1938-08-16 — Page 10

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H

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

FASCISM-

TUESDAY,

A SCHOLARLY STUDY

ERE is the deepest, the most scholarly, and altogether the most impressive, study of European Fascism that has appeared in print. It is written in beautiful English, ironic in quality, by an Ita- lian professor in the Uni- versity of Chicago who was formerly Professor of AEs- thetics in the University of Milan.

No British statesman who chose to read this book through to the end could thereafter even pretend that he did not under- stand the character and the motives of Mussolini or the background of those decisive acts of violence and weakness which have brought the world to the edge of a bottomless абуян.

THE story, especially the

British part in it, is

as fascinatingly painful as a brilliant account of the insidious onset of some repulsive patholo- gical condition.

Before I had gone halfway through it I had to lay the book aside for a few minutes in order to avoid the futility of blasphem- ing the irrecoverable past.

fection.

Telites Tops

By A. J. Cummings

In the News Chronicle,

show with awful clarity, led back to Spain, back to Berlin, back to

AUGUST 16, 1938.

A SHOP ASSISTANT LOOKS AT LIFE

you want to study the book upf

London. It led to the imminent I life, set behind it shop counter.

threat of a new Dark Age beside ivliich the so-called Dark Ages of the past "would seem bright as sunshine.”

ла

Will any English statesman in his heart deny the truth and the force of this bitter con- clusion?

There is in this book perhaps

a lesson for Mr. Chamberlain- not alone in the Abyssinian theme, but in the acute appre- ciation of Mussolini the war- maker and gambler.

It was Mussolini who not long ago, having put his strangle- hold on Spain, asked the dying Marconi passionately and relent- lessly to produce some

con-

trivance which, working from Ceuta, might sink wholesale a British Fleet steaming across the Straits.

It was Mussolini who, when shown in 1935 a scheme to 'conquer Ethiopia without a war, replied: "Not if all Ethiopia were served to me on a silver salver would I care for it."

It was Mussolini who, when dragged reluctantly to sign the Locarno Treaty. in Locarno, ex- claimed in a fit of anger to one of his own delegates: "You don't know what all this means. This treaty prevents me from having war for ten years."

Long before that he had re- buked a biographer who likened him to one of the Ptutarchian heroes: "I have won no war," was his dismal comment.

If the stop be large enough, the Be which passes to and fro between Its counters is a most enthralling spec-. tacle. Edinburgh or London-it is all one. The shop assistant sees full AVOMEN, short women, peevish, anxious, and happy women every hour of the day,

If she is Interested in humankind, she does more than serve; she istens to the inflections in a customer's valce, and watching her movements | bulids up in her mind a picture of that customer's environment.

We all know the lady of the loud voler. She is usually опс of two types, and the young saleswoman behind the counter can decide that type at a glance. She is always tall and well-upholstered, and if she is of one particular type she will be cheerful, full of

of breezy observations benefit. If she is buying a hut she on everything being displayed for her

will almost certainly wonder audibly "How Sundy will like this one?" It Is a purely rhetorical question, but

if the assistant Is Interested in her

customer she will reply suitably, tactfully leaving the apocryphaf "Sandy" out of the matter.

But the assistant has something to ndd to her private store of facts. "Sandy" is either the large lady's husband or brother; and if, when the hat is bought, the assistant is told to "Put it down to my account," she realises that the large lady and Sandy live in a very comfortable house. She further surmises from her customer's manner thut she is a hospitable person and that she is quite likely to rule whatever roost is hers with thoroughness.

The Domineering Woman

But the loud-voiced lady of the second type is not so pleasing n proposition. She is also large and well-upholstered, but she has the full-set green eyes and long, elegant nose of the inquisitive and masterful person. Her observations are like commands from a quarter-deck, she is quite determined to be displeased with

everything since she is quite sure that all shopkeepers and their assistants are bandits and she is apt la togs most hats aside, asking

"Haven't you anything better at the price?"

The assistant has noted that she is careful with her money and probably acquisitive. She can see this Indy's environment perfectly. She will live in a tall, gloomy house with a base- ment. Her husband will be a strong, silent, man who gives his wife her lead for the sake of peace, children are probably "difficult" Certainly that customer leaves every

iter

The unvarnished truth is that Great Britain, backed as she was (or whether she had been backed or not) by 53 nations. could easily have prevented the disaster to the League and to the world by the Ethiopian adventure and could in that only among men in the street, shricked: "If the Home, Feet moment have changed the course "Those in the higher places, its concentrates it will get our authors. knew how different answer." The Home Feel

TN a masterly passage of history,

steamed on schedule. No bomb- IN Professor Borgese, after trac- from truth it was."

Professor Borgese dis- ing in detail the muddled diplo- As Professor Borgese points ing archangels dived from the poses of the legend, so dear dear macy which led to the great out, Mussolini's character reveal- heavens.

