BRITAIN'S "HOME FRONT"

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22909, 4 January 1940, Page 10

BRITAIN'S "HOME FRONT"

SEVERAL IMPORTANT "BATTLES"

UPHEAVALS IN CIVIL LIFE

DIFFERENCES BUT NO DISUNITY

OTOOM OT7B OWN COBBESPOTTDENT.) LONDON, November 10. Four big "battles" have been waged on the Home Front, as it has now become the habit to refer to wartime Britain. They have been large scale engagements and some have not yet. ended, but are likely to persist. The evacuation scheme has presented the country with a big social problem. Then there has been the onslaught against the Ministry of Information, resulting in the Ministry s staff being halved. The dm of the Billingsgate Battle has died away, but it is being rapidly replaced by a large number of exchanges over A.R.P. More is yet to be heard- about the Ministry of Supply. The Trades Unions are also making several attacks on the Government. _ . \ Although, generally speaking, the evacuation scheme appears to have worked out fairly well on the whole, and most of the evacuated children are happy, many bitter criticisms have been heard. They have been made both by householders receiving the evacuees and the "Vackies themselves to give them their nickname. Many women have already returned to their homes, and about 20 per cent, of the children. Both Sides Complain Householders have complained of unruly and verminous children, spoiled furniture, persecuted farm animals, and killed pets. There are ■ also some well quoted stories of housewives in safe areas whose income has been seriously reduced because their ' own breadwinners have gone into military service and who now find themselves burdened with families who could well afford to supplement the Government subsidy. On the other hand, evacuated mothers have complained of high handedness on the part of the householders. There is also the question of money. There are householders who say that they cannot possibly house and feed two children on 17s a week, ' wbieh is the Government rate. To this " mothers of evacuated children retort, that they kept their whole family in London on less. • .',. ■.V ' +hn Some parents say that besides me Government subsidy they have sent voluntary contributions to help keep their children and that the house- , holders have simply put the money in their .pockets. From the end of last month parents of evacuated children are required to rpay for the maintenance, of their children according to their means. It is calculated that the average cost a week for each of the 750,000 children ■ affected by the scheme is 9s. Parents or responsible persons are invited to pay this sum, which covers lodging;, food and medical attendance. A "legal'maximum of 6s, however, has .been fixed ras the recoverable amount. Miss Florence Horsbrugh, Barliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health, is planning ai campaign, to prevent the return of evacuees. 1 ; It seems that the evacuation scheme is likely to remain a problem "for the » duration." .",".>.• Press Used Us Influence One of the most interesting sidelights of the "battle*: over the Minis- ' try' of Information was the- influence ■ of; the press in bringing about an alteration, and having the position-de-bated in Parliament. Lack, of information and absurdities of censorship caused such anger that..,the. Government wrs obliged to.make changes. A '• return has been made to the prewar system of news /gathering and distribution r. whereby - correspondents attend various ; Government departments and obtain -news-by direct contact, i The : staff of the Ministry has been halved. ; . In the early weeks of the war Empire correspondents sending cable messages chafed under the Ministry's initial system/ Cablegrams, for Aus- ' tralia-ahd New Zealand were often delayed for more than 12 hours; complaints were made by the representatives ._ of all Dominion newspapers. The importance of prompt dispatch did. not • seem to be appreciated by, the Ministry's Staff, the great majority of whom knew nothing at allahout newspaper, work. Censors did not even know the difference in time between ; Australia and New Zealand and Britain. ■'•'';'.. j Facilities for newsgathermg—and the Ministry seemed to have difficulty in discriminating between "news and "history"—have improved, and Porre- . sporidents are how in France and witn The muddle at the MimVstry of Information was repeated in the.ease of the fishing industry. The . BiUingsgate Market was closed and decentralised. The new scheme operated so badly that the market had to be Mr Ernest Bevin, Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, has said of this ill-fated effort: "The union months before made representations to the it, but was completely ignor'-d.. It .was assumed all the time that Labour had • no contribution to make to the efficiency ' and control of the industry. We were j ignored: others carried out their | scheme, with the result that the country was without fish, quite. unnecessarily, and chaos existed. Then, when : - all this- muddle had been made, we in company with the. trawler owners and others were consulted. Pay and A.R.P. . - Another "battle" is proceeding over the -A.R-3V scheme. The question of payment is a big point, and the case "has been reported by.a clergyman of I a man with a private income of £2OOO a year "priding himself ■on having been appointed as air warden at a salary of £3 a week." It is a sore point that some A.R.P- workers are voluntary workers while others are - There is more than-a suspicion that . A.R:P. is a "ramp" in many districts. An instance of this was the question, asked of Sir John Anderson, Home .■■ ■'. Secretary, by Mr Rhys Davies (Labour) -in the Commons last week. - It -in- •; quired whether Sir John knew that m . one town the mayor, town clerk, surveyor, and a large number of the town • council, all being in good jobs, had, appointed each other to paid A.R.F. 'i. posts. Sir John promised to make m- -; Reductions in the number of A.R.P. ; 2 workers throughout the country and a ■ -^'general'reorganisation are •expected,-;.. '■-■■■2 The subject of commandeered hotels be omitted, for many have 7 -■* been the complaints of harsh treat- :•" 3ment, Tor injury inflicted on private and of hardships caused ; by. . ,5 staff dismissals computed to total at least 20,000. Not only;have hotels been ~ - '# eomnaandeered in certain country and > : areas, but inland 'treatment v) * aoas have also been deviated jrom K.fcs|fieir ; customary vocation, and patients' haVe ibeen denied thfeir treatments. _. - ;^^A? pioteßt against what is called, the vSS'iiei.ldeßSs.and inconsiderate'' methods requisitioning hotels for the staffs ?bf Government depart-

