1938-12-02 — Page 4

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1988.

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#

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مسه

FRIDAY, DECEMBEɑ 2, 1938,

France's Position

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 on that continent has greatly receded.

Spreading Pan - Germaniam 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 Duladier showed his special concern over this in his Cham- ber speech justifying the Munich agreement. He secured his "full powers" virtually on this plea. 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 powera,

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 come; Certainly the founda- tions for rebuilding French foreign policy are already at hand in the apparently continu- ing solidification of the Franco- British ontente.

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 oven her concept of running' a democracy. What is Important is that she shows Irrevocable determination to carry on such democracy as she enjoys not- withstanding all currents to the contrary abroad in Europe to- day.

THE STUPENDOUS SUPER ARMAMENTS

FORCE

MODEL

THE SAFE FAMILY CAR. WORLD PEACE CONFERENCE

MODEL

SUNGHING RODE

GOODWILL LUBRICIJ

✔

THE SUCCESS OF THE SHOW

I was a

Conscript

By F. G. H. SALUSBURY

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

M

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- tralla 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- ment announced, in 1909, a uni- versal obligation in respect of naval or military training.

*

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

"All male inhabitants of Aus- tralia (except those who are 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 age, in the junior cadets; and

"(b) From fourteen to eighteen years of age in the Senior cadets; and

(c) From eighteen to twenty- five years of age, in the Citizen Forces; and

to

"(4) From

twenty-five 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 50- called" Yellow Perll" 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 for makes a flutter 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. Section 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 Benior cadets four whole-day drills, twelve half- day drills, and twenty-four night drills; and "(c) In the Citizen Forces six- teen whole-day drills or their équivalent of which not less than eight shall be in camps of continuous training."

In addition it was provided that men allotted to the Navy and to the specialist branches of the Army

R.A.F. Calls Up 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.

Air Force chiefs realise that pigeons will be called to play an important part in the defence programme. Breeders all over Britain may soon receive instructions to train ng many birds as are available in message-carrying.

It is estimated that more than 100,- 000 pigeons will be called upon to "join up."

WITH GAS MASKS

Some will be bred from strains which won V.Cs in the Great War

should have twenty-ave 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 utilised in connection with an industrial dispute.

The whole country was divided into areas, each with an Area 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- talions of Infantry, regiments of Light Horse, batteries of Artillery gradually emerged. Up-country distances are enormous, and in such cases of hardship individuals were excused attendance.

The Junior Cadets did physical exercises: they had no uniforms. Bentor 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 were fines for employers who attempted to prevent their employees from attending drills, and fines 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 10s, for ser- geants and 168. for subalterna, to £2 59. for colonels or brigadiers.

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

For

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

Promotion was by examination- from private to corporal, corporal to sergeant, sergeant to sergeant. major and warrant-oficer,, and warrant-officer

to commissioned rank. At the beginning of the

schema 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 Bydney, where a harassed Area Officer and a dear old doctor-looking unenay In his uniform-were dealing with a horde of boys.

I was examined, my appendicitis scar wus noted, I was given breeches, shirt, hat, bolt and puttees, and dismissed. Thereafter I carried on in the Cadet company at my school, for Cadels, wherever

· possible, wero organised on school basis.

#

I became a corporal, I passed examinations, and, later. I blos- somed into a second Heutenant in the 21st Woollahra Infantry, very proud of the sword with which a paternal Government presented me, My best friend was a private in · a neighbouring battalion, When wo first met In uniform, he said, "What's that skewer banging 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- lians, in the Great War, who all paraded. with. watch-glasses stuck in their eyes to choor monooled English omeer instruc- tor? And how he flipped his monocle into the air, caught it in his eye, and said, “Well, do that, damn you!"They gave him a cheer then.

urs

#

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

Bometimes, compulsory training was, as we used to say, a

** fair cow."

It interfered with our ici- But it was done. It lasted until November 1. 1020, when the voluntary system was re-adopted

sure.

HIS BRIDE TOSCANINI'S BOUQUET

AGED 10

Miner Of 34 Says

'We Stay Married'

Ten-years-old Rosto Columbus, bride of 34-years-old Fleming Tackett, played happily in her two-roomed mountain shack Prestonbury, Kentucky, Isst

th

She was unaware that American Church and welfare leaders were trying to mobilise public opinion to get the marriage annulled.

District Attorney Forest Short has

the

FOR SINGER

WOMAN WHO FAINTED Now York. The unhapplest woman in New York last month was Carmen Torres, who fainted at one of the city's

Wading nicht clubs, when Arturo

Toscanit walked in while she was

singing at Sirle from "La Traviata."

The conduétor, who was accom- panied 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 a bouquet and an auto- Staphed photograph. "because I had a cold."

"I was nervous," she explained,

1

pointed out that the girl was four simply a hole in years too young under the Kentucky wedding is regarded as a big step up cliff-side. The marriage limit

limit, and has started an in the social scale for her. Investigation to find out

why

The only one who ha not had gawky child just 4ft. 8in. in height, looking very much like a doll.

She said "Tm a right hand at cooking.

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

Ivory

San Francisco. The California Historical Society birds which flew across the Channel has placed on exhibition solid ivory

gave her daughter's age as fifteen. The husband, however, refuses to take any notice of this, and said, fireateningly: 'Nobody is Kre married

to take my Rosle from me.

and Wa star married"

He is backed up by the girl's

with vital messages when wounded. poker chips that represented $1,800 "An extensive register has been each, 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 said.

amounta. "During the recent crisis breedera overywhere offered the services of sportsmen asking them to use the their prize pigeons. There are tens 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 RAF, pigeons,

shack, and by half a dozen bearded miners who live in the district.

DESPERATELY POOR-

good sewing, and washing. Me and Firm ··have been courting for a good log time."

embarrassed when she was

She ducked her head and looked asked how she liked married life.

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