Evening star., 1942-01-18
Arriving Travellers
Find San Francisco
Geared 10 B|ackouts
Life on Troins, in
Hotels and Apartments
Feels Wars Impact
BY SIGRID ARNE,
Wide World News.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 17.-It
had been 50 peaceful rolling through
CALIFORNIA; bean and lettuce valleys
on the Southern Pacinc's famous
daylight train.
Then dusk fell. The apologetic
porter reached across me and pulled
down a heavy, black window shade
It overlapped the window frame an
inch on each side.
Sorry. We do this on all trains
now" he said. "Blackout. Please
don't disturb the shade. Well be
In San Francisco in half an hour"
He blacked out the rest Of the
coach and turned on the lights. On
the coach platform burned tiny,
ghostly blue light. The passengers
exchanged bored looks. A woman
whipped out her knitting. No one
spoke.
Hotels Warn of Black0uts.
That is the first of a series of
wartime shocks San Francisco hands
you these days. It's rapidly be-
coming Americas little London
right down to grim ladies who rush
around in uniforms and restaurants
crowded with soldiers and sailors.
I'm digging in here for a while,
20 I got the full dose.
We pulled into a normal-looking
station, ablaze with lights. But at
the hotel, to the left of the door,
was big red, white and blue poster
which said, please memorize these.
They are your nearest afraid
shelters" The list included my
hotel.
! signed the register and the clerk
murmured, I'VE all get together in
the grill and the cocktail lounge
during blackouts. We hope you'll
Join U.S."
On the bureau of my room was
another notice that said, When
there is the slightest danger of
enemy air attack, this city must
be blacked out in 80 seconds. Your
lights will go off without notice.
You may light the candle in the
bath If 1t is an inside room" Mine
was an outside room.
Then began the real fun: Hunt
ing an apartment. I tried to re-
member my London friends advice
Don't take anything on the top four
floors or the bottom four floors.
But it seems San Franciscans know
that, too. There are plenty of top
hocr apartments. It's hard to find
anything in the middle of the build
ing. The town may have lost some
tourist trade. but it's jammed with
Army and Navy wives, here for the
last few hours with their husbands.
Sand Ready for Bombs.
At the first apartment the nervous
manager Uttered as she said, You
see, our halls are completely in
closed" She didn't look at the two
big red pals of sand at the end
Of the hall. Above them a placard
said, use this for incendiary
bombs"
The apartment was top floor. I
remarked that. She protested:
But, my dear, we have one of the
thickest roofs in the city. It's con-
crete, feet thick. Come and see."
quickly remembered that S feet
will turn a 200-pounder, but what
about the bigger fish? I got out
Of there.
At the next place, the manager
pointed out I'd better live downtown
because it's not so far home after
an air raid-er-that is, blackout." :"
"oh, I'd walk" I said I'm not
afraid"
She smiled patiently. You're not
permitted to walk in a blackout.
You stay where you are"
Traffic Ceases.
"On streetcars?"
mo, they stop where they are.
and the passengers walk to the
nearest building"
"Autos?"
Same thing"
Actually. no one seems to know
whether the city's blackouts are the
real thing or not. The Army won't
answer silly questions. And the
Army calls this area "theater of
war"
People who think they're phoney
are full of pip, pip-and toodle e-oo."
Those who take it seriously-well,
I have friend who keeps his gaso-
line tank full. He plans a $50
mile nonstop out of here-if the
Army doesn't stop him.
At lunch I sat next to an elder
", minked-up woman with a
lorgnette. She assured me she's
prepared. She has shipped her art
collection to a safe place. Guess
where. To Maine!
She told me to go around and
look at the telephone exchange. I
did. It's the politest job of sand
bagging you ever heard Of.
Sirens Wall.
About 8 that night I'd finally
found an apartment. We stood on
the steps arranging about trunk
delivery just as the sirens began.
well, my dear" said the man
ager, you're lucky you're here. We
have a nice black-out gameroom.
Well go down." The lights went
of. She took my hand. We felt
our way down the basement steps,
humping into others on the way
down.
The gameroom turned out to be
n II