Evening star., 1941-05-21
Roster Of Volunteers
For Civilian Defense
Work Considered
Final Decision Up to
La Guordio, Coming Here
Today to Direct Program
BS the Associated Press.

Bs the Associated Press
A plan for the voluntary registra-
tion of the millions of men above
the present military age was re-
ported under consideration today as
Mayor Fiorello La Guardia came
here to direct the vast new civilian
defense program.
Counting in more than 100000
World War veterans. authorities
said there were approximately TO-
100000 men in the age group 36
through As. The age limits for mil
itary service registrants are 81
through 35.
Furthermore, they pointed out,
there were 100000 women between
ages of 81 and 46 from whom addi-
tional millions of volunteers could
be drawn, if the registration were
extended to cover them.
Given Full Authority.
A final decision on adoption of
the voluntary registration plan, it
was said, will rest with Mr.. La
Guardia to whom the President has
delegated full authority for super
vising the organization of civilian
defenses. Such defenses include
home guards, already formed in
some States, air-raid warning and
AFRAID defense services, and the
numerous services connected with
recreational and social projects for
men in the Army.
In New York reports were current
today that the United States Con-
ference of Mayors, headed by Mayor
La Guardia, might send delegation
TO London soon to study the home
defense system there.
Mr.. La Guardia had only this
comment to make when asked if he
would head such a delegation:
"One thing at a time, please"
Correspondence Exchanged.
Persois close to the Mayor indi-
Gated he felt that the report was
based on a recent exchange of cor
respondence between Mr.. La Guar
ola and Herbert Morrison, British
Minister of Home Defense, who Wis
tied this country in 1888.
1t was pointed out at City Hall
that such a delegation might be
composed largely of technical ex-
perts rather than mayors.
In announcing his selection of New
York's Mayor for the new post, Mr.
Roosevelt indicated that civil de-
fenSe services might utilize men of
military age who are in deferred
classifications. He said that he had
asked selective service headquarters
for the names of those who could
volunteer for civil defense duties.
Of the l6,50000 selective service
registrants, about 100000 have
been classified to date and only
600 900 of these men will be in
training by the end of June. Thus
a reservoir of at least 100000 would
be available here, and the number
would be more than doubled when
the remaining 100000 registrants
are classified
Vast Manp0wer Supply.
However, some authorities are
known to view this huge pool of
registrants as the Nations principal
manpower supply. not only for mill
tary service, if deferments should be
restricted, but also for defense in
dustries and agriculture. They
argued that it would be better to
draw the bulk of civilian defense
personnel from volunteers above
military age
If Mr. La Guardia does decide to
call for civil defense volunteers,
many officials believe that, without
urging, millions of both men and
women would flock to sign up At
the ONCE of Production Manage
ment, for example, it was reported
that every days mail brings in hun
dreds of letters asking the same gen.
eral question, what can I do to
help national defense?"
Many informed persons were of
the opinion that one of the chief
factors which led President Roose-
welt to create the Office of Civilian
Defense was this insistence ON the
part of SO manv persons to be given
something to do.
In this connection it was noted
that Mr.. La Guardia was assigned,
among his other duties, the job of
looking after civilian morale. and it
was expected that while his long
range objective would 'be to prepare
against such possible dangers as
airplane attacks, his immediate goal
would be the stimulation of morale
by making the defense drive a mat