Evening star., 1942-07-15
Maryland Ready
For A||-Night
b|ackout
Civil Air Petrol
To Picture Tests;
War Plants Exempt

Maryland's AFRAID setup today
was prepared for the first State
wide dust-to-dawn blackout, sched-
uled to begin at o'clock tonight
and continue through am. tomor-
row. 1t will be the third such
experience for Prince Georges and
Montgomery Counties, which joined
In previous tests by the District and
Virginia.
The Civil Air Patrol will observe
results of tonight's test and photo
graph vital areas to study the re-
& suits.
Outside illumination will be linn
lted to street and traffic lights and
80 vital war industries scattered
throughout the State which have
been exempted at the request of the
Army and Navy. All traffic will be
limited to speeds not exceeding rs
miles an hour
Radio Also to Give Alert.
At an unannounced hour an air.
raid test will be signaled by the
sirens During the test all lights,
including street and traffic signals,
will be darkened and traffic will be
brought to a standstill. The only
exceptions will be the war indus
tries: The afraid drill will last for
half-hour period.
1t. Comdr. P B. Mavor, United
States Coast Guard, captain of the
port Of Washington, has issued rules
prohibiting operation of pleasure
craft during predetermined blackout
tests. Maryland has jurisdiction
over the Potomac River to the Vir-
ginia shore and the moonlight
cruises operating out of Washington
have been Cancelled for tonight only
For the first time radio will be
used in sending out the AFRAID
alert and alarm signals and the
all-clear flash 80 minutes later.
Regular telephone communications
will be relied on for sending the
signals, but the radio signals will
be sent out in an effort to de-
termine their efficiency in the event
of possible breakdowns of telephone
lines.
In Washington, Commissioner
John Russell Young has announced
surprise" AFRAID test will be
held within the next seven days,
but he gave assurances that it would
not coincide with the Maryland test
tonight.
Warning to Motorists.
Throughout the night-long test,
however, District policemen will be
stationed at principal roads leading
into, Maryland to warn motorists
they are entering blackout area
and caution them Of the 25-mile-
an-hour speed limit. During the
AFRAID tests the Washington police
will cooperate with Free State au-
thorities by stopping traffic for a
half hour at the District line.
Prince Georges and Montgomery
Counties have participated in two
previous dusk-to-dawn blackouts-
one held by the District and the
Metropolitan Area and one ordered
by the State of Virginia and par
ticipated in by the District and the
Metropolitan Area.
In Baltimore, Isaac S.. George,
executive director of the Maryland
Council of Defense, said today he
was confident of a quick settlement
Of any differences between the State
council and Maryland's volunteer
dremen, the Associated Press re-
ported.
Conference Called.
He said he, Col. Henry S. Barrett,
State director of AFRAID precau-
tons, and w. Frank Roberts, de-
Tense council chairman, would meet
with representative of the State
Volunteer Firemen's Association in
Baltimore July rs to iron out Ger
tain technical difficulties"
He denied the charge Of F. Lester
Smith, president of the Volunteer
Firemen's Association, that the
council had ignored" the volun-
teers. Mr.. Georgessaid, "We haven't
ignored the volunteer fire depart
ments. This is our first intimation,
in an organized way, that the VOL
unteer flremen are dissatisfied,
Informed that the flremen were
protesting non-issuance OF insignia
such as that given auxiliary firemen,
Mr.. George commented that the
council thought the trained volun-
teers should be set apart from the
recently enrolled auxiliaries.
1--WE are anxious to satisfy any
reasonable request" he said. III
we have to, we'll issue new insignia
for the volunteer firemen."