A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK
EVEN if the precise purpose of the scattered night-raids by single machines or groups of two or three is not perfectly clear, it is fairly obvious what the Germans are aiming at gener- ally. To begin with, they are doing quite useful reconnaissance work, which may be turned to good service later, and giving their crews experience in night-flying. In the second place, they are counting on depriving people of sleep and hindering indus- trial production over a large area. In the third, they are hoping to unmask our defences, in which their success is negligible. And each single machine is, of course, dropping bombs, with less than even moderate success so far as military objectives are concerned. Sooner or later, no doubt, there will be a square hit somewhere instead of a near-miss, and a factory or assembly- plant will be put out of action. That is inevitable, and it is no use hoping to escape it entirely. Meanwhile, so far as London at any rate is concerned, people are already increasingly dis- inclined to leave their houses for public shelters. Some of them, no doubt, are quite wise in staying where they are. It depends very much on the type of house and the strength of its basement if there is one. But if the inhabitants of relatively flimsy villas take things too lightly there is a prospect of bad disasters if the raids suddenly become intensive. That will become more and more of a problem as winter approaches.
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