1938-08-16 — Page 22

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H

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

FASCISM-

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1938.

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 in the edge of a bottomless abyss.

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.

Telites To

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

By A. J. Cummings

In the News Chronicle.

show with awful clarity, led back to Spain, back to Berlin, back to London. It led to the imminent threat of a new Dark Age beside which the so-called Dark Ages, of the past "would seem as bright as sunshine."

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.

IN

of history,

authors, knew how different answer." The Home Fleet steamed on schedule. No bomb- Professor Borgese, after trae- from truth it was.” ing in detail the muddled diplo- As Professor Borgese points ing archangels dived from the macy which led to the great out, Mussolini's character reveal- heavens. Roman gamble, tries.to analyse ed a trait of his nature almost as Now the slogan was modified: Mussolini slew the

to Tory-minded Englishmen, that the causes of the British de- unchangeable as fingerprints: "Oil embargo means war."

the attitude, namely, of "attnek-

fection.

order forfeited irreparably ?"

A SHOP ASSISTANT LOOKS AT LIFE

TF you want to study the book of

Ite, ret behind a shop counter. If the shop be large enough, the life which passes to aixt fro between its counters is a most enthralling spec- tacle. Edinburgh or London-it is all one. The shop assistant sees tall women, short women,

peevish, anxlous, and happy women every hour of the day.

If she is

is interested in humankind, she does more than serve; she listens to the inflections in a customer's volce, and watching her movements builds ip in her mind a picture of that customer's environment.

We all know the Indy of the loud votee. She is usually one of two types, and the young Baleswoman behind the counter can dreide 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 breezy observations on everything being displayed for her benefit. If she is buying a hat she will almost certainly wonder audibly "How Sandy will like this one?" It is a purely rhetorical question, but if the ssistant is Interested in her customer she will

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reply suitably | AAAAAA tactfully leaving the apocryphal "Sandy" out of the matter.

But the assistant has something to and to her private store of facts.

"Sandy" is

is either the large Indy'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 that she is a hospitable person and that she is qulte Hikely to rule whatever roost is hers with thoroughness.

The Domineering Woman

a

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

to be displeased with everything-since she is quite sure that all shopkeepers and their assistants are bandits and she is apt to toss most hats aside, weiding "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 lady'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 end for the sake of peuce, ller children

"diMcult" probably Certainly that customer leaves every shop assistant a trifle the worse for wear, because selling is a battle of wils,

are

a masterly passage Professor Borgese dia- poses of the legend, so dear dear

ogre of Had Mussolini changed his not Bolshevism, which began

Bolshevism. It

Fascism, was "Why," he asks, “did Britain ing an enemy only when the nature and chosen Samson's end the turmoil default, bringing the League, attacker was safe and his ad- he would hardly have had hands gearlet phantom" has since in Italy, The not Fascism, to its knees? Why vantage overwhelming.”

to shake the columns. "All the been evoked and gigantised by occult forces of Italy," confront- the Italian Fascists themselves was the unique opportunity of inaugurating a world of law and

ed with disaster and revolution, in an attempt to rationalise their IT is utterly incredible, “would have rushed to stop the crime. I Why, indeed? When, as the

in Professor Borgese's madman.” documentary evidence plainly view, that the British Foreign. But official England chose to judgment of the world as the Mussolini stands before the discloses, an oil embargo, with- Intelligence Service really be believe that oil embargo meant supreme egotist, megalomaniac, dut 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- hostile measure, would have electrical device which deadened League's guns levelled at Musso- auing war because he loves war brought to collapse the adven- from afar all motors on land and fini, while duly notifying him

as a monument to his own glory ture in a few weeks or days, and sea and in the sky; or in the that they were not loaded. along with it Fascism itself? legion of Mussolinian flying It is Professor Borgese's con-

and greatness. . bombers

Uplifted "who.

