Evening star., 1942-03-12
Short B|ackout
Slated in All
u. ). BUILDINGS
Half Hour Set as
Minimum for D. {.
4-Hour Test Friday

Government buildings will join
private homes and business houses
for at least half hour in comply
ing with the blackout order for the
Metropolitan Area Friday night, &C
cording to a memorandum sent by
the Public Buildings Administration
to all Government Department heads
today.
Although the order issued for the
blackout again excepted Federal
buildings, Acting Federal Works Ad-
ministrator Baird Snyder reached an
agreement with Defense Co-ordina-
tor John Russell Young late yester-
day whereby he agreed to ask CO.
operation of all Government agen-
cies for a total blackout from 8 pm.
to $50 pm.
For the rest of Washington and
nearby counties the blackout will
last from 8 pm. to midnight.
Text Of Memorandum.
The text of the Public Buildings
Administration memorandum, which
was sent to all group and building
wardens by Charles A. Peters. dep
uty warden for all Government
buildings, follows:
In order to give both the Federal
Government and Metropolitan
Washington the greatest benefit
from the blackout test scheduled for
this area Friday night, March 13.
Acting Federal Works Administrator
Baird Snyder, So. has promised civil
ian defense authorities that every
effort will be made TO obtain full
participation Of Federal Office build
ings in this test.
However, the civilian defense Of
ficials understand, as we do. that it
will not be necessary nor practicable
in this test to observe the blackout
for the full four-hour period sched-
uled. but only for one-haf hour,
from to $50 pm.
You are therefore requested to
lend every effort towards making
the Friday night test as successful
as possible by obScuring all illumina-
ton visible from outside the build
ings for the half-hour period from
to $50 pm. Friday, March 13.
1912. This should be done in the
case of all Federal Office buildings
except those plants engaged in
actual production even though 1t
requires the switching off Of lights
in certain areas where work must
be done and where black out con-
struction has not yet been COM
pleted.
Half Hour Held Practicable.
1T should be practicable for all
Federal Office buildings to remain
blackeG out for the half hour desig-
mated.
Necessary blackout construction
is being pushed forward rapidly so
that in the near future those areas
where work must continue during
an air raid alarm may remain light
ed. Until such time as this work is
completed, however, it will be neces-
sary to test the effectiveness Of
blackout measures by turning of
all exposed lights"
To guarantee a more complete
blackout without switching off lights
next time. Mr.. Snyder Yesterday
also authorized P. B. A. to spend
whatever money was necessary out
of its maintenance funds to carry
out blackout construction in build
ings with day and night shifts and
elsewhere that night work had to be
done.
Street Lights to Burn.
The blackinp out of Federal huild.
ings will be the principal difference
between the Friday practice and the
one that preceded it on March 3.
except that that one lasted 10 hours.
Street lights will not be turned
off, traffic will not be halted. The
other exceptions to the blackout
order, including lights necessary to
transportation, national defense
plants. navigation and public utili-
ties, will be the same as they were
for the other long blackout.
Detailed instructions we're being
prepared today for AFRAID wardens,
who patrol the streets as they did
the last time, although their work
will be less arduous, both because OF
the shorter time and the expected
automatic compliance.
Civilian Defense officials said they
were hoping that the compliance
would take the form of blackout
preparations rather than merely
switching off lights. They indicated
special attention would be paid to
stores which shut up shop when the
blackout began last time.
Broadcast Replaces Service.
Because of the blackout the WASH
ington Hebrew Congregation has
called of its regular Friday evening
service at the Temple, BIG Eighth
street NV, and instead of the reg
ular service the minister of the con-
gregation, Rabbi Norman Gersten-
field, will broadcast short service
to members in their homes over
Station WWDC, beginning at ITO
pm.
The Brightwood Citizens Associa-
ton also has Cancelled its regularly
scheduled monthly meeting at the
Paul Junior High School. Eighth
and Oglethorpe streets NV.
Constitution Hall will be COM
pletely blacked out tomorrow night
while some $500 persons attend
the National Geographic Society
lecture on "Defrosting Alaska" by
Karl Robinson, traveller and ex-
plorer. The lecture begins at 8:l5
pm, IS minutes after the official
commencement of the blackout.
Eastern Star Party Cancelled.
Areme Chapter of the Order Of
the Eastern Star announced the
cancellation of its card party
planned tomorrow at the home of
Mrs. Verina Penrod, worthy matron,
6l3 Gallatin street NV, because
Of the blackout. The party will
be held Monday at the same place,