The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1941-08-30

order that they might be prot
Fate has spared us direct &C
trophe thus far, is no reaso
that is urgent and pressing"
There is work to be done at
homework for thousands that
we may be properly prepared in
the face OF any sudden outburst
directed at our shores. Two
years Of war seems to have
calloused the sensibilities of the
masses, in fact, has almost
thrown them off guard. A SenSi-
BILE degree of confidence Ger
tainly boosts morale but over
confidence that borders on neg
lect can prove disastrous. The
training of more air raid war
dens should parallel the work
of our industries so vital is the
production of defense >mateli-
ais"
Last Monday evening large
number of new wardenS en-
rolled in the course conducted
by the Boston Police. Thou
sands more are urged to attend
these weekly meetings now al
most at the halfway mark and
due to end around the middle
of October. Capt. James J.
Hinchey, Chief Air Raid War
den for the City of Boston, be-
lieves that with cooler weather
approaching the attendance
will increase considerably.
Ten thousand wardenS," he
says, lis none too many for a
city that has 100000 people and
which indirectly serves two mil
lion men, women and children,
the total population of Metro
politan Boston,
At the end of this current
course, all men who have at
tended will be authorized war
dens, each the poSsessor of an
/ air raid badge and in times of
emergency will be empowered
to, serve as. an, auxiliary police
force. Their job is an all-im-
portant one, something that
many people cannot yet realize
but as Commissioner Timilty
puts it, IF Americans could
only visit England just to see
how these distressed people
across the waters. depend upon
air raid wardenS, preparations
for similar work here might be
viewed in a. different light"
Every man over twenty one
who is draft-exempt and able to
do the work required of him is
asked to enroll as an air raid
warden with the Captain of his
local police station, who acts as
District Warden in his area.
Every Monday evening in more
than a score of schools, station
houses and municipal buildings,
besides the. islands in Boston
Rarbor, there are gathered over
five thousand men who are re-
ceiving this vital course of in
struction-information that will
be of use whether we are at
peace or at war, For those men
who wish to join but whose
work prevents them from at
tending in the evening, Com
missioner Timilty has arranged
that classes be held two after
moons a week in town.
Meetings are not at all dull
in fact, have proven very inter-
esting. Pictures are shown each
week-actual shots of air raids
on England filmed during this
war. Interesting speakers are
invited to lecture-perhapS
some member Of the Boston
Fire Department or some expert
on incendiary or high explosive
bombs. Only last week members
Of the Police Department who
could be spared from duty; and
a large number of civilian in
structors, were given a talk and
shown pictures by Special Con-
stable Herbert Scott of East
bourne, England, an expert on
in cendiary bombs-a man who
has experienced over one hum
dred bombingS in England since
he outbreak of the war,
Boston, without reservation,
has the best organized course
for instructing wardens of any
started thus far in the entire
country. Many would not be-
lieve the number of cities and
towns that seek to emulate Bos-