| Show Life in London Shelters Has Luxurious Side Editor Note Nole Bombs rain rein but life lire In England Englund tots toe on Urns Here a s bit of the themore themore more cheerful tide side In M. M Thompson AlAr dory on the experiences experience of those hoI who ho I use lite e In lAIn London don Tills This Is the he Reventh In Ina ina a of 12 articles article By MILO l M. M THOMPSON IPSON NEW YORK Dec 23 One W-One gets a little weary of the dreary stories of misery In the shelters of bombarded London and it may maybe maybe maybe be time to give the other side of the picture The newspapermen who write of the squalor of Tilbury arches do not sleep there or In the other places where people huddle by thousands under begrimed blankets blankets blankets blan blan- smelling still the aroma of horses stabled there fifty years ago and doing with few sanitary conveniences Reporters dash inand in inand inand and out of such places They themselves lives In no such shel shel- Perhaps the largest concentration tion of these fellows has been atthe at atthe atthe the Savoy famous to American tourists for its bar as also for the floor shows patronized in pre- pre blitz days by the ultra elite in white tie and tails They Still Dance Danee One can still enjoy the dine and dance side of life there two floors below the level of the main dining dining dining din din- ing room in the specially bomb- bomb proofed river room The windows windows windows win win- dows of this on the embankment side are now screened by thick proof fragment-proof brick walls But the Savoy shelters still further down are one of the prime sights of blitzkrieg London If you choose to put yourself up at the Savoy and find the night nighta a little too thick for c comfort o m f o r t what with gunfire explosion quake and the curdling blood-curdling scream of bombs uncomfortably close you throw on your bathrobe bathrobe bathrobe bath bath- robe and start following to the shelter arrows which lead you down softly carpeted stairs Down and down you go to an underground haven below nine floors floors' of steel and concrete and come noiselessly before a serious clerk who methodically checks you In and sends you to your al allotted allotted allotted al- al bed in care of a uniformed servitor You find there are four departments departments departments depart depart- ments reached down corridors made by long thick silken hangings hangings hangings hang hang- ings softly lighted Get Section Turn to the right as you leave the in check-in clerk and you go goto goto goto to the section Turn to the left and you passIn pass passIn passIn In turn the departments for ladies for men and for married couples Each is a broad expanse of floor space filled with beds side by side in neatly regimented rows And such beds They are the beds of luxury you read about in the mattress advertisements advertisements advertisements ad ad- soft and immaculate immaculate immaculate late and complete with eider eider- downs The silken walls are all about you and the fresh conditioned air makes you forget this is communal communal communal com com- sleeping The dim lights and silks make you pay little at attention attention attention at- at to the lacework of steel scaffolding designed to protect you from debris The silence makes you forget war is on If you and your wife go to the married section you slip into your double bed without knowing who may be already asleep in the closely adjoining beds on either side You could reach out and touch them if you chose but the lighting is too dim for recognition recognition recognition I tion and the enforced silence plus the need of sleep removes any I curiosity Take it from me If It you ou snore I at all you will be well advised to take the turning to the right If you rou go to the quiet sectors your night will be a hideous thing in spite of everything The moment sleep comes and its relaxation causes you to emit the first sounds of a broadcast broadcast broadcast broad broad- cast you will find yourself suddenly suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly awake feel soft hands an m n your temples and catch out of the he corner of your eye a disappearing disappearing disappearing shadow It is the shadow of a vigilant nurse who reaches you quickly and silently deftly grasps your head and expertly turns it That can go on all night In the snoring department on the he other hand you will listen to the night-long night symphony by your neighbors until it or your weariness weariness weariness ness puts you oU to sleep The present ever-present nurses and physicians in such places add to the he feeling of security silence brings You know that the cougher and sneezer who might spray you with germs In a shelter of the other type are going to get courteous but quick treatment from Tom one of them or if that fails to work protective isolation There is no lack of the most modern and sufficient conveniences conveniences conveniences in connection with such de deluxe deluxe shelters of London and you youcan youcan youcan can be sure there will be watchful wardens at the door and a fire watch on the roof all through the night I am sure the dreams in tn such places are usually of a land where there is always peace It is easy there to forget the hundreds of thousands cramped in their chill Anderson shelters the millions who like me sleep rudely in ordinary basements and the great army of those who are glad glado to o have concrete subway platforms or the cobblestones under the arches below them if only they are safe from the death and dismemberment dismemberment dismemberment berment which comes from above |
