1940-08-07 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 7; 1940

CHINA MAIL Stray Thoughts about

WINDSOR HOUSE

AGAINST TYRANNY

Before this

war

broke

out,

land began to realise that she!

The

Greater London.

monster.

If

War

paper

provided

them

with

whatever

they could to make these children happy and comfortable. In many cases a rich bachelor or spinster, who had never been used to hav- ing children with them, offered hospitality to boys and girls with- what out having the least idea kind of children they were.

In

pays the sum of

most people in England thought that once war began London, The warning that Ger-Berlin, Paris and nearly all the many's air force has done important cities of all the belli- immediately gerents would be little more hitherto than destroyed by air raids. Mr. H. G. whose "OUTLINE OF carry out reconnaissance Wells,

HISTORY" has been translated) flights over the British into Chinese and become a very

an emergency like the present one China, The reports in the papers about strictions on the lights in shop they most willingly sacrificed Isles and by Mr. Winston popular book throughout

prophesied in his "THE SHAPE the destruction resulting from air-windows and in motor cars have their own comfort for the sake Churchill that the delay OF THINGS TO COME" that this raids in Spain and China made been slightly lessened, to watch of the nation.

the busy traffic in those. places Many of the school children in launching the Blitz-second Great War would reduce them more nervous.

all the capitals of Europe into However, war was avoided in during a dark night never fails

came from humble familles in krieg must not be con-ruins during the first few days of 1938. But last year, when

the to give me a much more com- the East End of London, and they question of the Free City of Dan-fortable feeling than when I see were sometimes, billeted in rich strued to mean that it the conflict.

In 1938, when Czechoslovakia Zig and the Polish Corridor De-glowing electric lights everywhere and even aristocratic houses in will not be launched are

more around nie. was threatened by Germany and came serious, people once

the country. I know a milkman's felt the tension. By that time I think the only really ugly both timely.

there was every indication that London was more prepared for things in London are the sand-happy in the home of a bishop, daughter who found herself very Hitler is a victorious Herr Hitler meant business, Eng-air-raids than before, and a com- bags and the wooden boards who was equally, happy to have and house owners her. And, on the other hand, Dictator, the master of herself could not possibly avold plete system of balloon barrages which shop

gave further protection to the use to cover their windows and sometimes the hosts and hostesses Europe, and he is unlike-being entangled in the whirlwin more thickly populated parts of other openings in their buildings. were not rich people. The Gov

Before Mr. Neville. Chamberlain ly to be denied now. for went to sign

one ap-The sandbags get dirty, worn out ernment the "peace" pact

proaches a balloon when it is on and broken, and the boards spoil about ten shillings per week per Hitler to with Herr

in want of the effort

Munich, the ground it seems to be a huge the architectual beauty of the child for food and lodgings. It everybody felt as if the day of achieve his aims.

While But when it is floating buildings. judgment was fast approaching high up in the sky, among scores pasted over

strips is scarcely enough when the cost the window panes of living is so high. Yet there Britain does not quake London, of course, is the most of others dotted high above your present a variety of design, sand-has been very little complaint

vulnerable city in England. It is head, you think they look like abags and wooden

boards always and grumbling about it. at the prospect because the biggest city in the world, with

look monotonous. minds have been thrown a population of over 8,000,000

Education must never stop. - JI Apart from these outward signs, wartime London is not very much of education it would be fatal. So evacuation meant the interrüption back to the past and it is people. For the protection of the people, every man, woman, and

different from former days, ex- realised that grave as the child was given a gas-mask by

the school staff's and teachers cept that you do not see so many have gone with the children. In and air raid ✓ position is, this is not the the Government,

playing in shelters were being built every- first time England has where. On the day of the signa

streets. Before the British Gov-many villages and country. places it. has been difficult to find empty ernment entered stood alone against ty- due to speak in Swansea, a than your fist. To see them glit- were evacuated to places of safe-

into war, large buildings where the children could ture of the peace pact in Munich number of silver fish, no bigger numbers of the school children attend their classes. Where there ranny.

city in South Wales. But I

are schools, it has been found was ering in the mild rays of the ty. When the war started in All the other nations of nearly late for the meeting

sun, with the blue sky as a back-China, I was there. Of course, the London school

that the best way is to let the. cause the station and the trains ground. is one of the most won-Government ordered that women

share the class- the continent were Napo-were packed with school children derful sights for an artist. and children should be evacuated, room with the local schools. This. leon's vassals;

often means one school having to his sway being evacuated

Another war-time sight which but our Government was not SO and I had to wait for a later train. I like is the London streets in rich as the British Government the other school uses them in the use them in the morning, while was undisputed and he All the morning the atmosphere the black-out. Since the declar-In London, and in all other big

afternoon, and the keeping seemed invincible; but his resembled that of New Year's Eve

been cities, mothers and children were earlier hours in the morning and downfall-after ten long excited, and trying to make a hur-country must be blacked out so scheme.

