1938-12-02 — Page 18

THE HONGKONg Telegraph, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1938.

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11

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Hongkong Telegraph.

FRAY, DECENTDER 2, 1938.

France's Position

Li

IF FRANCE is not exactly "on the spot" by her loss of power and general influence in Europe, she is not far from it. Her dominant post-war dreams have evaporated and her pre- stige that continent has greatly receded.

on

Spreading Pan - Germanism leaves the French still frankly apprehensive despite all talk about appeasement, while Italy also becomes a somewhat dis- turbing neighbour. Internally, France's financial and business conditions are poor. Premier Daladier showed his special concern over this in his Cham- ber speech justifying the Munich agreement. He secured his "full powers" virtually on this.plen. French military ex- penses have been leaping and France must meet the big bill for recent mobilisation.

As a member of democracy's big three, French ability to breast the strains and trials re- sulting from a new position in Europe will be keenly watched not only by the other two mem- bers of the trio, the United States and Great Britain, but by the authoritarian regimes and the group of smaller powers.

The reshaping of France's entire foreign policy on the European continent will provide scope for a display of all the dexterous finesse and diplomatic logic that the Quai d'Orsay is famed for, in the months to Certainly the founda-

come.

tions for rebuilding French foreign policy are already at hand in the apparently continu- ing solidification of the Franco- British entente.

Although facing difficult read- justments, the democratic, or rather republican, structure of

France seems to have come through all the post-war ordeals without loss of vigour. The Third French Republic has now gone through nearly seventy years of European upheavals, including the World War.

The great point is not so much France's post-war mis- takes, her surface errors, nor even her concept of running a democracy. What is important is that she shows irrevocable dotermination to carry on such democracy as she enjoys not. withstanding all currents to the contrary abroad in Europe to day.

THE STUPENDOUS [SUPER ARMAMENTS,

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GOODWILL LUBRICH

"

THE SUCCESS OF THE SHOW

I was a

Conscript

M

By F. G. H. SALUSBURY

R. CHAMBERLAIN cer- tainly renewed, in the Commons last week, his

pledge. "No Conscrip- tion in Peace Time." But we are still all arguing about the pos- sibility of some form of National Service. I have had some.

I was a "conscript" in Aus- tralia before the Great War. and I have put the word in quo- tation marks, because Austra- lian conscription Was

very different from the European variety,

Memories are short. It may come as a shock to many people that a particular form of conscription has been part of the lives of men and boys within the British Empire. But this was so in the Common- wealth of Australia, whose Govern- inent announced, in 1900, a uni- versal obligation in respect of naval or military training.

are

The relevant section of the Defence Act read as follows:-

"All male inhabitants of Aus- tralia (except those who exempted by this Act), who have resided therein for six months, and are British subjects, shall be liable to be trained, as prescribed, as follows:-

(a) From twelve to fourteen years of uge, in the junior cadets; and

(b) From fourteen to eighteen years of agn in the Sentor cadets; and

"(e) From eighteen to twenty- five years of age, In the Citizen Forces; and

' (d) From twenty-five to twenty-six years of age, in the Citizen Forces."

The only reason for this univer-

sal obligation was the defence of Australia, who was then uncom- fortably conscious of her vast, un- protected, uninhabited territories particularly in view of the so- called "Yellow Perli" of Japan. In those days was the Royal Aus- tralian Navy born. I have youth- ful memories, in a Sydney theatre. of the gods" roaring out the chorus:-

"We'll all stand together, boys,

"If the foc makes a futter or a fuss, "And we're hanging out the sign, from the Leeuwin to the line. "This bit of the world belongs to us!"

Organisation proceeded, under a scheme drawn up by Lord Kit- chener, whose advice had been sought by the Commonwealth, and

With the Labour Government of Andrew Fisher in power-the.uni- versal obligation was put into force by proclamation on January 1 1911.

Let us see what the prescribed training amounted to. Bection 127 of the Act said that it should be in each year ending the thirtieth day of June, of the following dura- tion:

(a) In the Junior cadets ninety hours; and

(b) In the Senior cadels four whole-day drills, twelve half- day drilia, and twenty-four night drills; and

(c) In the Citizen Forces six- teen whole-day drills or their equivalent of which not less than eight shall be in comps of continuous training." In addition It was provided that men allotted to the Navy and to the specialist branches of the Army

•

should have twenty-five whole-day drills, of which seventeen must be in camp.

Another provision of a different kind was added later. This ensured that the Citizen Forces of the Com- monwealth should never be called out or utiilsed in connection will an industrial dispute.

The whole country was divided into areas, each with an Aren Omeer, who saw to the enrolling of boys in the Cadets, and of men in the various arms of the Citizen Forces. Companies of Cadets, bat- tallons of Infantry, regiments of Light Horse, batteries of Artillery gradually emerged. distances are enormous, and in such cases of hardship individuals were excused attendance,

Up-country

The Junior Cadets did physical exercises; they had no uniforms. Benior Cadets had military train- Ing: they were given miniature rides, and wore khaki breeches and shirts and the Australian military hat. The Citizen Forces were, equipped as soldiers or sailors.

There wore fines for employers who attempted to prevent their employees from attending drills, and lines for members of the Citi- zen Forces who evaded drills with-

out good excuse, Offending Cadets were dealt with in juvenile courts.

