Evening star., 1942-12-18
u. 5. Gifts, Red Stand
please British Most,
Mrs. Roosevelt Says
District CiviIiun Defense
Workers Are Told Of
War Life in England

The two acts of foreign countries
most appreciated by the people of
England are the contributions of
clothings made by Americans, and
the diversion of ''blitzes" from Eng
land caused by the Russian peo-
pies brave stand, Mrs. Roosevelt
said yesterday.
She made the statement to Chief
Deputy Air-Raid Warden William
Mileham and his staff and the coun-
cillors of the District Emergency
Housing and Feeding Corps at a
meeting in the home of Mrs. Gif-
ford Pinchot, 1915 Rhode Island
avenue NV, chairman of the corps.
"The people of Britain feel that
II Russia hadn't put up the fight
that 1t has, England would have
been annihilated," Mrs. Roosevelt
said. "The British know what the
Russians have been going through
because they have been through it
themselves"
Aid to Russia Stimulated.
The British people are showing
lllCl app CSluOloll Va IllOolc w
version of Hitler's bombs, through
the constant stream of money they
pour into the British Russian War
Relief, Mrs. Roosevelt said. She
added that Mrs. Winston Churchill,
chairman of that group in England,
had only found it necessary to give
two radio speeches to stimulate con-
tributions to the Russians since the
attack on Russia
Answering variety of questions.
Mrs. Roosevelt said that the United
States did not know what black
out was. She described the stygian
streets of London, Illuminated only
by red headlight slits of occasional
autos. She said workers in the
blacked out factories never see day
light in the winter. Changed social
patterns in England have resulted
from the blackout, she said. The
theater hour begins at 6:45 and end
ing at 845.
People don't dress for dinner any
more" Mrs. Roosevelt said. "be-
cause they know they'll have to
walk nome afterwards.
Cites Women's Role.
When Mr.. Mileham asked. "1s the
air raid service in England composed
entirely of men?" Mrs. Roosevelt
answered with a laugh: .-
There is nothing in England to-
day composed entirely of men"
Women dispatch riders are drilled
like acrobats and have to jump mo-
tor cycles over burning wreckage
exactly as the men do, she said.
There Is nothing in England that
a girl or woman cannot do as well
as a man, except jobs requiring
brute strength, the British say" de-
clared Mrs. Roosevelt. And they
carry out that statement in prac-
tice."
She said that there was not a
single vehicle, truck or car, in Eng
land today that woman couldn't
drive. Women change the giant tires
themselves, learning to do that
without straining themselves.
No Let Up in Civil Defense.
In answer to a comment from Mr..
Mileham that there had been gen.
eral letup in interest in civilian de-
fense due to the Allied victories
abroad, Mrs. Roosevelt said: That
there had been no such letup in
England.
This is because emergency equip
ment and personnel in England are
used to make community daily living
better"
When not combating Axis bombs
and their effects. British civilian
defense workers take their mobile
canteens to schools and farm work
ers to serve good meals. AS a result
of the rule that school children must
have one hot meal day, and the
careful attention given nutrition IN
the Government-initiated British
Restaurants" British people are
healthier today than ever, Mrs.
Roosevelt said