1948-02-21 — Page 4

1

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

Since hearing that Independence Day for Burma was fixed by the stars, I have had Fun Finding Out about

ASTROLOGY

AVE you read the story *www bry

of the Burmese Cabinet and the natrologers? We were going to give Burma her independence on January 6. 1948, but the Burmese insisted on January 4, and when press- ed to explain they said they were acting on the advice of their astrologern, who changed their minds three times,

in

BERNARD

WICKSTEED

With information like that at your finger tips you could make prophecies which astounded your more morant our fellows, And when you found that

when the moon

or full, began to feet you were really geting somewhere.

wax

new

plunder. From this it followed that wound on the right menut you'd get the plunder, and one on the left that someone would plunder you.

Cancer

Handbook for amotours

The Greeks took it:

so seriously that brought out 訂 Book for

they

hond anateurs on

lo

the lines or modern publications which tell you how

lea-cup. But good

read

comes out

January 6, which calendar was a Tuesday and the highest tiden came every fortnight Epiphany, was not an auspi- wh cious day for launching a new State, They said. The Sanday The first people to take up astrategy of most things, and! the Ancients after the moon's third quarter in big way were the Babylonians, got so interested the study of

that t Hight and liver that they began There They decided

looking at warmth were governed by the pre- her parts

the animals they i detable movements of the sun, and killed, and that was the begin=" the Tides were governed by the moon, ning of veterinary

surgery. then everything else must be con- trolled by one or other of the heaven

y boer. All you had to find out Was what governed what,

would be much better. fnothing mich you can say to an answer like that. The Bri. fish Government agreed, and the King gave his assent..

So that's all right, and let us hope Burma will live happily ever after, but as this is the first time in my memory that the question of astrology has reached Cabinet level it might be interesting to find out some- thing about it.

The official soothsaver

AL

othe Lime 531) Government would dream of making an important decision without consulting

the astrologers, but. Scorpló for better or worse the system has dropped out of practice. The nearest we have how to an official soothsayer is the Astronomer Royal, who tells us what the stars will be doing at any particular moment, and leaves the deductions to those who are interested,

Asianomy is the sunly of the sha

and is useful bevame It helps us to navigate ships, tell the time, and know when it will be high que,

You ca

The astrologers go much farther Than this They say that ase this sumie kowiege of the stars to foretell the fate nul future of hton beings.

Astrology probably began when the

dest ravenan Bobiced that it w light and warm if the sun shone, and rick and

cokl 11

This it hun't. wiedge. which

must have been Costered quite profound at one time, enabled him to predict when would be a good time to go huntingt

Later on some genus du covered but there didn't just happen to be moonlight one night and not another. There was a regular cycle which eubled you in prodet when the moon would hate._____

So priests got to work and by asputem of trial and error they work vid out the answer

to everything,

would

Now for a story proving that men are not the only astrologers. There to a fish in the Pacific called the getunion, that lays its Cups on the beaches of California on the fourth day after full moon and at no other Saturn was the furthest away of the known about grunions they

time, If the Babylontans Barl planets Men kross and took 29 have said it proved their ease.

ears to circle the heavens,

From The naturalists explain it like this. this it was obvious that if governed Grunion eggs hatch

£11 <lry people who were slow and etgnified, sund. To lay them

the parents patient and alouf,

must get themselves stranded at the Is the brightest of the top of the spine tide, afterwards plaste 20 t WRs an elementary flapping back to the sea. deduction that it was her influences which made people merry and gay,

Control by the stars

Libra

calmed to

A couple of weeks later, as the eggs are hatching, the next spring | tide comes and sweeps the Krunions into the sen.

young

story.

the new

But that is only half the Why do the

Brunton soothsayers ordain that the eggs shall be Inid; After the Babylontans

only the Greeks, the Egypy at the tides of the full moon:

What is the matter with thus, the Romans, und da

A moon lides? the Mahommedans took a

The answer it sp, and they fabulnied

That the TOW the highest infe and more associn- oon tides are

al w if the egits tions between the stars

were laid then the full ant things on

moch tiles wouldn't earth.

reach them, Venus, for instance, was the grunton young would perish govern such a variety of in the dry sand.

things as walnut trees, all flowers

with a sweet smell, rabbits, pelleans, epper, corul, red ja, love, Friday.

and

In

Prople

who do not belleve astrology say these deductions are ridiculous. They say you might nx well hook at the bumps on a plece of friei ver.

