Mothers Still Reluctant To Evacuate Children

Northern Advocate, 14 September 1940, Page 8

Mothers Still Reluctant To Evacuate Children

LONDON, September 12. In spite of nearly a week of intensive bombing, London’s working-class mothers are still reluctant to co-op-erate in the Government’s and local authorities’ evacuation scheme, says the' “Daily Telegraph." “We expected that a very large jump in the registration would follow the mass air l-aids,” said an official, “but frankly we are disappointed. “It is true, that registration has risen from a jew hundred a week to 1000 a day, but the figure is jar less than we anticipated, because the scheme was ready jor the evacuation oj 250,000 within a few days.” Serious problems are arising from the use of public air-raid shelters in outlying districts of London as nightly dormitories by people living in the severely bombed eastern areas. Shelter Problem. Thousands from the East End and also from the inner eastern suburbs flock every evening into London’s “green-belt," taking blankets, mattresses and food, and fill the shelters when the sirens sound. They sleep as best they can and then go home in the morning. Many of these shelters were intended primarily for pedestrians who might be caught in the street, and not for all-night use. Similar problems have arisen in the West End.

Air-raid wardens say persons tour the in the daytime and select the most comfortable.