Evening star., 1939-01-29

| pIOOuCtlOu.
Royal Air Force Recruits
$4,000 Men In Year.
On the recruiting side also good
progress is being made, and where
as In 1887 between April and the end
of the year we obtained 5000 new
entrants into the Royal Air Force
this year the corresponding num-
Der is $4,000.
In regard to the army, I pro-
pose only to say a word about the
part Of our program which is most
frequently referred to by critics. I
mean our anti-aircraft defenses.
Every one knows that last ,Septem-
Der certain deficiencies were dis
closed in these defenses. We were
we'll aware that those deficiencies
existed, for we were engaged on a
program which was only planned
for completion at a considerably
later date.
But the program has now been
accelerated and the deficiencies
which were apparent last Septem-.
ber have largely been removed. 1t
would not be in the public interest
to give actual figures, but I may
tell you that few days ago I
was examining the position as it is
today and as it will be in the course
of the next few months and you may
take it that it is very greatly i'm
proved not only as regards the in
crease of guns and accessories, but
also in the organization for direct
ing and manning them.
A few nights ago I broadcast
message to the nation to initiate the
recruiting campaign for national
voluntary service and want to say
a few more words on the same sub
ject this evening.
Perhaps Not in Firing Line,
But All in Line Of Fire.
It would be superf1uous for me
to impress on this audience the
need for building up what I may
call the fourth arm of our ma
tional defense. If we should ever
be involved in war we may well
find that if we are not all in the
firing line we may all be in the line
of fire. And in meeting that danger
there is new opportunity OF serv-
ice for the civil population in the
various branches of civil defense.
We are not seeking to build up a
vast civil defense force to be en-
bodied like a professional army in
wartime. relieving the citizens in
general of their responsibilities for
their own defense. Our task Is to
find people for certain definite jobs,
not to find jobs for the whole of
the people.
What we are looking for is men
and women who will volunteer now
to give their service for certain
definite purposes, as AFRAID war
dens, or fire-1ghters, for first aid
and rescue parties, or for those serv-
ices of more domestic kind which
any scheme of evacuation must de-
mand. And we want them to be
ready to undergo training now so
that they may be able to give that
service efficiently if ever the need
for it arises.
OF course, the enrolment of volun-
teers would be useless without the
provision of the civil defense organi-
zation which they are to man, and
this part of our task is now well in
hand. ~~
Civil Defense Instructors
Get Extended Training.
We have considerably extended
the facilities for the training of in
structors in civil defense in the
government schools. Steps have
been taken to accelerate the produc-
ton Of equipment and supplies and
the local authorities are being
pressed to overhaul and expand
their own local arrangements for
the training Of volunteers.
Protection against the effects of
air raids is another matter which
has engaged our urgent attention.
No doubt you have read of the
steel air-raid shelters which are to
be provided to give protection to
those who live in vulnerable areas
and cannot be expected to provide
them for themselves. These steel
shelters will be adequate protection
to those who live in vulnerable areas
and cannot be expected to provide
them for themselves. These steel
shelters will be adequate protection
against splinters' blast and falling
debris. A first order for 100000
tons of steel for these shelters has
already been placed and in the
course of the next few weeks we
expect to begin the distribution of
the shelters in some of the most
vulnerable areas.
Further progress has also been
made in working out the plans for
evacuation from our large, congested
cities. II evacuation is to be carried
out effectively 1t must be done in an
orderly manner and think 1t will
be generally agreed that we must
consider the children first. Accord
ingly, the minister of health has
asked the local authorities concerned
to make a comprehensive survey of
the accommodation available for the
reception of children and, where
necessary, their mothers, and to
ascertain which householders are
able and willing to receive them.
This work is now proceeding rapidly
and meanwhile we are examining
the possibility of making use of
camps to supplement the other &C
commodation available.
| All Matters to Be Made
Public II Possible.
In all these plans we shall take
fully into our confidence the authori-
ties, on whose cooperation we are
relying and, except where matters
cannot be made public without
prejudice to the national safety. we
shall disclose fully our revised plans
for civil defense to all who would
be affected by them.
I am not afraid of the result of
our appeal for voluntary workers.