Evening star., 1941-12-27
b|ackout Slated
In D. {. Homes,
Offices tuesday
Decision on Turning
OFF Street Lights
Not Yet Made

A near blackout of Washington
will be staged for IS or 20 minutes
between ard pm. next Tues
day. as the National Capital eX-
periences its first nighttime test
mobilization of defense workers, un-
der plans announced last night by
Col. Lemuel Bolles, civilian defense
executive for this metropolitan area.
All private homes will be expected
to have lights turned of or blacked
out. office buildings and stores will
be expected to show no lights what
soever. Officials predicted last night
that street lights or part Of them
would be turned OF. but this will be
determined later.
Meanwhile the 24-hour watch over
public school buildings, carried on
with the aid of teachers serving
overtime, will be continued through
January 3. under plans agreed to by
School Supt. Frank w. Ballou and
| Col. Bolles. This was decided at a
conference yesterday afternoon,
after considerable speculation as
to the reasons, who gave the order"
and how long the guard should be
continued.
| Industry Excluded.
In connection with the partial
blackout Tuesday, 1t was stressed
that no industry would be blacked
out and no lights at Army or Navy
airdromes and no aircraft safety
lights would be turned off during
such training tests. These are Fed
eral rules.
The Tuesday night period was Sc
lected. it was said, as the earliest
hour practicable that was consistent
with giving ample warning notice to
all concerned.
The blackout training test is the
second of series of organization
practices to be ordered. The first
was last Sunday morning, when
some blackout conditions were simu-
lated, including temporary halting
OF traff1c. At the time, defense Off
cials warned that more rigid tests
were on the way and the new order
was given only after the President
had signed the measure giving the
city heads real blackout powers.
Permits Borrowing Funds.
The Blackout Act gives the Com
missioners unprecedented authority
over District residents. While au-
thorizing the city heads to stage
blackouts, with the approval of the
Secretary Of War, 1t also authorizes
them to borrow $l,000,000 from the
United States for defense purposes,
and to evacuate District residents il
necessary.
1t authorizes them to prohibi'
traffic movements. to promulgate
and enforce other blackout regula-
tions, to appoint special police ano
to accept volunteer services. Maxi.
mum penalties for violation Of the
new law would be a fine of $500 and
imprisonment up to 80 days anc
double penalties would be assessed
for crimes committed during black.
outs.
Meanwhile. two men were held TO
court action by a coroner's jury yes
terday in traffic deaths during tn
week Of 5-year-old child and a so
year-old colored woman.
Driver Of Truck Held.
Robert R. Russell, 30, colored, 6
Pierce street NV. was held TO
grand jury action in the dealt
Christmas eve Of 5-year-old Dian
Marie Holt, daughter of Mr.. an
Mrs. George Holt, of 1916 Bay stree
Sc The child was a passenger wit
four other children, all of whor
were injured, in a car driven by he
mother when it was struck by
delivery truck driven by Russell a
Fifteenth and D streets NE.
Thomas A. Hall. 20, of Seat Pleas
ant, Md. was held under the Negli
gent Homicide Act in the fatal in
jury of Mrs. Josephine French. 81
colored. 1913 Fifty-third street Sc
at the intersection of Fifty-thir
street and Central avenue Sc. Mon
day evening. Mrs. French was run
ming across the street when struc
by Mr.. Halls car.
With reference to the publ
4 school guard around the clock, Co
L Bolles declined to be specific, sug
= gesting that some one had receive,
j confidential" orders. This. he sale
e he could not confirm or deny.
= During the afternoon, however
: there was brief conference between
. Col. Bolles and DR.. Ballou Later d.
Ballou announced continuation o
the nocturnal watch through Janu
, airy 3. which he explained had beel
:. requested by Col Bolles
\ Previously, it had been explaine
the need for the watch was dictate
o by desire to maintain lines O
communications" between schoc
4 buildings and school headquarter.
! Also. it had been explained, schoc
q teachers were not expected to Civ
4 the overtime service unless the
y could be accompanied by husband
father or brother as an escort.