As a matter of fet, In Borneo do foretell the future by looking t and parts of Asia and Africa propię

Iver. Bemps of

A whole selence has round JU called

been bui

up

1s

When fish bito better

Placos American

And here is another example of practical astrology, A lot of people

say that Bah bite better when, the moon is directly over. hend or on the

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1948.

SIDE GLANCES

By Galbraith

"I don't soo why I should struggle for the next soven years to got a degroo—you've got one, but you can't ovon work this algebra!"

Do it yourself

29029153¶PECIALELLARATED COSTELLENBO

OPINION DoComber 6, 1947. Interest

171

public issues is vigorous. Political decisions ure important to coch individual. And, in consequence, the great British school of citizenship hums with life. Study the issues at stake. For your optatons. And learn to express them in public speech....

Two days later. The importance

of the ability to speak was impressed upon me by Frau Bonen, of Marburg University, in August 1939. Passing groups of speakers on the Level, Brighton, she said: "Safety valves! If that were possible in Germany we should not be faced with the certainty of war." Mrs. F. Cummings, Park-crescent, Brighton.

NE of the mysteries

of public speaking is

that i

bald-hended

mau on a bleak plat- form can hold an au- oppo-dience enthralled for an hour,

site side of the earth, Yet a great actor like Olivier or

לוה

and LESON this Information

ton

hesteseopy (from the Greek hepatos to get out charts telling you

enterpris Gielgud, even with Shake- meaning a liver).

what speare's lines. and aided by The Babyloulans and the Greeks would have done well in Babylon, find a

time of the iny to Ash. To footlights and costume, would used it as an alternative to astrology.

ten-minute speech that fellow. you wanted to know if a new

He doesn't do badly long and too dangerous, king would have a long and happy

in America. reign, you **148

saerleed sheep and

What is ter looked for suspicious marks on its ilver The kings and shape of no two livers are exactly alike, so you had plenty of scope.

Well, that is the background of astrology and you can make what

the missing you like of it, But the odd thing equation? The cynic might say is that even those who call it bunk that people go to the theatre to can seldom resist a peep. Which enjoy themselves. Lean assure Marks on the right-hand side Teminds me.

I wonder what the him that people go to political were favourable and on the left alars are saying today. It happens Lunfavourable, and ...a wound. meant. be my birthday..

meetings for exactly the-same---

This school will teach you a hundred languages

D

By Nikolaus Wendt

EEI in the African bush. somewhere, at the font of a huge tree, a half-naked

negre of the Kikuyu tribe sits

singing his monotonous chant.

How many people have heard

are

t

Seboot of Oriental Studies in London, an Institute London University.

Entering its lecture rooms

gives you a precise picture of

of

soldiers, pastors

reason.

Learn

This drug is too

good to hold up

LONDON.

F the many hopes which

Jave sustained tuberculosis Aufferers none has seemed more substantial than the

by CHAPMAN PINCHER

American drug streptomycin. been published. They were carried

out by the U.S. Army and Navy, and tore than 900 patients in 22 hospl- tals were involved.

must

Minute quantities of this white ould extruct have 'cleared up advanced tubercu- losis in hundreds of guinea I must stress that no cures are

claimed. Recovered patients pigs. Early U.S. trials of it in stay healthy for four more years human cases were considered before the possibility of relapse can successful enough to warrant be discounted. mass production of the drug.

