Evening star., 1942-01-12
Civil Defense
Meeting Calls
For Speed
Unit Leaders Report
More Volunteers
Are Needed

Civilian defense ofncials were try
ing today to straighten out snarls In
the protective program described last
night at the first Of q series OF
"brass tack" meeting, held IN the
board room Of the District Building.
At the meeting, called by Commits
sioner Young as defense co-ordina-
tor and attended by chairmen OF
defense committees, it was brought
out that more volunteers and greater
speed in organization were needed
in certain sectors.
DR.. John A. Reed, chief of the
medical service, said he needed more
stretched bearers to aid medical
field units already fully organized.
Each of the IS zones will be asked to
furnish IL stretcher bearers. DR..
Reed said 81 District hospitals had
been equipped as emergency base
hospitals.
A few areas have failed to organ
ize emergency feeding squads. Miss
Mary Mason, chief Of that service,
said, and she urged chairmen OF
these zones to get them under way
ut once.
Housing Setup Half Complete.
Randolph Bishop, chief of Emer-
gency housing, said the personnel OF
this branch was only so per cent
complete. The service should be
fully organized at the end OF the
month, he said, 50 that every area
will have a file Of temporary hous-
ing available for citizens who might
be bombed out of their homes.
Aouseholders are being asked how
many persons they could care for
In an emergency.
Mrs. Dorothy Bourne, executive
secretary of the Civilian Volunteer
ONCE at SOL Pennsylvania avenue
NV, asked community chairmen
to send to her Office names and
qualifications of all volunteers en-
rolled in the neighborhoods, so that
the central bureau would have a
complete file.
Col. Lemuel Bolles, director Of
civilian defense for the metropolitan
area, advised volunteers to tighten
their belts and prepare for a long,
hard, heartbreaking pull"
Col. Bolles stressed the RESPONSE
binty of each community for its
defense organization, pointing out
that the local ONCE of Civilian De-
tense intended only to exercise gen.
eral supervision and 1t was up to
each zone to plan effectively for the
protection of its homes.
Distribution Of Work Urged.
Most of the tagging results when
zone poor, overworked individual
has been assigned too many tasks"
he added, urging that the work be
distributed fairly.
Col. Bolles said Fire Chief Stephen
T. Porter still was in urgent need
of additional volunteers. for the
auxiliary fire fighting service. Per-
haps, Col. BolleS suggested, some
were deferred by the so hours OF
training required for this branch,
but none the less volunteers could
perform a vital duty here.
The series of meetings, Of which
this was the first, he added, will be
just the opposite Of a mutual ad-
miration society. Criticism and
suggestions will be welcome, he as
sured the defense leaders.
Conrad Van Hyning, chief Of VOL
untary participation work, explained
that his organization planned to
handle diverse activities affecting
r,orola and ue1fare The effectS
of tire rstioning, adequate recreation
facilities for soldiers on leave and
additional hospital and school facil-
tiles will be among the matters
taken up, he indicated.
The other meetings will be held
from time to time for specialized
groups of defense workers.