1939-10-14 — Page 8

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BEATING

AVER since the Ilalina General

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

Doulet published his book, "The How

Poubel Theory," soon after the Great Var, Continental experts have 'be- eved that a great war might bo attled quickly by one Power com- letely disorganising the life of its dversary by frequent, large-scale ombing attacks from the alr.

THE

WEEK-END

BOMBER

SECTION

Instead of air rulde, Franco's forces Defence Is carried out bombardments with heavy ten-inch guns for months on end, Even so the total casualiles of all Mastering Attack the air raids on Madrid, including also those killed or wounded by the gun bombardments, amounted to only about 6,000, The deaths numbered 1,704.

attacks began, and they continued for three months. In that November inonth alone there were officially no fewer than 32 ralds, but some of thesc Now, however, more and more ex- orts, including those of the Total-Insted for 24 hours, and really con

rian Staten, are begining, to doubt hether the mass bombing of the Ivil population, factorice, porta; and allways, could yield such a quick nd decisive result.

Britain used to be pointed out as he country most vulnerable to such n attack. Berlin, and most of Ger- auny's inthatein! areas, Be a long istance from our ale baser, whereas

ondott and other big British ports

re within easy range of German ombers.

Moreover, Britain depends largely the foodstuffs and raw materials rom overseas, so that in war-time, specially with a convoy system being perated to combat submarine attack, ur parts would often be congested, nd so would prove particularly good argets for enemy planes.

Lessons from Spain

That ng been the argument, but hose who enthusiastically supported

in the past are wondering more ind more whether it would all work ut that way. Why? Well, there are va main reasons; the growing power if the defence against raiders, eg

ecially in Britain, and the expericace of the Spanish War,

isted of a number of raids following quickly on each other. On one occa

Junker German sion 210 large machines flew over, dropping a very

Jurge number of bombs, After that sometimes there was a spell of quiei, then more raids would come.

It was not t1 January 1937 that Madrid got some really modern guns for her defence, effective up to some 22,000 feet compared with 40,000 feet

in our newer wenpona. A small force of fighter planes was also got together, though with no mucilnes an

fust or as deadly us our modern Spitfires with their right guns und speed of 300 m.p..

But the result of these new guns and fighters was soon felt: There were only two more raids, in which the enemy was driven off; then the raits ceased attogether.

In more than two years of war, and Including months of intensive bomb ing and shelling, fewer people were killed then die on our roads every four months!

Particularly noteworthy is the fact that raids ceased as soon as modern guns became available. Our newest fighter planes, with a fire-rate of 12,000 rounds a minute from thele sight guns, and a speed far in excess of that of most bombers, are not to be counted in dozens, but in hun-

circds.

Britain's Strong Defences

And apart from such shattering fre as this from sheaves of machine-guns arranged that their fire converges at point some distance ahead of the thint any machine aeroplane, so

(Continued on Next Column.)

Why not Learn a Foreign Language?

|

WHEN the radio begins the foreign, without knowing something of the news bronteasts, or when some language is often like being a mute. notable foreigner is speaking his own To be tongue-tied in a company does language, there are bound to be many not do much for.sociability, and often fisteners who wish they had kept up their languages after leaving school.

They probably would have done so if there had then been the present- day facilities for learning languages.

It is true that In Spain there wer ho large-scale air. operations; but

Never before to-day have there been tome of the raids were undertaken such opportunities offered to anyone by as many as 200 bambers, and so

wishing to learn or "brush up" n ́for- draw tla possible

some fairly

eign language. Desides the tremend- helpful conclusions from them, es

ous help which can be had from the cefully if we compare what hup-wireless, a number of gramophone sened to Madrid with what is likely compunica Issue linguistic records to happen in this country.

sultable for all stages of language study.

In wor Beltain is protected by humbers of electrically controlled anti-aircraft guns. Madrid had none of these til near the end of the Spanish War, and as soon as these were available raids ceased.

For defence against low, "over-the- oof-tops" flying Madrid had nothing more effective than machine-guns,

the new two- whereas Britnin has bounder ht anti-aircraft gun.

