Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-04
$4,000 Sought
For Citizens
Defense Here
Budget Includes
Item; FuII-Time
Aide Is Planned

A $4,000 item now awaiting ap-
proval as a part of the new Dis
trict budget will be depended on
to finance the organization work
and initial phases of the citizens
defense program for Washington,
it was reported reliably today.
A part of the appropriation, &C
cording to present plans, will be
used to employ a full-time as
sistant to aid Highway Director
H. c. Whitehurst, executive vice
chairman of the District Defense
Council, and to work for closer CO.
ordination between the individual
activities of the various commit
tees functioning as part of the
council.
In this connection, Capt. White
hurst said yesterday that he plans
to continue in his present position
and to do all within his power to
make the defense of the National
Capital as effective as possible. It
was reported recently that the high
way director would be forced to give
up his work with the Defense Coun-
Gil because of demands of his regu-
lar work.
Il want to see this thing a sue
cess" Capt. Whitehurst said, land
I shall do as much in its behalf as
the hours in my day will permit"
To Meet Friday in Baltimore.
The executive vice chairman re-
ported that he was well pleased with
results so far. He said the ground
work has been pretty we'll formed"
and that the program has been car
ried to the point at which it can be
expanded for quick action whenever
needed.
Capt. Whitehurst will 60 to Bal
timore Friday along with the Com
miSSlonerS and other representatives
OF the District government, to go
over information on the status of
defense steps in this section of the
country with Mayor F. H. La
Guardia, newly appointed director
of the Office of Civilian Defense.
Maryland, Virginia and Pennsyl-
vania also will be represented at
the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Committee on Vol
unteer Service has proceeded with
its plans to register an estimated
IS 900 volunteers for general service
with the council June 10, IL and IL.
meeting of the steering committee
in charge Of this phase of the de-
Tense preparations was held yester-
day afternoon at the home of the
chairman, Mrs. Harry S. Benton.
Following the meeting, the chair
man announced that all persons who
can be of assistance in the program
are urged to register. Even those
who are going out of the city for
the summer, she said, should list
their capabilities before leaving so
that the Defense Council will have a
better picture of the volunteer serv-
ice available.
More than 500 volunteer workers
from parent-teacher associations
and local civic associations who will
aid with the registration next week
will be given their final instructions
at a school to be held in the north
auditorium of the Interior Building
at pm. Friday. Mrs. Benton said
only those registrars who are present
to receive the training and their
credentials will be permitted to
assist.
Many Glasses of Workers.
The registrars will be schooled In
the use of special card forms on
which to record information desired
on each registrant. The volunteer
will be permitted to specify his
choice of services, but the cards, it
is explained, will be kept available
for immediate use in case workers
must be drafted for emergencies.
The duties to be assigned include
those of canteen work, police
auxiliary, nurses aid, motor corps
service, feeding and care of chill
dren, entertaining at camps, man
ming of information booths, canton
ment hostesses, housing inspection
and surveys, interpreting and
Waterman service. A force Of 1900
men and women to serve as an
auxiliary police force also has been
called for.
The headquarters of the defense
setup will be opened tomorrow in
two rooms of the old District
Armory at Sixth and Pennsylvania
avenue NV.