Evening star., 1942-04-28

Dr.. Homer Tells Of Mop
And Chart Reservoir;
-Four Others Speak
The National Archives. the Gov.
ernment's reservoir Of ofncial rec
ords. ID furnishing maps and charts
TO guide American bombing planes
TO enemy targets. Or. Philip n
Hamsr, director Of reference service
OF the Arcnieves. said last night Ia
q radio broadcast.
DR.. Hamer was one Of five persons
who participated In the National
Radio Forum sponsored by The Star
and carried over the Blue Network
and station WMAL. The others were
DIR. Scion J. Buck, archivtat Of the
United States. Mrs. Joshua Evans,
IT., OF the Board OF Trustees OF
George washington University; Or.
Guy stanton Ford. executive secre-
tary OF the American Historical As
ISOLATION and former president Of
the University Of Minnesota, and
Emmett J. Leahy. director Of rec
ords coordination Of the Navy De-
partnent.
The speakers were introduced by
D. NJ. McKelway. managing editor
OF The Star.
Methods Of Aid Related.
Major portions of the program re-
lated the means by which the Ma
ticnal Archives 10 aiding the war
effort.
Mr.. Leshy disclosed that, through
ofIlcial records, the Navy was able
20 ret n touch with experienced
seamen to supply 40 per cent Of
the man power needed for our two
ocean Navy"
I'VE have not only naval maps
and records" Or. Hamer added, but
also the names of men who can help
carry out the strategy, and we have
charts and maps TO help guide Our
bombers TO harbor installations, In
land watsrways, electric power de-
velcpments and railroad and high
way bridges Of our enemies"
Or. Buck said that requests for In
formation have "just about doubled"
since the japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor.
lyeee Requests Daily.
we get about 1000 requests per
day for records or for information
In records--one every 30 seconds"
Or. Buck said.
The chief archivist outlined the
nature OF some Of the inquiries that
come to his agency--navy enlist
ments, weather, food and data TO
help the r. B. !. investigate the
background Of present and prospec-
tive Government employees.
OfnciAl records, some Of them con-
densed to almost microscopic size
On n,icrofilm-to save space-have
helped skilled war craftsmen prove
their citissnship, Or. Hamer said.
Carefully documented nles from
world War I have revealed informa-
taon on curtailment Of consumer
goods, shipbutlding costs, Govern
rnent investments In munitions
plants and have helped to spread
war orders al over the country" he
said.
File On Macarthur.
Musty statistical documents are
not the only type Of record kept. On.
HAmer continued. relating that his
fiies disclosed that as . youth, Gen.
Douglas Macarthur accompanied his
father. Gen. Arthur Macarthur, on
an assignment rs observer In the
Russo-Japanese War OF 1905. The
present Gen. MacArthurs son was
with him during his epic stand 1t
Batasn and Corregidor.
Historians. social scientists, gene
alogists. novelists, motion picture
producers and others engaged in
research utilize archives files, Dr..
Buck said. Hundreds" seek their
help to establish their age to be-
come eligible for social security
benefits. he added.
The archivist said there are ''bil-
lions" Of documents under his su-
pervision, some Of them dating hack
to the looos.
Woman Revolutionary Soldier.
Mrs. Evans told OF discovering
archives records which disclosed
that q woman successfully dis
guised herself and fought through
much Of the Revolution in the Army
Of Gen. George Washington. Her
husband later received . pension
on the ground that q wound re-
ceived at Tarrytown was the cause
OF her death, Mrs. Evans said.
DR.. Ford. who was on the stan
of the Committee on Public In
formation during the last war, said
It was gratifying" to see how "val-
uable the records are that we
created q quarter of q century age" I"
"And 1t is a relief" he added, ito
know that the records OF this war
will not. be shunted from attic to
cellar TO garage. but will be carefully
preserved in the National Archives
and protected from the ravages OF
mistreatment and time"