The value of such aids is dimeult to over-estimate, as one can heur sounds and phrases repeated over and over again. When a langunge is thus heard it becomes a live thing and the business of learning it becomes a pleasant task, which repays dredfold all the pains taken.

throwing shells into the air at the A Business Necessity

rate of 40 minute. The balloon barrage, too, almost cuts out low- flying attack on big cities.

Raids Then Ceased

Yet although Madrid's tolul air de- fence throughout the greater part of the war consisted of only ten old anti-aircraft guns, similar to those uzed in the Great War, what effect did continual raids have?

A few months after the civil war started, in November 1930, heavy air

creates a good deal of awkwardness. A knowledge of the language is fre- quently the golden key which opens up for us the hearts of the people. Mental Training

There are some people who say. "We don't want to go abroad, and we can read translations of any foreign books we may wish to read. Experts make these translations much better than we could ever hope to do it."

This is true, to some extent, but after all translation is only a sub- stitute for the original, and is rarely so good even when done by a highly gifted person, Delleate shades of meaning are lost, ns it is often the manner of expressing a certain thing, hun-not the bare thing itself which gives the writing its Ifterary merii. A language is thus worth learning if only in order to be able to read li

Perhaps the statement by Lord Bacon that "a man acquires a new soul with every. language he learns," Is a little too strong. but the fact remains that the study of another language is a good mental training. It widens the sympathies and gives us a truer appreciation of and deeper Insight into tongue, whose many beauties we do mother

not seem to realite, fully see them reflected, as it were, in the mirror of another language.

A Linguist

In many lines of business a know- tedge of foreign languages is almost

necessity, us in order to keep abreast of our rivals we should be able to correspond with all our cus- tomers in their own tongue,

No doubt there are people who do not need languages for business pur poses, and the question arises, "Is It worth while learning 11 foreign tongue?"

Most people nowadays do some foreign travel, and to be in a country

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33C148

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1939.

Did You Ever Wonder

family. is popularly known as bloom is about to appear, a tall,

If the Century Plant Blooms Only Once in 100 Years 7

The American aloe, the best-edges. The leaves radiate from known species of the agave plant a common centre, and when n the "century plant." The iden, erect stem or "must" grows however, that it blooms but once rapidly from the centre of the every 100 years is a mistaken rosette of leaves.

Observation shows that one.

During the years preceding the plant blooms rather late in maturity, the plant builds up a its period of growth. The store of nourishment in its duration of the wait for the thick, fibrous leaves. The swift flower varies directly with the growth of the mast or flower amount of vigour of the in-stalk (which reaches a height dividual plant and with the con- of from 16 to 30 feet or more) ditions under which it is grown. draws, so heavily on the plant Where a warm climate promotes food stored in the leaves that the rapid development, it may bloom leaves wither completely after. in just a few years, whereas flowering time, but the roots under cooler conditions, growth send forth new shoots which may be so retarded that 50 or 60 develop into another century years may clapse before a flower plant to take the place of the will appear.

one that dried up.

The century plant has long, fleshy, pointed leaves with spiny

In Mexico, contury plants are cultivated as a farm crop: The Icaves provide food for cattle. The leaf fibres are made into caught at that point would be cut in rope, thread, cord, and sucking. half, there are now terrors for bom-The juice of the leaves works up bers, including the new sheil-gun. which is being fitted to Britain's into a lather when used with Intest planes,

water and is extracted for usc One bil from an aircraft shell-gun as a substitute for soap. If the is sumelent to destroy an aeroplane. flower stalk is removed, a sap No details are yet released as to the collects which makes "aguamiel," character of these guns, but it is be- a sweet drink; but, unfortunate- leved that they would be invaluable ly, it ferments rapidly. The in breaking up large formations of stem which bears the flowers hostile bombers if war should come.

Britain's air defence, both active has a firm white pith inside. and passive, is the best in the world. This pith is dried and cut in Any aggressor who believes an aerial slices, after which it may serve knock-out blow is possible where Britain

concerned, is deceiving a natural razor-strop, in- sulating material, etc.-W. P. himself

Kenshey.

