Evening star., 1942-11-08
Drive Is Launched
Ito Enroll Women for
Civilian War Work
D. c. Volunteer Corps
Registration Is Set
For November II ..,.

An intensified drive to enroll
10000 women in the Victory volun-
teer Corps for Civilian War Services,
which will climax in an area-wide
registration on November II, was
announced yesterday by Col. Lemuel
Bolles, local civilian defense direc-
tor.
The special registration week
from Tuesday also will be for men,
who wish to volunteer for civilian
defense protective services. Ranks
of fire, police and rescue squads
have been seriously depleted in re-
cent weeks by the draft and military
enlistments, it was pointed out.
Rescue squads have lost about one
third of their members.
Organization of the Victory Vol
unteers, Col Bolles declared, must be
completed by November 80. At that
time the corps will be asked to take
charge locally of a government
sponsored war project, the nature
of which is yet to be announced.
Later, members Of the VIC are
to handle other home front activ-
tiles not already assigned to the
protective services of civilian de-
fense, such as directing salvage and
bond selling, helping to form car
sharing clubs, and organizing. and
disseminating information about
other war programs among their
neighbors.
The corps will be formed on a
block basis, with workers being as
signed on the basis of about two to
each of the $500 blocks in the city,
or one to each 20 families. Heads
of the organization will be the mobi-
lization chairmen of the 66 civilian
defense areas here, who in turn will
name zone, sector, and block leaders.
Credentials to be shown when they
go into their neighbors' homes to
discuss war activities will be given
each worker.
Formation of the VIC, Col. Bolles
pointed out yesterday, provides an
excellent opportunity for women
who work during the day and yet
wish to aid the civilian war effort.
Daytime job holders cannot play a
major role in some other civilian de-
fense services, he observed, but
many VIC assignments can be
carried out in the evenings. A spe-
cial effort is being made to enlist
women who, because of their work,
have not signed up previously for
home front service. 90
Mrs. Harry S. Bernton, chairman
of the civilian defense volunteer Of
flee, has sent letters to the heads of
about $50 local women's organiza-
tions, suggesting that they en-
courage their members to join the
VIC.
To be Victory Volunteer, Col.
Bolles pointed out yesterday, a wom-
an must be 18 years of age or over
and capable of being a leader in
her block. There are no other re-
quirements. Those already work.
ing in one of the civilian defense
protective services may apply for
VIC duty as secondary job, but in
case of conflict, the protective
service should have first call, the
local OCD director said.
He explained that through the
supplemental registration on No
vember 18th, the local OCD hopes
to obtain the services of many
women who have not volunteered
previously.
Civilian Defense" he remarked,
should be carried on by every one
doing little-not by overlooking
| few"
Women do not need to wait until
November II to enroll as Victory
Volunteers, but may enroll now at
local civilian defense headquarters,
1924 F street NV, or with the
mobilization chairmen in their re-
spective defense areas.
On the special registration day,
booths will be set up in each of the
IS defense areas and will remain
open from 10 am. to 10 pm, the
late closing hour being to accom-
modate women who work. Loca-
tions of these special booths are
to be listed later this week.
In announcing the intensified
drive for new volunteers, the local
civilian defense chief indicated
that organization of the VIC,
which was launched on october 18,
has been proceeding too slowly.
Only Is defense areas, he reported.
now have functioning VIC units. In
AZ areas something has been done.
but in the eight remaining districts
recruiting has not begun. Some Of
the tagging areas, he said, have
been going on the theory that they
have lots of time"
Observing that some VIC units
have been organized partially with
out registration, he reminded that
every person who is block worker
must be registered.