BL_0004606_19390901_008_0001.pdf

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THE CRISIS South-West La lon Keeps Cal: RIBA tense anxiety during the l A- week-end in Batteraea and Wands- 1 worth, hut the people preserved admirable self-control. In the streets, especially at Clapham Junction, the crowds were greater than on a normal Saturday Might, and almost everybody wore an anxious look—and other things las well.

Sharing Out the Headlines

People who bought papers were most obliging. They did not mind who looked over their shoulder and read the headlines, which seemed to be the principal portion of the contents. In one of the aide streets off St. John's-road the Trotskyites, or real Red Socialists, prepared to hold their weekly meeting. We asked some of the junior leaders. Who appeared to j belong to the intelligentsia, what they thought of Stalin now. They answered by asking another. namely, " What did you expeetl" We did not stay for the meeting, nor did we linger near the Red Flag in the next street. There. perhaps, local Communists explained Stalin to be the great champion of world peace.

Where were the Kiddies?

An unusual circumstance on Saturday afternoon and evening was the almost complete of children from Wandsworth Common. Generally at such time. the common swamis with happy Youngsters diverting themselves after their own fashion and playing pranks with Mr. Shanly'a chairs. On Saturday evening the lakeside was deserted. There at normal times men and 'boys, with an occasional girl or two, etfiow each other in the endeavour to successfully angle for tiddlers and 1 sticklebacks, with which the lake il4 supposed to swarm. Rods and lines I were laid aside on Saturday, and the finny creatures of the deep had a period of quietude. The public displays given each Wednesday afternoon by the London Fire Brigade at the brigade headquarters and the Saturday afternoon " turnouts " are (-smelled until further notice.

Prisoners Moved to Wandsworth

Allthe prisoners serving sentences in Wormwoisl Scrubs have been evacuated to Wandsworth and Pentonvine. Borstal 1)0VX have been moved to the Borstal in4itution at Fe!them, Middlesex. Books and documents from the Aliens' Office, Romney HOLM% Westminster. have been taken to Wandsworth Prison.

What the Crisis Means to Wandsworth and Battersea

500 GALLONS OF WHITE PAINT The crisis is providing work for many unemployed men in Battersea and Wandsworth. _ . At the Municipal Buildings, Wandsworth, we were told that about 100 men have been ;minting over 240 miles of roads in the borough with about 500 gallons ot quick-drying white roadlime paint. Most of this was purchased but not used, during the crisis last September, and has been stored at depots all over the borough. Traffic lights have been darkened, shades have been fixed over the illuminated bollards, and most of the Borough Council cars and lorries have been fitted with shades over the headlamps. If an emergency arises, the rest of the vehicles will be attended to at once. Wandsworth has a population of 3.15,000, almost equal to that of Leeds. During the past few months, hundreds of men have been fixing air raid shelters in the back gardens. Lieut.- Col. Doland has charge of the emergency arrangements. -

Battersea is Ready

EVACUATION CARDS DISTRIBUTED

Battersea is for any eventuality. Menibers of the A.R.P. Committee have been meeting frequently this week and have been discussing :the instructions from the Home Office. These instructions are being put into effect by Cart. CoReA, the A.R.P. chief and his department. and the highways department of the Council. Overtime i• the order of the day and night.

Black and White

Since last Thursday. all the principal street corners in the borough have been picked out with white paint for the guidance of pedestrians. The work is nearly complete, and is being carried out by the Council's works department. Every painter employed by the Council is engaged on this week, which in some places will soon have to be done againpaint wears off when much trodden on. Sandbags are piled high against the front of the Municipal Buildings—as they were during the September crisis last veer.

Evaouetion Scores of people, mostly women, continue to call at the !Municipal Buildings, inquiring about evacuation. This is nothing to do with the Borough Council. The responsibility of evacuating women and children belongs to the Counts - Council, whose local offices are at Si. John's Hill. Most of the mothers and mothers-to-be have already received their evacuation

Cards,

WHAT THE LONDON COUNTY IS DOING

There have been more than 50 weddines at the Wandsworth Register COUNCIL IS DOING during the week. In a normal Emergency food supplies for families week the number jot about 16. "1 who might be rendered homeless have think the young peorle want to get beau planned by county councils in co- 'the wedding over before anything operation with the Government. • happens," an official told the "South London County Osencil has speettWestern Star " yesterday. 0,000 on an "iron ration "of this 7 Getting out of Loodina type, £1,500 on portable coppers --.... cooking it, and crockery for serving it.% All I.C.C. institutions have a - ONR-WAY STREETS reserve for three or four weeks to cover any temporary dislixet In order to exredite road traffic from . Mr. W. T. Wilson, L.C.C. ch i ef London a number of routes became one- Officer of ipkies, has been appointed way streets from 7 o'clock this morna member of the Food Cuuil. after i nk. d They include the following in this the resignation of Mr. F. W. d ist rict:— Nleckinney. Miss Anne Loughlin, For Sunny and woman organiser of the National r nion clapham-road, of Tailors and Garment Workers, has High-street, Clapham, been appointed an additional member. Clapham Common, South Side, Bal- They have also been appointed mem- l am hers of the f'onsumerti Committee B a lk an , Hi g h- roa d, under the Agricultural Marketing Art. Upper Tooting-road, L.C.C. Records Safe . Tooting Broadway, ; Tooting High-street, High-street, Colliers Wood, Only a skeleton staff would be on , duty at County Hall in wartime; the Highetreet. Merton main staff would carry on outside Smith Wimbledon Station • , London. All impertun .0 t L.C. records Morden-road. have already hem' removed to rural Hall-road, headquarters. , St. Helier-avenue. Trenches at East Hill . I Par alir n„ " t ag " ki h m ist re ' and th.

cards, which will be used if arises. The staffing of report and ronl centres, and also first aid post , . in borough is going ahead.

