1940-06-15 — Page 8

MINER

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ON EASY TERMS

ADULTS WHO SEEK RELAXATION FROM THE WORRIES OF MODERN LIFE WILL FIND IT MOST EASILY ATTAINED IN MAKING A COMPANION OF A PIANO.

THE PIANO IS EASY TO LEARN AND BECOMES A LIFE LONG FRIEND.

MAKE YOUR CHOICE A

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AND IS THE FINEST INSTRUMENT IN THE FAR EAST

S. MOUTRIE & CO., LTD.

YORK BUILDING

In aid of the

CHATER ROAD.

B. W.O.F.

CONCERT

by The Hongkong Singers.

Tuesday, June 25, at 9.30 p.m. in the CHINA FLEET CLUB

Items on the Programme will be:-

(a) Serenade to Music (Vaughan Williams)

(b) In Honour of the City (Dyson)

(c) Acis and Calatea (Hande!)... with orchestra.

The two former are accompanied on two planos.

Soloists: Anne Balfour, Jean Grieg, Helen Lockhart, Gaston

D'Aquino and Harold Piercy.

Conductor: 1.R.M. Smith.

Accompanists: Rupert Baldwin, E. O'Neill Shaw.

Booking: Trang Fook Piano Co. Prices: $3,00, $2.00 & $1.00

TEE FOR ONE

L

*Jackson, old boy, congratulate me. Kindly alap me on the back." "Certainly,my.deur fellow, but may 1- [dike "gom (why? You haven't got engaged, I hope P"

"No, no. This is something really important. I did the fourteenth In one yesterday. A blow in a million I The swipe to end all swipes!” "But I don't understand, You look as fit as the proverbial Stradivarius. Were there to celebrations ?"

"Celebrations? There's been noth Ing-like slace the Relief of Malcking"

“Perhaps I'm danze, But I still don't understand. Forglow my lentuare, but where's the hangover 1"

Hangovers? Haven't you heard?" There aren't any nowadays. You just drink Gimlets, or take a long glass of Ross's Lime Juice after the. Jamboree · It's Just a' qusetion of therapeutic action as a doctor once described it to me. **

"Sa Row's prevents the mealogy. afim?"

Remily and truly. You know, aki boy, you ought to keep a bottle of Rose's in your locker. Some day seem '« you may do a bolo in onii”

Saturday,

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

STUDEBAKER FOR ECONOMY !

The Studebaker Com- mondor has just won the Gilmore-Yosemite economy run over a course of over 300 miles. The Studebaker Champion and President

also ..models

won first honours in their class. This is the first time in history 'that one' make of car has won all three first prizes. Studebaker is the most economical full-sized car to operate in Hongkong, Takes all the hills on top gear. Try a Studebaker before buying any car.

HONGKONG HOTEL GARAGE

Stubbs Road

The

Tel, 27778/9:

Hongkong Telegraph.

Saturday, June 15, 1940. Wyndham St., Hongkong

Telephone: 20015

THE prix "Special to the Telegraph" is used by the "Itongkang Telegraph" co indicate nows which is strictly copyright under the provisions of the Telecommuni» cations Ordinance, 1936, Buch OWE AI bears the indicación. “UP! je recurved in Hongkong on the date of publication by the United Press Attociations, who ros servo all rights and forbid republication, sitting wholly or in part without previous arrangement.

Swastika in Paris

The horror and foulness of the swasilka over Paris can bring no greater distress and pain to the Frenchman than the tromp of Nazi, fect in Prague brought to Czechs, the humillation of Warsaw, brought to Poles, the traitorous entry into Oslo brought to Norwegians, the crumbling of Amsterdam and the occupation of The Hague brought to our Dutch Allies and the crucifixion of Brussels brought to Belgians, Nevertheless the world feels appalled at this shadow that bas fallen upon our greatest and closest of Allies and to many Britons the pain of a Paris lost to the whim of beasts and brutes is almost as great as if London itself were under the heel of a lustful conqueror.

