Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-07-02
BIackout Machinery
Perfected in Halifax,
Vital Shipping Center
Water Front Protected
City Takes No Chances
On German Agents
CANADA AT WAR-Last OF a series.
BY THOMAS f.. HENRY,
Stur staff Torresnondent

Star Staff Correspondent.
HALIFAX, July 2.-The train
from the West speeds through a
land of sunset over blue lakes, birch
fir forests and homesteads with
lighted windows stepped in the
eventide peace of North America.
A brakeman comes through the
cars pulling down the shades of
every window and making sure that
they are so securely fastened no
gleam of light can get through.
Halifax next" he says. Fifteen
minutes"
Thus one comes over the edge
Of the dark of Western Europe. The
long shadows of war fall over this
old seaport city, built in the form
of ring around its ancient, grass
covered citadel where Lord Corn
wallis took his troops after the sur
render of Yorktown. Halifax is
almost 800 miles nearer the battle
fields of Europe than Ottawa. 1t
is the eastern tip of North America,
except for Newfoundland. 1t is
vital shipping center, today one of
the most vital in the world.
Part of "Blackout" Gesture.
The drawing of the train curtains
is part of a "blackout" gesture.
The city itself, dimly lighted at the
best, Is not BACKED out on most
nights, but it has been plunged in
complete darkness several times as
an experiment and to drill the citi-
zens in what may be expected of
them at any time. All machinery
for a very effective blackout is
perfected and the railroads entering
Halifax play their part all the time.
There is still the broad Atlantic
between Halifax and Hitler and
danger of an air raid, of course, re-
mote. But if German bombers
their most logical objective. The
military authorities are taking no
chances on the confusion which
would attend staging a blackout
with no preliminary training, Grim
ly enough, the people of Halifax
today are going through much the
same sort of experience as did the
people of Western Europe last sum-
mer when prospects of war first
seemed serious. Actual danger has
been greatly reduced during the last
two weeks since the Canadian Army
has taken over the defenses of Ice
land and Newfoundland, both pos
sible bases for enemy planes.
Halifax is the one city in North
America that seems actually "in the
war" Elsewhere in Canada there
are plenty of men in uniform, plenty
of flags flying. But here there is
little else to be seen except men in
uniform, especially sailors and Brit
ish marines with their red-Striped
trousers and red-banded caps. There
Is touch of the color of old war
days in the Salvation Army, Knights
of Columbus and Y. M. c. A. hos
tells set up for shore leave of the
sailors.
Sabbath Kept in Stern Tradition.
The war color is particularly nota-
able on Sunday. Halifax keeps the
Sabbath in the sterneSt Scotch ira
dition. Even the railroad station
Is locked up. Nearly all weekday
activities are suspended and the
citizens stay in their homes, leaving
the streets entirely to the service
men and their girls. many of whom
have come from the interior of the
peaceful continent to bid them
good-by. There are a good many
wives here. Men in uniform walk
along the streets wheeling baby
carriages.
Men from the West loll on the
grass of the Citadel hillside. Far
below them they see the great ships
at anchor in the narrow arm of the
sea which is Halifax harbor and it is
their first view of the blue ocean
across which in few days or few
weeks they will sail to meet some
thing so utterly foreign to the prai-
ries and woodlands from which they
came.
For the first time one encounters
barbed wire and armed sentinels
ready for business. It is virtually
impossible to approach the water
front unless one has valid business
there. Halifax is taking no chances
on German agents.
The long fingers of the war In
Europe are actually gripping the
city as they grip no other spot on
this side of the Atlantic Ocean.