1937-03-31 — Page 18

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, Wednesday, March 31, 1937.

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HAMMY ALBUM

"It teaches a lot 'which is good

to remember.."

and is a useful

commentary on herodity."

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ANNOUNCEMENTS.

The marriage arranged between Mr. Edward Samuel Cunningham and Miss Constance Lam will take place on Tuesday, 8th April, 1937. No invitations are being issued but all friends will be cordially welcome at the recep- tien to be held afterwards at the Gloucester Hotel at 4.30 p.m.

The

marriage arranged between Mr. Sidney Ellis Edgar and Miss Dolores Paterson will take place on Saturday, 3rd April, 1937. No invitations are being issued but all friends will be welcome at a reception to be held after- wards at the Jacobean Room, Hong Kong Hotel, 12 Noon.

The

Hongkong Telegraph.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1937.

SIGNS OF RECOVERY .So far from an expected de- ficit of considerable dimensions being shown, the Colony's finan- cial returns for 1936, just made. public, reveal that revenue ex- ceeded expenditure by half it million dollars. The result is to the applica- tion of the economy axe, for it is disclosed that revenue mark-

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T

HE Family Album lay impressively open. It is an austere volume whleli, in 1 former generation, would have commanded respect nay, reverential awe.

But not in this generation. It merely provoked nudgings, whisperings and disrespectful giggles.

Tisn't," gurgled the Five-Year- Old, like a kettle coming to thic boll. Can't be.

It's too funny for lilni."

"'Course i 19." Instated tho Beven-Year-Old. "It's him in. a' furry bonnet and jacket when he was a baby. It's a Little Grumphy Bear.iso said. 'And who's been

#1

cating my porridge?"" chimed in the F.-Y.-O.

And they both laughed so much. they had hiccoughs,

In a Nazi household, that Family Album would probably have been suppressed

"Büüversivp 10 parental discipline.". But here, thank goodness, we can silli laugh at *when Father was a boy."

Anyway, that Family Album de- serves to be prized, not merely because it amuses the children, nor because of sentimental reasons, but because it is the humblo record- of an ordinary family.

Nit

in

TO family crest embosses Its cover. No genealo- gical tree, rooted High Estate, howaver remote, flaunts upon its fly-leaf.

gestion of gold or wealth you will find in that record. Indeed, there is not a portrait, from the faded daguerrotypes to the present day, which does not represent meagre savings, grudgingly spent.

To-day we may grin at the mut- ton-chop whiskers, the leg

O'

by Ritchie Calder

mutton sleeves, or the preposter- ous bustics, or the "grannies' muletics," or oven that bonnet and sheepskin jacket that bedecked a helpless innocent a quarter of a century ago.

Or, for that matter. al the "Sunday school outings" in which the Victorian fathers and mothers sit enthroned among their numerous offspring,

B

UT that Family Album teaches a lot which is Rood to remember. There are black sheep in it, of course, like the feckless one who abandoned a tradition of hard- working craftsmen and pulpit aspirants to follow the doubtful profession of writing-" Living on his wit," they called it.

Otherwise. It is a modest, credit- able testimony to, "homely joya and destiny obscure,"

And It is a useful commentary on heredity, which has stamped Its characteristics and resemblances on pago after page. The family resemblances are probably the more marked because in n small town in a Scottish strath), breed- Ing to type 10, Dr rather WOB, matter of circumscribed geography.

They practised "eugenics," not because they knew what it was nor ever heard of Galton, but because, in a restricted community" family skeletons" were kept, not in the family cupboard but in the publlë museum.

That is, in the sense that every- body knew everybody else's his- tory, so that "bad blood" was more or less, kept out.

Yet into one "collateral branch " ns. the genealogists say, thero

strayed an "incomer" far removed from the staid, prosale tradition,

It was a foundling gipsy girl, left behind when the wanderers struck camp, adopted and reared by a 'cottar" family. She married one of

those time-carved-granite Scotsmen, whose rugged features stand out like bas-reliefs in the pages of the album.

Which explains the otherwise mysterious Bloc-black eyes which mingle with the blue,

Yet a Bloc-eyed grandson of that head-shaking marriage "wagged a noble pow" in the pulpit. And another chose the street corner as his "kirk" and became a brilliant and esteemed fender of the Salva- tion Army.

