Evening star., 1941-04-04
Fire Siren Has Same
Wall as Raid Signal,
Visitor Discovers
How British Withstand
Bombs Told by A.W. Coles
N. P, From Australia
BY JOHN ID. LEONARD.

You don't have to 60 to London to
learn how an air raid alarm sounds.
Listen to the wall of q siren on a
Washington fire engine-the sound
is identical, according to Arthur w.
Coles, Australian member OF Parlia-
ment, former Lord Mayor of Mel
bourne, and managing. director Of
G. J. Coles & Co., Ltd, Australian
counterpart of American 5-and-10-
cent stores.
Mr.. Coles. who arrived in WASH
ington Wednesday after a months
stay in England, was the first Aus
tralian M. P. to make study of the
conduct Of the war. He hopes to be
back in Australia by April 18, where
he will report his findings to his
colleagues
Mr.. Coles was settling down in an
armchair when he heard a fire en-
gine roaring up Sixteenth street, its
siren going at full blast.
Bombed Machinery Salvaged.
Good night; 1t sounds exactly
like an air raid alarm. The tone is
Identical" he said. The all-clear
signal is simply one continuous high
note"
Mr.. Coles. who visited Manchester,
Coventry and Bristol, declared the
British have learned to overcome
factory operation Interruptions by
bombing. He said nearly all ma
chinery In bombed factories is SAL
vaged and used to set up new fac
tories.
In cases where factories are
bombed out" new factories replace
them and production goes on.
As for the effect Of bombing on
the British people, Mr.. Coles said
he did not find . case in which
people whose homes had been de-
stroyed were forced to go even one
night without shelter and food. He
said when an area is bombed, first
aid and rescue squads rush to the
scene and those who suffer are
sent to a rush center. First-aid
posts care for the injured.
Homes Found for Victims.
At rest center those bombed
are asked If they have friends or
relatives to whom they can go. Ii
not, they are cared for until some
provision can be made for them.
Homes are always found for those
families which have been bombed
out.
When bombing interrupts public
utilities services, the councils of
large cities have established COM
munal feeding centers which provide
food at low cost until the services
are repaired. One Of Mr.. Coles
most vivid recollections is of Sat-
urday afternoon spent visiting
people who have been bombed out
of their homes.
He told OF q visit to one house
where police who accompanied him
knocked and asked for "the lady of
the house"
"A woman opened the door and
suddenly recoiled with fright he
said. The police entered and she
asked them what they sought. I
asked her why she was frightened.
She said her husband was a soldier
and she thought the police had come
with bad news. This woman and
her three children had been saved
when they took shelter under a
staircase. The home had been de-
stroyed by . bomb-except the
staircase.
Saved Little Clothinx.
I asked her how much clothing
she had saved. She said very little.
I asked her if she had put in claim
with authorizes for her loss. She said
no. 1T wouldn't be right. I'm salts
fled with the treatment I've gotten
That's typical Of the spirit of people
who have lost everything"
As for the outcome of the war,
there is no doubt in Mr.. Coles mind.
With America the arsenal of de-
mocracy, Britain cannot be beaten"
Food consJln rfion In Susdoo 4.