Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-18
Civi! Defense
Must Cut Ou+
That BaIIyhoo
Leadership Of The Army
Needed, Johnson Says
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

BY HUGH $. JOHNSON
WASHINGTON, Dec. 49,
w With the often pontifical
and eSoteric announcements of
Mr. Walter Lippmann this writer
frequently disagrees. However,
on Tuesday, December IS, the
Washington Post published an
article of his on civilian defense
that is a honey.
All OF uS-men. women and
chlldren-are vitality concerned
with this important phase Of our
war mobilization-It-iS-one place
where every one can and must
do his part, Mr.. Lippmann'S an
alySiS of the situation should be
read by every one who wants TO
assist in the speedy organiza-
ton of this function on sensible
lines
His main point is that, up 10
this time, the So-Called Office Of
Civilian Defense has been MOTH
ing but a ballyhoo and propa-
ganda agency. With the decla-
ration of war all this must go
by the board and we must face
the very real working problems
that lie in this field Mr.. Lipp-
mann calls on us TO exercise per
Sonal ingenuity and initiative in
meeting the problem. am al
tempting to answer that call
here.
WHILE am in no sense an
w expert, | have had several
unusual experiences with closely
analogous tasks. The lessons of
these experiences ought to be of
some value.
AS a very young shavetail,
through series Of accidents, i
became acting quartermaSter OF
the armed forces put in charge
Of the devastated area of the
San Francisco fire and earth
quake.
Here was a situation COM
pletelv out of hand of the civil
fire, police and medical authori-
ties.
The army moved in and CStab-
liShed martial law. which was
absolutely essential in order 10
stop footing The army set up
shelters for the homeless. roll
ing kitchens and field hospitals.
and in very short order had the
situation completely in hand.
although these particular mill
tary units had never been called
upon 10 perform such a job
before
II THE World War, with no
l. previous experience we had
10 set up a draft TO mobilize
millions of men overnight. This
was effected promptly and ef-
ficiently by very small nucleus
of regular army officers who
were willing 10 take the respon-
Sibility and act promptly.
That the effort was success
fully executed no one has de-
MED. Its success was primarily
due to passing the ball to the
civilian leaders in each COM
munity and completely decen-
Trailing the effort. BY the
same device, in the NRA 2.7s5-
600 were put back 10 work in
very few weeks. and purchasing
power increased by over $1,000
600 900 at time when public
morale was almost at panic
stage.
Now the lesson Of all this IS
that there is absolutely no limit
TO what the American people
can do for themselves if first.
they are told what Is expected Of
them 50 that they fully appre-
ciatc their responsibility in tho
matter. and second they are
given sufficient authority to act.
MR., LIPPMANN points out
Nl that one of the main things
wrong with the present setup is
the confusion of military and CT
william responsibilities.
This confusion is understand
able The aerial commandments
and internal sabotage which
modern war conditions entail
completely alter previous con-
ceptS of the army's responsible
ties Civilians under army SUI
perviSion must perform functions
which are purely military. This
requires dcccntralized civilian
effort supervised. co-ordinated
and trained by central military
authority
The army can tell the civilians
who have volunteered for this
work and are pleading for lead
erShip who will do what and
when, how, where and why 10
do il
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