Evening star., 1942-06-27
Streets Cleared
Quickly in New
Raid Test
Defense Officials
Call Drill Here
Much Better

Activities in this busy war
capital came to a dead halt for
IS minutes today in practice
AFRAID drill which civilian de-
fense officials described as
much better" than the first
full-scale daylight test held
early this month.
Air raid sirens walled their warn
ings at 1905 a m. and the streets and
sidewalks cleared quickly. Traffic
halted instantly except for an oc-
casional motorist failing to hear the
warning. Street cars stopped where
ever they were and in many in
stances the passengers were evacu-
ated to nearby buildings.
Buses and automobiles drew to the
curbs and pedestrians scurried to de-
partment stores and Office buildings.
Bombs" Startle Justice.
Simulated explosions of two bombs
at the Supreme Court during the
test startled Justice Jackson along
Will OtIIciS III lllC az dlu
there A few minutes later Justice
Jackson was an interested observer
while a stretcher squad rushed a
victim to a first-aid room. Electric
light bulbs were popped to provide
the sound effect. Justice jackson
was the only member of the court
present.
Col. Lemuel Bolles, executive di-
rector of civilian defense, who wit
messed the beginning of the test
from the Senate Office Building roof
and later visited Union Station and
inspected F street during the alarm
period, said he noted definite i'm
provement" over the last daylight
drill.
Col. Bolles and Brig. Gen Charles
w. Kutz. the Engineer Commits
sloner, who was acting in the place
of Civilian Defense Co-ordinator
Young, agreed that pedestrians and
motorists performed almost per-
fectly," but they had one main criti.
cism.
warn VI lying uldSS,
They said they noticed entirely
too many people" standing too close
to the entrances and glass doors
and windows of buildings and stores.
Gen. Kutz said this situation should
be corrected because of the deadly
danger of flying glass in an actual
raid.
After tour of the downtown area
with Commissioner Kutz and 1t.
Col C. l. Kephart of the National
Office Of Civilian Defense plant pro-
lection division, John J. Hasley,
deputy warden for commercial es-
tabllshments. declared the auxiliary
police. wardens and commercial
operators did a very good Job. with
only a few defects, which can easily
be corrected"
Major criticism of this party was
the gathering of many persons be-
hind glass windows and doors along
F street NV. Two large theaters
had crowds in the lobby instead of
in the theater auditorium, where
they we're supposed to be.
When the first bomb drops they'll
clear away from that glass;" pre-
dicted Gen. Kutz.
Buildings Test Suggested.
The Engineer Commissioner sug-
gested that during the next test
Wardens be assigned to go into
various buildings to see how things
are working out.
We ought to take perhaps 500 or
1000 men and give them specific
assignments of this nature he said.
Random stops at downtown bank
and hotel found the bank perfectly
organized and darkened. but the
staff of the hotel uncertain as to
who was the warden in charge. Peo-
pie on the street. however. had been
taken into the hotel lobby.
The inspection group noted very
small volume of both motor and
pedestrian traffic downtown for a
Saturday morning just before 10
m. and attributed it possibly to the
weather, but more likely to a desire
on the part of the public not to be
caught out during the test.
Mr. Hasley said the downtown es-
Establishments are 100 per cent or
tSee AFRAID TEST. Page Az