But the cautiously worded report But on the advice of the Medleat of the trials credits streptomycin with the dramatic relief of several Research Council British manufac turers held back, When streptomy- tupes of obstinate tubercular disease. On the drug's value against the eln has been needed for urgent cases radio appeals have had to be made chronic type of lung consumption it to the few Inboratories holding is equally definlie.

Ittle of the America.

drug imported

Factory begun

a

from

X-ray pictures

The report adds: "The effect was rarely complete enough to describe as a cure: it does, however, in con- Not until the council published its junction with bed-rest, clear a con- preliminary report of its own trinis siderable proportion of exudative old the building of streptomycin disense."* plan get Government priority. Then

Meanwhile, the results of hill- senle Americans trials have now just

factory to mass-manufacture the X-ray photographs were made of drug was started

Ulversion, euch case before and after treatment. Lines.

The complete records were assessed by a jury of tuberculosis specialists who had taken no part in ile testa. Most spectacular was the verdict passed on 13 cases of tuberculous in- famination of the thront.. The ulcerations healed with amazing But worse than this immobility is rapidity, some showing Improvement too much mobility,

Iwo weeks and all being I have watched within

healed within 90 days," slates the speakers touch the glass of water,

report. put it forward, inke it back, shove it

to one side, and then put their hand Bat more Important were the over its mouth. The only result in effects of the drug on the com- that the audience would like to put tuberculosis-a rapid invasion of the moner and more deadly "miliary"

whole system by tubercle bacilli.

their hands over his mouth.

In short, the platform speaker must make his audience feel at ense by demonstrating at once that he has

Trials

O 23 acule

cases treated

with

failed to showed rapid eventually-BC- evidence-com-

his volcu, his subject, ond his limbs streptomycin only seven

rest under enntrat. Having got that far, respond. The

and improvement, he then must divide his mind into cording to X-ray

sections. But perhaps that plete clearing of all lung spots. needs some explaining.

two

The Juru decided tliat these results demand the immediate adop- tion of streptomycin as the standard

The solid part of his mind re- mains at the base doing the hard for the disease.

work.

ahead

The other part must Ro

** cavalry

Hike

to speak in public!

Perhaps the difference is that ingr.

First essential

by BEVERLEY BAXTER

library and seeing the students there, selves at the School with

or sjangries have acquainted them out of the throat and especially the nose on to the hard palate hear hún.

早くる

Hamlet's

voice.

patrol

"We believe that the mortality looking for trouble, inill be definitely inwered," saya the rate of acute miliary tuberculosis sensing danger, report.

ant sending back

Information to the base.

That forward patrol must sense the audience are resisting the argu- ment Or If they have failed to un- derstand. It must signal when ព direct bit has been made und ask. for more bombs in the Gone spot. It must note any disposition of the audience to break

off the engage-

in

The Medical Research Council Is stuping its own big trials.

Long before they are finished enough streptomycin to treat 000 patients a month will be available from the Ulverston factory.

I maintain that the Ministry of Health should sanction its unmedi- ate use in hospitals on the evidence of the US. trials.

• Exudative disease-the form of tuberculosis which producrs fluid the lungs.

JESTS AND JEERS

The New Look covers a multi- tude of shins.

The reason why it takes so long to accomplish anything in Hongkong is because too many people are con- tent just to be barstanders.

When two women suddenly be come friendly, the chances are some

"Shirts will be shorter this sum-

An

no

paper.

When a man is generous 10 fault, usually it's his own fault he's generous to.

1

The trained speaker's ment, and hurriedly bring the action 4 speech is personal, the out. quietest words call be heard to an end. pourings of one's mind, where. throughout the Albert Hall be- Humour and sincerity are the two as the actor is merely

the cause he knows how to float Rreatest assets in public speaking, mouthpiece and the interpreter or what singers call think the and by humour I do not mean the Economy is a way of sending of the author. Yel there are tone.

laboured story: The presence of money without getting any fun out many points where the politi-

our chairman here tonight reminds of it. cian and the netor meet.

of the Irishman Both Let us then leave this aspect my of the story have to satisfy the ear and the with

who..... That fools nobody, and the following solemn

bores everyone. eye, and both have to master thought. Tone is produced in the technique before they can the larynx by pressure of the word to the action.

