The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-17
After Many
Years
Whs' Happened 10
Mr.. Miniver
Wsr Has Upset
His Plan,
But He Hs, a Job
And Does n
By Y. T. SHORT

i very interesting book and
its impressive perturbation.
Mrs. Miniver has become
widely known character. Mr..
Ainiver. Glen. was only Incl
dental as far as the story and
picture were concerned. II
seems, however. that Glen has
become important as a type of
what the war is doing 10 middle
class British men. This is dis
closed in very interesting
magazine article in which Mrs.
Struther shows that after three
years Of war Mr.. Miniver still
carries on, thankful for what
he has but with his life very
greatly changed in every way.
Mr.. Miniver is representative
of great number of English
people, fairly well-to-do. who
looked upon the war as some
thing that might be unpleasant
but could not really affect the
way Of life to which they were
accustomed. II took German
bombs and Dunkerque to awak-
en- them, but once their eyes
were opened they were good
sports and took the bitter with
whatever dribblings of sweet
there might be.
Mr.. Miniver was an archi-
tect with a good business which
finally played out because, just
as is happening in America,
there was no material for the
buildings for which he drew the
plans. The government finally
found a spot for his talents at
less than half his old income.
His new work requires his
daily attendance in London. His
family still lives in the coun-
try in what was left of the
house after II had been hit by
German bomb. He lost the use
of his car because there is no
gas allowance for private use.
He cannot make weekend
-
trip home by train because ne
cannot afford the fare. Visits to
his family are few and far be-
tween.
Mr.. Miniver shares a room
with an associate. They get
their own breakfast. Before
the war Mr.. Miniver's break
fast was Neutrality-suspicious., tea
or coffee, toast and butter,
marmalade, eggs and bacon.
Now he has tea without sugar;
bread, because toast uses fuel
that is sparingly rationed;
little margarine, a little butter
and a spoonful of jam. He hasn't
tasted grapefruit or orange tor
more than a year.
Lunch and dinner are obtained
At one of the few restaurants
that remain open. His helping Oh
meat or fish is about what ne
used to feed his 6-year-oid son.
He has learned to eat carro's
and like them.
lust before the war. Mr.. MIMI
ver ordered two new suits from
his tailor, and Mrs. MihiFei
promptly gave two old suits 70
the czech refugees. Before the
tailor started on the suits tnere
was had news and he canceiea
the order. He wore a couple Oh
old suits until they became
thresdbare. Just as he DECIDED
70 buv a cheap ready-made SUIT
clothes rationing went into ei-
feet and he couldn't get a PRIOR
ity.
His shoes were badly worn' nc
needed a raincoat, and his pa
iamas were a disgrace. II ne
bought all these it would take
fifty off the allowance oil Sixty
=
coupons which have 10 ias'
fourteen months.
M the minor irritations, MI.
Miniver finds the shaving nm
stations the hardest to bear.
shaving soap is rstioned' ano
because of the fuel shortage nc
can have only one cup of warm
water where he used to open e"e
faucet and let it run. Along
With this there is impending
.hortage of rszors. His daliy
hath has been given up and inc
most he can expect now Is ioui
baths a week.
On the rare occasions wneh
Mr. Miniver can get home ne
spends his time with a space
doing the job for which ne usen
20 hire a gardener. The gsraeh-
or is in the army and the "hoie
Miniver family is digging IN ,ne
ground in an effort to proauee
as much as possible Of their
own food
In the occasional evenings ne
IS able to spend at nome, s't.
Miniver shares one reaoihs
lamp with Mrs. Mintver. fney
used to have several in the Nv
ing room
Though he hopes for the best.
Mr.. Ainiver is continually faced
with the thought that next VIII
ter may be harder than the last
with less food and less fuel As
Rffrfvers inyoluntariIy shlE-