ments is made by :the. Hotels and taurants Association, represents more than £ 100,000,000 of capital investedvin hotels and restaurr ants throughout the" country, .;■ The association's ■statement;. follows one, m which the Home, Office expressed rearet for the serious amount .of pupnc inconvenience; caused the taking over, after a brief period of• .warning, and as- a. precautionary,measure^ of a, large number., .of suitable;-.: buildings. The association: declares: : . -.-,, < Businesses Destroyed.-, "Not only have-hotels been commandeered at a few hours', notice with entire disregard for interests of the proprietors whose businesses, built up over a generation, have at a stroke been destroyed,.but large numr bers of guests, in: some.cases invalids, have been - turned out without even being allowed time to find alternative accommodation. The staff have,= equally without r been, left .homeless and without employment. The emergency provides no-excuse, for this reckless and inconsiderate, treatment, nor is there any evidence, as the Home Office announcement statesi that the commandeering of -these hotels. _ was the result of 'very careful consideration:' The Home Office statement offers sympathy for those- whose .activities have been brought to an end,vbut the hotel •' industry' expects - and demands

very .much more/ than":sympathy, .for. the way' in:which it has-been treated.- • Company directors .have protested publicly- against -the large-scale : reaSoriirigVbf >hote£ Government, department. One = bm-. tioned Sir Samuel Hoare appealed to employers not to dismiss workers unless it. was absolutely unavoidable. 'Perhaps me Lord Privy Seal will tell us how th7hotel Si which,, allover the country,- have ;been, commandeered without notice,: can comiSly-Wlth this advice.' : ; - •■•"-.-•■. ■''.';'. \^„^ "At an hour's notice, two of the best arid most profitable of bur hotels were commandeered. Both were occupied almost to capacity; both are known, it is hot too much to say, throughout the world.-Their profits make annually an important contribution, to ;the interest we have to pay -. on approximately £350,000 of 4i per cent, debentures and on £500,000 of 6J per shares, to say, nothing of a contribution 'towards .the dividend .on .the £ 400,000: of. ordinary shares. We have spent, on these two properties, last, two years, upwards of £30,000. m improvements and' in keeping them m first-rate condition. Now, at an hours 1 notice, they, have ceased; to be profitearning entities and.at-the moment are lying unused, with their excellent-staffs perforce dismissed. Even the contents

are taken' away. from - us, - and -we are. given no indication of : what compensation we shall receive." »Contempt Alleged The Ministry of Supply is probably, the Government department -to bear the brunt Of the most bitter criticism of the Opposition ' since . the ' war be-. gan. It is. alleged by Mr Bevin. that Labour had been treated with absolute contempt in this matter. • - Last week the'. Prime Minister, following debates, and discussions, met the General Council of the Trades Union Council.: The position of the Ministry of Supply and many other matters affecting wage-earners were discussed. It was said that the members of the General Council were frankly.pleased with-the Prime. Minister's reception of their views. Employment at ports and the organisation of drivers for motor transports have also been the subject ,of criticism .by the unions. ■ The various "battles'.', listed—several more could be included—dp not mean that there is any national disunity; they are problems which have with the war and are, irritating, ,but not fatal. -"-■ ' -■'.■■ ' .