were worth the heavy evident from the fact that it was last ten years nearly a third of the price. It is estimated that in the enly after Mr. Eell had expressed "landed" gentry havo been com- the hope that the Government pelled to sell their properties. would cali for tenders that an Estates have been eaten up by official statement was made ro. Death Duties, noble houses auc- vealing that the whole work had tioned to pay super-tax. In order been handed over to the Binnie that the State may have the whore- withal to meet the coat of govern- firm "on agreed terme." It may ment, administered

by soulless also be noted that this step was bureaucrats, private property has taken on the advice of the Crown boon heavily mortgaged overy- Hest, Hong-whore. Someday. It will be borns

London Trminals ----

March 1933 6/- down May 1933 6/2 down

d.

August 1933 6/5 down 40. December 1933 6/7 down Buyers at above prices, sellers aaking d-d. more.

he

New York, Terminals. December 1932 .98 no change. March 1933 .93 no change. May 1933 .97 no change, July 1933 1.01 no change. Cuban 96-Spot N.Y. 1.04 no accustomed. change.

A Glorious Regiment.

Any English boy who deliberate- ly enlists in the French Foreign Legion has got to reckon with the fact that he is in blind alley of great hardship, with death at the end of it; and aven' if he does not Of course, there is enchantment moet death, ha has undertaken to In the words. "French Foreign remain in that alloy for five years.

in upon the deapollera that the ex-Legion." They offer the lure of it is extremely likely that he will periment of cutting up England's romance, adventure, desert war-not survive, and that death, except ancestral lands into small holdings fare, atgango elties, picturesque in battle, will not be easy when and of eliminating the great class peoples, unexplored country, for it comes. The wastage in the which for centuries has beon, the experience, and membership French Foreign Legion, even in

of what is one of the finest peace-time, is enormous. backbone of agriculture and public fighting forces of all time.

No one denies that the LegionThe whole Ave years, dve very

Bereft of Hope, administration, has gone too far.

"You see, lady, we modern woman must pay the price

for the terrifle pace of our lives."

to

long years, may be spent in a little dosert outpost where there is. nothing but heat, sand, and misery -heat which he is entirely unable imaxine boforehand; sand which blinds him, envelopes him, maddena him; spiritual loneliness; and misery which loaves him bereft of all hope.

It is a regiment for which I have the very higheat admiration, Tez- pect, comprehension, and sym- pathy. I admire its valour and fidelity: I respect its glorious traditions; I comprehend the dif- ficulties of maintaining it as the magnificent regiment it la; I øym- pathise with every member of it— and I wish that France would serve the Foreign Legion as the Foreign Legion serves France.

It is perhaps the greatest and | most glorious regiment in the world. But emphatically I say: Do not join the Foreign Legion unless that be your sole alteran- tive to suicide.

FIREMAN, SAVE MY CHILD

By Edward Kelly, Life Savarı, We were taken for a tour of the Central Fire Station recently,

When we got home we felt so home-sick that we lit a match under the fire extinguisher.

Wo were a firemen ourselves many years ago. We had our second class certificate for the 1st Troop' (Continued on Page V.)