Iron Rations - Copies of the evening papers were AO eagerly bought that one newsveudor confided to us his determination to go on strike. " No more finals for me to-night," he said. 1 ln the paper trade,_ " final " does not finality. There are " finals." " special finals," " late finals," and " late night finals," to mention only a few. " I've had enough for one day," said the neweyendor. " soon as I've sold out this lot I'm going to pack up." His pockets were bulging with coppers: probably they would have burst if he hail added many more thereto.

THE MENACE OF WAR Mr. H. R. Selley's Message to His Constituents Mr. H. R. Selley, M.P. for South Battersea, has sent us the following letter for publication: — To &Nor. I feel at this acute stage ' in our history that I would like to say a word or two to my constituents, and I would particularly stress the House of atme_aphor• lieptantbar aad yestenlay. llfloptaisbor anxiety was written on the facie of every man and woman, and was particularly marked in the House of Commons. The dramatic announcement of another message from Berchtesgaden reacted immediatelv as a relief and spread the mestage o( peace. These pent-up feelings culminated in a demonstration unseen in the House .before—everyone 1W cheering our Pritne Minister. A lAssose A year passed and yesterday the House met with the menace probably even greater. There was no dramatic climax to the calm. cold recital of events by the Prime Minister. endorsed by the deputy leader, Mr. Arthur Greenwood, . Operations have begun on the Sloane Square, ging of emergency trenches and Mier King's-road, protective works for the tenants of New King's-road. L.C.C. flats at East and elsewhere High-street, Fulham, , . to ensure protection if war should come Putney Bridge. before permanent shelters nre corn- High-etreet, PutneY, plated. . Putney Hill, The Couneil's housing maintenance Old Tortnmouth-road. staff have the work in hand, but extra Roehampton Vale, help is urgently required to get the Putney Vale, task finished in the shortest possible Kingston Vale. time. About 40 'nien were hard at Kingston By-Pass-road to work on the East Hill Estate yesterday. Portsmouth-road. . the West el lingWomi TOWNS' Ogeentlility ' Great Cliertsev-road, Mr. Herbert Morrison. chairman of Clifferd-avenue, the L.C.C. Air Raid Pret , autionn Com- Lower Richmond-road, mittee, has said. " Here is a fine Lower Mortlake-road. opportunity for the tenants to make an important contribution to civil defence and, at the same time. 'safeguard them-;

