Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-07-15
A|DSAGA|NST HEAT
LACKING IN LONDON
Americans Seek Vainly for
Lightweight Suits, Electric
Fans and Iced Drinks.
nv Gable to The Star.

BY Gable to The Star
LONDON, July 1.-THE first greet
ing of passengers arriving on the
Leviathan and other big ships this
week has usually been. 1--WE hope 1t
Is not as hot in London as 1t has
been in New York"
The are soon disillusioned, how
ever. London during the past week
has been experiencing a genuine
heat wave, with daily temperatures
approaching 80 degrees. and Amer
leans on visits are beginning to
realize the sad truth too well known
to those residents here-that for ar
tificial aids to keeping cool Lon
don cannot begin to compare with
American cities.
The reason is. of course, that
really blistering heat is of rare oc-
currence here and people do not
think 1t worth while to provide
comfort Americans. who search in
vain for Palm Beach suits, electric
fans, iced drinks and light foods.
The last three may be found in some
of the larger hotels and restaurants,
but for the Londoner himself they
are practically non existent.
Improvement Since War.
Wnat Slight advances nave Deen
made in this direction have taken
place almost entirely since the war
In 1920, for instance. there were
scarcely half a dozen places in Lon
don where iced soft drinks could be
purchased. Today, thanks chiefly to
places can be found on almost
every street.
If one Is persistent one may even
purchase athletic underwear, but the
only possibility Of getting silk suits
lies in going to some tailor specialize
hats have made some inroads in
recent years, but the general appear
ance of London men (for women do
not share the masculine preference &c
for sweltering and in hot weather
promptly don cool frocks) on the
hottest days of summer Is no differ
emit from that of the cooler days in
spring and autumn. 1t includes a
felt hat, tweed suit and wooden socks
WOODEN Clothes the Rule.
In an hour OF observation along the
Strand, Regent street and Oxford
street this afternoon I saw only two
men who were not wearing wooden
suits. One was obviously an Ameri-
can, who had on linen suit similar
to my own. while the other wore an
Indian outfit of white duck and a
cork sun helmet. The. combination
of straw hat. linen suit and white
shoes and socks attracts almost as
much attention as would a small size
riot, while the spectacle Of any one
street in his shirt sleeves Is abso-
Iutely unknown. Even to shed the
vest is considered rather daring.
The iced water cooler found in most
American offices Is rare here, as is
the refrigerator in private homes
hAt L.,
a thousand. Possibly the latter con-
dition is due to the fact that there
are no deliveries of ice here, the ap-
proved method being to obtain chunks
from flshmongers If they are willing
to bargain. This sometimes gives
thema in England-a slightly flshy
taste, but the consensus of opinion
among Americans resident here is
that It is better than no ice at all.
Beer Served Warm.
The average restaurant menu for
hot-weather lunch comprises roast
beef or mutton, boiled potatoes and
cabbage, with perhaps some conces-
sions to heat in the shape Of lobster
or crab salad. In places catering to
Americans they are usually willing
to put beer on Ice, but at the average
bar beer is served lukewarm, on the
theory that icing spoils 1t. Ice in
highballs likewise Is seldom to be
secured.
while a limited number Of Lon
doners can go up the Thames or to
the coast to try and keep cool, there
is nothing comparable to shore or
river resorts that are accessible from
most American cities in a short time.
One merciful relief. however, is that
even during the warm spells the
nights are usually cool.
For the rest, when It 10 hot, Lon
don, or the greater part thereof
seems to Americans to have only one
consolation; the heat wave won't
last long---and patience IL one of the
Londoilers long suits.