Evening star., 1942-04-16
Stimson, Knox
To Help Direct
Civil Defense
President Gives
lundis' Unit
Advisory Group
Ry JOHN c. HENRY.

Office of Civilian Defense de-
signed to integrate its activities
more closely with those Of other
war agencies.
To accomplish this, he ordered
establishment within the ONCE OF
Civilian Defense of a board on which
Secretary of War Stimson and Sec
retary of Navy Knox will serve.
In addition to these two depart
ment heads, full membership of the
board will include o. G. d. Director
James M. Lands, who will serve
Biddle, Paul V. McNutt, director OF
the Offlce of Defense, Health and
Welfare Services; Mayor Morris j.
Tobin of Boston. Gov Harold Stas-
sen of Minnesota, Red Cross Chair
man Norman H. Davis and Earl d.
Mallery, who is executive director of
the American Municipalities Asso-
citation.
Gov. Stassen, now serving also as
a lieutenant commander in the
Navy, is a prominent Republican
who has been mentioned frequently
as G.. o. P presidential timber. This
is his first official appearance in
the administrative end of the war
effort in Washington.
Boards Advice Required.
The Presidents order specifies
that the o. G. d. director shall con-
tinue TO discharge and perform
duties of that office under imme-
diate supervision of the President,
but that his specific functions shall
henceforth be fulfilled with the
advice and assistance of the board"
Mr.. Lands, in a formal statement,
said the new order accomplishes
two important things. First, he
said, it streamlines o. G. d. for war
in a manner in which believe 1t
should be streamlined," and, second,
it integrates the operations OF o.
G. D. with those of the total Gov
ernment program for the prosecu-
ton of the war. e
ct am, needless to say very much
pleased with the new order" said
Mr. Lands.
Technically today's order reinstates
the establishment, within the once
for Emergency Management. Of the
ONCE of Civilian Defense. The new
board, however, is added TO the
present organizational setup.
A White House statement accom-
panying the order said that the OPP
Grating functions of the reorganized
agency are twofold:
/. To work out plans and pro-
grams for the protection OF life and
property against war hazards, such
as air raids, including the recruit
ing and training of civilian auxili-
aries. Cooperation of State and
local authorities is specifically So
hcited
2. To mobilize a maximum civilian
effort in the prosecution of the
war, including the enrolment of
volunteers to assist in carrying for
ward the total war program.
In more detail, the order outlines
seven specific functions for the di-
rector and the new Advisory Board.
Center for Information.
First of these is that the agency
shall serve as a center for co-ordi-
nation of Federal civilian defense
activities which involve relation
ships with State and local govern
ments, establishing and maintaining
contact with these governments and
their defense agencies.
Secondly, the agency shall keep
informed of problems which arise in
States and local communities from
the impact of the industrial and
military efforts required by war,
and take steps to secure the CO.
operation of appropriate Federal
agencies in meeting the emer-
gency needs of such State and COM
munities in such a manner as to
promote the war effort"
The third function is to assist
local governments in establishing
defense councils or other agencies,
while the fourth is to study and
help carry out plans for protection
of life and property. The recruit
ing and training of civilian auxili-
aries and the dissemination of in
formation will be part of this latter
responsibility.
The fifth function, designed to
mobilize maximum civilian effort
and provide opportunities for con-
structive civilian participation in
the war program, calls for review
and approval of all civilian defense
activities involving use of volun-
teer services so as to assure unity
and balance in the application of
such programs"
The final two functions are to
review existing or proposed local
defense measures and recommend
such additional ones as may be con-
sidered necessary, and to perform
such other duties relating to par
ticipation in the war program as the
President may from time to time
prescribe.
First Designed for Defense.
officials pointed out that the ex-
ecutive order setting up the Once
of Civilian Defense last May was
loosely drawn and geared to defense
rather than war. Such objectives
40 oNAoto4A&AA4S 4dJAOtAd4 IIkO1 d1C WCIE
expressed in the original order.
Civilian defense officials indicated
they not only had suggested the
order, but had anticipated it to the
extent of already eliminating the
''frills" generally banned in the
new order. The Star pointed out
Sunday that o. c. D. had already
accomplished an internal reorgan-
ization.
The order was also hailed by
civilian defense officials on the
ground that it tied o. C. D. Specifl-
cally into the war program through
the appointment of the new ad-
visory board. regarded by o. C. D.
officials as lands war cabinet
An o. c.. D. spokesman said the
agency had already recognized that
social service is no concern to the
war effort" and had directed vol
unteers into other lines more closely
tied down to the war program