Now the slogan was modified: to Tory-minded Englishmen, that Roman gamble, tries to analyse ed a trait of his nature almost as

Mussolini slew the ogre of the causes of the British de- unchangeable as fingerprints: "Oi! embargo means war." Bolshevism. It WAR Fascism, the attitude, namely, of "attack- Had Mussolini changed his not Bolshevism, which began "Why." he asks, "did Britain ing an enemy only when the nature and chosen Samson's end the turmoil in Italy. The default, bringing the League, attacker was safe and his ad- he would hardly have had hands scarlet phantom" has since to shake the columns. "All the been evoked and gigantised by not Fascism, to its knees? Why vantage overwhelming."

occult forces of Italy," confront the Italian Fascists themselves shop assistant a trifle the worse for was the unique opportunity of inaugurating a world of law and

ed with disaster and revolution, in an attempt to rationalise their wear, because selling is a battle of

wits. IT is utterly incredible, "would have rushed to stop the crime.

Then there is the customer who in Professor Borgese's madman."

Mussolini stands before the

never quite knows what she wants. documentary evidence plainly view, that the British Foreign But official England chose to judgment of the world as the She is small and her voice is

thin discloses, an oil embargo, with- Intelligence Service really be believe that oil embargo meant supreme egotist, megalomaniac, and limit. Her smile In #little out the supplement of any other lieved in the myth of a Marconi war. She kept her own and the slave of his own passions, pur- nervous, and the assistant

nolices hat gloves and

have would have electrical device which deadened League's guns levelled at Musso- suing war because he loves war

better days. But she is very brought to collapse the adven- from afar all motors on land and lini, while duly notifying him as a monument to his own glory

The clever and in- ture in a few weeks or days, and sea and in the sky; or in the that they were not loaded. and greatness.

saleswoman con sell costly It is Professor Borgese's con- along with it Fascism itself?

if the saleswoman Is legion of Mussolinian lying

to her, and if Uplifted by successive bombers "who, like

pains-taking, she sells the little lady irate viction, subtly argued, that many triumphs he now gazes longingly although sacrificial archangels, of the English rulers foresaw and boldly upon the greatest priced, which will make her customer neat, unassuming hat, moderately THE official version, un- were allegedly ready to plunge Loth the collapse of Fascism and and most desirable prey of all. tiringly reiterated in themselves and the British an overpowering victory of the He believes that the British the following months, claims battleships into simultaneous League and that in the interest Empire is in decay and that if that the threat of Mussolini's doom, staging a Wagnerian finale of their class they feared a re- he plays the war game well

volution in Italy and disliked the war against England was un- in flame and flood."

enough he and his fellow-dicta-

to share the pickings at the final dissolution.

order forfeited irreparably?"

Why, indeed? When, as the

hostile

mensure,

mistakably impending and that Clearly, says the professor, prospect of giving birth to ator Hitler will live long enough England felt neither fully pre- the British abstinence was ins- League with teeth in it. pared to win it nor wholly assur- pired by the knowledge that the ed of France's single-hearted one weapon would have been support.

decisive.

This is the man, the author THUS, coincident with

of Fascism, with whom Mr. Mussolini had said: "Sanctions

the announcement of Chamberlain in all innocence At the close of the crisis, in

Sanctions had been the Hoare-Laval plan, the au- June, 1930, Stanley Baldwin mean war.” "produced a speech, modestly voted and applied. No war had thority of England and the and good will is planning an-

other gentlemen's agreement. glorying in the merit of having flared,

prestige of the League with it Then the news flashed around were gone. "The rond lay open averted a war."

Unfortunately for the official the world that the British Fiect for the march on Addis Ababa." "Gollath: the Murch of Fascism." and sentimental version, it was was to concentrate in the Medi- The road to Addis Ababa, us By Professor G. A. Borgere, Goil-

The Italian Press Professor Borgese goes entitled to legitimate currency terranean.

THIS

HIS question was recently raised by the British Cus- toms authorities about most of the exhibits displayed at the present Exhibition of Contem- porary Sculpture at Guggen- heim Jeune, 30, Cork Street, W.1. On the answer to the question depended whether they could enter the United Kingdom 'duty free as works of art or would have to pay a duty of 20 per cent, as commercial articles. At first they were refused ad- inlesion as works of art. Ultimately the ban was lifted.

on

to ance.

IS IT ART?

Art Critic

By The Art

Art experts recently raised their hands in Horror whon Customs duty exemption was not granted to certain works of art" on the ground that they were not "art."

+

An art critic has been along to see them., Horo is his verdict

sensibility does nut free us seeing.

"David,"

Published to-day.

Instead of dissecting like. Michel- angelo dead bodies In order to sludy anatomy and acquire "shape consciousness," they seem to vivi- sect living minds to study psycho- anaylsis. Can exhibit (No. 0) "Conjugat Sculpture," by Arp and Tacuber Arp be judged by a better critic than Professor Freud?

I cannot help feeling that these artists' conception. of. "pure form" is by no means homogeneous. Lau- rens "Femme Couchee" (No. 17) can

that

her

11

look ten years younger. In that case the little indy will return to the shop and steer straight for the assistant next time.

