Evening star., 1941-12-16
District Firms
Urged toDim
Electric Signs
Commissioners Again
Call for Voluntary
Reduction in Lights

District civilian defense authori-
ties today emphasized that business
houses, hotels and other places
should proceed at once to dim"
their lights, including blazing neon
advertising signs and other flood
lighting which might increase
Washingtons danger from the
enemy.
AS yet no order has been issued
for "blackout" for these or other
lights, but Commissioner Young, de-
fense co-ordinator for this area, and
Col. Lemuel BolleS. civilian defense
director, said an existing instruction
means that citizens and business
managers should voluntarily reduce
illumination.
Col. Bolles said the instructions
now are in the state of a request
to dim" A second step, which he
indicated might be taken in the
near future, would be a polite
warning" which would be passed
along to property owners and man
ayers by police. He then added:
When the time comes, if we do
not get sufficient voluntary coop
Grafton we will have to crack down" 3"
District legal officials said the
penalties for failure to comply with
regulations may be fines up to $500,
or 80 days in Jail, or both.
No Specific Orders.
As explained by Commissioner
Young, neither he nor Col. BolleS
have as yet ordered" any specific
kind of lighting to be blacked out.
He said business concerns were not
expected to put out lights essential
to the conduct of their business
but. as did Col Bolles, he emphasized
that all parties concerned were
urged" to dim or otherwise reduce
any lighting that was not necessary.
Attention also was directed to the
official instructions issued by Co
ordinator Young as to automobile
travel. They state: "Cltlzens are
urged to avoid unnecessary travel
on streets and roads. Drivers OF all
types of vehicles are urged to dim
their driving lights and to proceed
at all times with great caution to
avoid accidents.
"Citizens are urged to avoid un-
necessarily large assemblages. Re-
sponsible officers are urged to bring
about the dimming of all street
lights and other public lighting con-
sistent with safety, and to arrange
for the necessary action to accom-
plish complete elimination OF all
lighting in case of emergency.
Commissioner Young will confer
shortly with officials OF nearby
MARYLAND and Virginia to stralghten
out a few jurisdictional matters.
No date has yet been set for the
meeting, which it is understood Will
be used to determine the extent OF
Commissioner Young's authority In
the nearby counties included IN tne
Metropolitan Area. -.
Col. Bolles has been instructed
TO write letters to all mayors
and county commissioners OF the
nearby sections of Maryland and
Virginia inviting them to attend as
soon as the date is decided.
Meanwhile the Commissioners
Yesterday added 40 OF 100 author
lied additional police recently voteo
by congressional action to the force
When the remaining 60 are added
and a few other vacancies are filled
1t was stated, the total strength o.
the department will be 1875.
5000 Wardens Sworn In.
After an all-morning session with
the Civilian Defense Council lead
ers the city heads revealed the fol
lowing status of civilian defense or
ganization:
Volunteer police-1,201 sworn in
Training started yesterday; 2,5O'
more expected within 10 days.
Volunteer firemen-850 in train
ing. 1900 ready to begin training.
Air raid wardens-3,000 sworn in
5000 enrolled. Expected to be SUI
ficiently trained in 10 days to o'
prepared for a test of organization
when called.
Nearby Virginia-2,0OO air rait
wardens organized.
Nearby Maryland-Complete war
den establishments in both counties
Downtown 900 vol
unteers for air raid duty among tn
commercial and industrial estab
lishments. Organization is 30 pc
cent complete. Demolition squad
are also completely organized.
Casualty Stations Spotted.
Disclosure that certain person
have been soliciting for funds in be
half of civilian defense brough
from local defense officials tn
warning that no authorized soliclta
ton exists. Persons solicited wer
asked to notify the police.
AS plans were made for the Dis
trict public hospitals to be ready |
evacuate in case of emergenc,
Commissioner Guy Mason said locs
private hospitals already are dis
charging for home care all patient
thought sufficiently recuperated ft
such care to make available add
tional bed space in event OF nee
He said this program was under
taken by local physicians then
selves. Sixty casualty stations hay
been spotted throughout the cl'
to aid in case of air raid.
A plea to the population to redu'
purchase of adhesive tape 1or mol
medical purposes was made by u
War Department. which said the
was an apparent shortage OF II
material here.