Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-27

to keep me from
Henry MeLemors. near panic
when the civilian defense boys let 90
with all they had.
They blew enough sirens Of all
sorts to stampede a herd Of iron
deer. The chief siren-blower must
have been a retired organist be-
cause he pulled out all stops. Either
that or he was raw recruit and
his fingers froze on the controls.
He played every melody you can
on a siren. There we're rise and
fall notes, short blasts, long blasts,
shrill blasts and deep-throated
roars. If the entire Luftwaffe had
appeared over the town he could
not have done any more with the
siren than he did.
I was on the street when the
alert was sounded and soon found
myself in a flood-tide Of citizens
taking of in all directions.
He Dug Foxhole.
Where Is every one gong?'
yelled at a fleeing figure.
Going home" he called back.
The general excitement overlook
me and lit out for the place I
lived. Three blocks later, when I
stopped to catch my second wind,
I suddenly wondered why was
wearing out my lungs and legs
getting home. There wasn't any
afraid shelter there. Just a plain
Edgar Guest home, that even
heap O. living hadn't made bomb
proof. So I topped down on the
ground and started digging my
self a slit trench.
From this impromptu foXhole
I watched the proceedings. The
nearest I came to getting hurt
was when a platoon Of AFRAID
wardens came laundering past.
They made for a house where. a
slit Of light was showing beneath q
pulled shade. They surrounded the
house, and began assaulting 1t from
all sides to rouse the owner and
tell him to get rid Of the CANDLE
point Of light.
You may wonder how I could see
them so clearly in blackout. Well,
I could see them because the street
lights signal for the dousing Of street
lights and house lights. They don't
go of together.
There seem to be separate signals
for all sorts Of lights and civilian
behavior. I don't pretend to under
stand the system, which apparently
Is worked out to the last degree Of
complication. This doesn't bother
me particularly, because none of the
citizens, who have been studying the
rules for the past six months, under
stand it either.
The action Of the trafic In the
blackout puzzled me. Some cars
stopped, others didn't. Then all
cars stopped. But, the buses started,
as OLD some cars.
Follow the Leader Plan.
1t was later told me, by man
who admitted that he didn't know
any more about 1t than the next
fellow, that vehicles fell into differ
ent categories. Certain signals were
for private vehicles and others for
public conveyances. He also told
me that most people in the town
followed the good neighbor" policy:
that is, look out the window at your
nelghbor and do whatever he does.
II he turns out his lights, turn out
yours. When he puts his on, put
yours on. If you are driving when
the alert comes, follow the same
policy. II he pulls to the side Of
the road, and stops. you do the
same. If he keeps going, you 90 too
The whole thing was a pretty
shattering experience after watch
ing the unconcerned behavior Of
Engl1shmen during an alert when
enemy planes are overhead. The
siren sounds for a few seconds and
people can take their choice of what
they want to do. No one tells you
to get of the street or hats trans
portation. People who want shelter,
seek 1t. Those who don't, 60 on about
their business. The alert signal
has but one meaning No lights
except for smoking and dimmed
flashlights and dimmed lights on
vehicles. At the end OF the alert 4
single. short, AL clear" is sounded.
OF course, the alerts are more fun
over here. They give you q much
greater impression OF danger, de.
spite the fact that no antiaircraft
guns are firing, no bombs ara
dropping. and the searchlights pick
up no enemy planes In the skv,
I doubt If the average Englishman
could stand an American alert with.
out having 1t do something drastie
to his nervous system.
distributed BY McNauEht Syndicate. Inv