Dangerous Character

Radio Record, 10 June 1938, Page 9

Dangerous Character

Mickey Mouse’s Eatry Lato , New Zealand Politics Was By No Means A First Excursion | Specially Written for che "Record"

by

AKARANA

""~~ NE day recently the Minister in Charge of Tourist Publicity, the Hon. F, Langstone, had the brightest of bright ideas. New Zealand, he thought, ought to have representation ainong the Disney animals-and he contacted Walt with the idea of negotiating the production of an animated cartoon that would include New Zealand birds and animals. It was a field day jor the newspaper cartoonists» when the idea was announced through the Press Next issue bore pseudo-Disney representations of every animal outside the zoological handbook-from Mickey Savage to the Big Bad Dan.

Mickey, himself, it is reported, was unperturbed. It wus by no meals the first time that gentle rodent has been embroiled in politieal upheavals. These duys not even-.such peaceful and international vermin as Mickey cau hope to escape the coutamination of political suspicion ud politieal cartoonists. ICKEY was once expelled from Yugoslavia for conspiring against the throne-he and the newspaper cor-. respondent who rashly reported the plot. He was also thrown out ef Germany by Hitler because Mickey was accompanied by a brigade of animals wearing Uhlan helmets. This Was a reflection on the Germany army and too serious to be passed over. But Mickey was eventually pardoned. Sven dictators are not immune from his spell. Mussolini loves hii. The Yugoslavian incident shows the international character of Mickey's political activities, le is apparently without all principles and can be all . things to all. men.

Thinking that he represented the meekness and mildness of the masses under capitalisin, Russia countered his bourgeois propaganda by creating 4a Russian Mickey, known as Yozh the Porcupine-an. aniimai favourite of Russian children. But Yozh ‘turned: out co be only old Mickey in disguise! . : While Mickey’s victims laugh, he conspires. His futher, Walt Disney, slyly deprecates the subtleties of

Mickey’s character. All Mickey wants is laughter. He declares Mickey has no ulterior thoughts, no philosophy of life, no hidden political, social or psychological motivations. Those who read anything else into his life are all wrong, he adds. But, slyly too. Mr. Disney omits to mention that Mickey is more human than most human beings. That accounts for it all. MICKEY draws no distinctions of class, colour, race, or condition. He is friend even to jailbirds. President Roosevelt is also his friend, and the Queen Mother Mary sends for him regularly. He is the idol of savages. The Zulus refuse cakes of

soap unless they bear kis picture, just as natives used to refuse coins because they did not have Queen Victoria’s picture on them! : Next to the Emperor, he is the most popular figure in Japan, Every country Mickey visits. calls him by some variant of his name --or pseudonym, for his real name is unknown. Once it was said to be Hilarity Jones. Under that variant if is apparently his purpose to rally bis followers. The complete record of his aliases has never been compiled burt the following list of countries and the names they give ‘him show his‘ international character :- Mickey is known in German as "Michael Maus’; France, "Michel Souris"; Japan, "Miki Kuchi’; Spain. "Miguel Ratoncito"; Italy, ‘Topolino’: Greece, "Mikel Mus": Sweden, "Musse Pige’; Brazil, "Camondongo Mickey’; Argentina, "El Raton Mickey"; and ip Central America, "I] Raton Miguelito." And the Maoris call him Mickey Mauihi. THE air fleets and sea fleets of the world cannet: compete: with" the

creatures that Mickey can call forth. to battle if he:ehouses. He car scuttle a pirate with the aid-of a-.sawfish and -turn tortoises inte tanks. The trouble tanacity of the little brute is enormous We hereby move .a vote of no-confidence. in Mr, Lang: stone for seeking dangerous foreign alliances, If the’ Government. falls Mickey. willbe unperturbed. He is the greatest plotter of all time.