Show horse as and es buggy customs return As britain feels pressure of war by GRANT buckingham released by western newspaper union one year ago the 11 1 1 average would have scoffed at the suggestion that he would soon discard his automobile for a horse hors e drawn dogcart equally outlandish would be the suggestion that hed return to the simple evenings before the fireside which characterized an earlier generation today after seven months of war the is doing both blackouts gasoline rationing and other restrictions have shaken the years from En glands shoulders and revived the national customs of two or three decades igo ago more england Is not complaining some lose others gain the blackouts which descend at nightfall over london and other principal cities have created an entirely new technique of living working and playing in which the gods of war have dictated almost every feature of the national existence many have lost by it yet paradoxically others have profited moving picture theaters in metropolitan london are suffering the leanest period in their history be V s BLACKOUT protection A british cyclist with a homemade warning crisscross criss cross of white adhesive tape on his coat serving as a protective warning during blackouts fortunately there arent so many automobiles on the highways as before the war cause movie goers hesitate to grope their way very far through inky blackness conversely suburban theaters near the residential sections are booming how to spend time at home is an acute social problem for the engli english s h who like americans are accustomed to venturing abroad during the evening hours many old customs have been revived and the radio once merely a an n idle how hour instrument has become an essential feature of the evenings entertainment shutters must be closed long discarded games like cards and dartboard have been r resurrected e from the attic and are enjoyed behind carefully sealed windows in dows should light penetrate into the street and up to the sky the british fear german air raiders might drop their deadly bombs music especially the home variety has enjoyed a marked rebirth englishmen who can afford it are buying small pianos and not the least to profit by this trend are the BLACKOUT CRISIS AVERTED war far or no war the nosi nose must be powdered this british young woman carries a compact which supplies its own light from an ordinary flashlight batte ry correspondence school piano teachers on the other hand regular personal music instructors are suffering because children have been evacuated from the major cities many family orchestras have been organized and small groups gather each evening for family and community song tests another old custom revived is that of taking turns reading aloud before a group gathered around the fireside blackouts have boomed astronomy is tron because there is no longer any distraction from the shimmering glow of lights from nearby cities it theres a moon only when the moon is bright do the english travel about at night and many evening invitations are accepted with the proviso that the guest will come if theres a moon so great is the night travel problem that most london business fa firms sent their employees home two hours earlier during the short winter days getting them home before the blackout fell though the blackout has apper apparently segregated and isolated family groups other war measures measure have added to the community spirit many families whose children childr n and grandparents were evacuated to the country have joined their remnants under a single roof cutting their living expenses and enjoying each others company during the long and cheerless evening |