Practice Air Raid Warning

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20034, 5 September 1939, Page 7

Practice Air Raid Warning

LONDON’S BALLOON BARRAGE Eight Million Frenchmen Under Arms CONJECTURE AS TO AID TO POLAND Germany Seemingly To Carry On Conflict Alone (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sopt. 4, 3 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 3. A perfect summer day after a midnight rainstorm of tropical intensity accompanied by fierce flashes of lightning •marked England’s entry into the war. This mornings air raid warning, which later proved to have been- unnecessary, reinforced by occasional police whistles brought everyone to attention and afforded valuable practice in donning gasmasks and seeking shelters expeditiously. But there was not. t.ie slightest sign on panic. Residents emerged into the streets immediately the all-clear signal was sounded and subsequently sunned themselves in parks and gardens or watched the world’s greatest city steadily preparing for eventualities under its corona of silvery balloons of war. Police and air. raid units everywhere arc calmly ready for what might befall, the steadiness of the instructional broadcasts which followed the address of the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, tending to reassure everybody. All telephones are working normally. Reports from Paris state that the rear- zone of the Maginot line lias been completely evacuated of civilians. The French army, numbering over 8,000,000 men, has been moved to positions. Just where and bow Britain and France are going to Poland’s aid is a military secret. France is tense and calm. It is stated that the reason France did not act simultaneously with Britain is explained by the .fact that the French forces, being nearer to Germany, could go into action faster, Britain needing a few hours to mass her fighting strength. French circles said to-day that it appeared that Germany might be fighting alone. Regarding Italy, diplomats in Paris said that there was still a game to be played out there. The Polish Ambassador, in an interview in London, said that apart from the declaration made in the British Parliament and apart from contradictory reports published in the press, the Polish Government had no knowledge of a five-Power conference to settle the German-Polish conflict, as the Italian Government did not approach Poland.