GIVE IT BACK!

AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER SCOTT MORRISON

We all know the story  :

It was Friday 13th, what could possibly go wrong? The Council of Australian Governments was meeting. These are normally times when the State Governments or various combinations of them of one Political Party gang up on the Federal Government of the opposite political persuasion - which holds the purse strings- in an effort to get more money. But on this occasion, everyone was in panic mode. The World Health Organisation on 12th March had declared the Corona Virus COVID 19 to be a Pandemic. This was the scenario so excitingly depicted in several movies in recent years and in one by Netflix in recent weeks - without the development having become a reality.

But here they were: Heads of our Governments gathered together and the plans swiftly revealed. In short order, Prime Minister Scott Morrison ("ScoMo" to those not too embarrassed to use it) had been having a hard time since early January. As the Bushfire Crisis which was to rage until the greater part of the East Coast was wildly ablaze, was only two weeks old, and already thought disastrous, our bold P.M. took himself and his family off to Hawaii for a family holiday! Worse still, he had allowed himself to be smilingly photographed with the family beachside and enjoying a drink. Ever since he had been shamed into returning to duty, he had been apologetically running to try to show he really cared.

But now' become "stupor Australis", he sought to put on a Churchillian Aura. Like a latter-day Jim Hacker, he began to make histrionic utterances, and, having discovered the magic pudding, to announce the spending of Billions of Dollars the Country does not have. The purpose of these expenditures was to cover the cost of anti-Pandemic measures designed by the World Health Organisation to arrest the spread of the Pandemic.

The effect of these measures was to progressively destroy the economic fabric of any democratic capitalist state. The solution was then to force the people into total dependence on the State. The State, of course, stood ready to let the printing presses roll and pump out the cash necessary for those unemployed by its actions or disadvantaged by its actions. No matter that the State did not have that money in reality: those same people would have to repay the debt in higher taxes over the many years ahead, further binding them to the State.

The P.M. became quite enamoured of the sound of his own voice, and the ex Advertising man of Evangelical Protestant persuasion,with the  Treasurer- the distressed-looking Joshua Frydenburg standing at a distance to his right- was soon announcing all manner of decisions by the stunned "National cabinet". This was banned, that was banned, no one could walk here or there, and the Police would strictly enforce blah, blah, blah on and on it went. The Treasurer began to look as if he himself had not seen the Magic Pudding but was allowing the P.M. enough political rope to hang himself when, in due course, his "loyal" Treasurer would accede to the Throne - as another Treasurer had done in the very recent past.

After a couple of weeks, in which the State Premiers had started off trying to be even more repressive than the P.M. but faltered as the people began to push back, and the Leader of the theoretical Opposition Anthony Albanese became ever more irrelevant as he cast aside his role as Pelosi Parrot demanding Investigations - that was going nowhere in Corona Time - even the P.M. gave up on his daily harangues(oops Press Conferences).

People ....even the politically correct Mass Media - began to ask "When will this all end?" and "Are we living in a Police State?"

There was no doubt that the Police, usually satisfied with Systematic Breath Tests (they used to be called "Random" - but that was only to get them accepted) were now quite enjoying going out in pairs with handcuffs and various weapons and systems dangling from their belts and bouncing off their ample posteriors, handing out "on the spot" fines to people drinking coffee outdoors, or sitting in a park, or on a beach and other outrageous exercises of what used to be freedom. All of this designed by the World Health Organisation 

But the P.M. was not alone. Suddenly our TV Screens were filled with"EXPERTS" and "Ministerial Advisers" who became quite accustomed to their daily roles before the TV Cameras.  Elected? No, not they! But in many ways, they had usurped the role of our Elected representatives. Any way Parliament for a long time was not meeting - Corona Virus risk don't you realise? Then when finally it HAD to meet to enable the spending of the Billions we did not have, many members were, by agreement, not present, in order to preserve Social Distancing!

President ("for Life"?) Xi JinpingAdd caption

This was all very confusing for simple Australian souls. We are a pragmatic people not accustomed to principles and ideas. But gradually intuition began to assert itself.....something was not right about all this. How did we get into this mess? Was it not the case that that the vast majority of all cases in Australia came from overseas and were overseen by our "Experts"? And now our "Experts" are telling us what to d0? Is it not true that our "Experts" allowed the Cruise Ship "Ruby Princess" to discharge her over 3,000 passengers in Sydney  14 of whom have died from Corona Infection? The NSW Health Minister whose "Experts" advised and caused this to happen has not been sacked.                            

 The Minister has not resigned, nor have the "Experts".Again international air travellers to Australia were not banned until late in March. Our "Experts" were trying to catch up! Commonwealth statistics show that the majority of Corona Virus Confirmed Cases in Australia come from overseas travellers. Yes, we are plagued by "Experts" in more ways than one.

