Evening star., 1942-03-15
Vital War Offices
First on List in
D. {. BIackout Plan
Funds Authorized to End
Interruptions Like in
Friday Nights Test

Workers who had to stop essential
war work and sit in darkness for q
half hour during the blackout Fri
day night will be the first taken
care Of in the rapidly-expanding
Government blackout program, q
Federal Works Agency spokesman
said last night.
Move than 80 per cent of the Pub
lie Building Administration 1000
employees engaged In mechanical
work are now devoting full time to
blackout construction, 1t was dis
closed
The F. w. A. spokesman pointed
out that Charles Peters, p. B. A..
buildings manager, had been given
blanket authority by Acting Fed
eral Works Administrator Baird
Snyder to spend all the money he
needed out Of operating funds to
insure that employees of all build
ings where war work is being car
ried on would not be interrupted
during blackouts, whether of short
or long duration.
Night Work Centers Listed.
Some agencies apparently are
more eager than others to get their
windows blacked out. All Federal
buildings and offices have been asked
to list centers Of night work but the
information is "seeping in slowly"
1t was expected that it would take
two or three weeks to find out lust
how much '"ateriol n,"st 10 ro""'--
Meanwhile, vulnerable spots are
inT protected and bios are =, .ng
received daily for supplying the ma
tertal and making the blackout
drapes, it was said.
The blackout construction activ-
ity was outlined on request after a
letter from Mr.. Snyder to the heads
OF Government departments and
agencies was made public, notifying
Federal chiefs in general terms that
the President had requested r. w.
A. to take steps to black out Fed
tIdl DullQlnRS.
The letter follows:
The President mas asked me to
take such steps as may be necessary
to provide ways Of blacking out all
Federal buildings or Federal
buildings wholly occupied by the
Federal Government where It Is
necessary for work to 60 on with
out interruption during an air raid.
regardless of the duration thereof.
To make this direction effective It
will be necessary to provide con-
struction in building areas in which
work must continuee, in order that
these areas may remain lighted. Just
as We are doing with communication
centers, guardrooms and machinery
rooms.
I'm all other areas, the buildings
will be obscured by turning on the
lights. Provision for a complete
blackout Of all federally owned or
occupied structures by construction
will not be attempted. Where build
ings are occupied at night only by
the guard. mechanical or cleaning
forces and in other cases where there
is only intermittent night employ
ment. the issuance of appropriate
instructions to the building occu-
pants will be sufficient.
Where there Is intensive night
use but work can be stopped for a
short period. the situation can be
met hv ttIrpipp mt the liohtr ~-A
having the employees 60 to the
designated shelter areas. These
shelter areas will have blackout
construction.
For buildings where production
must continue regardless of the
duration OF q blackout, We have
either already undertaken the neces-
sary construction or will undertake
it shortly. In these buildings it is
imperative that adequate blackout
facilities be provided. Wherever
they may not have been provided
or may not have been completed as
yet, the buildings will be dependent
for a short time upon switching of
the lights.
1T is the Presidents desire that
the various steps to achieve blackout
which he has asked me to take be
applied to all Federauy owned or
occupied structures except those
under the control of the War and
Navy Departments. I am sure
can rely upon you and upon the
heads Of other agencies for the
fullest measure Of cooperation"
AZ interpreted by the Federal