Cadets were not paid, but the Citizen Forces were, and their pay was good. It began at 3s. a day for recruits and 4s. for full privates, and mounted, through 103. for ser. geants and 16s. for subalterns, to £2 6s. for colonels or brigadiers.

The pay was adjusted for half- day drills and night-drills, For example, a whole-day dri) in the Citizen Forces was six hours, a

ANGUN

half-day three, and a night-drill one hour and a half.

Promotion was by exainluation- from private to corporal, corporal to sergeant, sergeant to sergeant- major and warrant-officer, and warrant-officer to commissioned rank. At the beginning of the scheme non-commissioned and commissioned ranks were com- pleted by appointment largely from the old militia.

The scheme affected me just before I was sixteen, and I went one night to a small house in Double Bay; a suburb of Sydney; where a harassed Area Omeer and a dear old doctor-looking uneasy Ju his uniform-were dealing with n horde of boys.

was examined, my appendiciti Sear WO6 noted, I was given breeches, shirt. hat, belt and puttees, and dismissed. Thereafter I carried on in the Cadet company at my school, for Cadets, wherever possible, were organised on A school basis.

I became a corporal, I passed examinations, and, later, I blos- somed into a second lieutenant in the 31st Woollahra Infantry, very proud of the sword with which a paternal Government

presented mo. My best friend was a private in a neighbouring battalion. When we first met in uniform, he said, "What's that skewer hanging at your side for?"

There was not much respect for officers in those days, except on parade. Even then .. do you re- member the story of the Austra- llans, in the Great War, who all paraded with watch-glasses stuck in their eyes to cheer monocled Engilah officer instruc- tor? And how he nipped his monocle into the air, caught it in his eye, and said, "Well, do that, damn you!" They gave him a

cheer then.

up B

We were all true citizens in the Citizen Forces, and we never forgot t. I remember the almighty rush for a tram after one night-drill, and how I, the little officer, was shouldered off to walt for the next опе.

Sometimes, compulsory training WAS, DE We used to say, a "fair cow."

It interfered with our lel- sure. But it was done. It insted until November 1. 1920, when the voluntary system was re-adopted,

R.A.F. Calls Up HIS BRIDE TOSCANS DOUQUET

The Pigeons

Many thousands of homing pigeons are to be con- scripted for home defence purposes.

They will be used in all parts of the country and will maintain a vital link between air bases, the fighting forces and the Home Command in the event of any emergency. The scheme of training pigeons is being carried out by the R.A.F.

are available in message-carrying. It la estimated that more than 100,- 000 pigeons will be called upon to "Joln up."

AGED 10

Miner Of 34 Says 'We Stay Married'

Ten-years-old Rosie Columbus, bride of 34-years-old Fleming Tackett, played happily in her two-roomed mountain shack near Prestenburg, Kentucky, last month.

FOR SINGER

WOMAN WHO FAINTED New York. The unhappiest woman in New York last month was Carmen Torres,

who fainted at one of the city's

leading night clubs, when Arturo Torcunini walked in while she was

slating an aria from "La Traviata."

The conductor, who was accom- ranted by Mr. David Sarnoff, chair- man of the National Broadcasting Corporation, felt so sorry for the young Spanish singer-who missed the opportunity of her life-that he rent her bouquet and at aulo-

phed photograph. "because I had a cold."

"I was nervous," she explained,

She was unaware that American Air Force chiefs realise that pigeons will be called to play trying to mobilise public opinion to Church and welfare leaders were on important part in the defence programme. Breeders all over set the marriage annulled. Britain may soon receive instructions to train as many birds as pointed out that the girl was four simply a hole in a

District Attorney Forest Short has years too young under the Kentucky wedding is regarded as a big step up cliff-sido. The marriage limit, and has started an in the social scale for her. Investigation to find out why the The only one who has not had gawky child just 4ft. Bla, in height, looking very much like a doll. She said "I'm a

right good hand at cooking, saying, And washing. Me and Flem have been courting for a good tong time."

WITH GAS MASKS

Real "Blue Chips" Of bride's mother, Mrs. Grace Columbus, much to say is the bride, a

Ivory

San Francisco. The California Historical Society

Some will be bred from strains; which won V.Cs in the Great War-) birds which flew across the Channel has placed on exhibition solid ivory with vilal messages when wounded.

"An extensive register has

gave her daughter's nge na fitteen. The husband, however, refuses to take any notice of this, and said, threateningly: "Nobody is going to take my Rosie from me. We're married and poker chips that represented $1,000

WO star beencuch, used at the time when bonanza! made," an official of the Air Ministry kings of California played for such family, who have also moved into the embarrassed when she

married,"

ia barked o by the sald.

girl's

She ducked her head and looked amounts.

kat by half a dozen bearded how she liked married life.

Was naked miners who live in the district.

"During the recent crisis breeders everywhere offered the services of sportemen asking them to use the: their prize pigeons. There are tena greatest care lest they shoot down. of thousands which WO may call valuable carriers, upon."

Special gas masks may be made for A special warning will be given to these R.AF. pigeons.

DESPERATELY poor

The ceremony was performed by Mr. W. O. Itatein, who is the district blacksmith as well as the parson. have been so desperately poor that the marriage was OK. too," was his Rosto and her brothers and sisters "The licence was O.K., so I guess their home for some years has been comment.