Although Paris la temporarily in the hands of the Germans, there is cause for rejoicing in the fact that this beautiful city, so beloved by many people in Hongkong, has been spared the torturous death of artillery bombardment suffered by Warsaw and many other cities, Bombs will not touch its majestic bulldings, as they may yet destroy London, Berlin, Rome and other great cities of thu world. Paris is like a prisoner-of- war, held in enemy custody until the battles elsewhere will decide the fate of its conquerors. It is as safe from destruction now as any prisoner In German hands; if the war is fought to its successful conclusion elsewhere in France Paris may be one at the few great cities that will live unscathed to see the Allies triumph. Its only dangers are that either the war will return to its vicinity, in which case we may rest assured that the Germans will not respect its priceless beauty by maintaining it as an Open City, or that Hitler may make IL a hostage of death to gain a point, as he threatened to make animate prisoners-of-war his victims if his parachutists were shot. It would not be past the bestiality of Germany's leaders to threaten the destruction of conquered Paris in reprisal for faneled wrongs inflicted by the Allies.

To Frenchmen, the peoples of all free nations will extend their sym- fallen. pathy at the blow that has

In the Far East, our Chinese neigh- baura will feel especially sympathetic. The trend of allen feet into Canton is an event not so old that we cannot recall the bitterness that overtook the great majority of Hongkong's resi- dents when the Japanese, after a nine- day thrust that startled the world, entered the Kwangtung capital. The battle that led to the fall of Paris also started nine days ago. Indeed, the parallel does not end there. of de- Throughout China' 'wave spair. overcame the people when the!

into Japanese marched so easily Conton and Hankow. It lasted but a the few hours, was replaced with

the determination that na carried war-on-for-another-10-mossthe. Lintik. have to-day, prospects of victory never been brighter.

The Allies can look to China and be heartened,

It's They

AT

T its first appearance in history there was nothing to foreshow the which important part Paris Was to play in Europe and the world.

June 15, 1940.

70

An island in the Seine, now almost lost in the modern city, and then much smaller than at present, was for 'centuries the entire site.

The sole importance of the town lay in its being the capital of a similarly insigni. #cant Gallic people, which navigated the lower course of the Seine, and doubtless from time to time visited the coasts of Britain.

So few were its inhabitants that they early but themselves under the protection of their the powerful neighbours,. Senones, and this vassalship was the source of the political dependence of Paris on Sena throughout the Roman period, and of a religioue subordina- tion. which lasted till the 17th century.

The capital did not at once take the name of the' Parisli, whose centre it was, but long kept that of Lacetia, Lucote- tin or Lutetia, of which Lutece is the generally recognised French form.

THE great transformer of

Paris in modern times was Napoleon III. To him or to his reign we owe the Grand Opera, the masterpiece of the ancient Garnier; the new Hotel Dieu; the finishing of the galleries which com- plete the Louvre and connect it with the Tuileries, the ex- tension of the Palais de Jus- tice and its new front on the old Place Dauphine; the tri- bunal of commerce; the cen- tral markets; several. of the finest railway stations; the viaduct at Auteuil; the churches of La Trinite, St. Augustin, St. Ambroise, St. Francois Xavier, Belleville. Menilmontant, etc.

For the first international Paris exhibition (that of 1855) was con- structed the "polace of industry"; the enlargement of the national library Was commenced; the muscum of French antiquities was created by the savant Du Som- merard, and installed in the old "hotel" built at the end the 15th century for the abbots of Cluny.

ог

All this is but the smallest part of the memorials which Napoleon III left of his presence. Not only was the clly traversed in all directions by new thoroughfares, and sumpluous houses raised restored in every quarter, but the line of the fortiications was made In 1859 the limit of the city. The area was thus doubled, extending to 7,450 hectares or 18,410 acres, Instead of 3,402 hectares or 6,407 acres. It war otherwise with the population; to the 1,200,000 inhn- bitants which Paris possessed in 1858 the incorporation of the subur- ban zone only added 000,000.

