El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-10-11
NEW YORK POLICE
READY FOR WAR
Everything Would Go Like
Clockwork if an Enemy
Landed in the City.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

New York. Oct 11-Preparedness is
the word at New York police headauar-
tiers these days A committee is hard
at work figuring out just what the po-
lice should do in case a hostile army
marched into the neighborhOOd and
sent a million or so tired. hungry, thirs-
ty, homeless men and children scurry-
ing from one borough into another.
The police heads had never thought
they read the newspapers and some of
the tales from Poland and Belgium set
their imaEinatiOns TO working
SuppOsing an enemy landed on Long
Island and swept into Brooklyn, driv
ing, say 1900. 600. refugees across
bridges and ferries and through tunnels
onto Manhattan
What To Do.
What would they do?
The big guns Of the police admitted
they would be overwhelmed-the Hud-
sOn-Fulton celebration of desperate
memory wouldn't be in it
So a committee on preparedness. con-
sisting of chief inspector Max F.
Schmittberger and inspectors Norris,
Cohen and O'Brien, was appointed and
they are making progress Of which
Berlin might well be proud
On a card index system is the name
of every aerOplane and automobile
owner in Greater New York who has
promised TO help in time of emergency.
together with his telephone number
machine.
No Detail Lacking.
Also all surgeons. physicians, nurses,
churches. public halls. school buildings
and described in regard to availability
for emergency usefulness.
This does not begin to cover the list
of resources which are card 1ndeXed-
There are already 10000 cards and
more are added everyday. The police
Of their FINGER tins all facts 4 nD1L
gas and power houses, art museums.
dynamite depOts. transportation yes
sells. inflammable oils and liquids and
the national guard.
Camps Arranged For.
II sall the refugees couldn't possibly
be accommodated under roofs, refugee
camps would be esta blished at carefully
plotted points in the big city parks.
Each camp would consist Of 1000 per
sons. as the United states army con-
siders this the greatest number that
can be handled satisfactory in a unit
4 type of stove for use in cooking
for these camps has even been picked
out and could be quickly supplied,
quantities of foodstuffs have been
signed with great packing, produce
and flour concerns
Water Supply.
The police haven't forgotten water
pipes to the camps. and all sorts of
necessary provisions. OF course, these
are not in place; but the police com
mittee is drawing up detailed plans by
which they could be provided swiftly
and without confusion
Again. if the city were near occupa-
ton by hostile troops, art and jewelry
treasures would have to be removed TO
safety. All buildings to be protected
in this manner are listed and at a com
mand from headquarters. vans would
roll up to their doors and pictures and
statuary would soon be in place Of
safety
The Food Question.
New York never has more than
enough food to feed itself four days
For this reason the ponce are pre-
pared at an instants notice TO super
wise the bringing in Of food supplies
from the west
One thing that is worrying inspectors
Schmittberger, however, is the question
Of water.
All other emergencies might be pro-
vided against and yet the enemy might
capture the Catskiu watershed and
leave New York dry and gasping. But
even then a number of large condensers
such as are used aboard ship could
convert sea water into something
drinkable. The police are looking into
that
Flags, Signals and wireless.
HOstilities in the neighborhoOd might
result in putting the telephone and
telegraph systems Of the city out Of
business Inc ulIIeEenL ponce stations
could not communicate. perhapsi Not
at all The police have recently learned
flag wigwagging and the use Of flash
signals at night from the United States
navy and every station can send or re-
ceive messages TO or from other sta
lions without the use Of a wire
Furthermore, in a few weeks, a sys-
TEN Of wireless communication Will be
installed. Then, in five minutes a squad
of policemen will be able to set up a
long aerial at a street intersection and
send messages 80 to so miles.
This does not by any means cover the
subject of police preparedness, which
includes plans for projections in case
Of a great fir or an earthquake as well
as the approach Of a hostile army
Messages All Written.
Perhaps the most important part Of
the plan is the general orders all writ