Waller Whitman

CHESS PROBLEMS

Black

* Pieces

曲

White

10 Pieces White to play and mate in two.

Black

3 Pieces

White

G Picces White to play and mate in three.

Die-Hard Metaphors of English

NOONER or inter we may be faced

by the logical necessity of revis- ing our metaphors. Our existing stock is not only being perilously overworked nowadays by scribes and politictona, but atmust comically In fact, it' la really out of date. didicul in this epoch of scientific and mechanical evolution to employ metaphor which not patently anachronistic.

By "An Old Stager"

the gas" would be more appropriate In 1939.

To speak of anything er anyone "geting on like a house on fire" is surely wrong in this age of perfected fire brigade equipment and prompt salvage. And "spreading like a plague" is unmerited reproach to | modern medical science. Even "deep well" has lost much of its hereditary snap. Few people know much about weils nowadays, and we might at least bring this eliche up- to-date by making (1 "deep as on oll-

as

All the world has just bren reading how the King and Queen salled for Americo. Actually, of course, they did nothing of the sort, literally interpreted. They steamed. But this is only one of innumerable instances that might be mentioned where our well." contemporary language has not kept pace with contemporary events, The A Cockney might perhaps take ex- English speech is full of antiquated coption to "blue as the sky," for the metaphors and simijes,

reason that the London sky is usually

In an age of tanks, bombing planes, as dull as pewter. And what possible justification is there for retalning and phosgene gas we still declare that once admirable simile, "quick as "war the knife," We talk of lamplighter?" An electric switch people being "at daggers drawn," does the trick now, and how much whereas what we ought more topical- quicker! ly to say is that they are "at gas masks." Indeed, the latter would be a very vivid metaphor to apply to the protagonists in a suburban social vendettu. It would convey just the right degree of inspissated loathing and mutual backbiting, though these gift offerings by a paternal Govern- ment have, of course, their incidental kindly uses. As when they are em- ployed to cure small boys of the bad habit of biting their nails. Slandered Fish

a

A vigorous metaphor that is in danger of shedding some of its force. in times of bowdlerised religion is "hot as hell." The August conges tion on the holiday foreshore sels de- finite Imitations on "happy as a sandboy." In an epoch of canned soup even "too many cooks-spoll-the- of its point. broth" is losing some

and spot the And "spare the rod child" is in our day almost indictable by the R.S.P.C.C. The Cuckoo's Attendants

the

We still accuse certain misguided people of "drinking like

fish,"

Whether lousy as a cuckoo" is still though science has long since taught acceptable I am not enough of an us that lahes are of all vital things ornithologist to express an opinion. probably the least thirsty. In fact, a But during the Great War mere inyman like myself must con- phrase was constantly being heard in fess to some dublety as to whether some of the best front-line dugouts, fish drinks at all. We have jumped and always with a belittling com- to an altogether unwarrantable and parison as to the cuckoo's retinue. libellous Inference, and accused oldest-established similes we possess. "Right as a trivet" is one of the

un

exemplary tectoteller of gross Inebriety, merely on the strength of agill-movement that actually con

How many people who sometimes right a trivet is, or even what it in? employ it could explain just how nates the harmless and necessary function of breathing. The Fellows It is, or more properly was, an iron of the Royal Zoological Society tripod for holding cooking vessels by should really take this matter up in the fire, and is manifestly a complete the interests of the innocent inmales back number in face of the modern of their Zoo aquarium,"

gas or electric oven.

One of the most archaic of all our 1 As a fervent lover and admirer of popular metaphors is that which I dogs, I have never liked "sick as a states that people dwell within dog," and whatever truth the sille bowshot of each other." Yet there holds must, I fancy, be taken as in Woo ohu occasion of cherished reality a reflection on the animal's memory, during the regime of the owner and his nollens of canine lute Mr. Augustus Birrell as Chief sustenance. "Jealous at a cat," how- Secretary, when the House of Com- ever, may withstand all modern mons was informed, in more realistic criticism. Those jade eyes, lit with fashion, that two keen political foes the mystery of infinite mons, tell their in Ireland Hved within gunshot of ow tale too plainly. "Black as a ench other." As general rule, sweep" may also stand, so long as however, we use the archery meta- we resist the inroads of, central heat- phor. And, of course, we talk in- Ing. variably of anything progressing to its goal.

