round a breakdown anywhere in London, or
indeed in the world. They all had a remedy,
everyone gave advice to the driver, but no
matter what he did the old machine would not
move.
After thirty minutes or so a soldier of the Red Army came up, spoke to the driver and then turned to the crowd, and I suppose, suggested to them that a little help was worth a great deal of pity and that practical assistance was worth much more than talk. Within a few seconds at least a couple of dozen persons surrounded the car, told the driver to start his engine, and as he started, themselves gave a huge lift and sent the machine flying out of the hole. Quite a shout went up from the crowd which had assembled and there were very friendly greetings to myself from everybody.
We were at least a couple of miles from the centre, on the South side of the city, in a part I had not been to before, which is crowded with very poor people indeed. I stayed for some minutes listening to the people, and saw Fineberg exchanging conversation with them. There was no hostility, there certainly was a great amount of friendliness ; and as far as I could see there was no sign of dejection or absolute starvation. That want was on their faces and that near by was much typhus is true, people were also dreading the
