Page 48 - Personal Column (Charles Belgrave)_Neat

known as a ‘cracking plant’. Not being an engineer I will not attempt to
explain its function. When it was completed we were invited to go and
see it; we took our son with us, who was then about five years old. After
looking at a mass of complicated pipes and machinery we drove .home.
On the way back my son said, reproachfully, ‘Why didn’t they show us
the cracking plant?’ ‘Don’t be silly,’ I said, ‘you did see it.’ He still looked
unbelieving, then he said, ‘I never saw any plants, not even ordinary
plants, there was nothing growing there, and I did so want to see a plant
which crackled.’
Travel teaches toleration.
Relations between the Government and BAPCO were good and for
Benjamin Disraeli. 1804-1881
many years the company had very little labour trouble, though in 1938
a group of Manama Arabs, not themselves connected with BAPCO,
A little learning is a dangerous thing.
tried, unsuccessfully, to organize a strike in sympathy with their own
Alexander Pope. 1688-1744
political aspirations. They knew that they could get support by com­
plaining that the company employed too many Indians. The Bahrainis
did not appreciate the fact that it took time to train men as skilled workers, n January 1936 the Shaikh was created an Honorary Knight Com­
capable of holding technical and administrative posts, and that, for some mander of the Order of the Indian Empire (K.C.I.E.). It was sug­
years, it was necessary to employ foreigners, Indians and Iraqis, in gested that he should be invested by the Viceroy at Delhi but he said
positions most of which are now filled by Bahrainis. The feeling against very definitely that he wished to receive the insignia from King Edward,
• the employment of foreigners did not apply to the British and Americans, so he was invited by the British Government to visit England. Much to
for even the most rabid anti-foreigners realized that the Europeans had our delight he said that Marjorie and I should accompany him. I made
qualifications which, at that time, they did not possess. Today there is a arrangements for the journey by the overland route; it was a complicated
different feeling in the air; many of the young Arabs who have been
itinerary and difficult to organize because until the last minute it was not
educated abroad think that they are as capable, or more capable, of hold­ known how many people would accompany him. Eventually the party
ing senior posts than many of the Europeans. In my opinion, some of consisted of the Shaikh and two of his sons, ourselves, a secretary who
them, but by no means all who think this way, are fully competent. But
spoke no English and three servants who had never before seen a train.
even those who obtained degrees or diplomas in Middle East universities
On arriving in England Marjorie found that she had to act as Social
lack something which is acquired from long years of schooling in I Secretary, a duty which she carried out with great tact.
Western countries, where attention, is paid to character-forming, which We stopped in Baghdad where the Shaikh met the King of Iraq and
is not part of the curriculum in the East. - ■ . / J
was entertained by the British Ambassador in the charming old Embassy
on the banks of the Tigris, which was burnt down by a mob in 193 S. We
did the train journey across Iraq in great comfort as the Government
provided us with a special coach, but at every station of any size, even in
the middle of the night, there was a reception committee lined up to
greet us, and usually a band. It was a courteous gesture but rather trying
1 -•
for the travellers. When we boarded the Taurus Express I assumed that
there would be no more station receptions, but on reaching Ankara early
in the morning I'was roused by servants saying that people on the plat­
form were asking for us. The Shaikh and I dressed hurriedly and found
an impatient group of Foreign Office officials from the Embassy waiting
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