OUR LONDON LETTER

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21821, 26 November 1940, Page 6

OUR LONDON LETTER

Hopes Behind The Nazi Lines Compensation For War Damage (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, September 30. More urgent activity nearer home has lately left the British public no time for “wishful thinking” about what is going on in the conquered countries behind the Nazi lines. It is early yet to talk of anything like an organised movement against the Germans. But in the opinion of many well-informed neutral observers the tide has now definitely sec in that direction. Until a few weeks ago the majority of people in these countries, from Norwav to France (to say nothing of the Balkans), certainly believed that Germany would win. Whatever their sympathies, commonsense and selfpreservation told them to sit tight and make the best bargain they could with the Nazis. To-day in the same countries public opinion probably believes there is about a 50-50 chance of a British victory. In some circles the odds are put even higher than that. The Next Step Two factors are responsible for this change of opinion. One is that Nazi propaganda has overreached itself. Its exaggerated boasts led the neutrals to expect a swift German victory after the collapse of France. This victory having failed to materialise, they are now distrustful not only of Nazi boasts but also of Germany’s invincibility. The other factor in the swing-over of neutral opinion is, of course, the R.A.F. British fighters' success in beating off wave after wave of the aerial attack on London has proved better propaganda than all the leaflet-drop-ping and broadcasting. So the ball has been set rolling. The Nazi-con-quered countries always hoped for a British victory. Now they begin to believe it possible. Soon they will believe it inevitable. Then they will take action to help Britain win it. What the King Said to Mr Churchill The bombing of Buckingham Palace has recalled a story of the last war, when the people rallied as they do now to a well-loved King. Mr Churchill and King George V. were discussing the question of “blacking-out” the streets around the Palace. “Of course,” remarked Mr Churchill with a smile, “it would have a very stimulating effect on the people if a bomb fell on Buckingham Palace.” “No doubt," replied the King, “but It would have a very depressing effect on me.” Trade and the Raids For nearly a year many traders grumbled at the compulsory insurance of their stocks against war damage. They paid their premiums—but no air raids came. Now that the raids have come with a vengeance some merchants are faced with different worries. Exporters are among those who have had their stocks destroyed. Their problem is that, while insurance can provide cash, it cannot immediately replace goods. Hence markets abroad may be lost by the delay. All traders, whether their customers are at home or overseas, are anxious for a speeding-up of compensation payments. Many work on a narrow margin of capital and cannot accept new orders if they are kept waiting for cash compensation. The interval between air raid damage and payment of compensation may be as much as seven weeks. This is partly because assessors are too busy to keep pace with the demand on their services. Another reason is that damaged buildings are sometimes unsafe, so that assessors cannot approach to make their survey. More Boys are Bom The curious but well-known wartime phenomenon of more boys being born than girls is again manifesting itself. The proportion during the past three months has been 1140 boys to 1000 girls. Normally the number of girlbabies is greater than the number of boys. The popular belief is that Nature, in some mysterious way, is redressing the balance and making up for the loss of the young men who are being killed in the war. A more scientific theory is that war increases the masculinity of men, making the husband more often the dominant partner in marriage. Since the stronger sex tends to reproduce itself, more boys are born than in peace-time. From Neckties to Parachutes One of Birtain’s lesser industries is in trouble. The silk manufacturers of Cheshire and Lancashire are faced with the realisation that theirs is a luxury output which now has to be cut down in the national interest. But silk manufacture is a highly specialised and often hereditary craft, and many workers fear they will lose their only possible means of livelihood if production is stopped. A suggestion now under consideration is that the mills which have been famous for their silk neckties and shirting should be turned over to the manufacture of silk parachutes for the R.A.F Providential Mouse Almost every Londoner has a “narrow escape"-story to tell. One of the best (and a true one) is about a young engaged couple who were walking home from a dance one night when the sirens sounded. The man hurried his fiancee to the nearest shelter, which happened to be the crypt of a church. They had not been there long when the girl gave a scream. A mouse had run out of a corner. Faced with this new peril, she insisted on going home at once. In vain the young man urged the dangers of the open street: his fiancee declared that nothing could be worse than sheltering in company with a mouse. So the couple left the shelter and walked on. They had not been

gone many minutes when a bomb scored a direct hit on the crypt. Exams, as Usual To the sorrow of hundreds of schoolchildren, matriculation examinations are among the activities which are being carried on as usual, in spite of air raids. Since many candidates sit down to their papers after half-sleepless nights, it is to be hoped that the examiners will not set too severe a standard this year. One candidate arrived at a London examination centre without his admission card. It had been burned with his home the night before. He was asked for his address. He had not got one. Another examinee arrived wearing a steel helmet dented by a shell fragment. He had spent the night on duty as an A.R.P. messenger. A Military Objective The once popular pastime of listening to the German radio has practically died out. But those who do still find entertainment by tuning in occasionally to Berlin were rewarded with a hearty laugh the other evening. The Nazi news bulletin announced that “in the raid on London our airmen bombed the suburb of Random.” It seems that the Germans look to the English papers for their news but their knowledge of the language is not quite equal to translating “bombing at random.”