Evening star., 1942-01-14
La Guardia Asks
More Protection
For Capital
More Police, Firemen
And Fire Hose Needed, ,
He Tells House Group
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

Describing Washington as an easy
spot to find from the air. Mayor La
Guardia, director of civilian defense.
told House committee today Con-
gress must provide the District with
more protection. He said additional
policemen and firemen were badly
needed to cope with the effects Of
an air raid
Stanchly defending what the
once of Civilian Defense already
has done, the Mayor also revealed
that he soon will give up either the
o. C. D. or the running of New
York City.
He also told the Tolan committee
investigating defense migration and
morale that it makes no difference
whether the House and Senate final
ly agree on the present setup or
Army control Of the $1,000 900
fund for civilian defense. because
the work has already been done"
rected to Washington by Repre-
sentative Sparkman, Democrat, Of
Alabama, who inquired what he
thought of the local situation.
Ask More Fire Hose.
Il think the Commissioners here
have a very intelligent understand
ing of the civilian defense problem.
the Mayor replied. The director
is competent man. In the Dis
trict of Columbia I have only one
criticism to offer I believe the air.
raid wardens should be under the
Police Department. the fire auxiliary
group under the Fire Department
and the medical aid group under
the hospitals At the present time
you have a co-ordinator.
Il also feel that Congress has not
done its full duty with Washington.
I know what I am talking about
because I handle a budget of $780,
100000. You must give this city
more police, more firemen and more
money for fire hose. You must have
a large supply of hose on hand. be-
cause if bombing broke water lines
you might have to pump water great
distances. Cutting down on that
item is foolish economy.
You know, Washington is din.
cult place to operate in. I would
not say We are out Of danger here.
1t is an easy place to find. Even
/ could find it, and I was the worst
flyer in the A. E. F. The blackout
does not help much, except to make
certain places, like the navy yard.
harder to find"
When Mr.. Sparkman asked what
he thought of the recent trial black
out here the Mayor said he thought
it was quite successful, except that
many people had their noses
pressed against the windows, where
they should not have been" He
said, however, he did not believe
they would do that in a real black
out.
Equipment Allocated.
After the Mayor had given the
committee long recital Of the juris-
dictional problems o. C. D. encoun-
tered in trying to deal with hum
dreds of counties and cities. by go
ing through complicated State gov
ernments, he got around to the
pending controversy in Congress,
which came to a head last week
when the House voted to turn the
o. C. D. appropriation over to the
Army.
1T doesn't make particle OF
difference which of those bills you
pass. because the work is already
DONE
He had reference 70 the prelm-
mary preparation for providing
cities with gas masks, helmets and
other civilian defense equipment,
I'VE never intended to do the
buying" he said referring to o. c.
D. I'VE had only few things to
buy, and We asked the Army, and
they have prepared the specihca-
tions. We had intended to allocate
the supplies, and the ALLEGATIONS
have already been worked out. I
could tell you just how many boots
or helmets are going here or there.
It's all in a book that could be
handed to any one. So, don't lose
tSee MORALE, Page A-6)