PARIS had to pay dear for ita growth and prosperity under the second empire.

This government, which, by straightening and widening the streets, thought it had effectually guarded against the attempts of its internal enemies, had not sufficiently defended itself from external attack, and at the first re- verses of 1870 Paris found it- self prepared to overthrow the empire, but by no means able to hold out against the approaching Prussians.

The two sieges of Paris in 1870-71 are among the most dramatic episodes of its his tory. The first siege began оп the 10th of September, 1870 with the occupation by the Germans of the heights on the left side of the river and the capture of the un- finished redoubt of Chatillon..

Two days later the invest- ment was complete.

"General" Trocha, hund" of the French Government" and governor of the city, had. under. his command: 400,000:

Years Were In

men-a force which ought

Was

to have been able to hold yout

against the 240,000 Germana by whom it besleged, had it not been com- posed for the most part of hurried levics of raw soldiers with inexperienced officers and of national_guards who, never having been subjected to strict military discipline, were a source of weakness rather than

of strength.

The guards, it is true, display- ed a warlike spirit, but it was for the sole purpose of exciting dis- order. Open revolt broke out on the 31st of October; it was sup

but pressed,

increased the demoralisation of the besieged and .the demands of the Prusalons.

The partial successes which the French obtained in engage ments on both sides of the river were rendered useless by the Germans recapturing all the best positions: the severity of winter told heavily on the garrison, and the armles in the provinces which were to have co-operated with it were. held in check by, the Ger mang in the weat and the south.

to public opinion, a great sortic was undertaken.

IN obedience

This, in fact, was the only alternative to a surrender; for the empire having. or- ganised everything in expectation of victory and not of disaster, Parts insuficiently provisioned for the increase of population caused by the influx of refugees, was already sufforing the hor rors of famine,

Accidental circumstances com- bined with the indecision of the leaders to render the enterprise a failure..

Despatches sent by balloon to the army of the Loire instructing it to make a diversion reached

the their destination too late; bridge of Champigny over the Marne could not be constructed fri time; the most advantageous. positions remained in the hands of the Germans; and on the 2nd and 3rd of Decembar the French abandoned the positions they had seized on the 29th and 30th of November.

Another sortle made towards the north on the 21st of December was repulsed, and the besieged lost the Abron plateau, the key to the posi- tions which they still held on that side

the

proved fatal to Regnault, painter) was attempted in January 1871 but resulted in hopeless re- trcat. An armistice was signed on. the 27th of January, the capitula- tion on the 28th. The revictual

not accom- ling of the city was plished without much difficulty, in spite of the generous rivalry of foreign nations (London alone sending provision to the value of

£80,000),

ON the 1st March the Ger

mans entered Paris. This event, which marked the close of the slege, was at the same time the first pre- paration for the "commune"; for the national guard, taking advantage of the general confu- slon and the powerlessness of the regular army, carried a number of cannon to the heights of Mont- martre and Belleville under pre- text-of saving them.

President Thlers, appreciating the danger, attempted on the 18th of March to remove the ordnance; of on his action was the signal insurrection which, successful from the first, initiated a series of ter- rible outrages by the murder of the two generals, Lecomte and Thomas.

The government, afraid of the defection of the troops, who were demoralised by failure and suffer- ing, had evacuated the forts on the left side of the river and concen- trated the army at Versailles (the forts on the right side were still to be held for some time by the Germans),

Mont Valerien happily remained In the hands of the government and became the pivot of the attack during the second slege,

All the sorties made by the in- surgents in the direction of Versail- les (where the National Assembly was in session from the 20th of March) proved unsuccessful, and cast, them two of their Improvised leaders-Generals Flourens and

Duval.