Looked at overall, we can see that our would-be Churchill has attacked the economic wellbeing of the Country, the economic future of the Country, the social underpinnings of the Country and the culture of the Country. We have paid a high price for his Hawaiian guilt trip and the mistakes of our "Experts" who are now reluctant to loosen their grip on social control.

What for? So far the deaths from Corona Virus remain far less than for "ordinary influenza" each year in Australia. BY FAR! Each year Australia has between 1,500 to 3,000 Deaths from influenza depending on the yearly conditions and there are an average of 18,000 Hospitalisations. Now the Corona Virus has killed 84 people (if "Ruby Princess" deaths are excluded -70) and 42 are hospitalised.

Why has the response to this WHO decision to declare the title "Pandemic" been made so thoroughly devastating?

No wonder the cry of "I want my life back!" Is becoming so intense. And all the more so since the rabid radical Communist activities of the WHO Director-General become more widely - known.


The only good to come out of the whole affairs the belated realisation that the world including Australia, has let itself become excessively reliant on Chinese cheap goods and that China itself is fragile economically and politically.

AN IRISH JOURNO

PRESIDENT TRUMP

AN IRISH JOURNALIST CAME OUT OF A PUB…….

Or so it seemed when an Irish Journalist named Fintan O’Toole penned, a few days ago, a bitter rant against President Trump and the present status of the United States,

It seems that in Mr O’Toole’s mind the whole world is  “pitying” the United States. And in this fever, he sees no one preferring Detroit or Dallas to Dusseldorf or Dublin!

Basically, his argument is that he hates President Trump. And so, President Trump is “malignant, narcissistic” and has “amplified Corona Virus lethality” (!) and in a “shameful episode” has “actively spread” the deadly virus. And so he froths on.

But all becomes clear when Mr O’Toole tells us that in 2017 the “conventional wisdom” was that a President Trump would be controlled by the wiser heads of the Establishment. And he tells us that President Trump is supported by “very powerful interests” who want “freedom” (!)  and that the President and “his” Party and their Media Allies are at work with hatred and falsehoods.

All of this may go down well in a Dublin Pub late at night. But when set in print it is only good for laughter and the same sort of use Malcolm Turnbull’s book is getting.

Firstly, Mr O’Toole, when he is thinking more clearly, will remember that 4,720,427 0f his Countrymen immigrated to the United States between  1820 and 1975. Since Dublin took the EU Euro money, the numbers have trailed off of course. But perhaps a little research might have helped him to save any reputation he may have, when he reflected that President Trump’s United States is faring far better than Mr O’Toole’s Ireland in fighting the Chinese Communist Party Virus attack. Total USA deaths to date represent 0.18% of the population of the United States, whereas Mr O’Toole’s Ireland has recorded Deaths representing 0.23 % of Ireland’s population of 4.9 Millions. That is to say, Mr Trump’s USA has suffered 177 deaths per million whereas Mr O’Toole’s Ireland has suffered 245 deaths per million. Both are sad statistics recording tragic loss of life. But Mr. O’Toole is in a glass house and should not be hurling stones particularly at those who really merit praise.

But why this vindictive self-deceiving bitterness? Could it be that President Trump is the very antithesis of everything Mr O’Toole and his ilk have brought to Ireland? President Trump defends Life from the moment of conception, he appoints Supreme Court Judges who interpret Statute Law but will NOT invent “law”, he defends Marriage between a man and a woman, he defends the Family, he opposes Abortion, he defends the Christian religion and religious liberty, he defends the rights of the United States against all her enemies, he defends the national borders of the United States, he defends the rights of United States citizens against illegal migrants, he  seeks to stem the flow of illegal migrants and to stem the flow of illicit drugs into the United States, he destroys Trade arrangements which worked to shift American jobs offshore, he has negotiated new Trade Agreements with Japan, Canada, Mexico and made a strong beginning with China. He has made the United States energy independent. Oh yes, quite a list that would, and does get up the nose of Marxist thinking anti-Americans.  And to add insult to injury, Mr Trump has steadily resisted every effort of the old elites with their Deep State obstruction, to undermine him and has continued to drain the swamp of their minions.

Bizarrely, Mr.O’Toole tries to turn the truth on its head and alleges with outrage that President Trump tries to use the daily Press Briefings as a means of creating division. Does Mr O’Toole think we are deaf and blind? Does he think we cannot see and hear the bitter, twisted, disrespectful journo hacks who try to “grandstand” with dishonest questions which attempt to create division themselves. Small wonder the ratings of CNN etc are in such decline. Meanwhile, as soon as the present manufactured Chinese crisis is overcome, we will see once again the tens of thousands of the people gathering again at TRUMP RALLIES, while Mr.Biden, or whoever, will once again be speaking to hundreds in school halls. If Mr.Biden can find the IN door.

