University of Toronto Schools - Twig Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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THE T WIG much abridged version. The Seven Pil- lars, is a colourful, candid, and critical account of the Aram Revolt. It gets its name from the text in Proverbs, Wisdom hath built a house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars. Of the book itself, the best idea is given by the New York Times Book Review: Its style has the grace of sound scholar- ship, displaying a notable command of Eng- lish prose. lts vividness and realism make it almost cruel. It is the record of great deeds, and the presentation of the soul of a land, and a people, and the soul of a manfi ln September, l925, he was allowed to rejoin the Air Force, and in December, l926, was sent overseas to the Indian Frontier. But his service there lasted little over two years, for some American news- papers discovered him, and published their information. This produced lurid charges by Soviet Russia that Colonel Lawrence was spying in Afghanistan as the agent of British lmperialism in a vast conspiracy against the Soviet. Consequently he was sent back to England win l929. To prevent similar charges, his movements were very much restricted, so that when his term ex- pired early in l935, he was glad to retire from the Air Force. He settled down in a little cottage in Wessex, and prepared to enjoy his life of freedom. One evening, whwile he was speeding along at his usual rate on his motor-cycle, it skidded, and he was thrown violently on to the highway. Never regaining conscious- ness, he died shortly after 8.00 a.m. on Sunday, lVlay 19th, l935, at the age of forty-six. It is a great misfortune for the British Empire that such a sincere, fearless. and capable man should have been killed at a time when he Was so badly needed. ln 56 these days, a man who abhors all dishonest dealings is invaluable, a man who has the courage of his convictions, and who will attempt to perform them at any cost to him- self, is one that England can ill afford to lose. His admired friend and commander, Lord Allenby, has summed up Lawrence in the following words: He was valued comrade. His co- operation was marked by the utmost loyalty, and I never had anything but praise for his work, which, indeed, was invaluable throughout the campaign. He has left to us who knew and admired him, a beloved memory, and to all his countrymen, an example of a life Well spent in service. To no man could a more glorious tribute be paid. u IE. l Tfjia 5 Q' z .a , E. ,Fa E1 f n- .-:ff sf,---seg: . if P .:- r.mV': 3 il, r 55 ill i Mali yi,ggiii't...5Tii-1-iililgfji:' , 4 ,. 'emi 1 ,gif M., 531 , ir r F r lf . Fi We- '::5,,faiiiasg--r,. f 6 1 ,i ,2I....l-risk!!!-,i.1s,,IJ I, ef: i 4,1 ,r ,.gl,,1sL5Jw'5 gI:..1.:fl. X ,f ' - 'Zz 'gg- , if :-!'.L .q'u.f4Z'.,,f- .itfz ll X .XA - ,Z 1 .t 04.7 fl, f -- X .fgfefiy -iffifffss.iliasszrsw f-,.'-qw. W:,g,.:-g- - Ei-s if 4-' gi' ll itgzs'ii2ii::z2ta:wa1 amps-'W--1-5 -A W ttitlnw ' 1 naw-i5:iii2f1E5f'mi1'fN:Hi is rfiir '-:n'1YV! W l -:'iEE:::ll il ww- ,. ---sw. --,--, I Mi ii....-...1--i.,,,r-.---,hw ,',,,I.,,, Vt- I-V, - 4 . .unuuu i , -l:.m 5..fi.- E!m.a.h., ., 5533-,if , Wu, ill f mr -'mi ll ix, ' ff-1 Jiliiiillvif if - nm Eggs , i-.fir-Il Eigjgg li, l -is 1 ' so - Lb- fri!! iii---We

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THE T WIG sibilities. Lawrence then asked for leave to go away, Allenby did not wish to grant it, but Lawrence pointed out that the Arabs could more easily change from war to peace condwitions if his influence were removed, and Allenby, seeing this, gave him leave. Lawrence arrived in London on Novem- ber Ilth, I9I8g and soon after was appointed by the British Foreign Office, as a member of the British Delegation to the Peace Conference. Fiesal arrived in Lon- don a few weeks after Lawrence, and they went to Paris together. At the Conference, the French made matters very difhcultz they wanted Syria, but it was in the hands of the Arabs. Finally, Fiesal was made ruler of Syria, with his capital at Damascus, but his position was precarious, and his power not very great. Lawrence was bitterly dis- appointed, and highly indignant that the British had not fulfilled their promises of guaranteeing Arabian Independence. As a protest he refused a Peerage, a C.B., a D.S.O., and a V.C., all on the ground that since England had dishonoured him by fail- ing to honour his provinces, he could not take them in good faith. Then, in l92l, the French took Syria from Fiesalg but Winston Churchill, aided by Lawrence, established Fxiesal firmly on the throne of iraq, with the capital at Bagdad, which be- came the first focus point for national feel- ing among the Arabs. The British' also restored order in Arabia, and set lbor Saud on the throne: and then placed Abdulla, a relation of Fiesal, at the head of the govern- ment of Transjordanlia, thus establishing two more focus points for Arabian nationalism. When this was done, Lawrence felt that his task was complete. ln a letter to Robert Graves, he said, in part: I want you to make it quite clear in your book that .... in my opinion Winston Churchill's settlement has honourably ful- filled our war obligations and my hopes. What