The incapacity and mutual hatred of their chiefs rendered all organi- sation and durable resistance im- possible.

On Sunday, the 21st of May, the government forces, commanded by Marshal MacMahon, having already captured the forts on the right side, of the river, made their way within the walls; but they had still to fight hard from barricade to barricade before they were masters of the city: Belleville, the special Red Re- publican quarter, was not assaulted and taken till Friday..

and

Meanwhile the communists were committing the most horrible ex- cesses; the archbishop of Paris (Georges Darboy, q.v.) President Bonjean, priests, magistrates, jour nalists

private individuals, whom they had seized as hostages, were shot in batches in the prisons; 17th of December and great damage-and-a- schema of destruction was was done to the forls on the left

ruthlessly carried into effect by

with

of men and of the Seine, especially those of

petroleum. Venves and Issy directly

The Hotel de Ville, the Palais de manded by the Chatillon battery,

A third and last sortie (which Justice, the Tulleries, the Ministry

The bombardment began on the

com-

women

cases

Since

Paris

of Finance, the palace of the Le glon of Honour, that of the Council of Slate, part of the Rue de Rivoll, ele,, were ravaged by the flames; barrels of gunpowder were placed- in Notre Dame and the Pantheon ready to blow up the bulldings; and the whole city would have been Involved in ruin if the national troops had not gained a last and crowning victory in the neighbour hood-of-La Roquelte-and-Fora-la- Chaise on the 28th of May.

Besides the large number of in- surgents who, taken in arms, were pitilessly shot, others were after- wards condemned to death, to penal servitude, to transportation; and the survivors only obtained their liberty by the decree of 1879.

FROM this double trial Paris

emerged diminished and almost robbed of its dignity as capital; for the parliamen- tary assemblies, and the government went to sit at Versailles.

For little it was thought that the city would not recover from the blow which had fallen un it.

All came back, however-con- fidence, prosperity and, along with that, Increasing growth of population and the execution of great public works.

The Hotel de Ville was rebuilt," the school of medicine adorned with on imposing facade, the Luxem- bourg and boulevards completed,

The exhibition of 1878 was more murvellous than those of 1855 and 1867 and left a lasting memorial. -the palace of the Trocadero, And the chambers' in 1879 considered quite sufficiently restored to take possession of their customary quar- ters in the Palais Bourbon and the Luxembourg.

DURING the Great War

(1914-1918) Paris was frequently raided by aircraft and in 1914 and 1918 the Germans succeeded in reach- ing the Marne, to within 17 miles of the city on the first occasion.

From March 1918 it was inter- mittently shelled by a German: long range gun 76 miles dis- tant.

The damage done by all these bombardments was but slight, but casualtics were fairly heavy, notably on Good Friday 1918,, when a shell fell on the church of Saint-Gervais during a service. / killing or injuring over a hun- dred people.

the course of the war projec ties thrown into the city totalled 1,040,

and causing 250 deaths wounding 620 people.

Frequent

councile Allfed war were held in the clty, which was also the scene of the Peace Con- ference in 1910.

BEHIND THE HEADLINES-by JOHN BLUNT

CONTRARY to the expectations of many people, Italy has thrown in her lot with Germany. There were so many reasons why she was expected to avold

such a criminal alliance, the chief being her great national religion. It is Impossible to reconcile the ethical of the and religious standards Italians with those of Germiny where religion has been outlawed. It is almost unbelievable-that-the Italians can ignore their religion and fight on the side of the god- 1839. There in encouragement, in that thought.

German Subjects

19.

their liberty. There was nothing Inhuman about it, and there nothing Inhuman in Interning enemy subjects in Hongkong.

that there have been realise

examples of the hardships

ed by some German and Aus-

trian exiles--mostly Jews-who have been cost penniless out of their countries. In common with parts of the Empire, we have such cases. There is the

of some refugees emulat- Ing the dual personality of Jekyll and Hyde. The risk

too great,

I well remember a simile in Aus- tralia.