Mr O’Toole may wish to feel sorry for someone. He should try looking in the mirror and feel sorry for the sad, dishonest, spectacle he has made of himself.

Who is pitying whom?

"NATIONAL TREASURE"

NATIONAL TREASURE

2009 Outside the entrance to Churchill's War Cabinet Rooms .

As I have noted on several occasions lately, I am not sure if our Great Leader alias "ScoMo", believes I am a "National Treasure" to be bottled up and protected or a "Prisoner" to be confined lest I contaminate others. Either way, he and his mindless minions of the Mass Media keep telling me to "Stay at Home".

Not wishing to believe that I am a "Prisoner" I have begun to reflect on the idea of a "National Treasure". My reflections grew from thoughts of what is to happen when the present Chinese Communist Virus "EMERGENCY" is announced to be at an end. (We might wonder who will make that decision and who elected them.. because it is highly unlikely that our Great Leader will actually make the decision himself.) Clearly, the nation is going to be left with a huge burden of debt and a dramatically reduced capacity to repay it.

The concept of  "National Treasure" made me think of Gold which in turn suggested the "Cross of Gold" speech made famous by William Jennings Bryan at the Democratic Nominating Convention on 9th July 1896 in Chicago. (NO. I was not there ...I am not THAT old!).

WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN Failed 1896 Democratic Candidate for the Presidency

PRESIDENT WILLIAM MC KINLEY ASSASSINATED 1901

President Franklin D.Roosevelt (1933 -1945)

 

There were two big issues at the time for Bryan :

a. Will I be the Nominee and 

b. that the United States should abandon the Gold Standard and embrace "Bi-Metallism" 

Specifically, Bryan advocated that the United States should adopt Silver ( at the rate of 16 ozs. to 1 0f Gold, as well as Gold, to back its Currency, whether any other Country did so or not. The Republicans opposed any move away from the Gold Standard and embraced a policy of High Protective Tariffs to strengthen American Industry. As it happened, the Republican candidate William McKinley won the 1896 Election. His policy was adopted and the United States economy was greatly strengthened. 

President McKinley was the 25th President of the United States. He led the United States to victory in the Spanish - American War. The President was assassinated on 14th September 1901 by a crazed anarchist. Memory of the President seems to have been diminished by a general desire not to encourage anarchism - though we seem to have more than enough fruitcakes on the streets these days- but also by the horrors of the First World War and the ensuing Great Depression and the subsequent Second World War etc.

The Gold Standard was not abandoned until 1933 in the depths of the Great Depression. Reacting to the tendency of wealthy Americans to buy up available stocks of Gold, the latter-day Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt - himself the Polio crippled scion of a wealthy eastern family, went even further than his earlier fellow Democrat  Bryan,  and abandoned Gold altogether as far as United States citizens were concerned.. This was very satisfying to many Democrats on the basis of the politics of envy. For President Roosevelt, it had the great advantage of enabling the United States Government to spend freely by simply printing more money. At that time it was still possible for foreign Governments to redeem United States Dollars in exchange for Gold. 

In 1971 President Nixon - a Republican - brought even this to an end. Dollar Rich foreign Governments were depleting the United States Gold reserves. At present, the United States holds more gold by far than any other country in the world: 

                 

                 USA            8,133       tonnes
                 Germany  3,367.9   tonnes
                 Italy            2,451.8   tonnes
                 France       2,436      tonnes 
                 Russia*      2228.2   tonnes
                 China          2,141      tonnes 

* Russian Gold Reserves grew by one-third in the last 12 months, in a deliberate campaign of Gold purchasing as noted by The Economist.

Gold producing countries are interesting to consider in light of the above:
                  

                  China             399.7 tonnes) annually
                  Australia      312.2  tonnes)
                   Russia          281.5  tonnes)
                   USA               253.2  tonnes)

All of the top three Gold producers need their Gold production to maintain and even build - as in the case of Russia - their Reserves whilst meeting their needs to finance imports or service debts. The position of the USA is somewhat different since its currency has been regarded as the international reserve currency in recent decades. There will be, must be an ultimate day of reckoning.

