Evening star., 1943-07-15

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calm as If he we're introducing a
new soprano. He told of the land
ings in Sicily by American, Cana
dian and British troops.
The echo of the braves for the
symphony was still in the room as
he spoke of the assault boats going
in under naval cover, and of an air
screen provided by almost every
type of aircraft whose wings carry
the Allied Nations colors.
was standing in the lobby Of my
hotel when the news came that
Allied troops were fighting for a
foothold on an island which at one
point is only two miles from the
mainland of Europe. AS reporter.
7 instintively watched the reac-
tions of the people around me.
The captain of the Royal Marines
who was registering at the desk laid
| down the pen and forgot the plans
he had made for Today leave in
London. The clerk who was regis
/ tering him in walked from behind
| the desk to be near the radio.
Bellhops dropped their bags and all
the while the announcer was speak
ing Of the offensive under the SUI
preme command Of General Fisen-
hover, life stood still in this London
/ hotel
News Accepted Quietly.
Since the campaign ended in
| Africa nearly two months ago, the
whole world has been waiting for
this moment. The war of nerves
has been only little harder on the
people in the Axis countries than it
has been on the people here. Where
would the blow striker What would
be the hour?
These questions have been asked
$4,000 times by everyone in London.
When the answer came they re-
acted as If they had known it all
along. No excitement. No bustling
about to carry the news to someone
else. Just quiet acceptance and
sense Of relief that here it was at
! last.
I know I will always remember
the moment when the Second Front
was announced. Nothing I have
ever heard over the radio gave me
quite the same feeling as I had
when I heard the announcer say
that the Americans, Canadians and
British had at last thrown the knife
into the soft belly of the Axis. AS
far away as London one could get
the picture. Rangers alongside
Commands. Mortar troops from
Ontario and machine -gunners from
the Bronx, driving up the beach
alongside Killed Highlanders and
Welsh Guards. Overhead roar Fly
ing Fortresses and Mosquitoes. Spit
fires watching Thunderbolts, Thun-
derbolts watching Typhoons.
Recalled MussoIini.
As the announcer talked in
calm, quiet voice Of the full-dress
offensive against Italy, with the
might of the democracies unleashed
at last my mind could not help go
ing back to that day when Musso-
lini declared war against France.
listened to his talk that day in
New York City. He rumbled and
he roared. He gloated over the
chance to give the democracies a
stab In the back. He spoke Of his
legions Of steel and the softnezs Of
his opponents.
1t seems fitting tie. ssne An-
nouncement Of the Second Front
should have followed a Brahms
symphony. We Of the democracies
started slow and sweet as the first
movement Of the symphony and 1t
took us quite a while to work up
to the grand finale, when all the
instruments come into play. But
when we came to q full crescendo,
the sound was overpowertng and
those who depended on little tin
horn were drowned In the majestic
music that will never die,
distributed by McNaugnt Syndicate. Incl