Evening star., 1942-05-03
Young Arranges
Farley on Raid
Warning Setup
Pursues Inquiry on
AdvisobiIity Of
Change in System

begin tomorrow his investigation o.
the complex problem of whether tt
revise the Districts defense COM
lnunications establishment in lint
with recommendations of the Ma
tional O. C. D. or leave it as it is
Herbert A. Friede, superintendent,
OF communications, and Beverly C
Snow, Assistant Engineer Commits
sioner, chairman of the Defense
Policy Committee, will confer with
him at II m. to present defense
Of the present system.
Later he said he wanted to meet
with o. c. D. communications ex-
perts to hear explanations of their
proposals which involve decentraliz-
ing to a half dozen or more SUBJ
centers the load now borne by the
one communications center at Fire
Alarm Headquarters and the en-
ployment of a full time controller
Will receive Report.
A third source of information, he
disclosed, will be report by Col
E. G. Bliss of the Chesapeake ano
Potomac Telephone Co, and F. S
Gay, member of the Communica-
tions Liason Committee of o. C. D.
who are studying the problem at
Mr.. Youngs request. Mr.. Gay, an
expert of the Bell Telephone Co., is
serving without pay and in an ad-
visory capacity for the o. c. D. and
currently is touring the Southeast
ern States studying communications
Meanwhile, Co-ordinator Young
said the city might expect its next
blackout in the next two weeks The
pattern of the previous test will be
followed, he indicated, although
this one probably will be of slightly
longer duration-perhaps full half
hour. The Commute test, he ex-
planned, did not give enough time
for inspectors to cover the field
completely.
Mr.. Young indicated he wanted
an immediate solution of the COM
munications problem not only to
provide the District with the best
system but also to quash dissensions
In local defense organization over it.
Wants Best System.
The co-ordinator explained that
Civilian Defense Director Lemuel
Bolles leans toward the o. c. D.
decentralization plan as do officials
of the third defense region, of
which the District is a part. Mr.
Frieds and Col Snow, on the other
hand, established the present sys-
tenn, he explained. and defend it.
In any event, Mr.. Young said,
the District should have the best
set-up possible.
'The citizens have done their
part he observed, now it is up
to us on this matter. We have
no pride of authorship and if a
change is called for we'll get it."
He estimated the cost OF putting
In the o. C. D. plan might run be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000.
Washington is now equipped
with the so-called cascade system
by which warnings are relayed to
the warden posts and other services
from the control center. During
the recent total blackout, many of
the calls that had to clear through
the communications center were
delayed, Mr.. Young said. Under
the o. c. D. plan, he explained.
warnings would be transmitted to
the strategically located sub-centers
which would then handle the calls
for the particular areas they served.
The solution might involve taking
the best features of each plan, he
added.
Might Need Authority.
II the o. c. D. plan is adopted
1t was indicated, authority carried
In the new blackout bill now before
Congress might be needed to estab-
hsh the centers at strategic spots
particularly if they happened to be
private locations.
The measure, introduced by Rep
resentative Randolph of West Vir-
ginia, chairman of the House Dis
trict Committee. is due for a public
hearing some time this week. II
authorizes the District to borrow
$500, 900 from the Treasury, of which
100000 would be allocated to pay
disqualification of civilian defense
workers injured in line of duty.
Corporation Counsel Richmond B
Keech has prepared a report on the
bill for submission to the Budget
Bureau, possibly tomorrow.
While he would not disclose the
contents of the report, Mr.. Keecf
said it was favorable to the bill anc
expressed the opinion that som,
such legislation is essential.
District Bar Association committee
he added, has studied the draft o
the bill and approved it.
Urges Radio Broadcast.
In the event the public become
worried over the extent of tn
powers provided and to proven
misconstruction of the measure, MI
Young said he has asked Mr.
Keech's office to arrange a radi
broadcast TO explain it. Mr. Keecl
said nothing of this nature wa
pAcihiOo dllcl lllS near
ing.
Meanwhiel. police officials pai
tribute to District Purchasing Office
Roland Brennan and Budget Office
Walter L. Fowler for their spec,
and cooperation in obtainin
equipment for the auxiliary polio
force. AS of March %, all auxiliar
police except a few attached t
administrative headquarters ha
been equipped, according TO Inspec
tor Milton D. Smith.
Estimating that approximate
$500 have been furnished badge.
belts. batons, caps, raincoats an
visibility belts. Inspector Smith said
Il honestly feel that there is
great deal of credit due to ou
purchasing officer and his assistant
and the budget oficer: without thei
fine cooperation and unstinte
service at all times. it would nc
have been possible to have obtaine
our equipment promptly and in tn
quantities we received it."