1941-02-11 — Page 7

CHINA MAIL The War In The North

"WINDSOR. HOUSE

DOUBTFUL ASSET

Of course the North has had it pretty badly. That is obvious to communiques. anyone from the

Few days pass without reports of ralds on Merseyside, "North-

long West" or "North-East" towns orr

the South-West" or "South-East" of Scotland, all emcially vague but generally identifiable, keep

on

like

pan into the fire, at least out of

London

it,

Reassuring

Britain

off.

men and other waterproofing agents?

In Liverpool, the surface shel- ters are "well-patronised," but I have seen enough samples of ma- terials used in the structure of some of them to know that many

condemned. In

Glasgow contro-

I took a detached was given details of

us we used to think rather proud of the way they had of them ought to be, and must be, of the Siege of Madrid-something behaved under bombs. I was able

to say that they had been bombed' versy rages over deep shelters. The magnificent but some way

are not

to confined That is a matter for concern. With and how well they had dealt with exponents

For from it. It is rather nice the Communists. the lesson of London before them, their homeless, local authorities must imagine the because, although it was a case of Personally, I did not mean to get worst and then add a margin to organisation, the spirit is neigh-embroiled.

bourliness. Everybody, including view. the officials, seems to know every- "work done" and "work in hand," body

by cise

their Christian but what

impressed me a great names. It comes in useful in find-deal more was direct observation. I ing homes. The Billeting Officer | know is not billeting; he is finding new homes and furnishing them, with the matey cooperation of the As- sistamer Board officials and help of the Mayor. Mr. | Egan, who had got hold of furm- ture and stored it throughout the town. The offleer knows his peo- ble well enough to say. "Oh. Mysie couldn't go to Such-and-Such o Street, she'd not get on with Mrs. But he'd be all right Brown. alongside Mrs. Sinith."

77

Manchukuo has ceased to be one of the world's key news centres. Information from this recurring.

So a tour of the bombed areas Japanese dependency is of the North might seem scanty and usually unim-jumping, if not out of the frying I portant. But an attentive the fire into the frying pan.

that study of the Japanese can honestly say, however,

missed the only night's sleep 1 press, which is still frank-through raids during a fortnight's

Most of what I found was reas- er and more informative tour of investigation for the "Daily

The

for arrangements Herald" was when London was be-suring.. than that of the European ng heavily bombed. That was dealing with the homeless, one of preoccupations, in each totalitarian states, shows because I stayed up all night in

the Manchester effice keeping in place were cartainly encouraging,

not even economically touch with my colleagues who hid although nowhere,

on that this

Merseysule, had they been put to backward country has me to ground" in London up- been driven too hard by word its Japanese military mas-"trimmings," which would disturb a seasoned campaigner like my- ters, with the result that se "seasoned" that is, by be- serious inflationary symp- ing in London during the first five toms have appeared and the most trying suit of the

curtail was the ordeal of travel ten а considerable

hours from Euston to Manchester, ment of ambitious pro-and fourteen hours from Man- duction plans for the cur-chester to Glasgow. And in P.A.C. Officer, made the arrange ther case was the delay due to rent year has been neces- enemy action. They first was caused by the runaway luggage barrow which derailed an express

sary.

Her termic bombardment

warnings but without

weeks of the Blitzkrieg,

There the

Indeed

By Ritchie Calder

the same

were,

in desperate tests as London. Nor had the plans, which admirable, scrutiny, uti tintr been improved in the light

London's experience. Liverpool, | galvanised by the dynamic per-

sonality of Mr. Molyneux,

train and in the other a wayward Waggon which broke loose.

its

ments, which I saw, eighteen manths ago. Just as the A.R.P. services have their control-rooms, so has the Liverpool wellare ser-

the

the

entrances to tall

Lenement

and the Glasgow slums the

tenements working-class" pretty well and, without official escort, I went to see for myself. The conclusions were disturbing. W. Baffle walls at the open mouths of

buildings do not seein good enough the to me. Even if I accepted

I safety-factor,

know these "closes" on a winter's night and I would no more shelter in them. than in a refrigerator. Alternative surface shelters seemed far fromn ndequate,

Manchester and Glasgow both have highly developed and well- conceived organisations for deal- ing with the homeless, Both had been planned well ahead. But the which I have

vices. The "control" is in a sub-finest rest centre

terranean office, linked to the other services so that an "incident" is immediately notified, and to its centres for dealing with the home less throughout the city. In it hangs an "Operations Map" with multi-coloured studs marking the sites of the various

area offices. rest centres and auxiliary centres, any

one of which can be called instantly into action.

