Hello, London

People in the U.S. and people in Britain can talk to each other again. Public telephone service between the U.S. and Britain, shut off since September 1939, was resumed last week.

Transatlantic conversations are now both easier and cheaper. Before the war only five calls could be handled at once; now, eight conversations can go on simultaneously. The basic charge for a three-minute call has been cut from $21 to $12 (plus a $3--25%--federal tax).

Censors will still listen. But the censorship is mild: only such topics as ship movements are barred. Any talk in German will be instantly cut off.

New York had 350 applications for calls the first day; 100 calls were completed. The only priority: first come, first served. In London, the first caller was a U.S. soldier, telephoning his family.

Public service to Portugal, Spain and Switzerland was resumed on June 15. Telephone service to Paris is still limited to officialdom and the press.

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