in China. Everybody was greatly given that all buildings in the evacuated under a huge national later in the afternoon. Then they You have heard about also go to classes on Saturdays, years of warfare-occur-ried and temporary conclusion o as not to show any light at all the wonderful organization of that

his business. The streets

so as to make up the time. red just 125 years ago.full of people rushing to and fro. During the first few months the cess, but

were through their windows or doors.scheme, which ensured its suc-

perhaps you do

Big houses with spacious rooms How far will history re- Provision stores were doing

theblack-out was

so complete that know that the people who. re-jare often willing to offer the ser- best trade of the year. By the even the street lights were en-ceived these children and their vices of their spare rooms. 'But peat itself?

time 1 arrived. at Swansea

the tirely put out, and the lights in mothers deserve more credit than in cases where no such rooms are A number of parallels news that Mr. Chamberlain

Jouses and

Javailable the school staffs motor cars were so anybody else. occur to thought as Herr secured peace from Herr Hitler much dimmed that to walk in the When the children. arrived at teachers have to rearrange their was announced, and everybody busy London streets during the their destinations, they were bil-duties so that a certain teacher' Hitler aftempts what Na-felt greatly relieved. Though dark nights was a great adven-leted by the reception committee visits so many children. a day. poleon could never ac-imany people said that this

wasture and a sensation. Trafalgar to the homes of whosover would Under.

arrangement, the not a real peace, the majority of Square and Piccadilly Circus, the take them. As the evacuation children have to do a certain complish the invasion the common people were happy two places where normally you was done at very short notice, amount of home work, but when and defeat of England. and satisfied with Mr. Chamber-see illuminated signs displayed on only in very rare cases had there they are visited by the teachers every wall and every building,[been previous negotiations. The they have more personal atten-

b2-

from London,

hád

By S. I, Hsiung,

(of "Lady Precious Stream" Fame).

ation of war orders have

children

the

side

not

this

Britannia is still mis-lain's policy. My meeting, how-

ever, on account of the news became two completely different hosts and hostesses accepted their tion than they could have. in

tress of the seas. Euro- proved to be a failure. The 2-places. pean ports are still block-ditorium was half empty, and the Chairman openly declared that he the

aded, just as they were in was greatly disappointed at Napoleon's day. The smallness of the audience, though

(he' said he would not preach at i Reich-Soviet treaty Of those who came about those who non-aggression is tant-did not come.

I think that under such círcum- that

the tension was high, and war

amount to the famous stances it was only natural Treaty of Tilsit which people should not like to come to Bonaparte and Alexander meetings to hear lectures. When signed on a raft in the seemed inevitable, I asked some of my friends what they were middle of the Niemen

going to do, and their reply was River in June, 1807. This invariably that at such a time it to. do anything removed the Russians as was impossible

except go into a public house and Napoleon's foes.

have a drink. Now that peace

Governments changed had been temporarily secured, it was only logicel that they should in Napoleonic times, too. go into the public house again Britain swung from Pitt and have another drink!

The distribution of gas-masks to Addington, back to to the public, the digging of alr Pitt, and on to still others raid precaution trenches in public Iplaces, and the evacuation of during the years from school' children were undoubtedly 1805 to 1815, the days of the best possible steps to protect the First Empire. There Though I have been through doz were charges of muddlingens of air-raids in China, and

cari consequently

remain quite! even then of lack of

calm in an emergency, the people foresight, stupidity. in England could not but be Napoleon's vassals rose somewhat alarmed at the signs of coming invasion from the air. in rebellion, formed new

the civilians in case of war.

armies, frequently at- very real. Yet Britain tacked him; to-day the hopes, with its own air opportunities for revolt force plus replenishments and rearming on the con- from America, to combat tinent obviously are lim-what undoubtedly will be ited, since transportation the most furious assault and communication fac-from the air that the ilities are so highly per-world has yet witnessed. fected. Still, there remain Will Europe ever again Africa and the British be free? The answer must| Isles as bases for the be, Yes. The downfall of building of an overwhelm-force will come by force; ing force to overcome the for this is the very nature aggressors.

of force: to stir up ele- While Hitler, like Napo-ments which assure its leon after Trafalgar, has own destruction. Europe no fleet, he has, a power- to-day is too enlightened, ful aviation arm, and the too advanced, to remain threat to British naval quiescent under a dicta- bases from this source is tor's heel.

Even now, when the re- young guests good heartedly, and class.

AT HITLER'S SHOULDER! BY LOW-

of

and