“SMIFF” OF LEEDS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 October 1921, Page 4

“SMIFF” OF LEEDS

BELGIAN’S DROLL MEMORIES. BRUSSELS, Aug. J. For a week I have journeyed to and from in ihis strenuous land of lie!- | gill in. I have visited palaces, wmkineii’s lie.tin's. iu : f :•• civ. i la.' ' talked with Ministers, deput es. mauufacDircrs. trade union sc-retancs, comil bourgeois, and a multitude o! nudist ingtiished artisans. The insult is a whirling .iumlde or statistics and ideas; Imt quite clear and conspicuously i.iitsiamling among my impres-s'.-ns is tho very pos to. 1 in 1 *hn! o all classes of the (ample here h.riluiu stands as Die friend, i'e :uudel, tke guide, ami l the vorld-tang!c ol economic difficulties left hv the wine. It is true, of course, that the wilder workers, ns with us. perversely pietend tn see hope of "e.-ou.m ie email nation” in the mad antics <d their com unties of the German Republic and the Russian Revolution. But - bless (heir innocent hearts! -anybody can sc" with half an eve that Diis pose is: utilv’ assumed to "aggiavalo" their CllClllicS, aild, US t C Ell'licll say, “pour epa’er Ic hourgi o:s. Ik' r ii: is"i: is prmcniatives in the Belgian ( 1 ore: nirctp admit l' :i! t ""y <’i’ their policy on English mod:' 1 -' ' • rude union leaders when attacked jtis'il v their acts by I!:•' precedents »f Hie British Laiiour Par v. As fur the lank and file, many oi them have v.mked in Britain during the v.ar and eic ish snc!i affectionatc rei,:embraneei „r | ~ | c- 'ii w hose intimate domesticity they were ndmißcd that 1 '• j-.-.t-inl themselves ;:s h-longing to G familv. FORGE Pill! 08GPII Y.

•‘Alt, you know Leeds!'” said one unshaven fair-haired giant to me in a fiery forge this morning: "then ' '> know perhaps the camarade Smilf. That is curious. He I' a little loan with a red face like a beetroot and ! “is •,oi some hair almost, lb* never -tie'k sometiines, but stand as quiet bke < gaspipe till you tell him tba. l'.uglisa workman is no better as Belgium, tail damsiglit not one little bit. I hen be talk I low lie talk, mini Den! and Im v | hci 'li ! And his little Touuree "• was I years old then ah, Ie petit dial,|. with hair—comment que runs <lilfs? —nil oui, e’est ea— tout vurly auloiir de si's petites oroilh's bke a li',;!,. angel, lie sit on my km e and I"

say so fierce, 'lf you make |>a;>M cro-s | give you a smack in ' In- neck! '••Then I kecs little lee and ! laugh ah, how I laugh ! and I tell the ( aniarad ■ Smilf: 'll you get more money as in Belgium, tin you kwow wly li*-i-ii u si* C II is heeausc vml l‘. n glee s! i. L have r.Jellies all over Die what you call damidat e. Yon liave the la w 'material all to yourself, you ' ave the market safeguarded for your nianula'turc, you have all the -w bat is u.' tke pull, n’est ee pas ! J It is not ! eau-e voll are more elever 01 work more hard as the Belgium, bill because you have coniine volts dites en Anglen rrc the Milt thing ill ihe I r’uli a;> 1 1 ; all the world." "J, lid 111 i t i". lie get mad and l.e open his ga suit ic aml !i ■ w 1 at : - lie vo: d - I! <i-:i. he 1 :ik e'es " i in m Di> a. eon, me ii Ie J; ! : 11 * : 1: . e laiuee he give me good Mimek and I make Die nid of one going to weep; and imn .• mi i l.e it; agii .on. an I r M,y. 'Da and then I take Ids aim and V. e go in D 1.1.. P. meeting like b •'J.iofs i“ got her. <,hie void. :-voi|s r On a beau dire. •■The German comm I - • . hi uai, ihey are eniiii.ides, but they are Gm limn. M\ wi.'e. sic was lei l m Liege. Her faothor nl ( 1 aiaaloi wuai ! not Wi.rk for the Ge'lna: s ami be w as sen! tu Leipzig; a- a la.-om i, and be h.»s told me stories, and my wit.' lias told me too: well, one musi try to i- ■- ~"I. Bill I wish Mill cniii.l ivuieiiiher Smilf. At Leeds. With a fas a like a caiml and a head like a linoip: No." Eli bid! ! What I remeuder and what I forget I cannot tell, exiept tliat ‘ slinll never forget Smiil ol all my li.a: not also little Tommee vvi'.li the curl-' a■■ an angel.”