Evening star., 1941-09-22
Cooperation
OfWonen
Needed
Active Volunteer
Aid Big Factor
In Defense
By frankie Kahs

~
At one of her first press confer
ences since her recent appointment
by Mayor F. II. La Guarsssa. director
Of the once of Civilian Defense. a,
assistant director. Miss EleiSe Davi-
son reiterated the absolute necessity
Of active volunteer ee~,S>efa;t,sa IL,
the defense pCssTAa f,S SIS SUCCESS
Miss DAWSON is 81 charge ~ the
mary vS,,Ussseer Ac;4v stsaS, ascs,ssa1s
the cnySsllme0s & u'Saea III s'stl,
services IS e;sT~as aSSa> drivers
corps a,sS cgressesstN se>>s sssd l,Ssss-
tnS, cs.s ~sss uyssssSss uss>> Ss4NS home
ard see
 sses esssSsge;s weG 81 that
they VIII ;ssN * m@sS INKS IN the
grest tcAa, - f.s$s sS t,ny>Ntant In
the 6e:eI.Ss eSy,ssass,~ Tssst is the
necessary ~ AZ satS stne-so I'M
press uySsi every woman III the
United States that the program Is
not planned for specific groups OF
people or for the Office workers. The
volunteer activities in the civilian
defense program control the success
or failure of the project. Since its
success is imperative 1t is the duty
of every woman to do the job for
which she is best suited.
There are two chief features In
the civilian defense outline. The
first, the protective side, is obvious.
There are nine defense councils set
up to correspond with the nine Army
Corps areas and their work is
planned to meet the protective re-
uuirements of the districts. The
Volunteer Participation Committee
Is made up of five representatives
from each area and acts as guiding
spirit for civilian participation. This
group represents the geographical
spread of the country and the di-
verging interests that result from 1t
and, because of this, is able to asCer-
tain the work that can be best done
in each area.
The second feature is constructive;
to steer the volunteers in local COM
munities into the various projects
for which they are best suited as in
dividuals. They are given training
in different fields. that not only ap-
plies to defense but is invaluable in
their own homes. A greater interest
in foods and nutrition, for example,
is developed and the training re-
ceived in this field carries over into
the home.
In certain areas there are definite
defense measures that must be car
ried out while they are not impera-
tive in other districts. In New York
City there are 10000 afraid war
dens in training, but in the COM
munities of the Middle and Far
West this particular phase OF de-
fense is not so important. In farm
Ing areas, the canning and storing
Of food becomes pre- eminent.
The program is not hodge-podge
Of frantic effort; it Is a gigantic
task in which the abilities of each
district of the country are pro-
NOTED so that the entire country
may present closely tntegrated
civilian defense.
Naturally, there are certain phases
OF defense that are more popular
than others. Due to the fact that
It's program is already set up, the
Red Cross Is training many aides
who will assist nurses so that they
may devote more time to greater
number of patients. A call for
100000 more aides has been sent
out, and since the need for them is
great and the information about
the work is definite and specific
1t Is hoped that this quota will soon
be met.
Every effort is being made to find
short cuts to impress the individual
citizen with the Importance OF his
or her cooperation. Shortly, here
in Washington, there will be a meet
ing of the presidents of every wom-
ans organization. They will be in
structed as to the organization OF
the Defense Council and what they
can do in their own groups to assist
its work. In turn they will hand
the information to their associates
and to the communities at large.
Miss Davison's advice to the in
dividual woman who has an earnest
desire to do her part is to locate
her local defense council and vol
unteer her services Immediately
The work cannot be done by good
intentions" and if no local council
has been set up the women should
make an effort to see that it Is done.
There are already $4,000 to 10000
Offices In operation, but more are
needed. In the long run, every
town should have It's council, but
this depends entirely upon the en-
couragement received from the peo-
ole,