The Little Lady

to

R

same

In such a world, no shop-assistant can be lonely, becaure she makes interested acquaintance with people whose lines are cast in different, and sometimes in hard places. Daily she adds another picture to her book of life. The den-party, and the rge, cheerful lady is go-

assistant has just helped her to choone

a large shady hat. She wonders if the large lady will enjoy the garden

ahe party. Very likely will, because she will meet someone who will gossip with her. The large lady's gossip will be very racy,

The little lady then comes in und contides that she is about to make one of her very

London. The requent visits to

sells her a pretty felt hat, that will look smart even after the rigours of packing, She will wish the little lady a happy holiday, and she will fail to wonder. ing what she will read when she sits in the Flying Scotsman. Will it be O. Douglas or John Galsworthy? Prob- ably O. Douglas, for that writer would like the little lady if she met her.

Another picture added to the shop assistant book of life:

Olivia Clarke,

be easily deciphered as a "reclining CANTON AGENTS

woman."

13

n. whilst In

the 403C Duchamp-Villon's exhibit No. from Michelangelo's

Rodin's only the knowledge that "cheval" "Balzac," Epstein's "Madonna and means "horse" In English, saves us Child."

from confusion. Where, on the other hand, is this

What do we nee? A sculpture by

It will be maintained that

even

for.

The

Hongkong Telegraph.

constructions in space WM. FARMER & Co.

Now that the sculpture is on vlow we have to ask ourselves the same Brancusi that is not meant to be shape-consciousness Jn Brancusi's As a contrast Calder's wire mblies question: Is it art? It is no more seen but felt. It bears the title (in "Wooden Chimera" (No. D) This lend a touch of immaterial airiness A question of 20 per cent, but of 100 French as most of the exhibits), fanciful conception, no doubt an to the exhibition. per cent. Fully armed win that por- "Sculpture for the Bind" (No. 1. early work,when the sculptor was ucular jargon that seems necessary The trouble is only that most of us still influenced by negro fellshes, to explain the most modern mani are not blind. Not even ostriches, even raises the question: "Is it these alter festation of painting and sculpture And what we see is an egg-shaped sculpture?"

are art. At the risk of rousing anew the old suspicion that every now we try to forget that Michelangelo marble suspiciously like all the Ens-

evidence of creative activity is met "changed shapeless stone into form ter egg round the corner in Bond that nature with difficulty

hearing

that popular the accusation I cannot help feeling that the opposition and prejudice and the in flesh" and try to remembe Street shop windows.

Brancusi's life, we are told "has leaders of contemporary belief of Henry Moore, the most

sculpture, taste has always handlenpped the prominent English protagonist of been devoted to bringing back shape- instead of recognising the greatness development of new ideas in art, I glorious cannot escape the feeling that con- contemporary sculpture, that "a work consciousness to sculpture. Have the of Nature and seeking a does not aim at reproducing the best sculptors of all times been any struggle with Nature, are engaging temporary sculpture as shown in the thing else but "shape-conscious? in a petty quarrel with Realism. present exhibition is "the temporary nalural appearance."

Look at the granite alatue of Amen- They reap thereby the very thing mood of an artistic sect" and there- But even straining to the utmost hotep III, at Luxor the Demeter of they abhor: they are judged by in- tore a transitory ephemeral stage.

the British Museum tellectual standards. our unconscious or sub-conscious Cnidus In

Art, on the other hand, is eternal,

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Shameen, Canton,

Tel. 13501.

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OUR BRITISH

CROSSWORDS

ACROSS

18

121

125

I With another this helps to raise

food for some orientals (9). 0 Legal inquiry due to tempera

rising in the court? (13).

11 A reformed 18 across (5)... 12 The knot for a stoppage (5). * 13 Sounds like a female spirit of

modem progress (5). Painful (0).

in

17 Card game (6).

10 This bad man

would still be one it heartless (5),

10.A man in a river is what you

want (6).

to Judgment" ("Merchant of Venice") (6), 21 Blacksmith's Implement (5). 24 Angry (5).

20 "A come

20 In this

men

kind I would be a clever (5):

27 The lack of feeling that might be responsible for a ruff at the bridge table (13).

20 The skill the bons expects in

his right-hand man (9).

DOWN

2 Pure aller a century (5),

3 Card game (0)..

4 A cricket score perhaps (0), 6. Musical

composition

with anglers (5),

popular

A Ladies in the drawing room?

(13).

7 He earns liis living in strange

positions (13).

D Negro dance unpopular with

American motorists (8),

10 Sad for those who get no sound

approval (0).

13 Bird (3).

14 Well known golfer (5),

15 A prominent town by the

sound of it (3).

22 A feline (0).

23 Kind of sping (0)._.

23 "Between two-s, which doth bear him best... I have per- haps some shallow spirit of judgment" ("Henry VI. pt. 1.)

· (5). 20 A, feline that was the end of a

dynasty (6).

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION

WINNINGPOST_M_M DˇE ONE OLIVE WEABANDTEAR NOR]

A VENE CLEAR BLEEP BRUSH 8||| Y H_VBÕLI U BWIM 0′′ELI DRAMAE A WORLD BLEAK ML BABELY P 1 A DAMLABSEN

NBLUMP SPRIG 8 ATANO LES BE

1AFFILIATION INNERS—D=AN P GEMOTIONLESE

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