SCHOOLS AND THE ' -elves and their families. I hope that , meny hundreds of the tenants will he , CRISIS cooperating with the Courieirn etas L. • 'a joint effort to complete the work." _____ _ Soil From Clapham Common Evacuation Rehearsals At Clapham Common a mechanitial Children all over London went back excavator is used to dig earth with to school on Monday I which to till seeks. Tie sacks of earth rehearsa l. In Londofor an evacuation n County Council will take the place of sandbags. , schools the assembly was a day earlier 1 than is usual after the holidays. In Hospital Preparedness I mans. other schools, it was weeks A Ministry of Health circular deals ' ea A rl t ier La . vender Hill School the scene with the equipment of casualty hen- was typical of many others. Three pitals in time of war. Extra beds and hundred children began to arrive at bedding and a wide variety of items of 8.30 in the morning, with gas masks, ward and operating theatre equipment, pyjamas and nighties, toilet things, including instruments, X-ray appitra- and food to last them a day, the whole tus. drugs and dressings, are being. packed away in suitcases, haversackn, or have already been, supplied to the and parcels. Eight hundred children appropriate hospitals by Govern- attend the school. The parents want ?tient from central stores, and the Office of Works are equipping the additional hutted hospital accommodation 1 scheduled time, the children were lined as it in completed. The circular author- up in the playground ready for deparj.:p4 ha-al authorities and voluntary ture. Many mothers, and all the hospitals to Require certain additional teachers and other helpers, were equipment locally on the Minister's be- present. half. Citizens' Advice Bureaux I Exesiinst During the morning, Miss Hors- During the past few months plans brugh, 31. P., and Mr. Lowndes, L.C.C. have been erepared by the National visited the school. They expressed Council of Social Service for betting up satisfaction with the organisation and "Citizens' Advice Bureaus" in Lon- arrangements made by the head don and the larger cities and towns teachers, staff, B.nd helpers, to whom throughout the country. At these they were introduced. They gave helpbureaux it will be possible to get ad- ful advice, and spoke words of envice about fancily and personal prob- couragentent to the mothers. lent and difficulties which may face, While the children played, apparently people in time of war. The bureaux care-free, in the playground, Mr. R. A. will give personal interviews to arpli- , Bridgland (head master, senior boys), cants, but their main purpose will be Miss Page (head mistress, senior to advise them as to which national or' girls), Miss Clark (head mistress, local government departments, or J unior mixed), and Mrs. Bore (head which voluntary organisations thy mistress, infants) , held a consultation should apply in their particular di - with those narents who will smomculty. Although it is imrortant to panr note that the bureaux will not be and with the staff. Problems were the children if they are evacuated, centres of information about A.R..P..,. or: raised, ' the preliminary evacuation scheme, it is discussed. and disposed of. The expected that the local and national . children and teachers remained until 4.30. 'They left their packages at the authorities will find the bureaux of sc h oo l . • great value as centres to which can refer cases of difficulty needing ad- Trott Street Preparedness vice or help from voluntary sources. While, therefore, the bureaux will act Before nine o'clock on Monday mornmainly as clearing houses, they will, ing one of our representatives made a where necessary, try to take action call at the Roman Catholic School, themselves to meet their applicants' I Trott-street, Batteriea-nquare. In the needs. course of a chat with Mr. M. Donaghy . , I " j ow ca i mars The bureaux are being organised the head master, he was told that the locally by voluntary social service 1 children had assembled at six o'clock . holiday curtailed by a day, the lessons bodies, in all cases with the knowledge and were fully prepared to be on the I must be of quite an easy character as a of the municipal authorities, and in I move by seven. Their orders—in the' "tort off. some cases, under their auspices. It event of evacuation from London— I A complete rehearsal for the evacuis hoped that there will be at least one ' were to march to Plough-road School, lation of the children from the above bureau in each local government area, o bureaus. with scholars from other schools, and nclool_,lo was held on Monday morning at and in densely populated areas several then entrain at Clapham Junction i'• bureaux. So far as possible, each Station. On Monday morning the TA_Lhe ..timesc_heduled for the school bureau will he under the control of 1 youngsters were not disappointed, but ma "' ry lie ' trained social workers assisted by a instead of marching along the public' for _staff . , t parents, and children to awake in he early staff of volunteer helpers. thoroughfare they had a wade round hours of the morning. The rehearsal 2N for London the grounds of the Salesian College. was a complete euecess. Two hundred land sixty-eight children had their kit Teachers and other lady friends of the , inected , were sorted out in families

It is estimated that about 200 bur.schort. then supervised the nerving .eaui will be required in the London of , an groups of friends, and finally ararea. Plans have already been coin- ' ranged in squads. , pleted for opening about 90 as soon Replying to a question, Mr. Donaghy I A full complement of managers, las the need arises in all the 29 metros that ' stathe morn- teachers, care-committee, friends, and pnlitan boroughs in the County of Lon- ing in the senior departments was 75 members of the Katharine Low settledon and in 11 boroughs of outer Lon- Per cent of the gaolers on the roll. ment were present. They will act as don. Intensive efforts are being made , St. Mary's School escorts to the party, and several of I and it is hoped that plans will be coin - them will remain with the party for an Meted throughout the Metropolitan At St. Mary's Church of England indefinite period. Pollee district in a very short time. s c h oo l , Vicarage-crencent, Battersea, I The staff of the school wish to ex- Plans for the London area are in the Mr. J. Powrie, the head master, was p ress through this column their apprehande of the London Council of Social equally enthusiastic. The attendance elation of the splendid co-operation of Service and the Charity Organisation was most satisfactory. An early visitor the parents, who were most helpful in Society. There is a Reed for volun- who complimented the head teachers every way. The manner in which they teers to assist in staffing the bureaux and their staffs on the efficient organi- Elelied up the efforts of the staff showed It is expected that each bureau will sation was 3lr. Dawson, the former t heir trust in the p lans made for the need at least four volunteer helpers principal of the school. It was reco c hildren. lk • . who are prepared to give full-time ser - nised that as the children had had their Should evacuation become vice and also a panel of part - t ime it is most essential that the ...... helrers, who could undertake special party assemble at the same early hour, pieces of work as required,

secretarial and clerical work in the °floe; visiting people in homes and institutions; escort duties, etc., and on application to their local bureau, those who have not already promised their services to other branches of civil defence, can obtain information about the needs for workers. This work requires skilled and experienced people, and they may lie assured that it is recognised as of essential national importance in time of war. Boom in Weddings

itech as 6.30 am. Weathered et NW • I mit aphom4 Ms. H. R. SILLIST J.P., M.P. and 1 may here his one most tidlingl phrase in in world opinion the obvious truth : " No nation in Europe will make war except one, and there will be no , war if Herr Hitler wills it." That passage expressed in my opinion the view , of every member of the House and the , world at large. I Sir Archibald Sinclair gave for his party the assurance of unit. What of the people? The Prime Minister paid 'great tribute to their calmness. necessary - school •4 3 ,r .

Briefly mention other preparatory events e.g.

anti-war, from Clive Branson

tests of communications

don't kill your pets

other?