Evening star., 1941-12-17
Senate Corrects Bill
To Permit District 10
Have B|ackouts
House Approval Of
Measure Expected
Some Time Today

The Senate today adopted con-
current resolution designed to cor
rect technical deficiencies in the
Districts wartime blackout legisla-
ton which have delayed its signing
by President Roosevelt. House ap-
proval is expected later in the day.
Lack of specific directions in the
bill AS to how the Commissioners
would repay any Federal loan for
civilian defense activities held up
the Presidents signature.
AS passed by Congress the bill
authorizes the Commissioners to
borrow s1000,O00 to finance the
civilian defense program.
Chief features of the measure,
however, authorize the Commission
ers, with approval of the Secretary
of War, to order blackouts and evac-
uate the city in an emergency.
Air Alarms From New York.
All authentic warnings for alerts
and blackouts will come in the
future from headquarters of the 1st
Interceptor Command at Mitchell
Field, Long Island, according to a
letter made public today by Col.
Lemuel Bolles, director Of civilian
defense for the District
The letter was signed by Col Cliff
ton Lisle. acting director of the
Third Civilian Defense Region. en-
bracing this area. and was addressed
to Commissioner John Russell
Young, civilian defense co-ordinator.
All orders for alerts and blackouts.
except those in practice, the letter
explained, will be sent by the COM
manding general of the lst Inter-
ceptor Command to civil communi-
ties and to industry through the
Aircraft Warning Service. The no
tice will be dispatched to the smaller
areas by means of civilian warning
centers
Requests for Practice.
Practice blackouts may be held in
the future only after authority has
been obtained from the command
ing general. State couu.cils of de-
fense will pass upon the advisability
of practice blackouts in their re-
spective regions and will make their
requests through the office of Col.
Lisle at Baltimore They will be
required to furnish information on
the precise location of the desired
blackout. the length of time it will
be in effect and the reasons for its
necessity.
The purpose of this system con-
corning practice blackouts, it was
explained, is to coordinate black
outs so that civilian and military
aviation will not be confused by
blackouts of which there has been
no general knowledge
Practice alerts. on the other hand,
the letter stated, may be held by
councils as they deem it advisable
and without consultation with head
quarters of the 1st Interceptor Com
mand
Warnings Required.
Whether a practice blackout on
proper authority or practice alert,
however. it was pointed out. warm
ing should be given the populace
through the press and radio.
Liaison officers, according to Col,
Lisle, will be sent from the Army 10 /
each information center. 1t will be
the responsibility Of these men to .
see that Army Navy and air COM
ponentS are warned.
Until these officers have reported
for duty, all service groups are in
structed to get in touch with their
nearest district warning center and
to ask the center that they be in
cluded on its warning list. This. in
the end. the letter explained, will
result in a double check. Military
posts and similar points will receive
warning through the Civilian Dis
trict Warning Center and directly
when wires have been installed from
the information centers through
their own liaison officers.