Suit the action to the word and ledge of the Near East, the Far East be successful,

That is still and the entire African continent,

breathing and should travel up good advice. partly for practical purposes and

ward through the empty spaces partly out of a devollon to pure

The power of the spoken word is African science-

of the heat (and even good greater today than it ever wan Administrative efleials, business THE first essential in public politicians have those empty the past. Pericles thundered in the third woman has lost two friends.

and mis-

spanking is to keep the tone spaces), then to the bridge of square at Athens, but a few could linguistle

Lincoln spoke at Gettys- breadth and diversity of the British sent or future spheres of activity. that the tone must come before the mouth, the lips superimpos. ever, but only the people nearest Indian super vereby fans the and cultural conditions in their pre- the adenoids. Any singer knows and the teeth and then out of burg, and his words will live for of a Kikuyu tribe?

Empire and of the role Britain has and so Atted themselves to be in the enunciation. Somewhere

play as an Intermedlary and in India two cultural centre for its 400

telligent

links between Britain and million her Colonies.

ing words on it as it flows. the platform could hear his weak tall. Dravidas. descended from the oriental and African subjects.

The address made

Sound travels upwards. King George dark-skinned aborigines of In- Apart from European students, V by the Chairman of the Govern- Therefore it is no use dropping So much for the car. Now dia, are quarrelling, and a Bar- every race, and

type of people is ing body at the formal opening of the end of every sentence into what about the eye? Few public

The thought represented in these lecture man passing by has no idea for this school exists, not only

balls: the Sehnot made it clear from the your boots.

to outset, that the what they

speakers are beautiful, which is School of Orientat quarrelling acquaint

step- Europeans with about.

foreign and African Studies was not intend father-says on his knees: "My just as well, for their beauty FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT triumph- langauges, laws, customs and On an island somewhere in lures, but is perhaps the only - ed to serve practical purposes alone. words ily up, my thoughts re-

would take our minds off their insti- I stated that the School had been

ed over the Press at election bees of these distant and scientifical Empire a meeting-ground and focus tute in the world which offers mem- set up "to furnish the Capital of the main below."

arguments. That is one

renson time by speaking to all America on

In these days, parents not only iy somewhat undeveloped peoples, for scholars from the East of various

why women, as a whole, are in the

worry how their children will turn microphone, just as Churchill out, but also when they will turn After 12 years in Parliament effective speakers. Their femini- sustained the opportunity of studying their nationalities, where, on their

the courage of Furope In. own languages, history and formis to this country, they may be assured that with most public speakers

visits am forced to the conclusion nity is always intruding.

when his voice was of existence systematically.

carried through of sympathetic welcome and find at hand, if they desire them, oppor- their thoughts fly up but their form must satisfy the eye or it will where brave men

Nevertheless the man on the plat-the nir to cellars and caves and huts lunities for studies among those en- words remain below.

dared to listen Enged

kindred pursults."

Every man and every woman has Another point to remember is

candidate places iis hands on his constituency of influence no mat- that words, even the shortest hips and never moves them, African

the ter how large or small. to this sole purpose, all the secrets infects are taught there, and with veloped, in fact, into such a meet- heard one M.P. once say: "And to the matter with him.

hos de of them, consist of syllables. I audience will begin to wonder what speak to that consiltuency and then nud rules of their languages,

then the literature, religious con- ing-ground religious and legal concepts,

lake your place on the publle plat- their cepts, philosophies and ethles of the scholars

for that Mr Speaker is the SNOP- history and their national pecu- Hindu, Buddhist and Jain phllosa- devote themselves to the study

various cultures. The fact

for that students of all nations who wish to SIS of the SLUTION,"