Manchukuo is a pivotal partner in the so-called yen bloc, the other mem- bers being Japan itself

Almost as trying was the effort and the occupied North to avoid seeming callous and un- kind. It is not easy to tell people China. Early in the year who have had repeated raids that, the Japanese Government by comparison with London, they know what boinbing worked out a plan for in-carcely

mcans. Yet that is true of every vesting 1,200,000,000 yen part of the North which I visited. Even Merseyside, which has pass- there in 1940. In return ed its 200th raid and which next the most heavily Manchukuo was to con- to London, is centrate on coal, steel and bombed part of the country, can- not be compared with anything in

Its

raids have been power industries, all cap-London,

mainly during the past 10 weeks. able of serving military yet I question whether the total to increase damage of the cities and towns of ends, and shipments of coal, iron, the Mersey is a third of that in any one of the riverside boroughs, farm products to Apart from extensive fire damage

warehouses in one part Liverpool, which was restricted by the fire-services and which cer- tainly had few dislocating effects, dispersed the bombs have been and as usual, working-class dis- tricts have suffered, But a col-

act league in Liverpool had to as a guide to enable me to find the damage and, because clearance rapid of debris had been more and thorough than in London, to provide the hot meals. tell me what was bomb-destruc- tion and what was normal demoli-

and Japan.

to

of

one

of

|

seen was in Newcastle. It is ask- ing almost too much but I wish it could be the model for the other parts of the country. It started off with the advantage of being the palatia) mansion finance magnate, with solid walls might have been built to

that

of a coal-and-

withstand a siege. Its stately,

Glasgow Sleep

and

I was even

on

climb streets

down them.

Glasgow is a city of indispen- sable workers. They need sleep. all- Where will they get it if night raids start? They them- setves will tell you "in oor beds." Lots of us vowed that once. I was

gow are impossible. told that deep shelters in Glas-

rock." So I went to my friends told that the City was built on the geologists. Glasgow, they as- sured me, is largely built "drumlins." little hills of boulder clay. Tenement steeply up ballroom has been set panelled aside as the dining-hall ("refec-Lanarkshire has miners. Scotland has brilliant mining engineers, tory" would be more apt) for the homeless. Other rooms have been I think there is a job for them. converted into cheerful bedrooms, filled with inviting truckle beds. In case "H.Q." should be bomb- There are showers and hot baths.

alive and Edinburgh 1 found ed this control room is reproduced Every room has a coal fire (im- alike for cooking und

problem, al- alert on the shelter in, and synchronised with, four portant

heating) but hot-water bottles are though with a lot to do. It is, like other Area H.Q.'s,

city of tall, solidly Glasgow, which

take provided. The capacious cellars would immediately

stone buildings. Some of built over. Each of these Area H.Q.s is and vaults have been turned into heated by the

three hundred them have stood equipped with emergency stores air-raid shelters,

the central-heating

But Edinburgh of blankets, bedding, food and so hot pipes of

Newcastle goes

on the years and more.

has houses built on steep slopes the on, even to baby's feeding-bottles system.

principle of getting well as with sound and diapers, as ecoking facilities (not forgetting homeless out of the Rest Centres and, consequently to reach street as soon as possible into homes or level they have as many as three could be ac- ho:billets. That is wise, because of layers of cellars. It is estimated

the risks and the discomforts of that 80,000 people

But I commodated in one kind of base- the average Rest Centre,

for workers should not worry unduly about ment or another. To provide dor- those who might, by unforeseen mitory deep-shelter

a stretch of deep railway tunnel is Caves on the being taken over. outskirts are likely to be convert- ed and as far as I could judge, the authorities would be open-mind- That kind of house is not founded to any deep-shelter suggestion,

to close

bombed conveniently working-class areas as a rule, but in outer they are to be found suburbs of towns, relatively safe, It is Newcastle, however, which and lending themselves to adapta- deserves the merial. Without wait- tion. Since it is so essential to getting for grants it provided for 241⁄2 soon as possible, why not trans-in which, as Embleton said: "You people clear of a bombed area as miles of admirable deep shelter, such as that tunnel was a "gift." It was a coal- Centres to hostels one, assuming similar shelter ac-haulage way, 60 to 80 feet under- fer people from "Front Line" Rest can walk to safety." True, that

commodation?

That is

field kitchens in case the gas or

supplies tail) and electric containers for transport. in case any of the food and rest centres, equipped and provision- ed in the same way, should ever centras over-taxed or new be should have to be called into com- kitchens Corporation mission.

Neither side, however, was able to live up to the terms of this bargain. The Japanese capital market is so choked with issues of war bonds that it proved impossible to raise the

No Grapes Of Wrath projected amount for in- vestment in Manchukuo, tion.

Finding homes or billets not, so far, presented any difficul- and exports from Man- chukuo to Japan fell off

. From a record which I have lies and if they should arise Liver- instead of increasing. This seen of the number of bombs drop- pool is prepared to meet them by was partly because Japan-ped in Scotland during 13 months drastic requisitioning. But I was of war, including the attacks on encouraged to find that Liverpool does realise that the homeless ese monopolistic control of Scapa Flow, I should say that farm products has dis-it is not as great as the total for are casualties and require as kind- any week in London since Sep-ly handling as though they had couraged production and tember 7th. Newcastle, as one of lost a limb instead of a home. The partly for lack of neces-

Officers go to them and there are sary raw materials.

