Evening star., 1932-12-11

II you can form in your mind pic
ture OF Washington under such circum-
stances, you may realize what has just
happened in Rome as a result of a
Mussolini decree that the military and
citizenry of the Italian capital should
undergo q series of "air attack drills"
for the instruction Of all concerned in
the procedure to be followed in case of
actual war. London and Paris also
have held somewhat similar drills,
though on q far less elaborate scale.
European capitals take very seriously
the threat Of aerial warfare. They
realize that in event of war enemy
squadrons probably would strike i'm
mediately at the capitals. Drills in the
methods to be employed in case of hos
tile air raids have come to be regarded
as of great mportance-just as fire
drills are regarded as a part Of school
routine.
The attacks on Rome. according to
eyewitness accounts received in Wash
ington, lasted for two nights and a day
and virtually every person in the city
and its immediate environs became in
volyed. In greater or lesser degree, in
the exercises.
On the opening night Of the sim
ulated attacks the alarm was sounded
through the city from advanced lis
tening and lookout posts and the city
ened Immediately and completely In ac-
cordance with regulations which had
been prescribed for the occasion.
: All traffic was halted and automo-
bile lights were extinguished Passen-
gers were herded out of street cars and
into stores and buildings held open for
the purpose throughout the city. Pc
destrians scurried for cover In build
ings, in large pedestrian tunnel under
the downtown streets, or into private
homes.
Air Defense Simulated.
The anti-aircraft defenses Of the city
went into action, the gun batteries
keeping UP their fire during the hour
and half of the simulated attack.
Smoke bombs were set off to simulate
fires and fire apparatus was hurried to
the scenes. Gas bombs, filled with
harmless instead of deadly gases, were
exploded. The planes dropped bombs
which exploded harmlessly above the
city.
AS the planes withdrew the city re-
sumed its normal life for short time
until warning sirens signaled the be-
ginning of second and only slightly
shorter air attack. A third attack at
about 3 o'clock in the morning closed
the activities for the night.
Early the next morning, however, as
large part of the population was on
the way to work, airplanes were sighted
flying to the attack and sirens sounded
the alarm throughout the city. Traf-
fic was stopped and those In the streets
fed to cover. Several times during the
lax tEa ntt onlrr
Red Cross and fire department ener-
gency details were stationed through
out the city to treat the injured" and
simulated victims of poison gas bombs
For practice purposes they picked up
and subjected to treatment citizens who
were found on the streets in dis
obedience of the orders. This treat
ment, of q piece with the famous
Fascist castor oil punishment" for
minor offenses, 1t is presumed, proved
quite effective
The simulated raids went on into the
second night on the same basis and the
exercises concluded with the military
and civilian poulation fairly well drilled
in the appearances, at least, Of an air
raid and practiced in the meager means
of protection open to bombardment-
fated city. The darkening of the city
to have been very efficiently done,
especially on the second night.
Washington Would Object.
While officers of the United States
Army are keenly interested in the
progress of the air raid drills in the
European capitals, they are convinced
that it would be next to impossible to
put on any such demonstration in
Washington.
"You can imagine the mighty howl
that would arise from the civil popula-
ton of Washington If we ordered them
in off the streets for an hour or more
and subjected those found abroad to
the indignity of simulated treatment
for gassing, "a prominent Air Corps
officer said.
How far do you think we would get
If we were to order all traffic to stop
moving for an hour or to darken all
ctaror fhootars and li0rnog while a