But, there are factors to consider that tend to undermine Party political representations of the significance of these matters :

Foreign Debt as a percentage of GDP :

Looking at  the Gold Reserves holders we find:

USA National Debt represents 106.70% 0f GDP     Popn.  331,002,651

GERMANY  ditto                               56.93%     ditto     ditto        83,783,942

ITALY            ditto                             133.43%     ditto    ditto         60,461,826

FRANCE        ditto                               99.20%    ditto    ditto         65,273,511

RUSSIA          ditto                               13.79%     ditto    ditto       145,934,462

CHINA            ditto                               55.36%    ditto     ditto   1,439,323,776

                                                                                                                     XI JINPING PRESIDENT OF CHINA "FOR LIFE"(?)


Even so, all is not necessarily what it seems. Starting from the bottom: both China and Russia remain truly undemocratic, totalitarian regimes and the reliability of many of their other published figures is highly suspect and no doubt conceals many "nasties" the rulers do not wish to have exposed. France and Italy have both been subject to the disciplines of the European Union and ought to be more reliable, but in the case of Italy in particular, the situation might not be as bad or may be worse than it appears, Thirty or forty years ago even major international Banks treated official Italian Government figures as being close to valueless because of the size of the grey economy. The propensity for creative accounting on the Italian Peninsula has,  in the last decade, created huge problems for even the Holy See as Cardinal Pell recently re-emphasised. Germany's figures and those of the United States are probably more reliable. In the latter case if only because of the regularity with which the information is published and the intense scrutiny it receives both legislatively and in the professional media.

There are some interesting stories of course not disclosed in the above figures. One relates to the United Kingdom and another to Japan. And if we were able to get to the truth of it, the story of China would be even more fascinating ....but that is not going to happen under the present regime, for as long as it may last.

The United Kingdom was virtually bankrupted by World War I and the Great Depression made the job complete. However, prestige and reliance on the Empire enabled her to muddle through into World War II. Once this great effort was embarked upon, the immense resources of the United States were, with some difficulty, introduced to shore up the tottering structure to ensure the defeat of the enemy and thus the survival of Western civilisation. For if the United Kingdom had fallen and its Royal Navy and Imperial Navies had fallen to the Nazis, the United States was vulnerable to attack upon its mainland. President Roosevelt saw this clearly especially after Winston Churchill succinctly drew it to his attention.

That was all well and good. But the parlous state of the United Kingdom's finances remained, even in Victory.

At present the financial position of the United Kingdom pre recent crises was highlighted by this figure: Its foreign debt represents 313% of its GDP in US Dollars. the only Country with a greater foreign debt is the USA itself and this is frequently held up as a cause of worry, but that debt is only 95% of that GDP. The per capita debt of the United Kingdom is USD 127,000, that of the USA is USD 62,000.

The other case we referred to is Japan,  in this case, the per capita debt is USD 28,200 while the foreign debt is 74% 0f GDP.

The more one looks into this real "National Treasure, the more fascinating it gets :

Gold reserves in the Bank Vaults are one thing, but Countries are keenly mining Gold to support their National Financial policies. Rates of production are known and verifiable, as are "reserves" in the ground  yet to be mined :

The leading holders of "Gold yet unmined" are :

                                                 No of years production at present rates:

Russia                                           Approx. 20 years

South Africa                                    Ditto   40 + years

Australia                                           Ditto   30 years

United States                                   Ditto   12  years                     
 China                                                 Ditto      5 years

South Africa is ranked as the 32nd largest country in the World by GDP and there seems little prospect of its standing changing too greatly, so its long-lasting "Gold in the ground "reserves, though important within the Country are not necessarily of great international significance. 

At the other extreme is China which has the second-largest economy in the world ranked by GDP. Should its capacity to produce Gold be exhausted in 5 years or so, it would seem highly likely to become a major buyer of Gold on world markets, forcing a much higher price. This might explain Russia's eager buying of the metal during 2019. Australia could also be seen as holding a very sound position if its policy settings are maintained at prudent levels. The United States already holds a strong Gold position, and the prospect of another 12 years production at present rates,  allows sufficient time, particularly with current foreign trade reforms and tight discipline on international defence commitments ( by having Japan and the NATO countries carry their fair share of the burden - it is interesting to note that the entire annual Russian defence expenditure does not equal the annual increase in NATO spending since President Trump took NATO to task) to allow a Second Term President Trump to begin solid reduction of the foreign debt problem.

SUMMARY

All things considered, and especially looking at the at present incalculable, but no doubt severe, economic effects of recent international Government actions in response to the Chinese Communist Party Virus "Pandemic", these factors show that the world is in for a very interesting time in the next twenty years or so.

At age 80, the odds of my seeing it through to its conclusion ( unless that is an imminent surprise Second  Coming ) are not necessarily strong. But I do wish you all well with that lot! I have especial concern of course for our children and grandchildren and for my many younger friends.

