POST-WAR SLUMMING

Evening Star, Issue 17926, 23 March 1922, Page 10

POST-WAR SLUMMING

[From Our Own Correspondent,] LONDON, February 2. Tho curious life led by what is known as “London Society,” like the fife led by tho workaday world, seems to be improving in a way that is heartening to tho more seriously-minded, who, before August, 1914, had grave doubts as to the future. The rest augusta domi explains much. Now that bad times have affected even the deep purses of the profiteers, entertainment, both public and private, is more in accord with tho mood of the times. But tho spirit has also changed. There is a notable seriousness in the outlook. concealed, it may be, under a superficial flippancy, and a real desire to b,e of service.

To take an illustration. “Shimming” nowadays is no mere passing society fad, as it frequently was in the past, but is the expression of-a settled mood, a sort of modified Socialism. A visit to the East End and the stories to be heard there of the work done by volunteers from Belgravia and Mayfair—and male volunteers at that—are guaranteed to astonish and please tho visitor. In my own case, in one of the so-called hostels near Commercial road, which axe nothing but tramp shelters, I came across a well-known Government departmental chief tending to and binding tho feet of the poor homeless wretches as they came in. It was by no means a pleasant task, but he bad been devoting a night a week to Jt for months, . , ,