Scotland's Quota

ficial there put it, has scarcely

even been dented" despite per- sistent attempts.

has

Assistance Board and Billeting

no "Grapes of Wrath" wanderings from one department to another.

reasons, be stranded there. They would be comfortable and safe.

Rest Centres

Newcastle Medal

1

new

ground. The City converted it. And it would not acquire parti- cular merit for doing something so obvious, if it had not shown real imagination as well. As for Manchester it is still at

Another main concern was the For example, there is a culvert, Another retarding fac-

the "gather-round-boys-and-hear-

shelter-problem. And in most carrying a stream for three-quar- tor in the progress of about-my-bomb" stage. Any bomb

places I found cause for misgiving.ters of a mile underground. It is within a mile is a "near-shave"

ત spacious culvert. Newcastle of the finest Manchukuo is the grow-and when I told them that in Lon-

My heart warmed to Mr. Moly- Until people have experience of

the need for turned it into one trend.don we wore lapel-buttons with neux, the official who acts righte-all-night raids,

of flooring it ing inflationary

very forcibly. Once they the simple device Official figures usually "I'm not interested in your bomb" ously first and argues financially dormitory shelters does not come deep shelters in the country-by

on it they took it not as a joke but afterwards. And it warmed, too, home than as an insult. Indeed the only place to Capt. Embleton, Chairman of have to contemplate the possibility over well above spate level. And understate rather

I have sensed the Newcastle A.R.P. committee of spending a freezing winter's the result is a commodious, clean, exaggerate unfavourable where, so far,

anxiety was in Manchester. There and Deputy Controller. To Capt. night in an Anderson, a surface naturally ventilated, well-lit, well- financial and economic was certainly none in Liverpool, Embleton, Newcastle owes its "Re- or a basement shelter, people be equipped shelter, capable of sleep-

lief Officers:" These are those gin to understand lots of things ing thousands. developments. But on the for instance, where the people are

as solid and as stolid about the "Welfare Officers" (as, I prefer to which have happened in London, call them) who, I have suggest Everywhere in the North there is basis of Manchukuo offi-raids as they are in London.

In Glasgow, I was introduced cd, should move into the scene of agitation about deep shelters. The cial figures one learns

as "an unkilted member of the the bombings alongside the "In- Communists are "cashing in" and, Officers" wito direct the of course, rousing all kinds of that the wholesale price London Scottish, just back from cident index in Hsinking, the the front line" and found that, at A.R.P. Services. They gather up political resistances.

public dinners they were coupling the homeless, make them feel be- capital of the new state, with the toast of the Army, Navy friended and cared for, tell them

Most ordinary people in the has more than doubled and Air Force "and the people of exactly what can and will be London." But I found too that they done for them; in the way of find- between 1936 and 1940, were thinking of the Battle of ing new homes, geiting compen-North and in Scotland would

sation and so on, and take them, swear by their "Andersons" if they duration while the cost of living in]

by coach if need be, to the Food did not have cause to swear at A mine “drift" is being convert-" But in Manchester, for ed, to provide deep shelter for Hsinking has more than sources in capital and and Best Centres. The need for them.

such officers was. SO forcibly instance, I found women baling workers who need dormitory ac- doubled between 1937 and material are so heavily lustrated by the hapless people out the water preparatory to bed-commodation. 1940.

mortgaged for the war in who were left wandering among ding down their children for the that I felt sure that Newcastle bucketfuls out of her's. In many. One of Japan's contri- China. And, while there the ruins of their London homes, night. One woran took over 40 butions to genuine well have been no recent re- had taken the lesson from them. cases I found that the shelters bad But no, the system had been in been sunk into the land-drainage being in Manchuria, a ports of major political existence for months before Lon- ducts or with complete disregard

for the obvious nature of the soiling facilities, but it has, also The clamour, including deputa used its brains. stable currency, has thus unrest in Manchukuo, don was heavily bombed.

Resent Anonymity tions to the Corporation and the What I have tried to impress been sacrificed to military the nationalist discontent

"ambush" of Sir Horry Haig, the upon everyone whom I have Commissioner, by women when talked to in the North is that the he visited a housing estate, is for lesson of London has to be learned been of those anonymous proper water-proofing. The ex-quickly or it will be learned tragi- cuse is, as always, lack of cement.cally. The Battle of London is folks had resented it; they were But what about tarmac and bity only a phase in the wider Battle

·

and industrial expansion. of its Chinese population Switching back to Merseyside, Effective development of can only be aggravated by Birkenhead, until my visit, had Manchukuo seems impos- a shaky currency and aorth-West Towns" and the sible while Japan's, re-rising cost of living.......

Swears

Again, the Corporation had drainage sanctions for a scheme. The Engineer was told to make the drain big enough and deep enough underground to make into a shelter, Its drainage function being postpored for the

And there is another achamo so Ingenious and yet so obvious that the censors will not let mé mention it because it would provoke the bombers. It is true

that Newcastle has used exist-