SIR PHILIP GAME  Governor of NSW in 1932

But, just as the "Pandemic " panic was sprung on an unsuspecting world in a two day period, I never underestimate the power of surprising developments. I recall the story told of the daughter of the New South Wales Governor. Sir Philip Game.   She said of the State Premier Jack Lang, who was advocating repudiation of the State's international debt during the Great Depression: "Mr Lang was going to 'bolish Daddy, but Daddy 'bolished him." Lang was dismissed by the Governor on 13th May,1932. We never know what is 'round the corner!The present "Emergency"(?) has amply demonstrated that.

THIS LITTLE BOY

Your Scribe at age 2yrs and 8 months outside Mark Foy's Department Store in wartime Sydney - preparing to meet Santa Claus for the First Time!

Y

In that wartime December, I had no thoughts about the last day of my 79th Year! Nor probably much thought about "the war" everyone kept referring to. NO! Only thoughts about Santa Claus! The important stuff - right?

Time has been "on the jog" and this little boy has lived through World War !!, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the dropping of numerous Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs,the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Pontificates of Ven. Pope PiusXII, of Pope Saint John XXIII, of Pope Saint Paul VI. of Pope John Paul I, of Pope Saint John Paul II of glorious memory, of Pope Benedict XVI, and he has lived throughout Global Financial Crisis and several disastrous Labor Governments.

All of that only to come to this: a world crisis that has brought economic collapse to the world within days.An epidemic that's causing a large number of deaths. And a threat to the free world more sophisticated than that of the Nazis or the Japanese in World War II.

That little boy would NOT have thought it possible. Nor did he think it possible in his teenage years,  his twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, sixties or most of his seventies. 

You see, he is still here inside this all -but eighty "tent" as Saint Paul called our bodies. He looks out in shock and horror at what has been done to our beautiful world of activity in such a short time. There is even a South American wandering around wreaking havoc with his demented ideas.

                Nurse Bignell's Hospital where I was born at about 5.00pm on Tuesday, 9th April 1940- a  warm 21  Degrees, windy but Sunny!

.

I know that his gratitude to his late Grandparents, and his late Parents, to his dear Wife and wonderful Children and Grandchildren, and those who love him is unbounded! The love and appreciation of his friends living and dead, in direct contact and in electronic contact is one of the greatest consolations to his heart and mind and spirit. And he reserves a special place in his heart and mind and spirit for those Priests living and dead who have been such blessed helps and comforts to him.

Better times ahead! The tent "will carry the little boy into his 80th Year about 

5.00 pm tomorrow the 9th April 2020 - God Willing.

"It is all in God's Hands" Gen Robert E.Lee CSA.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVELY LADY

MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVELY LADY!!!

IT WAS ONLY.. YEARS AGO WHEN YOU WERE BORN. And you are still trying to catch up with me! Well for a little while, once again we are the same age.!

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!!!   ENJOY YOUR DAY!

MEIN EINZIG LIEB!

1930s -STRUGGLING OUT OF ADVERSITY WITH STYLE AND EXCELLENCE

THE CHRYSLER BUILDING
NEW YORK CITY

It is true that THE GREAT DEPRESSION, which began in 1929, never really ended, rather, World War II began in 1939 and consumed the world economy , and almost everything else.

Nevertheless, struggling through the horrors of mass unemployment and crumbling economic activity, the Western World in particular steadily picked itself up and patched its spirit together - even if it could not find the right formula for restoring the economy to health and vigour.

We can see this recovery of spirit in the images of the time. At the head of this Post, we see the ever beautiful Chrysler Building completed in 1930 in New York City. It has become a symbol of that brilliantly resurgent spirit, even though it had been commenced in 1928. In 1993, my wife and I were staying at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York  City(trying to exorcise the memory of our 1986 visit when we had to stay in the City's second-worst hotel The Aberdeen - another story) and we had a room looking out to The Chrysler Building - what a joy!

CHRYSLER BUILDING - EXULTANT DETAIL

The Art Deco style which was also born in the 1920s became the characteristic style of the 1930s. It was evident across the board, in architecture,transport, art and advertising and attire.One of the leading demonstrations of this, and one which also became iconic was in railway transport and it was The Twentieth Century Limited :

1930s ICONIC IMAGE

Like most streamlined Steam Locomotives, the streamlining was applied to an existing group of locomotives. The named train dated back to 1902 and was already well known, but the streamlining in 1938 brought about its iconic status. The design styling was done by Henry Dreyfuss. The New York Central Railroad gloried in the standing of its premier train. They maintained an extremely fast service covering the 960 miles between Chicago and New York at an average of the magic ( Mile a Minute) 60 mph! The train was handsome coming or going:

......or going......

