Evening star., 1942-04-10
Maryland Test
Flashes False
Raid Alert Here
Yellow Light Sends
Key Defense Aides
To Their Posts
A misunderstanding arising dur

A misunderstanding arising dur
ing a test in the civilian defense
communications system between
Hyattsville and points in Southern
Maryland resulted in an air raid
warning signal on police and other
communications networks in the
Washington Metropolitan area last
night.
Col. Lemuel Bolles, civilian de-
fense director for the Metropolitan
area, after an investigation, today
announced that Hyattsville had had
difficulty in placing its yellow test
signal to LeonardtoWn. Having
failed to put the call through the
usual channels by way of Washing
ton, Hyattsville then attempted to
com mum C a te to Leonardtown
through Baltimore he added.
In Baltimore, Col. BolleS said, the
toll operator learned of the efforts
to signal yellow, then put the call
through to Washington in the pre-
arranged manner.
Within a few minutes after the
alert was received here, Col Bolles
said, all of the "key men" had ar
rived at the control center, Fire
Chief Stephen Porter having hastily
donned clothing over his pajamas.
Value Seen in Incident.
There was no mistake as far as
the communications system of
Washington and surrounding areas
was concerned, Col Bolles said. He
said there was value in the incident
in that it provided an unannounced
and unexpected test for all of the
key men in the defense organization.
No Washington wardens were
called out and no sirens were
sounded because that step is not
taken until the red" signal is
flashed. The Metropolitan Police
Department radio however picked
up the yellow signal and broadcast
1t, causing a number of private
citizens to hear of the alert signal
Although official investigation of
the false alarm-the second in the
last five weeks-has not been COM
pleted, Col. Lemuel Bolles, civilian
defense director for the Metropolitan
area, said he understood the alarm
originated in a test between Hyatts-
vile and Leonardtown, La Plata and
Prince Frederick.
Yellow Signal Flashed.
The control center in Baltimore
apparently misunderstood the test
and flashed yellow alert signal
which indicated that enemy planes
are 20 minutes away-to Washing
ton.
The signal was sent at 1O:39 pm,
and an "al clear" was flashed, at
lilo pm. after the mistake was
discovered.
No Direct Trunk Line.
j. Robert Sherwood, civilian de-
tense director for Prince Georges
County, said the test was made by
E. F. zalesak, the county's chief air
raid warden.
There is no direct trunk line
from Baltimore, where the signals
originate, to the Southern Maryland
area. The difficulty in transmitting
signals to that area arises from the
fact that the Baltimore signal must
be sent to Washington, then to Hy-
attsville and back to Washington,
thence to Southern Maryland.
AS much as As minutes has been
required to get through to Leonard
town in previous tests.
AS soon as he learned that a
Washington alert had been sig
nailed, Mr.. Zalesak said he called
control headquarters here and asked
officials to investigate their call.
Shortly thereafter, Washington's "all
clear" was flashed.
Some Good Is Seen.
In Alexandria, Va, which is con-
nected into the metropolitan area
alarm system, approximately 1900
air raid wardens were called to their
posts for half hour, City Manager
Carl Budwesky, civilian defense CO.
ordinator, said. More than 200 aux
iliary police also were called.
In Arlington County, Chief Air
Raid Warden F. Freeland Chew said
the control center, where some one
is on duty at all times, was COM
pletely stated with % chiefs of de-
fense services within 10 minutes
after receipt of the yellow signal.
No wardens were called out, how