The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-01-19

ance OF their II yelihoods within rea-
SON Is occupying business manage
mcnt's attention throughout the ma
ton. Assigned services OF people on
payrolls would anticipate and re-
]ieye great strains on volunteer air
raid Wardens not connected directly
with business organizations In areas
being serviced by them, but whose
duties are TO check up on the safety
of all people In their zone regard
less of their business or residential
status. Business men hope to rem
der cooperation TO vested civic au-
thorities without interfering one iota
with existing plans.
One of is first major problems
seems to be to assist in spreading
air raid alarms when they are or
dered by established authorities.
Tests III lew York have proved
that great number of people are
so engroSsed in their work that out
side noises denoting air raid alarms
are not heard, consequently they
are not recognized. This failure
means that instructions for suisse
quent moves are not followed. Vol
unteer air raid Wardens are cha
grined and disappointed. They have
in several cases mistakenly accused
such inaction as apathy. Noise haV-
ing failed in large number of in
stances another type OF alarm must
be worked out to supplement it.
Members of the Sales Executive
Club of New York are contemplate
ing forming a committee for the
preservation of life and equipment
in business. 1t is their intention 10
study various situations that might
be remedied by action within their
own ranks.
Spreading silent alarm to every
important location in New York S
five boroughs might possibly be done
in less than fifteen minutes. Here is
preliminary outline for consider
alton in New York that might ap-
ply ON smaller scale elsewhere.
There are over six thousand au-
tomato message receiving machines
lent to customers by major COM
panieS. Several thousand automa tic
registering systems of various makes
are used by business firms, depart
ment torres, apartment house, ware
l1oues, public and private schools,
railroad stations and public build
ings. There are numerous inter-of
fice announcing systems. These
could be dovetailed to form a COM
posite network to reach employed
people. Such facilities could operate
frequently when radio stations are
shut down and many power facili-
ties are cdrtailed or out OF order.
Communications experts admit
such gigantic scheme entirely
feasible. New York Telephone Co,
Western Union and Postal Tele-
graph and communication equip
ment manufacturers are busy with
United States Government, State
City and business requirements that
have their org@ nizations working TO
capacity of human accomplishment
This visionary plan of using all
available means of inter- commune
cations systems of business must be
worked out in detail by executives
who will assume the responsibility
that all ramification entailed in
such implicated job are func-
tionilg. Composite lists of firms
with communications services and
type Of equipment must be compiled,
their duplicat.ve channels eliminat-
cd and firms designated whose CO.
operative services ARE most needed
Many nations including our own
have uner- estimated our combined
enemies knack of doing impossible
things. We should proceed on the
Dry t'iat New York is not secure
from bombing raid Another fal-
lacy is that should one occur it will
only be token raid"
Token or otherwise, leaders OF
business know full well that injured
people cannot work. Damaged equip
rnent not repaired for lack of parts
in one f.ctory might hold up COM
pletion OF ships, planes or guns.
Preventive services of this nautre
Will greatly eliminate unusual de-
mands for hospital equipment, val
ued drugs and cupplies needed on
battlefronts.
This silent alarm system could be
made to work in various ways. will
Try TO outline some procedures, OPP
Grating in conjunction with the New
York Telephone Co., Western IN
ion mad Postal Telegraph on a vol
untary basis in the interests of pub
lie welfare.
Making my employers office a
demonstration guinea pig, let me
state that twenty people might be
present when our Western Union
automatic machine flashes a light
that message is coming through
Magical electrical impulses type out
q vivid message .eading something
like Enemy planes approaching
New York City, arrival anticipated
at twelve twenty MONDAY"
Our operator would take this mes
sage direct to building superinten-
dent, James Curtis or TO next in
charge, to sound fire gong, i'm
mediately conveying an air raid
alarm message reaching up to seven
thousand people that might be in
the various offices.
A message in numerical form ar
ranged in detail could be flashed
through the Teleregister Company
equipment 10 several hundred sub
scriberS including more than one
hundred and twenty five business
Sirms, almost instanteously. This
form of relaying signals would cause
apartment building superintendents
to sound their fire alarm air ,aid
warnings. This notification method
would each many hundreds of
thousands.
BY utilizing the Acme automatic
systems We could reach over six
hundred other users including bus
mess houses, department stores,
apartment houses and fanufactur-
ing concerns whose various floors
and warehouses are hooked up for
central transmission Of messages.
A majority of New York's working
population would be on the alert in
ample time to stop power machines
mr. render them safe C,1rino hlark-