Though the outbreak of war has sadly disrupted the mails from Europe, an occasional newspaper, published after the commencement of hostilities, serves to give some picture of what is going on in Britain and France. A Shanghai resident recently returned from Great Britain states that he found the people taking the war quite calm-and with splendid morale, while during his trip across Canada he found the Canadians enthusiastically willing and ready to do their part in the defence of the Empire, and actually clamouring to be allowed to go on active service. All Britain carries its gas mask. The Queen, out shopping, is seen with the familiar packet slung over her arm. Cabinet Ministers go about their duties carrying the same protection, while on the řailways and in the streets Mr. and Mrs. John Bull sport the mask, and thousands of the more forgetful of them actually leave them behind in public conveyances. Upon l'the commencement of war the cinemas were closed. A week later they were reopened, except in the danger spots, and with certain restrictions as to closing time 3,000 cinemas in the safe areas were again allowed to operate. The step was a wise one, for it is essential,: t the British film business is to survive the war, that as many theatres as possible should be made use of for showing its products, All manner of advice to readers was given in the national press. Motorists and cyclists were warned not to use the roads unnecessarily, for every vehicle on the road without a definite purpose was liable to impede essential traffic. It is quite true that in the same newspaper a writer advised his readers to go for a bicycle ride every morning, but that is merely an instance where official requirements are at variance with ihe gentleman keen on physical fitness, Advertising ranged from full page announcements of companies willing to insure property against war damage to suppliers of motor car access sories announcing new metal screens for headlights, so arranged as to present a mere slit of light not visible above eye level at a distance of a few yards. The newspapers themselves shrunk. The "Daily Mail" went down: to eight pages, though it has been enlarged since, and, mirable dictu, has the front page, usually devoted to advertising now displaying the principal news of the day. "The Times" dropped to sixteen pages, and on September 9 carried on its front page that tragic reminder of the last war under the death announcement column the heading "On Active Service," announcing the deaths of a flying officer, and a naval cadet of seventeen, lost overboard.
In less than a week from the commencement of war no fewer than 1,317,000 people had been moved out of the thickly populated districts, and schools in the evacuation areas ere just about ready to prove to the youngsters that this war was not going to be one long, glorious holiday for them. That there was still some order in Europe was shown by the fact that the B.B.C. was able to relay a broadcast of orchestral music from Turin. Wally Marks, British golf profession-alar the Bergisch Land Golf Club in Germany managed to escape from that country by getting himself accepted by an air line for transmission C.O.D., and in various cities the police were rounding up offenders against the black-out regulations. That the authorities have been provided with very ample powers was demonstrated at Portsmouth, of all places, where the police closed two hotels temporarily for disregarding warnings to black out properly. It was announced that offenders in this respect could be closed down for a year if necessary, so that the punishment for anything [calculated to imperil the lives of others is likely to be severe, which is as it should be. There is a chance, however, that action will be taken even before the police get busy, for it was reported from Birmingham that hostile crowds threatened people who were found not conforming to the regulations. After about a couple of air raids it will be a very foolish person who runs the risk of offending the crowds by permitting a light to be seen. What with cyclists being obliged to carry rear lights instead of the usual reflectors, and herbs being painted white everything is being done to make vision possible in the dark, and there is a picture of Sir Nevile Henderson, former Ambassador to Germany, carrying a black and white "black-out stick" as he went to Downing Street, Paris had jumped into its war-time stride within a week. For a few days the general mobilization meant the closing down of big restaurants, bars, theatres, cinemas and the sudden halting of the social round. All that has since changed with a relaxation of the regulations; Paris is regaining its gaiety, but whether it likes it or not, has to go to bed at 11 pin. If it does not there is nothing to amuse it, The Folies Bergére and the Casino de Paris were closed probably to be reopened by the time troops come back from the front line for their first leave. Old time artistes, who were practically forgotten, are being rounded up, while the market is good for comedians who can imitate Hitler.
Others needed for France's war time concert parties are being advised to brush up their English. Another sign that Paris was feeling herself again was the reappearance of plenty of taxicabs on the street, the list of colours, which include yellow, red, green and cream taxis being added to by the appearance of some more tastefully done in mauve. Even the modistes are not downhearted. One is reported to be concentrating on the creation of an air-raid costume for women, so that if they are wakened in the night by hostile planes, the one piece garment can be put on with a zip fastener, and the wearer look her best within a couple of minutes. "Gott strafe England" is again, so it is reported, the chief slogan in Germany. The leaflets dropped from British planes were reported to be having their effect. Germany called her nationals in Switzerland to the colours, and then repealed the notice, obviously fearing the entrance of a large number of people into Germany better acquainted with the facts of the war than those who have never been outside the country. German restrictions were reported to be very drastic indeed. No overtime for Sunday and night work, large dwellings were obliged to accommodate several families, room had to be found for refugees from the western front, while householders were warned to feed goats and rabbits on material left over from the kitchen. It was further stipulated that female rabbits under four years of age were not to be killed, which merely goes to prove that it is indeed an ill wind which blows nobody good.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.