The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1949-10-28
Report From Britain
The Beautiful City Of Silver Granite
BY James w. Silver

" - ~ TT &c
of operation, | would like TO
tell you something of this beau
tiful city of silver granite.
At first glance it would appear
a poor vantage point for examin-
ing Britain but second thought
brings to mind the similarity of
investigating the problems of
America from Memphis or Rich
mond OF New Orleans. London,
II hours away by train, is not
England and. as the Scots never
tire of pointing out, England is
not Britain.
Aberdeen with its 100000 peo-
Pile b~asieally depends upon the
rich agricultural hinterland, with
emphasis on meat and dairy pro-
duction. Aberdeen Angus cattle
r SO world famous that farmers
come from the United States and
the Argentine to secure their
choice breeding stock.
The valleys of the Dee and
the Don remind one of central
Tennessee, the Valley of Virginia,
and the blue grass area of Ken
lucky. Milk and eggs are plenti-
full here Gin spite of rationingl
bat the best beef is exported.
This obviously prosperous city
has q tremendous diversification
of industry: fishing with IFS al
lied small business. shipping and
shipbuildin, granite working.
engineering (which to an Aber-
DOMAIN means construction of ma
chinerY and supervision of gigsn-
tic fsr.flung projects such as Nile
dams. Iraq pipe lines. and rice
milling equipment for Burmal.
paper making and printing. tex
tiles. chemicals. and a very heal
thy tourist trade. Dozens of minor
items. from pneumatic fools to
organs and bedwarmers. are man.
ufactured here.
Free enterprise is very much
the vogue in Aberdeen but has
been tempered with city plan
ming and public housing. and. as
far as | can see, a personal sense
of public responsibility. Educa-
tional opportunities are superb,
with Kings college dating back to
Columbus and the grammar
school (Which my o Billy is at
tending) Boosting a tradition of
nearly 700 years. The shops, no.
tells, movie theatres, and street
cars are full and people in gem
eral look as though they were 60
ing somewhere. There may be de-
featism in Britain but you will
be hard put to find it here.
l have already been to cattle
and sheep auctions, to a meeting
of the Rotary club, have talked
with high school classes and at
some length with a Communist
who sells the Daily Worker UNI
disturbed on the main street.
| have watched the fish mar
ket in operation and have seen
huge blocks of granite being
hoisted 500 feet from a quarry
which has been mined for more
than 200 years. | have given the
countryside a look and have had
long conversations with business
men, farmers, clerks. city officials,
doctors, sehoolmen, domestics,
politicians. etc.
1t is my intention to travel
throughout Britain as opportunity
arises and to give you weekly
accounts of my findings.
RECOLLECTIONS: Feeling of
being in another world in the
narrow streets of Old Aberdeen,
a prosperous town in the Middle
Ages. Heavy curtains to protect
massive doors from the summer
sun-hotcakes (cold) in the bak-
cry windows. Public dinners
where a toast to the King pre-
cedes smoking. Sheep dyed a bril-
liant orange for show purposes.
Myriads of children in vari-color-
ed school uniforms on thin-tired
British bicycles with hand brakes.
TEA, TEA, TEA. Long talks with
German headmistress from Lu-
beck and consequent depression
regarding immediate future of
central Europe.
Stories of war bombings of
aberdeen: n night 200 were
killed in the city and the next
morning all children showed up
at Central school except a girl
who apologized to The headmaster
The told me ihisl for Hardness of
30 minutes. She had been hunt
ing in the ruins of her home until
she found an essay she had writ
ten The night before.
The royal family coming out
Of Crathie church across the high
way from Balmoral castle. Pic
turesque street names: Rubislaw
Den, Correction Wynd. Chanonry
Place, Netherkirkgate. Advertise
ment of adult education classes
in current events which mention
ed France and Turkey but Meth
CT the United States nor Russia.
Collection boxes on street cars