A few years earlier, in fact, the British had introduced an even faster train the Silver Jubilee of 1935, picking up on the Royal Silver Jubilee, running between Newcastle and London at 67.4 mph average over 270 miles. The A4 Class Locomotives of the London and North Eastern Railway were designed and built as Streamliners under the masterly hand of Sir Nigel Gresley.

THE SILVER JUBILEE in 1936

But the recovery spirit was also notable at sea. In this element, British design fell short of the leadership one might have expected. The Queen Mary, completed in 1936,  still came across to those in the Dominions beyond the Seas as the greatest ship in the World. But that was because the Imperial propaganda machine was so good. It is plain now, for everyone to see that the French ( with the Italians, masters of design excellence) with the absolutely beautiful, stunningly elegant S.S. NORMANDIE had produced the 1930's and perhaps all time's finest ship:

S.S.NORMANDIE ENTERS NEW YORK HARBOUR
IN TRIUMPH AFTER WINNING THE COVETED  BLUE RIBAND
1935

NORMANDIE IN NEW YORK - WOWING THE LOCALS
AFTER WINNING THE BLUE RIBAND FOR THE
FASTEST ATLANTIC CROSSING 1935


But Normandie's excellence extended to the realm of art as well - nothing was too good for this great ship as the image below illustrates:

Design excellence sans Frontieres

Sadly, S.S. NORMANDIE was destroyed by fire in New York Harbour during the War as she was being gutted for troop carrying. The fire was a complete accident as an oxy-acetylene torch touched a huge curtain. The fire spread quickly. In their zeal to put out the fire, the U.S. authorities put so much water into the NORMANDIE that the great ship rolled over at her berth and sank alongside.

Automotive design moved unevenly, but spectacularly during the 1930s. Consider the following :

1931 STUTZ LE BARON SEDAN

The Stutz Le Baron of 1931 is not very far advanced from the cars of the late 1920s, but it makes a good benchmark for the beginning of the decade. Everything is there: Trunk, Mud Guards, Running Boards, Headlights, Radiator, Side opening Bonnet, Wire Wheels, Spare wheel on Mudguard.

1938 JAGUAR SS SEDAN

The 1938 Jaguar SS shows that in England not a great deal had changed, except that, true to its name, the Jaguar has adopted a very feline stance and seems poised to pounce, but all the elements are preserved save the Spare wheel on the Mudguard.

"In the East, the sun climbs slow, how slowly,

But Westward look! The land is bright!"

Arthur Hugh Clough (1819-1861)

And westward, across the Atlantic how true it was :

1938 BUICK WITH STYLE

The Trunk is now what we call the Boot, the Mudguards are tending to unity with the body, if not always completely there yet, the Headlamps survive but likewise, we can see their fate is fast approaching, the running boards are merely vestigial, but the side opening Bonnet appears safe as yet. Nevertheless, the ensemble is something altogether different from the Stutz and the Jaguar which are clearly old-fashioned. Modern times are here! Depression or not!

Back East in Germany, the Maybach suggests people have been concentrating on other things:

1938 Maybach D58 ZEPPELIN Sedan

The 1938 Maybach Zeppelin from Germany is an almost complete design throw back to 1931, the only concession to modern times lies in the flow of the Mudguards, the Spare wheel Metal covers and the disc wheels, though there is a boot. Minds were obviously on other things.

But, in Merrie England, where the Government was still preparing its defence plans on the basis that there would be no War for 5 years(!!), excitement was the order of the day when Vauxhall introduced the thrill a minute 1938 Ten-Four!

 What can we say? Sadly even this small windscreen is divided. Is this not Modern? Well...... look: a Boot, vestigial Running Boards, Rear Mudguards fairing into the Body, drilled Disc Wheels and, well, that's your lot for 1938 (and more than a decade to come though no-one could know!):

In the sky a miracle of modernity created a true revolution. No more, bi-plane, no more string and wire, there arrived on the scene the Douglas DC 3 of 1935:

It was a marvel of modern design and excellence in performance and reliability. Hundreds went into service and transformed Civil Aviation. No-one knew, but they were witnessing the birth of the aerial workhorse of the coming World War when thousands of these planes would be around the globe carrying troops, paratroopers, equipment, ammunition and supplies generally. They were to perform remarkable feats of difficult service and endurance. They would be known, in the military version as the Dakota. And their familiar engine drone was always re-assuring except to our enemies in their homelands. They were the Aerial success story of the 1930s, and for that matter of the 1940s.

The human spirit was sorely tried by the Great Depression, but through it all at some levels, hope shone through. It found expression in many ways as we have seen and produced a great deal of excellence. It was soon to be tried even more and further by World War II, which was to be transformative in many ways, not all for the good. But much that came out of that conflict better, had its origins in the better elements of the 1930s struggle against adversity.