The more one studies that Family Album and its key, the his- tory of each individual, the more one has to ask. How much can one . blame on heredity and how much on the circumstances of life in which they found themselves?

T

HIS brings me to my godson, Stanley. Stan-

ley's father is a business man "on his own account." 50 was his father and. grandfather before him, and “what was good enough for them is good enough for him."

So Stanley, who craves to be a writer, is to be condemned to the family business.

If he "welshes," as his father puts it, it is the end of a dynasty, The business will cease to be a family concern. And-Stanley is-a- dutiful song

But is it right? True, as, his father says, "the business ought to be in his blood." But does his father know how far the subtle

The Menace Of "Bright Young

COMEONE once said-discussing

Things"

Doing One's Job

alchemy of heredity has changed "the blood"?

Is it not Just male arroganca which discards the mother and the grandmothera and the great- grandmothers who may hava tempered that hard. business "blood".

Anyway, I think we take hered- lly too much for granted, with, at- the moment, nót enough actual knowledge to support it... 1.

OME ougonists now hold it established that the tendency to........consump- tion hereditary, although the disease itself is an infection, aggravated by living 'conditions.

They urge caution--quite pro- perly upon couples who know that, on both sides, there have been consumptive forbears.

But, although, there are workers engaged on researches into human geneties and human heredity in all parts of the world, it is far from "Deing an exact science on which

people can dogmatisc.

It is easy to quote “family his tories to show how the Phelps- the family of "Bossy" Phelps, the King's Bargeman have been Thames watermen for generations,

Or the Terrys, including Ellen, Fred, the Nellson-Terrys and the Gielguds (Val of the B.B.C, and John, the actor) as ovidence of the "stage-heredity."

Or the Darwins and Huxloys and Haldanes. Or the Churchills. And: using them to prove "like, father, like son."

Or they might take the text-book ~farallies,~~ the Jukesand” thế Edwards, the Jukes being a pro- Hac family which generation after generation helped to fill the American falls, and the Edwards. being an American " ruling family," comparable to the Chur-- chills or the Cecils.

But as good a case for environ-· ment as for heredity. in any of these cases. "Environment" the condition of life in which. people are reared and live.

The Jukes were criminal. family, but how far were their criminal tendencies the result of their upbringing, their associates. and their station in life?

edly increased under many Its gilt edging is the only suE- tae: major headings. At the end of the year, the Colony's credit balance totalled almost thirteen million dollars-a posi- tion which is decidedly better than was anticipated when the Budget was introduced. The Improved out-turn of revenue, Indicative of the existence of better times, encourages the hope that when the current year. ends the credit balance will not have dropped to the eight mil- lions forecast when the 1937 Budget was introduced, a Bud- get which provided for that superficial stratum of society drawing on surpluses in order to cope with the expectation of a deficit of three and a half million dollars. Given a con- But generally speaking, in these tinuance of present conditions, days, the term Bright Young Things with trade showing an all-covers the section of the populace of round recovery, the

all ages, classes, and mentalities who, Colony's for reasons best known to themselves build a community based on brother-demands revolution for one ideal an- finances should at the year-end seem to exist for the sole purpose of hood and love of humanity," be in a far healthier condition getting the best possible time out of than seemed likely six months fe without the slightest regard for Selfish 'Lives'

the feelings of other people or for ago. It has to be borne in their own responsibilities as members If is perhaps worthy of mention mind, of course, that this origin- of the community.

that a few weeks ago, a divine of an- al estimates for 1936 were based Recently a clergyman, the Rev. Cother religious denomination, in on a 1s, 8d. dollar, and that ference at Newcastle, put into words ly on the morals and behaviour of 2ges, do not realise the necessity in musical genius. Tho exports have

Ensor Waiters, at the Methodist Con- West London district also spoke stern- when it became apparent that the thoughts of a great many think the modern young woman and warn exchange would not average ing p people of today when he said: cd his congregation against her

were

known as the Bright Young Things--- that they were neither young for that this may be said to be true. bright, and I believe, in some cases,

BY LADY BLAND SUTTON

munity which is a danger to the State

There is a section of the com- example. a section much advertised, whose

on

A glance at the newspapers practically any day of the year shows us that, at this time, the world is rent with dissension and discord. While one section

of the world seeks avenues for peace another clamours for and whilst a part of nations

wer

wants an upheaval for another. It seems that many people will even go to the trouble of warfare in order to decimate other people in their search for peace.