If he puts one hand in his poe- form. The expression of thought is Tiarities, are studied and taught ac phies are included among examina- oriental and African languages and school in his youth. There is un

And kel and never takes it out, the n man's supreme advantage over of he had been to an expensive dience gets irritated. curately and scientifically.

tion subjects, gives some idea of the conditions, no the standily increasing ex-Minister This study includes almost 100 scope of the Instruction given there; numbers and diversity of Its

at Oriental and African languages and this impression is made even more and students shows,

Westminster who reduces every vowel to n from vivid by a glance through the titles not only a spheres of culture, ranging

It includes number of Americans, composite "ow." After sacred Sanskrit and classical Arable. of students' theses, which run into but many Europeans; there

Live were minutes the ear gives up trying to the dialects of the most primitive hundreds,

many Germans too, to be found negro tribes in the remotest corners A Persian student followed up the there before World War II.

to break it into phonetics. of Africa.

traces of Persian Influence on 15th The spirit of understanding foster- and 10th century English literature. ed It is

a unique

this truly world-embracing centre. for the An Indian obtained his Doctor

The tone Atudy of languages and national cul- Philosophy's

of Institution and broadcast through- degree for work on out the world by its pupils, has cer ture; linguistic centre for the count "The Nature of Consciousness less races, peoples and tribes living Hindu Philosophy." These are only ing the bonds between Britain and in tainly helped a great deal in tightori in the British Empire, protected and two of the countless very advanced the Colonial Empire, and in freeingly enough, the average public culturally fostered by it.

works which have Issued from the Colonial

the Pacific, n wild Polynesian is carrying out the esoteric reli- gious rites of his tribe,

..

NONE of them would have any ink-

N Bing that their speech, thoughts

and eniations, their customs, hablis TWENTY-three African languages, and laws are known and observed

nine Semitic, 28 Indo-European. in detail at any centre: or that off four Dravidian, 13 Sino-Tibetan, six Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London, Turko-Mongólian, three Austrone THE School of Oriental and In a large modern building devoted sinn languages and Innumerable Studies in London

their

belonging

in

and focus, both

from the East and

administration from conceptions which were still

sta

STRESS the matter of voice production because, strange-

the man thinks that there is no dif- to or less prevalent, in the times of ference between talking and

more

This centre, in which all the lan- School. guages of the East and of the Afri- Men and women can continent

aro understood, all nations of the world have work- which the late Rudyard Kipling speaking, whereas they are na spoken, studied and taught, is the cd there to galna thorough know--wrote.-

far apart as humniing and sing-

become bored and look about for other distractions. For example, if

The writer rorya.P Wood Green

—and finally

Himals.

SIX DON'TS TO REMEMBER DON'T start your speech without having a clear idea of how you are going to begin and low you will end

DON'T use the word "finally" more thap six times or the hopes that you hav engendered will turn to despair. DON'T peak on a subject unless you know a lot more or a lot less about It ikan your audience. In the latter case your amateur opinion will prove interesting if it i fundamentally Intelligent.

DON'T telescope three words into one, DON'T tell your audience that you will dent

with the subject from five aspects. DON'T mumble....

The spinster social worker de- cided in call on the poor family who had a baby every year.

"You should learn one of the methods of birth control," she told

the woman. "But I'm married."

"That's all right for you," replied

Learn to the mother.

the

KALA AZAR IN SHANGHAI

Kaia Azar, a severe and usually fatal Oriental disease, prevalent in China, has stricken some 2,000,000 Chinese, the Shanghai Public Health Bureau sald, but only 13 persons in Shanghai have been infected.

The Bureau sald these 13 were infected with the disense before they removed there from North Kiangsu as refugees from the Communists.

The Bureau denied rumours that bubonic plague had broken but In Shanghal. Only smallpox has reach- ed epidemie. proportions. More than 130 persons have died from it.

-Associated Press.