Evening star., 1939-08-09
Germany Surveys
Civilian Power 10
Meet Emergency
Peoples Special Talents
Are Listed to Increase
Nations Efficiency
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Aug. 9.-Germany today
directed comprehensive survey of
her civilian power-men, women
and children-to meet any emerg-
ency which may menace the nation
in the critical days ahead
While the program to establish
peak of preparedness by mid
August was stepped up, gigantic
card index of special talents of Ger
mans was being prepared for the
new civilian registration ordered
last night for next week.
Only soldiers. reServistS and per-
sons less than years old and more
than 70 were excluded in the orders
Tor a vast survey of the abilities
and capacities of Germans.
Squeezing Out Efficiency.
we are squeezing the last drop
OF efficiency out of a nation which
already has attained an impressive
degree of all-round competence. "
one official commented.
Should there be an emergency
calling on the Reich to exert itself
to the utmost, every German man.
woman and child will be at the post
where he or she can perform the
most effective service"
The registration of talents" was
one OF a series of preparatory
measures being taken. A press cam
palgn against Poland continued,
consumption of gasoline was re-
strlcted, and German pride and
sense of security was being stimu-
lated by nationwide showing of
movies of the Siegfried line of fort
!flcations on the western frontier.
1t was reliably reported that a
number of Berlin schools would be
used to quarter troops being called
up at the end of this week for
maneuvers. Glasses were being
doubled up, to prevent interruption
of the educational program.
Army People Excluded.
There was no official explanation
of the purpose of including children
as young as 5 years in the civilian
registration. One explanation was
that the number and temperaments
of children might be controlling
factor in deciding what and how
much special service a mother might
perform.
Soldiers and reServiStS were ex-
cluded from the survey because the
army already knows where and
how they are to be used But
civilians were puzzling today over
cards-green ones for females and
orange for maleS-on which were
columns of searching questions.
They must be filled out and turned
in to pohce-by Aryans-between
August 13 and 10. Jews will have
a registration of their own between
August 28 and September 2.
The announcements did not say
so but the presumption was that in
an emergency Germany would be in
a position to direct the lives of civil
ians as completely as nation con-
trolls its armed forces.
Hobbies Are Listed.
Men and women could be used at
tasks to which they were best suited
or at jobs which, because of special
conditions, need to be done most
urgently. The questions require a
citizen to state his present occupa-
ton, list his previous jobs, his spe-
cial talents and even his hobbies.
1t was stated in the announcement
of the survey that women would be
required to perform more varied and
extensive service than was the case
in the World War.
Thus special attention is being
paid to facts brought to light by the
green cards. Germany has fairly
definite estimate of the extent and
capacity of its manpower through
military registration, but informa-
ton on women is less detailed and
exact.