SOME THINGS IN COMMON Part II b

NIGERIA

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND  PRE -MODERN 

NIGERIA TOPOGRAPHICAL

The historical background of Nigeria is infinitely different to that of Australia because of the geographical realities. Though moderate in size by Australian standards, Nigeria is only part of a much greater whole - Africa  - which could swallow Australia two and a half times. We can easily identify substantial evidence of developed human settlement across most of Africa and certainly in Nigeria. 

But Africa sits on the "doorstep" of Europe, which has driven much - though not nearly all -of the development in much of the world. Unlike Australia, Africa was not "to be found" or in any sense "lost". Nor did it seem in any way unworthy of attention like Australia. Rather, it demanded attention!

By virtue of its immense reality in size, exotic riches in animal, plant and human activity. Africa could not be denied or even ignored, without peril. At different times it posed threats with its Carthaginians, who competed with, and invaded Europe, and its Barbary Pirates who raided Roman and later colonies and trading activities. But most of this interaction took place on and from the Mediterranean coastline, whilst at the Eastern end, it involved the exotic, ever troublesome Middle Eastern Kingdoms.

Through much of this evolution, what is to-day Nigeria, remained largely responsive only to African external stimuli. The earliest external trading influence came from North African Carthaginians with whom, from about 400 B.C. according to Herodotus, these pre-Nigerians were trading gold, metal, cotton and leather in exchange for copper, salt, textiles, beads and horses. In fact, since about 1,000 B.C. these people had been producing iron and creating metal artworks and such weapons as axes and arrowheads. From around A.D. 700 Mohammedan Slave Traders, using the overland route into the West of sub-Saharan Africa, entered the scene. These traders were Arabs.

So modern-day Nigeria was, from a very early period significantly impacted by foreign intervention in the form of the Mohammedan Slave Traders. But this was not invasion. No. These men were traders. they came and went away with their wretched human purchases.

With whom did they trade? Without doubt Chiefs and others who had access to prisoners, tribal captives defeated in war AND their own traditional slave population. It would have been an impossible task for the slave traders to have mounted an invasion force, take it across the Sahara, find, fight, defeat and make captive potential slaves. No. They bought them from those who already held them in their African homeland, and were thus free to take them away to market across the arduous Saharan route without let or hindrance or fear of loss.

They were not racially prejudiced in this business. They gladly enslaved very many Europeans in the same period but in total numbers only a fraction of the African trade. Why?  Simply, European slaves were not available, they had to be caught - taken prisoner in battle or in piratical raids on shipping. It is thought that in total the number of European slaves would have been approx. 1.5 Millions. Many of the European slaves were bought back with funds raised by pious societies in Europe. The traders remained content - they had turned a profit. 

 Their African activity lasted for 1,000 years from the inception of Mohammedanism until the arrival of the Europeans. But this arrival did not herald a deliverance from slavery. No. All that changed was the direction in which the slaves were sent, the mode of transport and the type of slaves required. For the Europeans sent them by sea across the Atlantic to the Slave Markets of the Americas and the Caribbean instead of the overland trail of misery to the Mohammedan Slave Markets of Cairo, Tripoli, Algiers and Morocco. In addition, the Mohammedan Slave Traders had sought roughly two female slaves to every male slave, as they wanted many females for concubinage and domestic service. The Europeans, on the other hand, sought the reverse of those proportions – two males to every female, for they were looking for workers for the cotton and sugar plantations and the mines more than domestic servants.

It is very difficult to truly appreciate the extent of this great human tragedy. We are accustomed to being sickened by the thought of 4.5 Million to 6 Million Jews dying in the Holocaust. But in this protracted horror, the trans-Saharan Slave Trading Mohammedans carted away between 8 and 17 Millions of people. It should not be thought that their dealings were limited to this part of West Africa. On the contrary, their activities in West Africa were overshadowed by their dealings in East Africa which were enormous and often seaborne.

When we reflect on this phenomenon, we are driven to cry out "How did this go on?  For a thousand years!"  It is not hard to see how it might have begun. After all, the sale of captives in war into slavery was simply a part of life in the ancient world be it European, Middle Eastern, Asiatic or African...it was normal.   But, we are inclined to see that this was something entirely different. as different as normal grazing and sale of cattle is, to feed-lot raising and export. Yet these are human beings - men and women - who in the normal course would strenuously defend, and resist intrusion upon, their personal freedom. 

NIGERIA - ETHNIC MAP

What structures in the African societies inhibited resistance to all this? Or prevented an overthrow of such a monstrously evil situation?  Was it the case that the evil of those in control was just so monstrous that for a thousand years it suppressed the human spirit so completely as to reduce the populace to mute acquiescence? Could that really be so?  

