Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-05-03
LONDON CURFEW
PRODUCES GLOOM
Nowhere to Go But Bed,
Nothing Else to Do
After 1890

London.-London olways took
its pleasures sadly. but now it takes
them early and has pleanty of time
before rising to consider what it has
seen and done. Curfew came to the
British capital last week. and with
it arrived reform in the night life
of the city that surpassed in it's
scope all the previous changes made
necessary by war conditions, especi-
ally the raids by German aviators.
One had become quite accustomed
to the practical Disappearance of all
people and traffic from the darkened
streets after midnight. but on Mon
day night the faithful buses ceased
to roll; the taxi drivers, who are be-
coming more impossible every day
by reason of their refusal after a
certain hour to take passenger ex-
cept in the direction where their We
hicles are garaged for the night also
disappeared; the few hotels and res
taurants which formerly served as
late as 1890 had shooed their
guests out at 9:30 or thereabouts,
for after that hour it is now prohib-
tied to serve hot meals; the theatres
had discharged their audiences
promptly at 1890, and all these
thousands of people had swarmed
the streets for few moments, de-
scended through the entrances of
the Underground, the Metropolitan
and the tubes and dispersed to their
homes, leaving the centre of the
city as "bobby" standing in Pic
cadily Circus said, quoting reminis-
Gently, ITO darkness and to me-"
Probabl Ythe reform that was
most felt by the majority of people
was the abolition supper. This mid
r1io t1aaa1 hos oil hnnYa 10
Londoner's heart. In pre-war days
it was most frequently the connect
ing link between the theatre party
and the going An ev-
ening's amusement generally began
with the dinner, which was never a
hurried function. then trailed along
to the theatre. where at least the
last act and sometimes the second
act was seen, and then came supper,
a lively hour and a half or two
hours, to be, followed by, "Well. it's
time to be going on now to Jacks or
Molly's, as the case might be, for
they're having top hole dance at
their fiat tonight"
This custom disappeared with the
advent of curfew, for it is difficult to
keep ones spirits up for a nights
entertainment without the aid of
cafes and restaurants, which now
close at $3.50, and no self-respecting
night party could begin before 1 A.
M. Besides what spirits could sur
vive the depressing effects of a pc
riod of mi-darkness, for one of the
new regulations provides that all
lights shall be eXtinguished after 10
o'clock in all places where food or
drink is served. Therefore it is no
longer possible to linger at your ta-
! II "a L Rw.t i
ner.
On Monday night the restaurants
and the big hotels that had never
had such an experience before were
dark, as were the corridors and lob
bies in which guests sat often until
long after midnight slipping coffee.
At the Savoy, which has been one
of the favorite supping resorts for
years, everything was shut-restau-
rant, cafe, provision bar and smok-
ing room. A few people sat around
in the gloomy reception lobby, but
soon went off to bed. Guests who
had been to the theatres, some of
whom had not realized the changed
conditions, had quite shock when
they arrive dat the hotel to find the
atmosphere of gloom that prevail
ed.
So effective have the new regula-
tions been in sending people home
earlier that the managements of the
underground systems are already
considering the reduction in the
number of trains run after IL
o'clock. This is one of the reforms
hoped to be made possible, as the
saving in light and power would be
an important item in the economy
of fuel supply, to which the early
closing of theatres and all places of
and amusement will al |
so contribute
There is one oasis in this desert !
of responsibility and repose to |
which the registering spirit may re-
sort even as late as midnight. This |
is to be found, in the dreary, de- |
pressing refreshment bars at rail- |
way stations. Here it will he possi- |
BILE to procure cups OF tea and dry |
ginger ale. Soggy cakes and heavy |
cold sausage sandwiches may also |
be procured. Here the gay dogs |
may keep up their revels until the
last taxi disappears at the stroke of |
~.
But where are the oysters and the |
wine of yeStervaqr 2