Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-05-06
Los Angeles
Not 100 Pct.
Raid-Ready
Bomb Shelters
City's Chief Need
BY DAMON RUNYON

ny DhOAN nOAN AON
I OS ANGELES. May 81
- suppose there are very few
citizens of this fair municipality
who doubt that the Japs will
sooner or later come a-bombing
in reprisal for the raids on
Toxic.
Indeed, it seems to be quite
generally accepted as a dead
sure thing, and I am just Won
dering If, in view of the strong
probability, the Angelenos are
taking all the precautions pos
sible against such assault.
I mention this in no alarmist
spirit. The civilian morale is
~fine. Air raid defense has been
set up that Is deemed adequate,
though of course only an actual
raid can determine the full
measure of the defense. There
are numerous raid wardens
throughout the city, evacuee
squads and various other organi-
cations that experience in
bombed towns has shown are
quite necessary.
The last blackout worked fine,
not 100 per cent perhaps. be-
cause a few numbskulls persist
in taking the blackouts as of no
consequence. But il indicated
that the majority of the people
are now about as well drilled as
could be expected. I am sure
there will be no considerable
panic among the people in the
event Of night bombing.
HOWEVER, it seems to me
II that the city rema aims
mighty well illuminated at night
for a spot that is now more than
ever in the theater of war.
Where. in fact, many are so GER
tain of raids that they regard ii
as a good omen when the night
sky is thickly clouded. / know
of no more inspiring sight than
Los Angeles all lighted up. but
experts claim that the glow can
be seen for perhaps ~ miles up
in the air.
Assuming that the spoilers
might possibly fail to catch hos
tile planes coming far off and
assuming, too. the possibility
that the municipal b kout
might for some reason fail to
happen on time, the + a d ers
would have a fine guiding beacon
TO the Los Angeles district.
1t has been suggested that the
city be at least slightly dimmed
down at all times, which would
undoubtedly mar the mig h [
beauty of the civic scene and
perhaps arouse the ire of noe
turnal travellers and cause them
TO write indignant notes to the
papers, but which might conceiv-
ably add to the public safety.
1 do not see enough bomb
proof shelters about the city for
the women and children. mean
real bomb shelters, not the
buildings that are designated as
shelters and that, in many cases.
would not stop a falling marsh
mallow. A few householders and
some industrial plants have built
regular shelters underground
but you can pass through vast
areas of the community without
finding one adequate shelter.
TT SEEMS to me it would be a
i good idea if every neighbor-
hood Clipped in and built a shell
ter TO accommodate the families
of that neighborhood. or at least
the women and children. / know
that Los Angeles covers such a
vast stretch of territory that
the entire city cannot be
bombed, but pieces of it are
bound to be hit in case of a
bombing and who can say what
pieces it may be?
The old theory was that the
enemy bombed only military OBJ
iectives. In this war, he bombs
Unfortunately. And whatever
skepticism you may have had
about the JapS being able to
plant bombs on Los Angeles
must be dispelled by Toxic.
which did not think it could be
bombed. either. Reprisals now
become matter of saving
face" to the skibs.