Evening star., 1942-02-28
BIuckout
Continued From First Page.)

CASOSOAl6 ~ooo Va Wy AAhPA AooaAAAiStAo
for not exceeding 80 days, or by both
such fine and Imprisonment.
2. In the event a warning Is
sounded during this period by means
of horns, sirens or other noise-mak-
ing devices, 1t shall be signal that
an actual air raid may occur within
five minutes, in which event all of
the provisions of the regulations pro-
mulgated January 81, 1912, shall be
effective, anything in these regula-
tions to the contrary notwithstand-
ing.
Nightly Blackouts Ahead.
Forerunner of what may become a
total nightly blackout for Washing
ton came meanwhile in a request
from James M. Lands. director of
the Office of Civilian Defense, call
ing for the extinguishing in critical
coastal areas of all lights which
are not capable of being put out at
a moments notice.
The requested blackout of all ad-
vertising signs, store window dis
plays and similar lighting applies
not only to strictly coastal COM
munities but to the so-called target
area" which extends inland 300 miles
from the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific
Coasts.
o. c. D. officials said the blackout
request was decided on by the o. C.
D. 'in collaboration with the mill
tary." The request was made on a
voluntary cooperation basis by the
o. c. D., these officials said. explain
ing that the o. c. D. in itself has
no means of enforcing the request.
1t was added, however, that any OF
the Army's interceptor commands
had the authority to order blackouts
when needed.
Nightly Black0uts Planned.
The request is in line with the
predictions of some military author
tiles that a nightly blackout of all
lighting along the coasts will be
ordered with the clear weather in
the spring.
1t is also in line with the state
ment made by Col. Lemuel Bolles,
executive of District civilian defense,
yesterday that it is definite posi-
bility that hereafter Washington
would have long" blackouts either
as tests or "the real thing"
Col. Bolles made the statement in
explaining why Washington will
have a 10-hour blackout test Tues
day night at a meeting Of District
civilian defense officials at the Dis
trict Building today.
Representative Hebert, Demo-
crat, of Louisiana said yesterday
that the 10-hour blackout could
serve no good purpose and might in
terfere with important war work in
Government offices and would in
convenience and irritate Washing
ton residents needlessly.
Is Minutes Too Short.
Col. Bolles pointed out that if the
blackout test was a 15-minute affair
as suggested in some quarters, in
cluding Capitol Hill, Washington
residents could merely put out
their lights and sit in the dark for
a few minutes, as they did during
the 15-minute test late in Decem-
ber
Since the enemy's goal is the dis
ruption of production in the de-
fense effort as well as the Interrupt
ton Of daily living, he declared
every effort should be made to
provide means by which blackouts
if ordered on a nightly basis, would
not interfere with regular activities
He also explained that street
lights would not be turned out as
part of the test because during the
past month between 1853 and zoe
special switch boxes have been in
stalled throughout the city to permit
street lights to be turned out within
o few minutes.
The switch boxes are under lock
and key and specified police officers
have been provided with keys and
would be rushed by motorcycle to
predetermined boxes to switch of
the public street lighting in short
order.
This test, he explained, is to see