Evening star., 1941-08-10
Lisbon Is Described
As No. 1Capita|
For Phony Rumors
People Called Anti-HitIer;
Spain Is Fortifying
Its Northern Border
By SHEILAH GRAHAM,
Foreign Correspondent of The Star and
the North American Newspaper Alliance.

BY SHEILAH GRAHAM,
Foreign Correspondent of The Star and
the North American Newspaper Alliance
LISBON. Portugal, July II (By Air
mail. When your correspondent
arrived in Lisbon no room, with or
without bath-particularly with
bath-was to be had for love, money
or even pair of silk stockings,
which, as far as I can ascertain, is
the most valuable property to own
at this moment. I was advised to
put my stockings under strong
lock and key and stand guard
Motored to Estoril, IA miles from
Lisbon. This is the last outpost of
pleasure in Europe-but it is dreary
gayety and a trif1e shabby-no one
was dressed in the Casino. The ho-
tells are not overcomfortable-t
Palace is the best-but there are
only six private bathrooms in the
entire hotel. The sheets and pillow
cases are of coarse cotton and, of
course, there is no soap.
A strange assortment sat down to
supper with me. There was an
american naval attache and his
wife, an italian who is on leave from
the Italian Navy, a Pennsylvania
born film producer, Swiss girl OF
% who went to Spain as an ambu-
lance driver for Gen. Franco. a
Portuguese film exhibitor and a
prominent British businessman who
lives in Barcelona.
Phoney RumOrs Rife.
They had some strange stories to
tell. All were agreed on one point
that Lisbon is the No. l capital of
phony.
ITO prove it." the Swiss girl said,
" told this ridiculous story to some
one in 'strictest confidence and it
came back to me in "a hours in
'strictest confidence I said that
Hitler was to be crowned king of the
Holy Roman Empire in Vienna, but
that the Pope had insisted Hitler
shave off his mustache for the cere-
mony This he refused to do and
this was holding it all up. This
absurd rubbish was actually be-
lieved."
I learn that Lisbon-the man in
the street in Lisbon-is rather pro-
British, ro-Russian and anti-Hitler
although the officials and a small
minority are for him. When the
picture 'Balalaika," starring Nelson
Eddy and Illona Massey, was shown
here it ran nine weeks because the
people heard the authorities might
ban it because of its Russian back
ground.
People here seem frightened of
Hitler-and with reason. One of
our group tells me: HE can take
Portugal any time he wants to-by
telephone"
Costs High in Spain.
From the Spanish contingent ]
learn that in Frances Spain cigar
cites cost $3.50 per package of 20
when you can get them; that Scotch
and brandy are unobtainable, butter
ditto; that the gasoline ration is 10
gallons month, when you can get
it; that bread is gray-brown and
referred to as baked mud; that
there is no meat, except after a bull
fight, and that is tough because
bulls for the ring are muscular
not fat.
am told that the undercurrent
sentiment in Spain is pro-British.
But that the newspapers attack Brit
ain to placate Hitler, and that when,
a short time ago. Hitler demanded
right Of way through Spain to at
tack Gibraltar, Gen. Franco put
him of with When the time comes
we will take Gibraltar" Britain is
allowing certain amount of food
to reach Spain, particularly from
South America, and this makes Gen.
Franco behave. It is significant that
on the northern borders of Spain
strong Notifications are being built
Only Germany can attack from
there.
Since Russia and Germany have
been fighting, the thousands of Ger
man tourists" in Spain have dimin-
ished in number. I am told there
are now only $4,000 Germans in
Spain. The Spanish people believe
that if Britain wins, the monarchy
will be restored in Madrid. And
they say that Gen. Franco has
Already MT II, q hid IN ha raoapt