Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-13
Stirrup Pumps Due
Early in January;
To Be Sold at S1.91
Only II 900 Ordered Out
Of Il $40 Allotted to
District, Brennan Says
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG.

The long-awaited irrup pumps
with which District residents can
fight incendiary bomb fires are ex-
pected to arrive here early in jan
uary to be sold at SIG a pump on
presentation of counter signed
coupon. it was disclosed yesterdar.
At the same time. District Pur-
chasing Agent Roland Brennan re-
vealed that he had ordered only
1000 of the 2l,64O pumps allotted
to the Dis riot.
OF that group, 5000 will 60 to air
raid warden headquarters while the
remainder will be distributed to
some of the civilian defense areas
under controlled distribu ion plan
for sale to the public through the
Peoples Drug Stores.
d. c. Pays for Wardens' Pumps.
Mr. Brennan explained that the
District was footing the bill for the
5000 pumps to be distributed to
warden sector posts and that the
Central Labor Union was under
wri ing the remaining l6,640 pumps.
He said there was at present Cen
trial Labor Union money available
only for 5000 Of the pumps.
The remaining pumps will not
be purchased until the first 5000
are sold and funds are again avail
able. Mr. Brennan said he had
sent with his order a letter of in
tent to purchase the other pumps
The second orGer, he said. prob
ably would be placed week after
the first pumps arrive.
Mr.. Brennan said he had speci-
fed delivery January 4. but his let
ter had not been confirmed.
Meanwhile, Leonard Tucker
chairman of the Civilian Defense
Council, which is in charge of dis
tributing the 16,640 pumps, made
public the method by which the
council hopes to obtain controlled
distribution so that every block in
the city would have a stirrup pump
coverage.
Spur to OCD Chairmen.
The first step will be a letter to
all civilian defense area chairmen
outlining the distribution plan ap-
proved by the Civilian Defense
Councils Executive Committee and
asking the chsirmen to state in
writing that they will cooperate.
/ No area will get its allotment OF
/ pumps until such a letter comes
back from the chairman. Mr. Tucker
said. indicating that the stirrur
pumps may be the tonic to brine
some sick civilian defense commit
! teess back to health.
To decide which areas get pumps
! first. a number of area names viii
be put in hat and the first names
| to be drawn out will get the first
carload of pumps.
When the pumps are allocated te
an area. which is done on a popula-
ton basis, an equal number of an.
plication blanks will be sent to the
civilian defense chairman who will
sign the blanks, divide the tota
number of sectors in his area ano
distribute an equal number of blank.
to each sector warden On an aver.
age, this arrangement will provide
for seven pumps per sector.
First Come, First Served.
The sector warden will then pas.
out the blanks on a first-come, first.
served basis within his sector. aftel
! all the people in his sector have beer
notified that the pumps are avail
able.
The application blank carries thu
civilian defense chairman name
the purchasers name and the mum
Der and address of the Peoples Dru,
Store which has the pumps for tina
area.
BY providing for individual pur
chase, the Civilian Defense Council
ended the rumor that civilian de
Tense committees or other larg
groups would buy up good par
of the allotment of pumps befor'
the individual residents got ar
opportunity to buy them.
If the pumps have been in on,
of the stores for "a reasonable time
and have not been sold, the Civilian
Defense Council will arrange TO
a redistribution of the pumps 81
that they will 60 into an ares
where they will be sold, Mr.. Tucker
said.