*ather

to do a job.

I wonder how it is that with this atmosphere of danger in the world the people of all countries, and of all

quiet existence, and at least a lip- their daily lives of a more or less servies to the tradition of pretending

Relaxation is necessary for every- one, but a continuous round of per- ties, lasting until the small hours of the morning, at which the principal cannot be said to constitute relaxa- business is the imbibing of dozens of cocktails and the talking of scandal,

tion or to be good in any way for the participants.

How far did the atmosphery, the associations, the opportunities and family privileges in politics, on the stage, or in the world of science in- fluence the successive generations of the others?

For men and women are not ilke animals and plants. They cannot be segregated and brod according to carefully planned, man-die- tated patterns.

UT – knowledge- is.ac- cumulating. For

Be

Ex-

ample, there are fasci- nating and amusing researches into the heredity of " genlus."

One body of research deals with

differentiated the musical attri- rhythm, harmony, butes into aftoen characteristics--

ear,"

otc which total up to " genius."

One expert was so sure of his ground that when he found that a girl had the 15 attributes of genius. and the combined attributes of the parents 'did not "add up" to 25, he told them bluntly that the girl was not their daughter; he did not know how, or why, but sho „wasn't.

After appropriate indignation.. the mother eventually confessed that her, husband was not the father, but an orchestra leader wasl

anything like that level, special measures, including increased

It has, of course, been fashionable taxation, had to be taken to cope life seems to consist of cocktail and always for an older generation to with the situation. None the sherry parties, cabarets and mid-criticise a younger one; at the same ****time, and having regard to the con- less, there is evidence in the right revelries.

dition of the world in general to-day, figures of a better state of Things who are the forerunners of some sections of our young people There are decadent Bright Young we may well ask ourselves whether hffairs all round. Even land gloom and disaster. Let these peo-are not inclined to lend the most sales, which have been declining ple be warned. We live. In stern selfish of existences, and whether or in recent years, were very little umes. Every patriot must seek to not, in this matter, the parents of to- below the estimate and

day are

romewhat. to:

to blame?.

In point of fact, it seems to me that some $24,000 better than in increasing year by year, namely, ways been expected that the genera the ability for enjoying themselves For some reason or other it has al- many of our young people have lost 1935. Despite a drop of: $166,- pensions. These for 1936 total- tion which follows upon a war should have excitement at all costs, and they in some quiet,,manner;, they "must 000 in revenue, the railway led no less a sum than $2,287,- in some respects, lack the virtues of showed a working profit of 745, on an estimate of $1,810,- ly I have never been able to follow prices to get it.

the preceding generation. Personal- are prepared to pay all sorts of nearly half a million dollars, 000. Additions to this item are this somewhat peculiar line of rea- They do not realise the danger of again demonstrating the point still continuous, and it is in- soning, because it seems to me that this process. Excitement invariably that this Government under evitable that the Colony will the horrors of war and the universal breeds a desire for further excite taking is proving an extremely have a heavy burden to bear on mistry that follow upon the heels of meat, and, in the search for it the useful source of revenue to the this vote for many years

Armageddon should in themselves mind and brain become used to a constitute an example for any young hectic method DI

thought which Colony. Duties, at over five come. All in all, however, the

generation.

Takes Hitlle heed of to-day and less million dollars, were a million Colony's Binances can be describ Yet I must confess that there are of to-morrow, and three-quarters above the ed as distinctly healthy, and certain sections of society and those Too many of these young people, original estimate, whilst the with trade improving and a ped for the business of selling cause to regret the wasted hours and which one might consider best equip- arriving at."" middle age, will have Post Office continues to pay a general feeling of greater con- examples which seem to think of the physical and mental strain to something that is so ephemeral that Handsome return. On the ex-fidence all round, wo may nothing but a search for pleasure which they have subjected them. It is hardly worth considerallon, 15. penditure side, there is one reasonably look for even better which, all other things being exhaust selves, and the realisation that the pleasure is not all Item, however, which is steadily times ahend...

ed, usually ends in a search for ex- most precious years of their lives through excitement. The happ citernentiat?

have been wasted in the search for (Continued on. Page 4

to

Which may, or may not, havo been the origin of the song, “Why, did she fall for the Leader of the Band?"-

---To-day's Thought

GOOD painting is like good Babycooking; it can be tasted

· but not explained, si

VLAMINOK,