irate Viction, subtly argued, that many triumphs he now gazes longingly by successive although sacrificial archangels, of the English rulers foresaw THE official version, an- were allegedly ready to plunge Loth the collapse of Fascism and and boldly upon the greatest priced, which will maite her customer

tiringly reiterated in themselves and the British an overpowering victory of the and most desirable prey of all. simultaneous League and that in the interest Empire is in decay and that if He believes that the British the following months, claims battleships into that the threat of Mussolini's doom, staging a Wagnerian finale of their class they feared a re- he plays the way. war against England wag un in flame and flood."

volution in Italy and disliked the

game well

The Little Lady enough he and his fellow-dicta- mistakably impending and that Clearly, says the professor, prospect of giving birth to a England felt neither fully pre- the British abstinence was ins League with teeth in it.

tor Hitler will live long enough pared to win it nor wholly assur- pired by the knowledge that the

to share the pickings at the final dissolution.

like

ed of France's single-hearted one weapon would have been support.

decisive.

At the close of the crisis, in Mussolini hnd said: "Sanctions

THUS, coincident with

the announcement of

This is the man, the author of Fascism, with whom Mr. Chamberlain in all innocence

June, 1936, Stanley Baldwin mean war." Sanctions had been the Hoare-Laval plan, the nu- and good will is planning an- "produced a speech, modestly voted and applied. No war had thority of England and the other gentlemen's agreement, glorying in the merit of having flared.

prestige of the bongue with it averted a war."

Then the news flashed around were gone. "The road lay open Unfortunately for the official the world that the British Fleet for the march on Addis Ababa,' and sentimental version, it was was to concentrate in the Medi- The road to Addis Ababa, as By Professor G. A. Borgese. Coll- entitled to legitimate currency terranean. The Italian Press Professor Borgese goes

THIS 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- mission as works of art: Ultimately the ban was lifted.

"Gollath: the March of Fascism."

on

to anez. Published to-day.

IS IT ART?

By The

Art Critic

Art experts recently raised their hands in horror when 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. Hero is his verdict

senalbility docs seeing.

Rolin's and

to

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

I cannot help feeling that these netists conception of "pure form"

is by no means homogeneous: Lou- rens "Femme Coucheo" (No. 17) can

And

Then there is the customer who never quite knows what she wants. She is small and her voice is thin and timid. Her smile is a little notices nervous, and the assistant that her gloves

liat have seen better days. But she is sargentible.

very The clever and in- terested saleswoman.can sell easily to her, and if the saleswoman Is pains-taking, she sells the little Indy

a neat, unassuming hal, moderately

look ten years younger In that case the little lady will return to the shop ant steer straight for the same assistant next time,

In such a world, no shop-assistant can be lonely, because she makes interested acquaintance with people whose lines are cast different, and sometimes in hard places. Dally she adds another picture to her book of ilfe. The large, cheerful lady is go- ing to a garden-party, and the assistant has just helped her 10 choose a large shady hat. She wonders if the large lady will enjoy garden party. Very likely she will, because she will meet someone who will gossip with her. The large lady's gossip will be very racy.

the

The little lady then comes in and confides that she is about to make one of her very infrequent visits to London, The assistant sells her a pretty felt hat, that will look smart even after the rigours of packing. She will wish the little lady a happy hollday, and she will fall to wonder- Ing what she will read when she sits in the Flying Scotsman, Will it ba O. Douglas or John Galsworthy? Prob- nbly O. Douglas, for that writer would like the little Indy if she met her.

Another picture added to the shop

nssistant's book of life.

