Evening star., 1942-01-15
F|agrant vio|ators
OF BIackout Orders
ToAnswert 10 Police
BoIIes Tells Wurdens
Forthcoming Regulations
To Have Teeth

Flagrant violators of the request"
by authorities to turn out or black
out all unnecessary lighting will be
dealt with under police regulations
soon to be issued under a law re-
Gently passed by Congress, Col.
Lemuel Bolles. executive director of
civilian defense, told a meeting of
deputy air-raid wardens in the Dis
trict Building last night.
He counseled. meanwhile, courtesy
and patience in dealing with the
problem, and he expressed conf
dence that civilian defense officers
would get complete cooperation
from businessmen and the public as
soon as they understood fully what
was expected Of them.
The people have shown q marvel
Gus spirit" Col. Bolles commented.
II think they are anxious to CO.
operate"
Would Act Later.
At the same time, he made it clear
that any who persists in ignoring
what at the moment must be only
. request, since the new law has
not been made effective, should be
taken to the nearest precinct" when
the corporation counsel's office
issues the regulation, which will be
In . week or two. The regulations
will carry out one of the purposes
Of the new District defense law,
authorizing blackouts and funds for
the protection of the Capital.
Some of the deputy wardens-who
are the key men of the pyptective
setup, each in charge of one of the
IS groups into which the city is di-
vided-complained that stores and
other places of business in some sec
tions were dimming their lights,
while others had theirs blazing as
in normal times.
THE fragrant violators will be
known" Col. Bolles said.
The defense director emphasized
that Washington Is in actual dan
ger Of an air raid. and he pointed
out that, with Americans giving
their lives on the battle field, this
was no time to consider such COM
paratively minor matters as whether
some storekeeper would lose busi-
ness by turning OIL his neon sign.
The wardens were advised that
enforcing blackout regulations was a
matter for the police though they
could be helpful in counseling with
their neighborS.
Col. Bolles also explained that
1t was up to the deputy wardens
to organize their communities thor
oughly for the emergency that may
come. He added that once a raid
started there was nothing head
quarters could do-the problem was
up to the wardens and their zone,
senior and sector wardens and as
sistants.
Clement Murphy, chief afraid
warden, congratulated the civilian
defense groups and the city in gen.
eral on their response to the ne
cessities of war.
For our population" he said,
I'VE have the largest civilian de-
fense organization in the United
States, and the people of Washing
ton are due high praise for that"
Mr.. Murphy said it would be es-
sential. in the interest Of efficiency,
for the zone, senior and sector war
dens to take up matters through the
deputy wardens instead of directly
with his once, as many have been
doing.
Peppered With Questions.
Mr. Murphy spent a good part OF
the evening answering queries as
his deputies "took down their hair
and aired various perplexities and
grievances.
1t. Col Beverly c. Snow, Assist
ant District Engineer Commissioner,
described an AFRAID shelter survey
which Is being undertaken with the
cooperation Of volunteer engineers.
"At present." he said, "the policy
Is not to construct air raid shelters
until the need becomes more appaf-
ent."
But the group committees in each
Of the IS areas, he explained, will
list available structures which could
be used, especially refugees for those
unable to reach their homes. Such
shelters. he said, probably will be
designed to accommodate from %
to so persons each.
Brief talks were made by Capt.
William L. Clemens, public rela-
tions oncer in Col. Bolles' ofhce; ].
Bernard Mcdonnell, press relations
officer; Sergt. B. F. McAllister, chief
clerk and property onlcer, and Miss
Mary Mason, assistant chief deputy
AFRAID warden in charge Of emer-
gency feeding units, and 1t. Col. H.
o. ATWOOD. assistant to the chief
atr-raid warden. =