Even in the ruthlessly efficient and totally pagan Roman Empire, we have the example of several Slave mutinies - not least that of Spartacus which lasted for two years and finally took eight Legions of the Roman Army under Crassus to suppress. Apart from the thousands of slaves killed in battle, Crassus crucified another 6,000 -lining the Appian Way from Capua to Rome with their crucifixes.

Could it have been the case that in some way the practices and beliefs of traditional religion - "odinani" and its variants had been used/abused to condition the people to accept this situation? Whatever the case, the result was certainly diabolical and seems logically improbable. 

The answer is not often, or ever, made explicit. But it becomes obvious as we examine the patterns of governance which had evolved throughout pre-Nigeria over the centuries. If we cast our minds back once more to contrast the Australian situation, we find that as the people of pre-Nigeria were commencing their trade with the Carthaginians in 400 B.C. the aboriginal people of Australia were hunting their next meal. 2,100 years later, when Captain Cook arrived in pre- Australia, they were still hunting their next meal. Meanwhile, in pre-Nigeria, a vast history of governance, war, trade, art and invention had taken place and a very active international trade across the Atlantic was being carried on with the Portugese, the British, the French, the Spanish and the Dutch.

Across pre- Nigeria we find a highly- evolved pattern of governance and organisation. There is not much point in trying to penetrate the mists of time to go back too far. But let us choose the convenient date of 400 B.C. We can plainly see that the society which began trading with the Carthaginians must have been self-confident, organised and stably- governed in order to initiate and sustain the production of gold etc. and the trading activity. As we move forward in time, we find clear evidence of numerous de-centralised self-governing cities in the sub-Saharan  Sahelian grasslands. These cities were significant and assertive and governed the trans-Saharan trade. Later still, we see the Ghana Empire arise. From around A.D. 400, it became quite substantial until succeeded by the Sosso in 1230 and the later Mali Empire. Under Mohammedan influence, the Songhai and the Sokoto Caliphate came into being. The Songhai’s collapse led to the formation of a number of lesser kingdoms.

To the South, and in and around the Niger delta, there developed several forms of governance among the remarkable Igbo peoples. These included several kingships and a much more extensive web of independent groups of villages with what might be called a republican style of government. In this perhaps surprising pattern of government, control on a day to day basis rested with a council of elders, but full power rested with consultative councils of all the people from the network of villages. The living operation of the system even as late as the arrival of the colonial British is well shown in the novels of the late, great Chinua Achebe. But there were Igbo kingships. Prime among these for influence, though not rule, was the Eze Nri (King of Nri) who was in effect a Priest-King with responsibility for the determining of matters arising from the sevenfold Taboo system which influenced all of the Igbo native religion – odinani and its variants. Apart from the Eze Nri, there was in the later stages, the Arochukwu Kingdom and the Kingdom of Onitsha.

The Benin Empire became by the mid-1400s a very significant political force and the fortifications of its capital Benin were formidable and among the largest man-made structures in the World. It was not a major trader in slaves, but very active in trading pepper, ivory, gum and cotton cloth. It included in its embrace Dahomey which was notorious for its barbarity- including in some years- at the whim of its King - the mass beheading of over 100,000 slaves at the Annual Custom events.

Also significant in the area of present-day Ghana was the Ashanti Empire.

What we see over the entire region is a varied pattern of strongly developed and governed states. Inevitably their multiplicity led to wars. These wars produced victors and vanquished and the vanquished very often became slaves in the traditional manner. In the times of the Mohammedan Slave Traders – that long period of 1,000 years, this activity was sufficient to feed the trade in slaves.

But the arrival of the European slave traders and their requirement for far more male slaves to satisfy the demands of their particular markets seems to have created an accelerated demand which by all accounts, led to a growing number of wars essentially designed to generate supplies of slaves. In this war-making, the Arochukwu Confederacy became prominent.

SUMMARY

In considering this Historical Background, we come to a puzzling issue: how is it that whilst slaveholders and slave traders and slave carriers - all European are rightly condemned and despised, slave makers and slave vendors - all African - are not a subject for consideration or comment, let alone condemnation? How could these men SELL their brothers into often (but not always) cruel slavery? Worse still how could their evil activity go uncondemned, or even unconsidered? Or am I missing out on something? I want to understand.

Is it in any way connected to the fact that there are to-day hundreds of thousands of Slaves within Africa? - Mali alone has 200,000, and Mauretania up to 600,000 all of these are legal in these Mohammedan States. There does not seem to be any continent-wide move to free them.

There is no real comparison in the historical background of Australia and Nigeria up to the pre-modern period. In our next section - the Historical Background - Modern Period

, we will see broad similarities, striking differences and different results.