Olivia Clarke

be easily deciphered in a "reclining CANTON AGENTS

of

woman, whilst in the case Duchamp-Villon's exhibit

13 No. only the knowledge that "cheval" in English, saves us means "horse"

Brancusi's As a contrast Calder's wire mobiles (No. 9)? This lend a touch of immaterial airiness no doubt an to the exhibition.

was

even

It will be maintained that fetishes,

It these latter constructions in space

rulses the question: "Is sculpturo?"

for

The

Hongkong Telegraph.

the st. At the risk of rousing anew WM. FARMER & Co. |

not free us from Michelangelo's "David,"

"Balzac," Epstein's "Madonna Child" Now that the sculpture is on view

What do we see? A sculpture by

from. confusion. Where, on the other hand, is this we have to ask ourselves the same Brancual that is not meant to be shape-consciousness In question: Is it net? It is no more seen but felt. It bears the tlle (in "Wooden Chimera" a question of 20 per cent, but of 100 French as most of the exhibits), fanciful conception. per cent. Fully armed wih that par- "Sculpture for the lind" (No. 7) early work,when the sculptor ticular jargon that seems necessary The trouble is only that most of us still influenced by negro to explain the most modern mani- are not blind. Not

even ostriches, even festation of painting and sculpture And what we see is an egg-shaped we try to forget that Michelangelo marble suspiciously like all the Eas "changed shapeless stone into form ter eggs round the corner in Bond that nature with diffkulty produces Street shop windows. In fesh" and try to remember the

I cannot help feeling that the hearing the accusation that popular bellef of Henry Moore, the most

Brancual's life, we are told "has leaders of contemporary sculpture, taste has always handicapped of been devoted to bringing back shape- instead of recognising the greatness development of new ideas in art, prominent English protagonisi contemporary sculpture, that "a work consciousness to sculpture. Have the of Nature and seeking a glorious cannot escape the feeling that con does not alm at reproducing the best sculptors of all times been any struggle with Nature, are engaging temporary sculpture as shown in the natural appearance."

thing else but "shape-consclous? in a petty quarrel with Look at the granite statue of Amen- They reap thereby the very thing mood of an artistic sect" and there- Realism, present exhibition is "the temporary But even straining to the utmost hotep III. at Luxor the Demeter of they abhor: they are judged by in- fore a transitory ephemeral stage.

sub-conselous Cnidus Dr

in the British Museum tellectual standards.

Art, on the other hand, is eternal.

our unconselous

old suspicion that every new evidence of creative activity in met by opposition and prejudico and

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116

if

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125

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ACROSS 1 With another this helps to raise

food for some orientals (9). 8. Legal Inquiry due to tempers 11 A reformed 18 ueross (5). rising in the court? (13). The knot for a stoppage (5), Sounds like a female spirit of modern progress (5).

12

16 Painful (0)

17 Card game (4).

18 This bad man- would still be

one it heartless (5).

19 A man in a river is 'what you

want (6).

come

20 "A

to judgment" ("Merchant of Venice") (6). 21 Blacksmith's implement (5).

24 Angry (6).

20 In this 3 kind I would be a clever

man (5).

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

28 The skill the boss expects in

his right-hand man (9).

DOWN

2 Pure after a century (5).

3 Card game (0),

4 A cricket score perhaps (0),

B Musical composition

with anglers (5).

popular

Ladies in the drawing room? (13).

7 ile earns his living in strange

positions (13),

9 Negro dance unpopular with

American motorista (0),

10 Sad for those who get no sound

approval (9).

13 Bird (6).

14 Well known golfer (5).

15 A prominent town

sound of it (5).

22 A feline (6).

23 Kind of spring (6),

hy the

25 "Between two-s, which doth

hear him best. I have -per-- hops some shallow spirit of Judgment". ("Henry VI." pt. 1.) (0).

20 A feline that was the end of a

dynasty (5).

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION

WINNING POSTEMM LEONE OLIVE WEARANDTEAREN B AVEE CLEAR SLEEP BRUSH SY BV ROE U BWIM ODBAMAE A WORLD BLEAK MLEABELY P 1] A DAMLAS SEN N 88 LUMP 8 FRIG 8 ATAN OLEH HI AFFILIATION INNER 8 DAN PG EMOTIONLEBE