The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-09-01
Evacuation Of Millions
Will Leave London Mere
Village If War Breaks
BY MILTON BRONNER
YEA service staff Correspondent

London, Sept. l.--Greater London,
which sprawls over 600 acres and
contains about 100000 people, will
become deserted village in event OF
war.
This will be in striking contrast
to conditions which prevailed IN
the British metropolis during the
last world war. Then London was
occasionally raided by German
planes and zeppelin, scores OF peo-
pie were killed and hundreds OF
Others we're injured, but there was no
widespread slaughter and no whole
sale destruction by explosion, fire
and gas. And life went on as usual
In London.
But the gigantic air forces Of Ger
many and Italy, coupled with the
immense Furnishing power huge
bombs have will make the possible
London OF the possible next war
quite a different place,
Life will not go on as usual. The
aters and movies all probably will
be closed, SO that great masses OF
people will not be crowded in GER
tain Vulnerable localities. Buses VIII
disappear from the streets, so that
the gasoline may be saved for more
vital needs. Travel will be largely
BY the underground railway, by foot
and by bicycle.
WIDESPREAD EXODUS
WILL DRAIN CITY
The population OF wartime Lon
don will be due to many factors:
Sooner or later, If Britain has
war, CONSUMPTION will be put into
force and this will take at least
100000 OF the younger men away
TO training camps and battlefields,
And during the war scare OF last
fall, plans we're made to evacuate
into the country 100000 school chill
dren and another 100000 younger
children together with their moth
ers. These children and women will
be billetted upon everybody who has
a house. The government itself also
proposes to build shelter camps. AT
least 100000 more people, who have
friends and relatives living outside
of London, will betake themselves
away from the metropolis. 1t Is
also probable that, II air raids con-
tinue in intensity, the government
will evacuate It least 100000 adult
civilians who are not performing es-
sential services.
GOVERNMENT OFFICES
WILL SCATTER
The government Is building I'M
menSely strong air raid shelters UNI
derneath the various government Of
flee buildings In Whitehall But
these are intended to shelter only
skeleton forces.
The main body OF civil servants
with the under-secretaries OF state
and the responsible cabinet officers
would be elsewhere. Where they will
he is naturally one Of the most
closely guarded governmental sc =
crets. 1t is very probable the big
departments would not be located
in the same town. 1t is more prob
able that the home office would be
situated In one city and the war de-
partment In q town some $50 or 200
miles away.
But all the government depart
rnents will be interlinked by tele-
phone and telegraph communica-
lions and also with the office OF
the prime minister, wherever that
may ultimately be. Similarly there
wills be arrangements for calling par
tament together outside London II
necessary.
The city-London's Wall street
Is prepared for emergencies. The
great banking, insurance and ship
ping concerns will, / am Informed,
largely scatter TO small towns In
Wales and Scotland.