Orders for a further 1,000,000 port-abie steel air-raid shelters are about o be pi the Government, hile a preliminary order for 100,000 ts of materials for strengthening basements has already n pi The order for the portable helters wil follow the first. i nent of 400,000 shelters, the delivery X which began on Febrinry 25.
These developments in pur-nance of the immediate põlicy of "e Government on shelter for the civilian population, originally an-ounced by Sir John Anderson, Lord Privy Seal and Minister of Civillan Defence, on December 21. This policy is designed to provide, quickly as possible, shelter again blast splinters and the fall of debris ind spent material, from anti-aircraft uns in areas exposed to the greatest attack, as experience of the bomb-ug of built-up cities in recent months s shown that a ver: e proportion of casualties arises from the secondary consequences of the explo-ion of bombs. By the end of the ster holiday, the number of steel helters distributed to householders at Government expense will approach 300,000, capable of accommodating up to 1,600000 people Foreign observers stressed that they were convinced Soviet Russia is ready to extend aid at any time to any collective system against aggression.
The Defence Vice-Commissar, Lev Mekhlis, recently stated that is always ready and able to face any emergency without even having recourse to general mol tion. Such confidence in Russia's might, as expressed by M. Mekhlis, s justified.
Russian commentators pointed out that the Germans themselves showed appreciation of Soviet strength when hey made a demarche to Mose the eve of the Munich A; assuring Russia that not contemplat any action against her.
These observers also pointed out hat the Germans, despite Russia's refusal to recognize the Reich's an-vexation of Bohemia and Moravia, and even after the visit paid Moscow by Mr. R. S. Hudson, Secretary of the British Overseas Trade Department, seem most willing to develop tra relations with the U.S.S.R.—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.