1947-01-10 — Page 3

'Micky' Hahn's New Book

Emily Hahn, the writer, has written a new hook. It is not a book about China or Chinese subjects, but aliqui Sir Stamford Raffles, who founded and built Singapore. After reading the final publishers' proofs. "Micky," left for England with her husband, Major C. R. Boxér, to visit his parents,

"Micky" Hahn-lived in Hong-, kong for some years before the war. She WAS repatriated during the occupation.

The following review of her new book is by Lewis Gannett, book reviewer of the New York Herald-Tribune.

Since the redoubtable Ward, of Salem, Muss, routed the Frederick Taiping forces for the Manchu En peror almost a century ago, it is probable that no American has been The subject of more gosalp up and down the China coast than Emily ("Micky") Hahn. Miss Hahn nome years ago wrote a curiously relicent biography of "The Soong Sistera" and a curiously unreticent autoblo- graphy. "China to Me." Now has found

a tople entirely to her fante in "Rofiles of Singapore" (Doubleday, $3.50).

quilo

Major Boxer, a learned and co- spected oflcer on His Majesty's ner- vice, who has served in more than ዐቢ crown colony, might naturally not have cared to accept responsibility for some of his wife's turt remarks on culonial administra

tion.

She subseribes wholeheartedly, it is true, to the orthodox doctrine that official absent-mindedness, and the the British Empire was a product of exemple Raffles is much to the potat, for that gentleman made his best conquests in deflance of advice from hin home government. She feels that the Dutch have ndvertised their virtues us colonial administrators.

Sympathy for Natives aho

elso over-

seems to think that sympathy for native

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, - JANUARY 10, 1947.

SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE China Losing

China Losing Economic Race To Japan

BUILDING ACTIVITY

Singapore s experiencing something of a bullding boom— but this activity will not do anу-| thing to alleviate the critical housing situation inasmuch as the buildings in

courso of erection and contemplated, are virtually all offico buildings or cinomas of the "super" variety, Symptomatic of this activity is the new Rex Cinemo, the rat theatre to be bullt in Singapore since the liberation. Senting 1,300 persona in air-conditioned comfort, the Rex Ja claimed to be the neme modernity,

of

on

lorey "skyscraper" to

Meanwhile, work Singapore branch of the Bank of on a new 14- house the China is scheduled to begin January 15, The 200-foot building will be erected on a site which was bought by the Bank of China in 1937 for $715,000 in Battery Road, near the main waterfront of the downlown business section of the city.

new

China's Internal strife has left the road clear for Japan to win back her economie dominance in Asia, in the opinion of business quarters and political observers in Shanghai, The general expectation-mixed with a good deal of anxiety is that the Industrious Japanese will not be slow in making use of their opportunity, reports United Press.

Ax-

to

Throughout the For East. The celimnic Ja

that Japun economic conditions to-day are is producing about 9,000 bodes of economie comeback, it is pointed year, and native silk Judustries aro China is producing propitious for Japan's eventual monthly.

between 0,000 to 10,000 bales per out. virtually at a standstill.

China's exports are being throtited rather thin India Panded, has wartime

21

The English-language paper, China backlog in

Press, recently was startled by the consumer goods to all before report that 15,000 cares of Japanese she can think of sending them tea had arrived in the United States.

hungry. beyond her shores. The wor- The paper devoted an editorial ravaged Philippines is goods-pointing out that little-If any China

tea had been exported, for months, There is a market inj

Former Clear Field the South Sens.

Even exports in which Chino hop The right dissipation of China's fan old, clear eld--such Пы V-J Day dream of replacing Japan skins,

Koal sesame seed ail, embroidery, the Far Eastern economie scene is frozen and dried eggs, and so on responsible for much of the Chinese-are not moving in any appreciable But che

criticism of SCAP polley, foreign quantity. peoples was all but unique in the Raffles's

observers belleve.

The transport problem hing de Commenting on this, one highty veloped fantastic quirks. Other Projects

It costs service, that home offices are some-

placed. American official in Shanghai, 10 times as much to move goods Sir Thomas Stamford Rafles was

times almost deliberately

was careful to point out bypocri-

Another

Szechuan there are from building project, no grounds for fearing that

Province a man who seldom took other men's teal, and her comment on the in- which will change Singapore's water-

the Shanghat as to move them from orders, which is quite to Mi Hahn's ratitude of the British East India front skyline, will be started around in

United States, elther in theory or Shanghai to New York. The com laste. In lustory he is best itnown Company la typical both of her the middle

In practice, "backing Japan of moving goods from ship to shore when againal year as the man who conquered and builder of narration and of her an eight-storey ultra-modern build-stressed.

America,

terms becomputed in -one might fairly nay, invented-eneral point of view. To put it ing, to cost around $1,250,000, will go United Nations," one of whose prin-is as grent or greater than the cost of labour, serious about - the "squeeze" and loss through loosing Singapore. But what perhaps most plainly," she says, "the East din up on a site bounded by endenred him to Miss Hahn, a dis- Company behaved In

Haffies clples is regard to Quay and Finlayson Green,

free expanding trade of shipping the goods АСТОВА the tinguished ape fancier, was that he Kafiles's money like a carefully

throughout the world. Ribbon in uniform running selected committee of highly pedi- the plans of which have been up-

Pacific. Yet another proposed kept

building.

