LIGHT AND SHADE IN LONDON TOWN

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2310, 1 December 1925, Page 7

LIGHT AND SHADE IN LONDON TOWN

PRINCES, POLITICIANS AND OTHER PEOPLE The Fate of Sammy, the Seal (From our Special Correspondent.) (All Rights reserved.) NO “WIND UP.” I had a chat during the week with one of Mr Baldwin’s Cabinet colleagues ■whom I had not met since Parliament adjourned. He protested rather strongly against newspaper criticism of the Government’s failure to deal drastically with Communism. He agreed that there was a wave of alarm sweeping over the country, lest the “Reds” should attempt a revolution. But he claimed that the Home Office and Scotland Yard knew far mors than the man in the street. “Look at the men who lead them,” he exclaimed. “They are as contemptible in character as their followers arc contemptible in numbers. Wc should have hoard little or nothing about them this summer if the newspapers had had something more exciting to write about.” When Statesmen Unbend. Mr Chamberlain's calculated indiscretions are providing a good deal of amusement in diplomatic circles in London. There was much myateriou* nodding of heads when it became known that our Foreign Secretary, in company with M. Briand and other statesmen had paid a visit to Mr Baldwin at Aix les Bains. AH the amateur “sleuths” of the diplomatic ■world at once assumed that there had been a secret conference on the Pai t negotiations. Not a tilt of it! 3Mr Chamberlain now reveals that they spent the time discussing art and solving Cross-word puzzles." Again when Herr Stresomann, M. Briand and himself went for a trip on Lake Maggiore, it was not to talk about guarantee but to honour Mrs Chamberlain’s birthday. The Paris Strike.

Sir Joynson Hicks, I hear, has taken special steps to be informed of tlw steps taken by the French authorities to cope with the Communist strike in Paris. Judging from the telegraphed reports the ecorts of the Redsto prd-] mote a general hold-up for twenty four hours has fizzled out badly. The torch was flaming all right, but tha heather proved damp! The hair-dres-sers seem to have been the most active demonstrators and the day of the strike happened to coincide with their regular weekly holiday. Even if this explanation had not been forthcoming Paris might perhaps hava dispensed with its shingling for twen-ty-four hours! It is to be feared, however, that our Home Secretary will not have derived very many “tips” from yesterday’s happenings on the boulevards. “Bradbury BunS.” Lord Bradbury,, the “big gun” of the Food Council who has been waging such a successful fight to secure the cheaper loaf if, of course, the same John Bradbury whose homeiy signature across our Treasury notes added a new name to the English language. He is still a comparatively young man and since he is too busy nowadays to indulge in his favourite recreation of fishing he has developed in private life into a really masterly poker player. He has been described as a wizard of figures and when it comes to statistics it ig to be feared that the bakers (plain and, more or less honest men) will stand little chance against him. One suggestion put forward is that the new and cheaper loaves shall be nicknamed “Bradbury Buns.” A Costly Strike. I am told that the unauthorised strike of British seamen which has partly paralysed shipping in the Australian and New Zealand ports has resulted in a loss to one shipping lino alone of over a million sterling. Other lines of lesser ramifications In that part of the globe have suffered proportionately, whilst the incidental losses caused by the cessation of sea borne traffic according to on official estimate much reach a figure of ten to fifteen millions sterling. There is to bo a big “push” on the part ol British owned companies to regain trade which has been diverted. Much of the coastal traffic of Australia has gone to German lines who, like other ihtenmtlonal lines have the advantage of low wages for their seamen. The Prince. When the Prince of Wales returns from his long tour this week it will bo found that he has aged considerably in appearance since he left for South Africa. A friend who writes

me from South Africa predicts, In* deed, that we shall scorcely know hint so Vastly is he changed! There is lio doubt his Royal Highness hag had $ hard and trying time both in South Africa and in the Argentine. This much we gathered even at home front newspaper reports and from the still more revealing photos on the films. These latter have shown the Prince, on occasion, looking very haggard and worn. But the long sea voyage from Beunoa Alrea will have had a wonderful recuperative effect, and should have enabled him to cast off the after-effects o£ late nights, much handshaking, and much tedious cerfr* moniai. And His Pinna. In hig letters home, the Prince, 2 am told, refers rather emphatically to his need for a thorough rest when he gets back. Ho asks that hla ceremonial engagements may be kept down to the absolute minimum, and he has set his face resolutely against any further tours for a considerable time to come. A visit to Ireland has been talked about, and would be very popular, but officially nothing Whtover is known of any plans for an Irish tour. It is far more likely that his Royal Highness will pay another visit to his Canadian ranch. He love* the free open farm life with Its suggestion of “roughing it,” and its entire freedom from ceremony. Will He Dance The Tango 7 According to Society gossips, the fate of the Tango in London rests more or less in the hands of the Prince of Wales. "Will he dance the Tango V If so, how ?” This is what dancing fans are asking. And so are Society hostesses. Because it is not much use having the Tango played three or four times during the evening if no one dances it. But if the Prince has fallen a victim to the craze other people will make haste to follow suit. A dancing teacher told me to-day that she cannot understand why English people seem "afraid” of the Tango. They have made up their minds that, being English, they have* not the “temperament” for it. But the Tango she points out is more ot an “individual” dance that one might think. After the basic steps are mastered, it is more or les sa matter of individuality as to how these step® are danced. And surely there'® plenty of individuality in the modern ball-room! Dancing Duchess. . Both the Duke of Duchess of Torlc I hear are having lessons in the new simplified tango, and will, therefore, probably be seen at their favourite dance club in the near future, dancing to the new music which Pari* has sent us. The Duke and Duchess, unlike the Prince of Wales and Prince ITenry, do not dance at any of the half dozen smartest clubs, but regularly patronise a very select club which still refuses to provide a cabaret. It is not a club much patronised by the theatrical set, but haa among its members nearly all the “people who matter” in Society. The Duke of Connaught. The Duke of Connaught hopes to leave England by the end of the month for Cape Ferratt, where he has a pretty, although not a commodious villa, commanding a glorious view of the Mediterranean, not far from Monte Carlo. "Les Bruyeres,'* as the villa Is named, was purchased a few years ago by his Royal Highness for about £6,000. Since he has lived there quite a Small British colony has sprung up in the neighbourhood and the Duke generally has some people from home staying with him. Since he commened wintering on the Riviera, football under Association rules, has come into existence In his neighbourhood. It has been fostered by the members of ,the household, who always include a football in their gear “to kick about and keep fit.'*' There are now organised clubs and several teams can be put In the field. Painting with Life. London is promised the spectacle of the “poses plastiques” made famous throughout Europe by Dr. Angelo. This gentleman, an Austrian lawyer who forsook his profession to cultivate the most wonedrful art that in all probability has yet been seen by chills peoples, is a young man of astounding talents. When first he presented his beautiful tableaux at the Ronacher in Vienna in 1950 he brought a new note Into artistic life. The writer •well remembers a blase Vlennesa crowd of merry-makers, whiling through a rather tedious programme at that house of entertainment, suddenly struck with something like awo when the curtain rose on Dr. Angelo's conception of “A Dresden Vase." About the blue and pink background of a huge vase figures of women were arranged looking hot so much alive as fragile monuments of the master, potter’s art. Through tableau after tableau Dr. Angelo worked to arouse that audience to what was almost a state of frenzied enthusiasm. In London lie is to present a series entitled “Living Jewellery” and “working” in the figures of girls, enlarges a coral bracelet, a diamond brooch and other articles of jewellery into amazing and beautiful designs. One wonders, however, if he will find the fullest freedom In England for his nude studies.