POSTSCRIPTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 121, 18 November 1943, Page 4

POSTSCRIPTS

Chronicle and Comment

BY PERCY FLAGE

According ,to German Sertorit ls «,, Fuhrer finds the Dnieper bulge <$£ disengaging. * * * Goebbels: "The war can be like M . to an express train at top speed, and n who dares to alight on the way v t break his neck." ; * ♦' * . More than 78 per cent, of the workers in a German munition factory makb bombs are foreigners, from 18 diifc" ent countries. Only 8 to 12 per cem are Germans. * » * Paley: What is public history but a register of the successes and" disan, pointments, the vices, the follies, "and the quarrels of those who engage £ contention for power. * * * TANKERS. Ninety-six oil tankers, aggregating 1,597,600 deadweight tons, were i{, livered into service by American shin. yards from January through Septet ber this year. This was 60 per cent above' the entire 1943 output. ♦ * » HEAVY WEATHER. Francisco Franco, Spain's butter, ballish Caudillo, last month wet his fingers, tested the breeze, and trimmed sail accordingly. With the approval of the Falange, the country's only party, he dropped "non-belligerency" and adopted "vigilant neutrality," Franco is one who cannot be trustei * ■» # "WOULD IT?" Concerning some self-important people—brass hats, blimps, and key. men—our cobber, having returned from three years' front-line service and viewed his native land, said"These blokes believe that if they were not retained in their jobs the darned war would stop." MAORI MAC. ■>* « -» 5-POINT BILL. China will fight to ultimate victory and has a bill to present to Japan that includes these items: Japan must evacuate all Chinese territory, including Manchuria. Formosa must be returned. Japan must be forced to pay com. pensation for all the damage done. Japan must be reduced to the point where she is no further menace, militarily, economically, and culturally. Korea must be made independent. These are the declarations of Dr, Tso Liang Hsaio. professor of political science in Chungking University. « -» » ALLEGED PUZZLE. Dear Percy Flage,—l am somewhat tired of reading the 3886 alleged puzzle! Instead of Winston Churchill and the others, put down the names and birthdays of your friends, the dates they were married, or alternatively the dates they joined Iheir present businesses,, and you get the same result, 3886. The reason is- so obvious—if you take anyone's age and add it to the year they were born, you must gei 1943 (similarly with the second set, date married plus number of years married, equals 1943). SO WHAIi (Strong emotion!) —W.F. Quite a number of Postscripters follow "W.F.'s" line, making fun of it So do we: our reference to a touch of "strong emotion" was merely a jest. It is not the first time we have played up such "thrillers." # * # INTIMATION. T.G.T.: The first Poet Laureate S ficially recognised as such was Bea Jonson. Wild Guy: Sorry, but it cannot bs Saturday this week. There'll be another day. F.C.D.: We much appreciated the opportunity to read the Morant story.lt was more complete than ours. Marie: It would be better for you to call on a lawyer. Percy Vere: Am afraid that it would be regarded as an advertisement. W.K.: The leaves of the plant dandelion have jagged, tooth-like edgei hence its name (French), "lion-tooth. W.D.C.: Try again, please. - O.M. I ("Retirement Deferred): - Not up to your best. A.C.: Do not understand. - An Under Dog: But are you not t barking too much? 3 #. « a s THE WORD "STERLING." s Supplementing your answer to '- "J.D." as to the origin of the mm "sterling," applied to coinage: Ik! word is of dubious origin, and there r are several theories. Here is another. - "Some coins of Edward the Confessor 1 (1042-1066) had four birds shown ca - the reverse side. The coins were ram valued in Europe for their recognises quality and were known as 'EngM I staerlings' (an early spelling of 'star- ] ling'). Later in the 13th century w i expression 'sterling' was adopted un - borrowed by all European language*) f when the Hanscatic League, a coi* l" mercial union of German cities, « II trading with England, and applied J c the English coins, and to coins in genfr ii ral, of standard or recognised qualityS —(See Encyclopaedia Britannica). s- "The traditional derivation. •eas» 't ling,' is unlikely."—(See Oxford m c tionary.) c « « * • it "SWINE." r German Press editorials have beconjf -. more violent than ever before in ">■• y attacks on Sweden. The "Voelkiscn* it Beobachter," Hitler's own newspafffi c declared: "Where would these ff c in tuxedoes be if we didn't del* y them? They ought to taste the B£ 0 shevism they glorify." The newspaw 'f then added menacingly: "Swedish t lt suits won't be forgotten." in -J n same vein, the "Allgemeine Zero* '" was quoted as saying: "It should > * known in Swedish editorial offices a» 11 Germany is ready to give ample an»»----f, to every fresh threat, if necessary, ij I 1 language of the Swedish Press agaw; ls Germany reveals a strange and o* ■ v gerous misconception regar^ I' Sweden's situation. Those who ®X -' Germany and her soldiers are enem*the newspaper added. LA MARSEILLAISE. ;J Ie The Marseillaise is still the offiS* Jf French National Anthem, even un£ i- Vichy. Its rousing tune is well kbj' is but the words, which were wrw io during the French Revolution, strait o- ly enough by the Royalist Rouge* j s- Lisle, are very appropriate today, >y one can imagine the pleasure o' r; German soldiers listening to tnet* n '.'Onward, you sons of our counW ■° The day of glory has arrived- ■■> Against us the Tyranny has -r Unfurled its bloody banner. & Can you. hear throughout country, . , Roar the ferocious soldier}- }^ They strangle your wives [ c And the sons you embrace, j \ s Take up your arms, citizen *J France, , Dt And form the battalions. [S Yours faithfully. .rt ■ to . p. E. CLAIRVIW"' ■ 10 "BILLY" DISNEY- "• Dear Flage,—lt is doubtful id "8.D." ever heard of the i^fl\]M idr Disney studios, for he is a lucw is cat who, in his kittenage, ranim^ m ;a a city picture palace "J-^jß 7 Walt Disney film was sn« jm a and was promptly adopw" m m christened "Disney" by a oe if- sprightly usherettes in search jm y. mascot, or lucky charm, '"$■ }t straight to the arms of the ie handsome stranger, ever, Prtjsß| fiction yet so elusive in ;fsß ie Therein lay Billy Disney ssm 11 Though not tall, he was a as some stranger, and could. X» d^B T at least, take the place of tne Jpm :n masculine stranger whom "le J^BB Ie cies of another World J#B in hither and thither with sucn Is ing frequency. So Billy-Boy r^BI of to their Good Samaritan hearts^, ir and feted, caressed and year",ie,i™| r- until" the "plenty" of shor, QM jn accompanied male patrons tun id and green with envy ana iir thinking. "Billy" Disney J?Jg(M w dear!" to the sprightly bevy a H lit tioned. It's enough to mast ■■ ac laugh!