Far East Vacuum

There being no steady now of arved hogs."

Dut he admitted that if China con from Honan

and Shantung proved in principle by, Singapore's continues to waste her energies in Provinces, foreign exchange must be Municipal Commissioner, is a multi-divil war, she is in grave danger of wasted to import all from the United million dollar 11-storey combined seeing Japan All the Far Eastern States. Foreign exchange Is being luxury hotel and cinema, the latter economic vacuum. This would hap-drained to import other items which to seat 1,500, which is to be erected pen; he pointed out, in the course could be

produced domestically. in North Bridge Road, not far from of Japan's natural return to self- This again is due to the civil war, the business section.

sustenance, quite with the frame and has an adverse effect on China's work of the Potsdam plan for that recovery. defeated nation,

Losing Race Can China still cut down Japan's Chinese businessmen early lead, and outstrip her in the trialists are alive to the fact that markets? The they are using the race to Japan. general opinion is: Yes, but only if They are having such a hard time a rapid and can be put to the civil keeping their heads

above water, And the chances of this hap-owever, that their attention to-day pening appear more remote than is directed more toward survival than toward the winning of new

about his home.

Mics Hahn obviously loved writ- But every one of the 556 pages of her book. She baits reviewers by quoting a scholar's

cominent

ότι

From which it may be judged that Miss Hahn In not wrong J describing herself as an unconven- tional historian. There is at least another scholar's bank, "to curry Stamford Bailes in her book, but és much of "Micky" Hahn as of Sir for the specialist and too

detailed for others, and suggesting that the staff, and a good time is had by all. she-and Major Boxer-know their phree might be applied to her own. She offers her frankly unorthodox book to those, who, like herself. were "cheated at school by teaching and never learned of

tory's true deep pleasures."

Women and History

bad

his-

what

then

The true, deep pleasure of history for her seems to be reciting stumer historians wrote and speculating upon what the unstuffed facts may have been. Throughout the book she carries on a running .debate with the all-too-worthy Sophin Rabies, rellet and carliest blographer of Sir Stamford, and with Dutch and British scholars in hibited by their contrary blasca.

Miss Hahn believes that a modern woman's wit can see truli the historians missed the point and where her delighted readers will often agree with her. She lords her sober facts with Mickyish asides.

Lure of the Truples

national

The famous lure of the tropics is the houseboy," Miss Hahn declares, describing the home life of the Raffleses in Penang, Batavia, Ben- coolen and other points well cast of Suez,

1

London Sees

Big Market

For Sarongs

in the

A vast potential market Far East awaits texite manu- facturers-the weaving of aurongs for the natives of Indonegia und Ceylon, writes the "Textile Bul- letin."

Mr G Green, of British Eastern textiles for the islands, thinks that Merchants Co. Ltd., who is buying the sarong, which must be specially woven to prove saleable,, offers a profitable line to the manufacturer who can provide the right texture and design.

The fact that Indian textile groups are buying new machinery would be competing in this new line. seem to indicate that they will soon

bo

"Don't believe the girl who say

Good Poplin Weave The surong is from 48 to 52 Inches There's something about India, don't know what it is, but I'm longwidth, with the usual selvedge, runs

wide and along the

sides of the ing to go back.' She

knows per- a half-inch border which may fectly well that it is. It's the

way one.

two colours, either maroon she can say to her Indian head scr- vant, "There'll be ten for dinner to would be unwelcome to the Cingalese or black. Any variation in design night, and then go out shopping for or Javanese wearer a hat".

but if meau- facturers As lieutenant governor of

could

produce A Java poplin weave of the right specific

good and all its dependencies from 1811tions the Far Eastern urhat would to 1810, when England was ruling be wide open to them. Java na trustee for the Dutch, then

Mr Green stated that, apart from under the wing of Napolean, Raffles sarons, he was making contacts for had a staff of 450 servants; these further thirty million 357 kept his town house in order, textiles-cottons, silks and rayons- yards of and he paid them a total of 352 for the-same-uritet Spanish dollars a month.

Miss Hatus has a pretty taste in

domestic details. If you want

tu

know what Dutch women wore in American Town To

those days, what they ate, or about

the taste of the Sumatran cannibals

for human ears and other parts of

the human anatomy, Alas Hahn will tell you, in details,"

Major Boxer's Role iter husband. Major C. R. Boxer, she says, was responsible for all of the translation and much of the selection of the Dutch material used, which makes up a considerable part of Miss Hahn's story.

One reference even suggests that,

A

"Go Chinese"

of

The

Pres. Wilson, Luxury Ship,

Is Launched

Chine."

ruce for Asia's

war.

China's

to the

and indus-

on

trade potenilallties, As markets. pointed out recently by Sir Lesle

Recently, however, their fears Boyce, chairman of The The luxury liner SS President Trade Mission, are Immense.