a life he had led! He was one of the youngest colonels in the British Army, and had been instrumental in establishing three kingdoms. Yet, incredible as it seems, 55 he was only thirty when Arabian independ- ence was at last wholly achieved. The key to his success was, of course, his character. He had the dynamic personality of a genius, besides being intellectual, sane, and shrewd, even if incalculable. He had a very keen sense of humourg once when he was on patrol in the desert, a British plane flew over and dropped a couple of bombs, fortunately missing. Lawrence sent in a report to Head- quarters, recommending himself for the D.S.O. of the Air Service, for presence of mind in not shooting down a British plane that bombed my patrol. Being independ- ent and strong-willed, he was mercilessly frank, and rather cynical. He was modest, retiring, and very self-critical. He was in- capable of deceit, and the instinctive enemy of sham or hypocrisy. Such men are far too few nowadays. ln l922, he enlisted in the Royal Air Force, under the assumed name of Ross, and quite fell in love with the life. But one of the officers discovered the secret of his identity, and sold it to a newspaper for one hundred and fifty dollars. As a result, he was deluged with publicity, and his pleasant relations with his fellow-privates were destroyed. Fearing that Lawrence would be called an Air Force Spy, the Secretary of State for Air dismissed him in February, I923. He then changed his name to Shaw, and was transferred to the Tank Corps, where, as in the Air Force, he was popular and respected. Here he developed his pas- sion for motor-cycle racing. Each year he used to obtain a next-year's Brough- Superior Motor-cycle from the makers, and ride it to death to report on it. He nick- named his maclmines Boanerges fSons of Thunderlg and it was his chief delight to ride all over the country, cruising fas he called itl at sixty miles per hour. This was to have a tragic sequel later on in his life. During his term in the Tank Corps, and in the early part of his second term in the Air Force, he completed his book, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, of which Revolt in the Desert, published in l927, is a very

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THE TIVIG A Play In One Act Cast Brown-a stationmaster. Thompson Q Sullivan j Two members of the crew of a freight train A police sergeant. Two police constables. V travellers. QThe curtain rises on the interior of a small village railway station in Western Ontario. The time is about 2 a.m- The door to the platform is in the back wall left. On the side wall left is the ticket window and a door into the office. In centre stage right are two waiting-room benches placed fac- ing each other and running at right angles to the audience. There is a radio on a stand in corner. Downstage right Brown, the stationmaster, is seated in his private chair, which he considers more in keeping with the dignity of his odficial position than the common benches, reading a newspaper. Thompson is standing at the open door to the platform looking irritably at his watch from time to time. He is rather good-look- ing, and is dressed in a gray overcoat and bowler hat. Sullivan, who can only be described as low-browish and rather dumb in appearance, is sitting on one of the benches reading a detective magazine. He is wearinga somewhat shabby brown over- coat and gray fedora. At his feet are two large suitcases. j Thomp.-Stationmaster, how late is this train? We've been waiting half an hour now! Brown.-Two hours. Thomp.-Two hours! And what in the world are We supposed to do while we're waiting? Brown CHe always speaks slowly and laz- ilyj.-Well, your friend seems to be solving the entertainment problem easily enough. Thomp--Huh! He lives on that rubbish. Always has two or three in his pocket. Personally I can't read these cheap magazines. Even though I am Amer- ican, I have some respect for English. Sull.-Aw, quit grousin'! No sense gettin' steamed up just because you've got to wait a couple of hours. Thomp.-By the way, since we are going to be together for some time, we might as well introduce ourselves. My-er- friend's name is Sullivan. Mine is Thompson. Brown.-Glad to know you, Mr. Thomp- son, Mr. Sullivan- Brown is my name. I'm inclined to side with you, Mr. Sullivan. About those detective maga- zines, I mean. I find them very enter- taining, particularly in a dull town like this where nothing much happens. Along with the papers they help to pass the time. Thomp.-Raining again. Dash it, what's keeping that train? Brown Qcomfortablyj.-Well, the company can't guarantee its trains to be on time, you know, especially in soupy weather like this. American, you say you are, sir? I didn't know we had any visitors in town. Sull.-Heck, we aren't visitors. We- Thomp. fquicklyj.-No, the fact is we were driving through from Chicago, and our car broke down just as we were leaving this village. The local garage man tells us that it will take a day or more to repair the damage, and we must be in Montreal to-morrow night. Brown.-Well, that's too bad. You were almost out of the town eh? Then you must have come past the station here. The road passes right outside. What kind of car is it?