Foreign News: Events

Record Low. For the first time in the 81-year long history of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway its directors declared a dividend of only 1½% last week. Cause: disastrous industrial depression resulting from the British coal strike (TIME, May 10 to Nov. 29). Midnight Visitor. At a maternity hospital in London’s slummy East End the lights were snapped on suddenly one midnight last week, and 48 recent mothers blinked sleepy, startled eyes. Then they huddled bed clothes around themselves, sat up and simpered at Edward of Wales. He, restless, hurried on to visit half a dozen East End dives. At one a sailor, elated with rum, seized Edward’s not very strong right hand and pumped it for minutes—shouting “Hold on Prince!” whenever His Royal Highness tried to draw away. At last an equerry hit the fellow a shrewd tap, rescued Edward.