The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-02-22

Mrs. America? u you oren't, 1t isn't
because you haven't been trying.
PREPARING FOR HOME DEFENSE
The United Stotes is pretty we'll
committed to the policy that the stron-
oer our defense the better our chance OF
Keeping out of war, and the better the
chance Of winning it if we should be
droeeed in.
Thus the various moves to streng-
then the home front, the plans for de-
Tense Of cities and industrial plants are
all an element of national strength.
Query: Would the British attitude at
Munich have been any different il Lon
don had had at thot time adequate air
raid shelters, or even really adequate
plans for their quick construction? 1t
is possible.
II is certoinIy idle to make vast mil.
itory, naval, and air preparations, and
neglect home defense, which is stote
and could by no possibility be used Of
fensiveIy.
This end of the defense drive is not
being entirely neglected. Observe these
things:
The War Department hos long been
studying the problem, and has created
archaeological Civil Protection Com
mittee to creote moster plons on which
local communities can model their de-
tense measures and plans. Several en-
qneerina and scientific societies have
Joined in this and similar work.
The Army hos sent to London q
member Of its Civil Defense Committee,
and Sureeon-GeneroI Porron hos joined
him, along with whole group OF social
and health experts, to study these prob
lens on the ground.
The National Academy Of Sciences
has set up committee to work to the
same end
The U. S. Conference Of Mayors
recently urged development OF home
defense plans, and received reports OF
Comedian measures.
Milo }. Warner, national commando
er Of the American Legion, and Frank
D'OIier, former commander, ore both in
England studying problems incident to
home defense, especially against dir
attack.
Boston is already training 1000
volunteer firemen, and many alert fire
departments ore studying pIons for this
and other measures for fighting bomb
set fires in the London manner.
Navy yards ore installing Spider
web" electric power systems which con-
not be put out Of commission by single
blow at any one point, either by sobo-
toge or bombing.
Builders in some New Jersey sub
urbs ore building bomb-proof sub
cellars into new homes, and architect
uroI students at Profit Institute are de-
signing concrete shelters.
Homer Sont-Goudens, artist and
World War veteran, is attacking COM
oufIooe problems incident to large in
dustriol plants and coast defenses.
The Army has erected O mobile boI-
loon borroee at Fl. Lewis, Washington,
and large rubber companies are plan
ming moss production Of such borro9e
balloons.
All these and other activities sug-
oest that every urban community. and
especially those with important indus
trial plants, should begin studying the
problem General master plans will be
ovoiIoble soon, and the local commune
ty can adopt them to local conditions.
At present, air ottock on the United
Stotes proper seems for-fetched and
fontostic. So it seemed to Norway.
There is nothing oIormist about this
kind Of preparation. 1t is simply q
means Of carrying through o'l-out de-
Tense. Whatever happens, there is no
longer any excuse for being eoueht f'ot-
footed. Especially on such purely de.
fensive measures as are being prepared
bymeons suggested above, we hove the
I sipht and the duty-to serve notice to the