Sir Auckland Geddes on Preparedness In a speech at Beckenham
this week, Sir Auckland Geddes, after advising housewives to build up gradually a store of preserved foods and bottled water, made the sensible state- ment that there was too much secrecy about A.R.P. arrange- ments, and the more that was known about them the better. The Government has yet to learn this lesson fully; but there is evidence that progress is being made, though there have been rumours that Sir John Anderson has found himself hampered by official obstruction. Arrangements for evacu- ation are being brought to completion, and contracts have been placed for the delivery of the first instalment of steel plates for the construction of garden shelters against blast and splinters. It is not surprising that the demand for deep bomb-proof shelters grows, and the Government would be wise to issue a statement of policy on this question. Sir John Anderson's plans are justified on the reasonable assumption that the risk of war in the early months of this year is what has to be considered first; the risk undeniably exists, and a long-term plan for constructing underground shelters—which would take a year to complete—is obviously no answer to it. The hope that Mr. Chamberlain's appease- ment policy may succeed provides no justification for any slackness in preparing for the situation that will arise if it fails.
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