RUDEST MAN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 562, 20 June 1933, Page 7

RUDEST MAN

BERNARD SHAW DISPENSES INSULTS WITH, . IMPUDENCE. HOW FAME IS GAINED. The Wovld's rudest old man of 77 . years of age sailed away from Los Angeles on the Empress of Britain. Ever since he embarked at Southampton nearly four months ago George Bernard Shaw has heen scattering insults along the-way, states Alma Whitaker ,in a Californian newspaper. Every remark;he makes is equivalent to sticking his tongue out or Putting hi? fingers to his nose. He has led them an av/ful life on the ship. Officers and passengers are still writhing in confnsion. It hegan on the second day out, when a gentle little lady approached him with ship's camaraderie, saying: "I have wanted to meet you, Mr. Shaw. I ara Mrs. W. J. Locke, widow of the auth'or, one of your contemporaries. . . .." _ "Re'ally. And whona are you married to now ? asked Bernard, turning on his'heel and leaving her standing. A travel club is also taking the world trip. So one day its president bhthely aproached the great man. "I am deputised hy our travel club to ask you to give us a little talk," began the lady in th'e usual manner. "Why should - 1?" snorted Shaw, glaring at her. It simply ruined her voyage. In Japan he tried to dodge Nippon j reporters, but, like our home breed, they were not to be denied. Ohe of them h'ailed Shaw and demarided his opinion of that country. "You had an earthquake recently," he began, the while the reporter stood with pencil poised. "Too bad it didn't clean you all out," he added. In Honolulu th'e Chamher of Commerce turned out with full panoply to greet the great man. "Fm disappointed. I hoped you'd he huia huia girls," he told them. In one United States port, after

much urging by a ship's officer, he j agreed to receive th'e reporters, if they would line up like soldiers, that he might walk up the lihe and answer questions. The boys gladly agreed. He was fussy about their posture and made them all stand erect, When he had them arranged like a row of wooden soldiers he bade them good morning and walked cif, leaving them all looking very silly and feeling very mad. That's a fair sample of the Shaw wit on this voyage — and still he is pursued. These and many oth'er stories were heard on a visit to the Empress' of Britain and are vouched for by officers and passengers. 'N"o one has made such a specialty of insulting impudence as this whitehaired old gentleman of 77, who,- in repose, can look positively henign. Charlie Chaplin says he is the hardest man to converse with whom he ever struck, and his visit with him was simply agonising. Shaw was not exictly insulting t0 Charlie, but he was mis/p and stilted — just made Charlie ceel like a worm.