"straight as an arrow." We also refer to exhibitionists as "drawing the long bow." Somehow. even in this mechanic age, this sounds more homely thun, say, "Jamming the machine-gun,

"Round as barrel" is also fairly watertight, but what about "cican na a whistle?" Policemen's whlaties may be thoroughly well laundered, but most of the whistles I see are in the mouths of very small urchins, and have a rich deposit of Jam or other comesubles. "Drunk on lord," which may once have had a patrician splendour, is right out of date. Wo all talk of someone

who is

Jamshyd no longer glories and drinka expert in the water as "swimming deep. And, since the breed of tinkers like a duck." Actually ducks are

is almost extinct in this country, and nothing like such experts in water as Blingsgate porters now use B.B.C. Innumerable other things, an Olym

The Duke's Drift

ple swimming champion amongst vernacular, two other hoary old them, and, anyhow, do ducke swim? metaphors bite the dust. Which re- They seem to me to float and paddie,minds me that, now our roads are which is a very different thing, and tarmac, people no tenger "bite the Nor, since fogging has long not nearly so effelent as the Austra been abolished in the Army, do they llan crawl, for instance,

dust."

"bite on the bullet,"

A caso might’even be made out for scrapping that venerable cilche about Let Well Alone "seeing eye to eye" which anyone.

In the days of provalent myopin, It Obviously there is room for a clean might be much more up-to-date to sweep of English metaphors and say they are "horn-rim tö, horn-rim," | similes and cliches. But please do Another metaphor that sounds dis- not imagine I am advocating it. 1. tinctly behind the times is "vente a am one of the least revolutionary torre." "Top gear," or "treading on souls alive. Almost am I conserva-

live enough to qualify for a Bol- shevik commissar, und the very last thing I would reform would be our

wonderful old English language even in its vulgor usages. Even apeliling reformers have always seemed to ma

who very like prople

advocate enamelling old oak wainscoting. Or modernising Stenchenge. We have few enough linguistic links left with Dan Chaucer, and it would be a crime to snap even one of them.

The

whole Amer.cans have a arsenal of right up-to-date, meta- phors, and those who crave modernity language can quarry to their hearts' content in that bright staccato gold mine.

Puzzle Corner

YSA

Cryptogram

*XUGNYUQ ·ZNJAL

YSA VUQQAVY IQUGOGVN- DYNUG UE YSA VSDXINUG LBDYAQ'L GDXA DL "LUGRD *SAGNA. PDLY DOYOXG N SADQM YSA *VSNYDZU PDML IQUGUOGVNGZ NY **LOVSD SUGAR,” HA DQA OLNGZ WUYS IG SUPPR- HUUM.

A Rebus The rebus below represents a 5-letter word; and the lines give a clue:

MI

al M

M

M.

M

M The clouds race by in arched

sky

And up above a kite I spy

As wild as a hare I feel As against sharp winds my-

self steel.

Letter Changing

Here's one that's a bit, dif- ferent. Try changing ELM to OAK in the usual manner, BUT make the change so that it will involve another tree, the FJR. It can be done in 8 moves.

Three Travellers Three travellers start out at the same time, 8 n.m. One man, walking, travels 4 miles an hour, and renches his destination at 6 p.m. Another, on bleycle, reaches his destination at noon. The third, in an automobile renches the same destination at #

a.m. How far did they travel?

Fun With Synonyms Again we start the week with 10 words and their synonyms to be paired off correctly:

kako

12 13

Apparatua Crowd

Juster

brillian Gisuasion

1

Redel

6

10

Dlecorny Kantly

17 badgy

WALR

12. JURSTO 101 Fla

int

LES

Romay

MANUTE

(Answers Appcar on Page 3)

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