Arthur V. Dias who died 37 years ago on July 31st is remembered as a nationalist, patriot, social reformer, philanthropist, environmentalist and an ardent campaigner against alcohol, smoking and beef eating. His foresight about the future of this country was far ahead of his times.

During the riots of 1915 he was one of the stalwarts who was sent to jail by the British along with D. S. Senanayake, F. R. Senanayake and Sir Baron Jayatilake. At the time he was the father of two daughters. He wrote to his wife from jail and told her that it was unlikely that he would come out of jail alive. He urged her to see that his daughters learnt the Sinhala language. He told her that Sinhala would be the language of the future in Ceylon.

Fortunately, his death sentence was commuted for life and later he was released from jail.

He was born into a wealthy family and he could have lived in the lap of luxury and led a comfortable life and became part of the favoured elite of the British colonists. But he chose to stand up for the country's freedom ,the preservation of its religion, culture and language. Like many of the brave patriots of that period he put his life and fortunes on the line.

His father was Jeromias Dias and his mother was Selestina Rodrigo, the matriarch who built Visakha Vidyalaya in Bambala-pitiya for Buddhist girls. It is ironic that his family amassed their massive wealth from arrack renting as did many prominent Panadura families.

But as Arthur Dias grew into adulthood, he stood on the frontline to destroy the base of that fortune. But of course, his family did channel that wealth into investments in tea, rubber and coconut plantation.

It is said that it was he who persuaded his mother Selestina Rodrigo, who ran the family fortunes after his father's early death to distance herself from the arrack business.

Jak trees
He was well known for this temperance activities as he was known for his campaign to grow jak trees. He was affectionately known as 'Kos Mama'. But this was not an ecoentric predilection for one kind of popular food item. It was part of his campaign for the resurrection of the Sri Lankan culture (now severely under threat), life styles and food habits. He campaigned as ardently to prevent the slaughtering of cattle for beef.

Grow more trees, more fruit trees, he urged people. The government appreciated his efforts and when Sir John Kotelawala was Minister of Mommuni-cations, Arthur Dias was given free postage facilities to distribute his packets of jack seeds and his literature.

He led a simple life, Discarding western dress he donned the cloth and the banian and urged people to love their country, and respect its culture and religion. When he came out of jail he started a newspaper with some of his friends called 'Swadesha Mitrya' devoted to cultural emancipation. He was one of the first persons to write his cheques in Sinhala

Generous
He knew the value of Buddhist education — that it was the kay to the revival and survival of Buddhist culture and religion. He was extraordinarily generous in his contribution both in cash and energy for the furtherance of Buddhist education.

While his mother established and built up Visakha Vidyalaya in Bambalapitiya, Arthur Dias helped other schools. When P. De. S. Kularatne found Ananda College in dire straits for lack of funds it was Arthur Dias who came to his aid. He wrote a cheque for Rs. 20,000 and then raised Rs. 10,000 from each of persons like F. R. Senanayake, Dr. W. A. De Silva, Domingo Dias etc.

He was a philanthropist who gave contributions generously to schools like Ananda, Nelanda, Dharmapala and Dharmasoka colleges.

When independence came he was somewhat disillusioned and disappointed at the direction in which the country was moving culturally and its slavish imitation of the west. He complained to D. S. Senanayake about this. Throughout his life he was a committed nationalist, expounding his beliefs in the national culture, language and the simple life.

The planting of the jack tree about which he became famous was a symbol of those convictions. Whatever he engaged in, he did so in the firm belief in the rightness of those activities for the public good.

He had no use for public honours. He was offered a knighthood by the then governor Sir Henry Caldecott. He refused it. Later he refused a senatorship too. His public spiritedness was its own reward.

by a Special Correspondent

Millicent Karunaratna hits a century

In these days of cricket and more cricket what better than cricket parlance to say, "Happy Birthday" to Millicent Gertrude Karunaratna.

formerly of Aluthmawatha Walauwa, Mutwal - now resident in Ratmalana.

Born on 31st July, 1898 she’s surely one of Sri Lanka’s matriarchs - yet batting on the turf - not out.

Millicent, affectionately Milla to her family, waxes eloquent about abandoning school at the young age of 13 years to nurse and tend to the needs of her bedridden mother and an ailing father. As tradition would have it , she, being the eldest daughter, gave up schooling and recalls this not as a sacrifice but as a sacred duty

She bursts into her favourite quotation, referring to the fourth commandment in the Bible, "Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth Thee,’She goes on further to say that this is the only commandment of the ten commandments which holds out a promise by God.

