AIR RAID PRECAUTIONS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20822, 5 June 1939, Page 9

AIR RAID PRECAUTIONS

BERLIN DEMONSTRATIONS APATHETIC POPULACE EXASPERATED NAZI LEADERS (Times Air Mail Service) LONDON, May 18 The Air Raid Precaution week which has just finished in Germany throws light upon some of the strong points and some of the weaknesses of the German national character, writes John Segrue, the Berlin correspondent of the News Chronicle. It is giving scope to the German talent for organisation and at the same time it has revealed that lack of public spirit which six years of National Socialist propaganda have failed to change. Something like the ingenuity shown in excusing themselves by the guests invited to the marriage feast in the Scripture parable has been shown by German women and elderly men just summoned to lake part in A.R.P. activities. Indeed the apathy displayed by hundreds of thousands of Germans not only as regards the A.R.P. week, but as regards the whole question of anti-air-raid organisation has exasperated Nazi leaders. Such apathy hardly conforms to the picture drawn by pro-Nazis in the Western democracies of tiie German as a superman who is now bracing himself for the tasks of world dominion Harassed Policemen In connection with this A.R.P. week hundreds ol women and enderly men (hut not over 6u. are flocking to the police stations in Berlin and other German cities to be questioned on training and to learn what A.R.P. schools they must enter or liow otherwise they must prepare themselves for the day or night when foreign bombs may crash into their homes. Harassed policemen lose their patience as they discover that nearly ail the Germans who line up before them lor this purpose have pretexts lor not attending A.R.P. schools or taking part in A.R.P. activities at all. “My husband is ailing and 1 have no maid who could look after him.” “I am a nurse and cannot leave the patients. “1 have to take my children to school and fetch them home.” “I am a domestic servant and cannot leave the house lor my mistress is ill.” “1 am a typist and my chief cannot spare me.” If the policeman is a Nazi he may remind these expostulating women in stern tones of their duties to an ' encircled” fatherland; otherwise he will brush their excuses aside without a patriotic commentary. Some of these women and one or two elderly men will be ordered to begin their training forthwith, others may be allowed to do it on instalments, spread over two or three months. At the A.R.P. schools, of which there are some 3000 in Germany, instruction is given to groups of from 50 to 60 pupils. In these schools as in other institutions in Nazi Germany the “hush hush” atmosphere is cultivated. Pupils are assured that German A.R.P. is the best in the world and are warned against the agents of imitative foreign Powers eager to discover its secrets. “Say nothing outside about what you hear or see here,” says the teacher—storm trooper, fireman or medical student. Theory and Practice Theoretical instruction at these schools has reference not only to behaviour during and after air-aids but also to the general political situation. Pupils are reminded of the achievements of National Socialism, the strength of the Axis, the obstinacy of the Poles, but not' (I understand) of the wickedness of the Russian “Reds,” a favourite topic until recently. Practical instruction follows.

The pupils put on asbestos suits and gas-masks (women prefer men’s gas masks as being larger and less likely to disturb their permanent waves) and descend into the school cellar.

There under the supervision of the instructor who peers into the cellar from outside through a spyhole in the wall they remain for about a quarter of an hour in an atmosphere heavy with tear gas. This experiment is meant to convince pupils of the protective value of their outfit. Part of the training takes place in the open, in fields or parks outside the city. The pupils, who will be drawn from different walks of Life, tramp in twos from their school to the spot where air raid practice is held in realistic conditions. Structures hastily put up and vaguely resembling institutions or apartment houses are set alight, innocuous bombs explode and there is a general atmosphere of confusion and excitement. Firemen show how to put out the blaze, A.R.P. wardens affect to calm the panic, medical students or young doctors explain how r to treat wounds, injuries or burns. Well Organised But Irksome Then the pupils tramp back to school for further theoretical instruction before dispersing. The German A.R.P. scheme of which the schools are the most important feature, is admirably organised and should work well in war time. But it is pretentious and irksome and seems to arouse but little enthusiasm in the ordinary German who is though Nazis would resent the suggestion) a very human person.