The Evening Star THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1940. AIR RAID SHELTERS.

Evening Star, Issue 23745, 28 November 1940, Page 8

The Evening Star THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1940. AIR RAID SHELTERS.

The strongest feature of Groat Britain s air raid precautions is said to be that which was organised to meet the first brunt of an attack. Apart from the construction of the finest fighter planes in the world and the speedy manufacture and emplacement of anti-aircraft guns, much has been accomplished in the direction of alleviating the suffering of wounded persons and minimising the effect of incendiary bombs. When bombs have fallen on, houses wardens have hastened to the spot, fire services have functioned well, first aid parties have attended to the wounded, and the police have, with their customary coolness. performed seeming miracles in maintaining order and directing traffic. It is well known, moreover, how gallantly the task of disposing of delayaction bombs has been carried out. In London, the largest city and until recently the main objective of Goering’s destroyers, most of the emergency measures have proved decidedly efficient, and the authorities have every reason to congratulate themselves on their achievements. Recent cablegrams, however, throw out more than a hint that the question of shelter provision has not been adequately envisaged as largely a problem of finding means for the continuance as far as possible of work during raids and of ensuring rest and reasonable comfort and sense of security at night.

It is not a pretty picture that ‘ The Times,’ basing its strictures on a report by Lord Border, conjures up. The shelters, it ’appears, are usually overcrowded. and in some cases lack all sanitary provision. The most appalling of these shelters—fortunately they are the exception to the general rule—are notorious for stench, filth, vermin, and darkness. It is small wonder that the doctors arc being worried lest epidemics should become rampant during the approaching winter, when the vitality and power of resistance of the people will be lower. Now that the city is taking stock of itself, and the conditions under which a large proportion of the inhabitants live are being given full publicity, it is likely that the Government will take a stronger stand in enforcing the evacuation of women and children to rural areas. London, and, indeed, all the big towns in England where industrial districts abound, are in the front line of hostilities, and can hardly be regarded as places for others than those who must remain to keep the war effort in all its ramifications going at full blast. Whatever difficulties are attached to billeting still more women and children in the country dispersal of the denser population is surely preferable to the risk of death and disease in congested quarters where the bombs are falling most thickly.

The ‘ Spectator ’ summarises the needs of the hour when, speaking of London, it declares: “ London as the great nerve centre of Britain is functioning. and will continue to function, but those who control operations there, public or private, must fully face the question of decentralisation, so far as is compatible with efficiency, and of providing the best possible conditions of work in the capital for those whose task will keep them there. There is need for quick thinking, elasticity, the abandonment of red tape for the immediate present, and of long-range planning to cope with the conditions of cold and darkness under which destruction will bo rained from tbc sky during the winter.” What applies to London should bo made to apply to all the cities now receiving unwelcome attention from the raiders. Improvements to' the shelters are being carried out as rapidly as possible, but there is no doubt that the whole problem—certainly the problem of congestion—would be eased if mothers would all realise that the presence of themselves and their children in the cities is a hindrance to the general war effort. Mr Malcolm MacDonald recently announced that there had even been cases of babies being born in shelters. It may bo taken for granted that, in the light of the warnings from the medical profession and outcries from various other sources, the Government will now stiffen its attitude towards people who adopt an air of false pride in announcing their decision to slay in or near their city homes.