Hiding Behind a Laugh

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 96, 24 April 1941, Page 5

Hiding Behind a Laugh

T° my way of thinking life can be dreary enough without people trying to add to its darkness. The people in England apparently appreciate that point of view, too, as every letter I get from the homeland tefers to the way in which the people, rich and poor, old and young, refuse to be depressed and are determined to keep their spirits up. There is no room for a dispenser of gloom in an air raid shelter in England to-day. I can only speak from a very short experience in London during the last war. I was

home on leave for six days and the very first night I was in London the Germans decided to pay the city a visit also. The twopenny tube stations were the most popular shelters in those days. Not being able to find one of these, I took cover under some archways near Charing Cross. We were a very mixed crowd. Soldiers, sailors, tinkers, tailors. rich men. poor men. beo-

garmen, thieves. A large number of women folk as well. There was quite a large smattering of foreigners also, French, Belgians, Italians, Greeks, and many other mixed nationalities. One thing was very obvious. We were all afraid and of that there was no possible doubt, no possible, probable doubt what-ever-but fear was exhibited in different ways. The foreigner showed his fear in the generally accepted way-by that I mean that he made no attempt to conceal his feelings. Our own people on the other hand hid their emotions behind a laugh or a song. This contrast is not one of courage versus fear, as both share the same fear, but between its revelation by acts and speech.-("Just Between Ourselves," by Major F. H. Lampen, 2YA, April 17.)