British came

surface when . But Japanese ship slipped into Shanghai Wilson, second of the two largest host of economic factors, havingon Allied authority-and flew the ships to be built on the U.S. Facile their root cause in the civil war, are Rising Sun flag. Coust since 1920, was launched re-blocking. trade

The incident every provoked much soul-searching at cently at the Bethlehem-Alameda

recovery shipyards.

Lurr). China, as a trader, can be the part of Chinese editorial writera compared to a runner forced to skip loss the country quickly pulls itself -And the leil-motif was that, un- The 22,900-ton liner was launched along on one leg. 2,500 spectators. Mrs E. in ceremonies attended by more then

Chinese Slik

together, victorious China will lose Russell Examples te legion. China's the peace to defeated Japan. Lutz, wife of the American Pre- slik producers, for instance,, were sident Lines' vice-president, which originally in a favoured position us will operate the new ship, smashed compared to Japanese, due is the the bottle of champagne against the general world preference banner-draped bow to send the chip Chinese product. High labour and sliding into the estuary.

transportation costs, however, are The President Wilson is a 610-such that the exporters would take a 30 per sent loss If he sold the silk

the purvailing United States mar ket price.

a crow of ¦

foot sister ship to the President Cleveland, which was launched last June. Both were designed as Navy troop transports and converted to The keel of the President luxury liners after the war ended. Wilson was laid November 27, 1944.

338, the ship will have two swim- tourist passengers and

Designed to carry 552 cabin and

ming pools, libraries, motion picture beauty shops and elaborate decoro- facilities, gymnasium, barber and tions.

It is scheduled July

for delivery In Cleveland will be ready for opera- this year. The President tion In April.

The two liners are the last of An original contract for 10 troop- ships.

CEYLON WON'T TALK ENGLISH

the

being bought in the United States, Thus, while cheaper Japanese silk lot of Chinese silk is being nlered In Shanghai godowns,

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Diamonds worth $25,000,000. found in a "confused condillon, dirty and mixed with worthless debris," where

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in the Bank of Japan, says Associat-

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typical modern American Kansas, is going to stage a unique age of administration in Ceylon ter community called Junction City, in

English will cease to be the langu- demonstration of International good years hence, if the recommendatious neighbourliness during the week of the Select Committee of prominent personages will participateat year to report on "the

when nationally

State Council which was appointed

of January

10

in a series of events marking the necessary to effect the transition

from English to Sinhalese

ke may originally, have intended to inauguration of the 1947 programme | Tamil as the official languages" are

be co-author with his rambunctious wife of a book about Raffles; his

The Committee has recommended various steps

to be taken im- mediately in order to effect a smooth transition from English to Iosal languages.

of the United Service to China.

During the book was begun in Hongkong before will literally "ro Chinese ini

week. Junction City adopted. Pearl Harbour. But as Miss Hahn number

planned community coyly puts it, "on a summer of ac demonstrations which will simulate caslons Major Boxer's views did not conditions which existed in this and coincide with those of his wife, other average American communities which is one of several rensons for 75 years ago and which will be

is firm, consistent refusal to accept comparable in some extent more credit for his help than La present-day conditions in herewith given.

Central News,

China

Court Martial Result Of Kiangwan Explosions.

Gen Fu Wen, commanding officer of the No. 1 Supply Service District entrusted with the custody of the Kiang- twan ammunition dump, together with two of

lis

subordinate officers, have been ordered to be relieved of their posts and will face court martial, as a result of the series of explosions at the Klangwan ammunition dump on the afternoon of December 7, which resulted in at least four deaths and injuries to many others and, the loss of a large quantity of munitions stored at the dump, according to Nanking reports.

to

Gon Chin Teh-shen, vice. by the workers at the warehouse, minister of National Defence,It was later ascertained by the mill

tary, authorities. A box of hand

large

casts,

causing a

the

has been sent to Shanghai to grenades fell from the top of a pilo hold a hearing of the case by of ammunition the Central Government which series of explosions, it was found out attaches great importance to by the military authorities. the Klangwan explosions.

The main losses, apart from Gen Chin will be assisted in his war materials, were suffered by the work by Pao Chi-hwang, chief of Stadium which was turned into an and spacious Klangwan the Ministry of National Defence's ammunition dump at the end of the judicial department. No date, how war, Half of the Stadium was com- ever, has been fixed for the hearing pletely destroyed, while the other which will be held at Shanghal-half, which also contained muni- Wodsung Garrison Headquarters.

The explosions of the

tlons, was saved by the good work Klangwan of the Shanghal Fire, Brigade which, ammunition dump, followed by a flooded the whole area in order to fire was caused by the handling of a box of hand grenades caused by the explosions.

caroless prevent the spreading of the fire

Tamil should be the media

The report states Sinhalese and struction at the University as soon of in- as the necessary books are available Dealing with the English Innm age. the Committee recommends that English should be a compu...ors subject in all faculties so long as it. forrns the chief link with the out- side world.

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