That country has consider- able trouble in keeping in check various noxious weeds. It was suggested that Germany might be likened to a noxious and poisonous weed in Europe, but because some of the weed had become trans- planted in Australia, it was absurd to class it as an entirely different- and harmless genus,

I have overheard that my bitter- ness towards Germans is unrea- sonable. In my original comment published in this newspaper on May 11, I expressed my personal opinion that German

subjects should not be released from in- ternment just because a few well-Trust-- meaning people were prepared to vouch for their good behaviour. I atili odbere to

to my opinion. In 1914, 1 happened to be in Australia, where I had met a num- It was felt ber of German, people. that many Germans were loyal to Australia and Britain, and that the war was neither desired by them nor of their doing. To illustrate the friendly and trustful atmos- phere which existed, I actually made a wager with an Australian- born German that Germany would not win the war. (He was pre- pared to wager that the Allies would be beaten by Christmas.) Came a day when a British Naval Victory was announced, and my "friend" in a cash moment, tried to convince me that the news was a pack of lies. He told me that they (the local Germanis) knew, and that they received the correct their local news through one of societies known as the Lieder Tafel, It was found to be in the. Interest of the State to intern Germans, Donicu-Liberty

There was no question of brutal concontration camps. They were denied well treated, bui, rightly

After all, it is just a matter of trust. Britain trusted that war would be outlawed. Britain, trusted the League of Nations. Britain. trusted and

disarmed, Britain stranger within her trusted the

Chamberlain trusted gates. Mr.

and Hitler-and to what a sorry tragic state all that misplaced trust Каз

brought us! It is because of our trust in the

thousands post that of homes throughout the Empire are now suffering. bereavement tint men, women and children are being made to suffer the torture of ond the damned--that freedom and happiness

well-being are memories of the past. Aru wo Justified in continuing to trust? My answer, and I know it must be the answer of millions throughout the Empire, Is NO!

I do not propose to continue this aubject. had hoped that it would to refer to it not be necessary again. I calm to have as kindly n nature as any man, but there comes a time in the affairs of man- "may so put it when, in the interest- of self-preservation, blind trust does not fi into the scheme of

things.

1

France Defiant

the

STANDING at the very portal of civilisation, France, bloody, but defiant, la still holding the cursed. hordes of Hitler at bay. By her side sland British soldiers--all facing the diabolical war machine of the Hunsa machine which of Jules makes the imagination Verne pale into insignificance. It is the hour of sacrifice, but sacrifice will not have been in vain.. The appalling tragedy is that it should be necessary... It is-signific- ant that neither Germany nor Italy- has any friends in the world to-day. Some smaller nations must per- force keep their silence... for the. threat of temporary extermination overshadows them. They will be able to speak in duo time. The determination of the United States to stand by the Allies is more than heartening, and it is certain that before the freedom of peoples is stined for over, American soldiers and sailors, will, if necessary, come to the aid of those jo` sorely tried. It is unthinkable that the ruthless- ness of Germany can triumph. Russia Recoils

IN the meantime, it is also con- roling to know that even Russin is beginning to recoll in horror at Germany's crime. She has in- dicated that Sweden shall not fall' There under German domination, is further reason for the hope of the world's sanity by the settling between of the Tientsin problem Britain and Japan. Whatever may. have actuated the Japanese in the past few years, it would appear: that! they too have a full understanding of what would happen in the world, if Germany became supreme. China and Japan may yet be able- to compose their differences in the light of tho Europeon shambles, and join the nations which will smash all that Hitlerism stands for: Such a solution is not too much to hope for. The future peace and prosperity of China and Japan-of the whole world, depends upon the crushing of those whose lust for conquest and power knows no -bounda..........It is better that wa.should. die for the sake of posterity, rather than live to see our children en- slaved...