Milla is the eldest daughter and the only surviving member in a family of five boys and three girls. Her father, Richard Isaac Weerasekere was Interpreter Mudliyar of the Supreme Court. Milla says that he was the first Sinhala Graduate and cites a stone engraving to this effect in the premises of St. Thomas’ College, Mutwal - the College that was later sited "by the sea" at Mount Lavinia. Richard Isaac was awarded a scholarship to follow a Course of studies leading to the academic status of Barrister-at-Law. He could not keep the promise of his youth due to the misplaced affection of a doting father who feared the waves would claim his son and heir.

As for her mother Lilian Lilberta Perera who was the daughter of Mudliyar Valentine Perera of Aluthmawatha Walauwa, Mutwal and of Agnes Engeltina Fonseka of Katukurunda,Kalutara.

Milla sacrificd in leaving school paid off as it contributed no doubt to the achievements of her siblings. Her brother, Vivian, entered Medical College only to have a young life cut short by the then dreaded "three days fever." Her second brother, Hugh was the founder of Ceylon Insurance Company. Erick, the fourth in line, joined the Marketing Department and Money, entered the noble profession joining the tutorial staff of De Mazenod College, Kandana.

Roland despite the handicap of having one leg amputated in a car accident at the age of nine years, remained no burden to society. While sister May died very young, sister Louise was a celebrated Elocution Teacher with F.T.C.L. qualification. Her silver tongue earned her a Gold Medal at the Y.M.C.A. Lincoln Memorial Oratorical contest held in the year 1965. She was then only 62 years young and the only female contestent among several men. But for Milla’s early sacrifice, these siblings may probably not have made it as they did.

Milla married the dashing young Muhan-diram of the Salpiti Korale who was also Acting Colombo Mudliyar - Felix Arthur Mendis Karunaratna had lost his first wife - Milla’s own cousin, Daisy Perera of Ragama Walauwa, Ragama and at the age of 30, already had two daughters by her. Milla herself had three daughters by her marriage to Felix. The eldest of her three daughters died two months ago. Milla lived much of her 100 years with her youngest daughter and son-in-law at Ratmalana, who sustain her by their care and affection and certainly also by the inimitable humour of her son-in-law who keeps her laughing gas topped up with the hilarity he exudes so naturally.

When one asks the grand old lady -"Milla Milla, where have you been?"- she truthfully says "I have been to Queen’s House to see no Queen. She’s been there to see the Governors Manning and Caldecott. In the old colonial days this was indeed a rare privilege to meet the Head of State in the Prime State House.

Hitting the century, Milla is cheerful and happy and in perfect health. She is very alert in mind as well. She is a worshipper of Almighty God, such worship, she believe is spring of long life. When Milla is asked how long more she is going to bat, she says, "Until Jesus calls me to my eternal rest."

She celebrated her birthday yesterday July 31 with those who love and care for her at a celebration of praise and worship unto her God at her daughter’s home in Ratmalana.

Happy Birthday, Milla - and may God continue to shower his blessings on you!

(A relative who loves her.)

Appreciation
Nihal Weeratunge

Uncle Nihal why are you no more,
Suddenly from us you decided to go;
With you there was always fun,
We wandered o'er land and roamed with the sun.

Nature was your maker; searching eagerly,
Boat on sea and camps with fire, prancing dandily;
Scenes to capture, there was rapture, night or day to see,
There was all, we can recall, didn't we just love it all.

You the singer, not the song,
The joyous breeze that swept the throng,
The youthful days not so, so long,
It was the "Crest", what went wrong?

Loving you we will recall,
The joy you gave to us all,
"Uncle Nihal", friend to all,
Rest in peace, from us all.

Travice and The Boys

A. J. Wilson's remarks on Sir Oliver

When I read A. J. Wilson's not so complimentary remarks on Sir Oliver, even now it seems, he is paying the penalty which Professor E. F. C. Ludowyk so aptly put.

Sir Oliver paid the penalty for superior powers of mind, which cause a continual reproach in self esteem of small persons."

To my mind more important persons such as Sir Ivor Jennings, Sir Charles Jeffries, and Professor Ludowyk have given their opinions on Sir Oliver, and Wilson's cheap gibes cannot detract from these laudatory statements.

S. W. Perera