DAMAGE TO LONDON

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1940, Page 8

DAMAGE TO LONDON

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

NEUTRALS' ASSESSMENT METROPOLIS CARRIES ON

British Official Wireless. Rugby, Sept. 19. Now that the German air fury has been unleashed upon the greatest city in the world, whose streets, buildings and monuments enjoy the sentimental regard of millions scattered through five continents, the damage inflicted by bombs has a news value far in excess of its intrinsic importance. The result might well be to give those abroad a distorted picture of the actual injury inflicted by these wanton attacks. But the reports of foreign newspaper correspondents, to judge by extracts from their newspapers telegraphed back to London have, in fact, succeeded in keeping the tale of destruction in proper proportion. The New York Times reminds its readers that out of millions of buildings only 2000 have been destroyed and 3000 seriously damaged, while the toll of life, terrible as it is, considering that 90 per cent. of the victims are helpless civilians, is even less damaging. Life Not Paralysed. An American agency message, surveying 10 days of constant raids on London, says: "They demonstrated how difficult it is to paralyse London's life and traffic. Many points are dislocated, but in no sense is it halted. No public utility in the London area has been put out of commission for any considerable length of time in any large district." In the same sense the Herald-Tribune's correspondent bears witness that most rail services in and out of London continue to operate at full schedule. The fact is also noted by the Chicago Tribune's correspondent, who adds: "This means that food supplies are assured." The plentiful food supplies also impressed a Finnish correspondent, who says: "No difference whatever is visible in the restaurants." Wallace Carroll, United Press correspondent in London, was given an opportunity of consulting confidential reports of the Minister of Home Security, and he telegraphed: "These reports convinced me that the furious German air bombardment through 10 days and nights has inflicted severe damage and suffering on London, but has left Britain's war machinery as a whole unimpaired. "Not one aerodrome has been put out of action. Reports stated that the aircraft industry has hardly been scratched. They said that oil stores destroyed were said to be only* a flea-bite in Britain's reserves. No power station has been put out of action, but one gas-works has been disabled. Most of London's railroad stations are operating normally, but some services on others have been suspended. Ships continue to move in and out of London. These and other assertions contained in reports correspond to my own inspection of aerodromes, factories and other military objectives." Real News Story. Naturally reports are flashed from London when it is known that great departmental stores as John Lewis and Peter Robinson's have been hit or that bombs have fallen with the possibility of serious damage to cultural treasures in such places as the courtyard of the Wallace collection, the Inner Temple Library, the Public Record Office and the courtyard of the British Museum. But foreign observers' reports show that to them the real " news story lies in the spirit of Londoners. Some comment on the large part which Is played by the oral or visual proof of the effectiveness of the defence measures in creating confidence. An American correspondent tells the readers of his newspaper in the Middle West that the "English are ftnding the constant sight of wrecked German warbirds throughout the city the best possible medicine for their morale. With the charred remains of Junkers on every hand they do not need the Propaganda Department to tell them their defences are eflective." The London correspondent of the Finnish newspaper Uusi Suomi tells the Finns how the Londoners are lulled to sleep by the roar of their own guns. "When Londoners hear the anti-aircraft guns roar they fall asleep peacefully and tired faces are no longer visible in the morning," he says.