Evening star., 1941-11-26

Already 1t is the rallylng p'
Americans. 1t has sponsored til
centers in 1852 cities and towns
Only in the regions which are the
geographical centers of the isola-
zionist sentiment has its work
Jagged. The o. C. D. carries the
burden of the administration or
ganized campaign to offset isola-
zionist groups.
The o. c. D. has headquarters in
the Dupont Circle Apartments, over
whose leasing to the Government
fight was waged before Congress
because of the eviction of tenants.
It's pay roll numbers fewer than 200
men and women. Its budget is only
100000. But it has almost as many
volunteers in its administration as
paid workers. all Of them occupying
space in a city where space is more
valued than gold.
Distinguished Volunteers.
The most celebrated Of these VOL
unteer administrators are Mrs
Franklin D. Roosevelt, wife Of the
President, and Mrs. Henry Morgen-
thau, jr., wife of the Secretary of
the Treasury. Other agencies, like
the War and Navy Departments,
assign men to o. c. D.
This branch of the Federal Gov
ernments special defense establish
ment rests, like the other branches,
on the thought that total war means
total defense and total defense
means something pretty close to
total government. The o. c. D.
gives an official coloration to the
zeal and enthusiasm Of those count
less men and women who III this
time Of stress want to do some
thing"
For them Mrs. Roosevelt, as head
of the o. c. D. Volunteer Partici-
patton Committee, has evolved more
than IS listed tasks, available for
the asking In printed red-white-
and-blue pamphlet Of IS pages.
November 13, the third day Of Civil
ian Defense Week, was Sign Up
for Defense Day." an opportunity
for those who had not joined in
the work to make a beginning.
The Office of Civilian Defense is
a twin in one body. 1t is the capi-
tai both of enthusiasm and practical
purpose. Its birth, from the prac-
tical mans point Of view. was
assured by recognition that the At
lantic Ocean is not as wide as it
used to be.
Saw Need for Preparation.
Major La Guardia in New York
had decided that the population OF
his city needed preparation for a
job of reducing an enemy's bombing
raid to its lowest possible effective
ness.
Perhaps the bomber with deadly
cargo never will arrive, but the
officials and people of every Amer
lean city are being organized for
the practical Job OF extinguishing
incendiary- bomb fires, caring for
bomb wounded civilians, wrecking
bomb torn buildings, guarding chill
dren during bomb raids and other
wise acting much like the people
of London in the face Of assault
from the air
Mayor La Guardia worked on the
problem for New York City and now
he works on it for the whole country
His is a practical business, which
uses expert help like flremen, police
men, doctors and soldiers. He has
been national o. c. D. director since
the Office was set up, May 20, sue
ceeding the o. P. NJ. division OF
State and local cooperation.
Because the Mayor is so busy
he can devote only part of his
time to o. c. D. and once in
while o. c. D. is controlled by
long distance telephone calls. Mrs
Roosevelt, too, is often away abou
the business Of the lecture plat
form. But o. G. D. gets along.
Originally Mayor La Guardia hat
broader ideas for the Office thai
even its broad operations reflect
o. C, D. was to be the propaganda
headquarters for the administra
ton, a SORT OF george CreeI u1ii'
194l style. Other men with NOR
to say had other ideas. Neverthe
less, the o. G. D. is the oratorics
headquarters for administrator
} propaganda, even if 1t has to leav
for others the press and radio.
Active Speakers Bureau.
It's active speakers bureau, unde
the direction of 1t. Barry Bingham
U. S. N, of the Louisville Courier
Journal, arranges rallies to empha
size the administration point Of vie'
about the danger to America. tryin
to offset the America First doctrin
of isolated safety. 1t prints identi
cal speeches by the bale for distri
button among persons who want t
talk about the Nazi menace. ]
composes speeches about the use
fulness of the civilian defense ides
In one ready-made speech, bot
ideas are combined:
"Of course, In the United State
1t hasn't happened yet But v
cannot afford to live In q FOOLS para
disc. We must be ready when IN