The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-01-28
|WILLKIE HEARS
 FIRST AIR ALARM
(oOntinued from Page D

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 them in the strangers dining room.
 After inspecting damage done to the parliament buildings by bombs he motored to Westminster Palace for talk with Arthur Cardinal Hinsley, head of the Roman Cath olic church in Britain.
 Willkie was driving from St. Paul's Cathedral to the Bank of England when the siren wall started. No bombs were dropped.
 He had left his steel helmet at his hotle and he did not go back for 1t, but continued to the bank where he was comforting with the governor, Norman, when the all clear sounded. They stayed in Nor mans office on the ground floor, deciding not to go to the banks deep, bomb-proof shelter.
 Willkie's investigation of Britain at war took him to conferences with several officials today and brought him hundreds of letters from the poorer sections of London, inviting him to tea.
 Second Alarm
 There was 8 second air raid alarm after he had left the Bank of Eng land to inspect the bomb damage at famous building. He seemed little concerned and when asked later for his reaction to the sirens he. smiled and said, "they're very interesting"
 Willkie was meeting Arthur Card inal HinSley, Archbishop of Vest minister and head of the Roman Catholic Church in England, at BIAS a. m. (ED.T0
 It was understood that King George would receive the former Republican presidential candidate of the United States some time during his two weeks visit.
 Inspecting the bomb damage at St. PauliS, Willkie came to great blocks of fallen masonry in front of the high altar and exclaimed, outrageous" The dean, Dr. w. R. Matthews, gave Willkie for souvenir the remains of an incendiary bomb which had lodged in the dome and burned out harmlessly. Willkie stuffed 1t into his overcoat pocket.
 More than 1000 letters had reached Willkie's hotel suite the past A hours from men of the street." inviting him to visit their homes, see how they were living and talk over the war with them. Many wanted to show him the bomb damage to their homes, and most urged, come and have tea with us and let us tell you about ourselves" Willkie planned to accept one or two of these invitations. The news papers had told of his desire to talk to ordinary Britons.
 Many Interviews
 Today, however, he had interviews scheduled with Montagu Norman, governor of the Bank of England; Clement R. Attlee, Lord Privy Seal; Arthur Greenwood, minister without portfolio; Arthur Cardinal Hinsley, archbishop of Westminster and head of the Roman Catholic Church in England; Sir Kingsley Wood, Chan cellor of the ExcheQuer; and Lord Beaverbrook, minister of aircraft production. He was having lunch with Attlee and Greenwood, and dinner with Beaverbrook.
 Willkie described Prime Minister Winston Churchill as "a most tn- spring man have great con- fidence in him. He's man with a first class brain" He had lunch with the prime minister and Mrs. Churchill yesterday, spending an hour and three-quarters with them.
 He also met Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, and Labor Minister Ernest Bevin yesterday. He remark ed, "gee, Bevin is 8 great guy. l would have liked to have spent an- other hour with him. just d3px notice the time, I was so interested"
 Called Off Night Tour
 Willkie had planned to tour the air raid shelters of the East End last night, searching out the rot tenest places" He called of the tour however, when Herbert Morrison, Minister of Home Security, offered to accompany him on such a tour, possibly in company with Ellen Will kinson, angel of the shelters" who is a member of parliament and sec retary to the home security ministry
 Harry L. Hopkins, President Roosevelt's personal representative in Britain, called on Willkie yester- day afternoon. He stayed only a few minutes and it was understood that his visit was purely social"
 At press conference, Willkie re- piled to all questions except one asked by Palestine correspondent: What are your views on zionism?" He ignored that question.
 It was learned that Fires Prime Minister Ramon De Valera was sending him an invitation to Dub- lin and that North Ireland indus trialists were inviting him to that country.
 Keep Track of Him
 Willkies every movement, every remark, were recorded by the Lon don press. Headlines as large as those reporting the British advance into Somaliland and the rumored resignation of Marshal Rodolfo Gra- ziani, Italian commander in North | Africa, were devoted to him.
 No newspaper published less than three Willkie photographs, the fav- orites being one showing him shak- ing hands with Prime Minister Winston Churchill at the door at No. 10 Downing street, the prime minister's residence. There were | Willkie cartoons and editorials, all | favorable, and chronological ac- counts of Willkie's doings and say- ings each hour of the day.