Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-07-31
Advance Notice
.MayBeDropped
In Raid Drills
Surprise Daylight
Test Is Praised
By Officials

ny Slll$lOlS
Afraid drills without any ad
vance notice were viewed today al
the next logical step in the Metro
politan Areas preparation for en-
envy bombers following yesterday!
first surprise daylight test.
Fair warning that leach indi'
vidual should have in mind the
probability of unannounced tests
either day or night" was issued by
Col. Lemuel Bolles, executive di-
rector of District civilian defense.
1t was pointed out that each test
In the Metropolitan Area has intro.
duced new element progressing
toward the time when the siren.
would sound without any previous
notice.
In both the daylight test yesterday
and the blackout last week, citizens
were warned in advance that they
could expect the test sometime over
a period of several days. Future
tests, 1t was indicated, may come
without even this warning.
AIertness Urged.
COL Bolles advised residents te
Accustom themselves to distinguish
between the ordinary sirens in daily
use, such as those on ambulances,
police and fire equipment, and the
public warning horns and sirens
because in an actual raid or I'M
announced test this is the only
notice the public will receive"
THE authorities will sound the
warning" he said. 1T is the citizens
responsibility to be alert and act
accordingly"
Washington pedestrians and
motorists beat a hasty retreat to
shelter at 2:57 pm. yesterday and
emerged at 1922 pm, earning Official
praise except for the practice Of
standing in doorways where in an
actual raid they would be exposing
themselves to injury or death from
flying glass and shell fragments.
On the whole, however, Defense
Co-ordinator Young and Col. Bodies
characterized the drill as a ire
mendous improvement over the last
daylight test.
Signals Not Heard in Rail Station.
Engineer Commissioner Charles
w. Kutz, who inspected Union Sta
ton during the test, reported that
the atr-raid signals could not be
heard inside the station.
The sirens also did not penetrate
the Supreme Court, where the JUS
tices, had convened to discuss pro-
cedure in the sabortur trial. No one
inside the chamber was even aware
that the raid test was on.
While commencing the rapidity
with which the streets were cleared,
Police Inspector Harvey G. Callahan
critized the motorists who aban-
doned their cars behind parked
streetcars and announced that
orders would be issued shortly to
educate motorists in proper traffic
procedure during an alarm period.
In the downtown section after
noon shopping crowds lost no time
in ducking into the nearest shop,
to be joined by passengers ordered
for the first time to leave street
cars and buses.
There was at least one exception
noted, however. Two women wait
ing for a street car at Twelfth and
Pennsylvania avenue NV. listened
to the sirens, watched peorle all
around them scurrying to shelter
but remained where they were. One
asked the other what it was all
about. After a few minutes of de-
bate on the silent street, they de-
cided maybe they should go inside,
too.
Permanent Waves Endangered.
Several permanent waves were
endangered by the alarm when an
r street beauty salon proprietor,
who said she had been previously
informed by a warden that her
store would have to be evacuated,
shooed her customers into the street.
A warden arrived in time to wave
some of the women with curriers' on
their heads back into the store.
A woman in the Southeast Sec
ton near Anacostia Park commend
ed the speed with which children
playing on the streets were hustled
into the nearest buildings.
At the Shoreham Hotel, swimmers
In the indoor pool left the pool I'M
til the all-clear sounded. Cab
drivers came inside the hotel and
no one was allowed to leave until
the all-clear.
Chief Afraid Warden William j
Mileham reported after sample
checking of deputy wardens in the
residential districts that more wom-
en- wardens were on duty than in any
previous test. At least so per cent
OF the wardens in these neighbor-
hoods were women, he said.
Senate Completes Business.
The Senate was approaching the
end OF its days business when the
sirens began to blow, but took two
or three minutes to complete action
on pending bill before adjourn
Ing.
All employees in the Capitol and
more than 100 visitors in the gallery
marched across the Plaza to the
Senate Once Building in accord
ance with pre-arranged plans.
Soviet Ambassador Maxim Lit
vinoff, Secretary of Commerce
Jones and Norman Davis, chairman
of the American Red Cross, who
had overlapping appointments with
President Roosevelt, were In the
White House Executive Ofdces when
the alarm sounded.
Members of the White House staff
left their desks for special shelter
areas during the drill.
The test interrupted proceeding
OF four courts in the Municipa.
Court Building. Courtrooms were
swiftly cleared by bailiffs acting a.
deputy building wardens and al
persons were directed to the first
floor of the building, designated as
a shelter area.
False Alarm Hats Courts.
For two of the jurists-Justice
James w. Morris in District Cour,
ond Tndna Inl,,