Evening star., 1941-12-11
D. +. B|ackout
Trials Urged On
Capitol Hill
Representatives Back
Proposal Randolph
Made Last Spring

Experimental blackouts, not dim
outs, were urged today by members
of Congress to rehearSe the people
of Washington properly for pos
sible enemy air raids.
Strongest advocate of the plan
was Representative Cole of New
York, member of a special COM
mittee of five House Republicans
which has just returned from two
week inspection trip through the
bomb-shattered sections Of England
and Scotland
The United States is now in the
war; Mr.. Cole declared. Il think
the people of Washington and other
cities should be put through drills
as to how to handle themselves
under complete blackout conditions.
These drills, if conducted in a sober
way without hysteria. may result in
the saving of many lives.
Dimout mo Protection"
THE dimouts in washington offer
no protection. Flying over the city
Tuesday night during a dimout
period, I could see the dome of the
Capitol though the food lights
around it had been extinguished.
All other public buildings were
visible. There must be complete
darkness for successful blackout.
You don't see any lights in Eng
land during a blackout. Even the
headlights on the motor busses are
shielded with shutters"
Representative Hunter. Democrat,
of Ohio, called for complete black
out experiments and declared they
! should be started "at once" He
said he would sponsor legislation
providing stiff penalties for viola
ton of blackout rules.
"We are only playing war with
dimouts," declared Representative
Hebert, Democrat, Of louisiana
Experiments with complete black
/ outs should have been started here
months ago"
/ Representative Stefan. Republican,
Of Nebraska, declared experimental
blaCkouts should be included in the
program Of emergency public in
struCtion. :,
/ Advocates Home Nights"
! "Blackouts are merely a part Of
many things the people Of this coun-
try must become familiar with" he
said.
Personally 7 think there is en-
tirely too much social activity in
Washington. It would be a good
thing to keep the people home one,
two or three nights a week so they
can give serious thought to the
grave crisis that faces this Nation.
"Blackouts, however. should only
be carried out under proper protec-
ton 10 the public against thugs,
accidents, etc. And they should only
last for a short period. Otherwise
blackout experiments would be
dangerous
Representative Vreeland. Republi-
can, of New Jersey, a captain in the
military intelligence reserve of the
Army, who will go on active duty
January 5, also gave his Endorsement
to experimental blackouts.
IT'S a good way to instruct the
public what to do under an air
ONNdNhs A4N oc14Ns DuI AIlelc are
hazards which must be minimiZed
through careful preparations and
advance publicity"
May Scouts Bombing Fears.
Chairman May of the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee expressed
the opinion lit is all right to practice
with blackouts," although he said
Washington should not have any
fear Of being bombed from the air.
Boiling Field, Langley Field and
other air corps stations" he de-
clared, will protect Washington
from enemy planes"
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee, the first member
OF Congress to propose experimental
blackoutS here last April, intro
duced bill designed to carry them
out with the cooperation of the
War Department. The plan met an
avalanche of criticism. The House
killed his bill with a record 172-Il7
vote amid charges it was "a lot
OF spinach" would cause more
deaths than bombs and lead to a
wave of robbery and murder.