OPEN THEIR HOUSES
I NSTRUCTED to find out how men and women in better circumstances are responding to the cull of the Cardinal and other Christian leaders to " Open their homes" in welcome to refugees and others driven from their homes by war, CI CATHOLIC HERALD reporter comes back with the report that the majority of people are unselfish. helpful. charitable and even generous.
But not all. Here are two cases for which he vouches:
" Speaking with two helpless women, hatless and dishevelled, who stared at the ruins of their bombed home, I discovered that they were of good class, had been bombed the night before, and had wandered round London looking where to stay the night. 'Phone calls to two friends. one of whom wac indebted to the two women. brought the following answers. The first said she could not put them up, as ' I am entertaining,' while the other made the excuse that I am just going OW. and so, my dear. it's quite out of the question.' The two women were. when I saw them, about to start for Aylesbury, where an aunt ' might ' put them up?'
NO COAL: NO WATER
In the second case a father, mother and seven children had found refuge (for which they paid) in part of a big house in the country.
During the recent cold spell they were without coal. and the family shivered. The owner of the house who lives by herself, had plenty of coal stored up. When asked to sell a little coal until the merchants could deliver some, the owner of the house said. " No, not for you."
On another occasion the family found no water in the main taps. Enquiry revealel that it had been turned off by the owner. Why? Because a pipe had burst in the bathroom. But the father of the unfortunate family was unable to trace any sign of a burst Pipe.
The story is not made better by the remark of one of the older children: " And to think." he said, " that she Is the guardian of the Blessed Sacrament." This was said in reference to the fact that the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the house.