Evening star., 1942-01-02
Says New England
Is Ready for Attack
Writer Credits Deon lundis
For Preparations for Roids
BY Enemy Bombers
Bu Donald Grant,
North American Newspaper Alliance.

By Donald Grant,
North American Newspaper Alliance.
BOSTON, Jan. 3-As Dean Lands
says, the possibility of bombs being
dropped on continental United States is
something that you either believe or
don't believe.
James McCauley Lands, dean Of
Harvard University Law School, isn't the
sort of fellow who sees things under the
bed. He is a tough minded, realistic
ministrator-currently regional direc-
tor for the first civilian defense area,
which is New England.
But Dean Lands does believe that the
bombing of continental United States is
possibility-and one for which we
know we should be prepared.
Since last July, Harvard law students
have seen their dean mostly as a man
coming from some place and going some
other place in a hurry. When friends
call his home, he isn't there. If they
ask when he will be in, they get the
answer from Mrs. Lands, II never
know"
Today the people of New England can
thank Dean Lands for the fact that
their area is regarded as the best pre-
pared of any in the Nation against at
tack from the air.
The East Coasts first AFRAID warning,
two days after the bombing of Pearl
Harbor, caught New England in mixed
mood. One part of that mood was some
thing not far from cold panic, because
the preparations were not complete. The
other part was quiet satisfaction The
result Of preparation already completed
did show, and the experience speeded
preparation a thousandfold.
Dean Lands tells of the Boston school
principal who wisely decided, when he
heard the warning, to keep his pupils in
their classrooms and say nothing. In
the same school, two small boys had a
portable radio in the gymnasium and
heard the alarm broadcast. They, also,
said nothing.
I'VE didn't want to frighhten the
teachers" the boys said afterward
BY now the schools have an AFRAID
program, and AFRAID drills are as COM
mon as fire drills. Some kindergarten
youngsters have brought blankets to
school-with their names embroidered on
the edges-so they can keep warm in
the basement during an air raid, should
the heat become disconnected.
Most school buildings have easements
to which pupils will be taken in an air.
raid alarm. Others have nearby shelters
located. and pupils are practicing evscu-
alton in small groups under teacher
supervision. Each school keeps in close
touch with civilian defense, so raid
warnings will be received promptly.
Sand is kept handy for incendiary bombs.
Each school appoints teacher to serve
as AFRAID warden.
The week before Christmas the Cam
bridge Lower School, not far from the
house where both George Washington
and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow lived,
held Christmas program. The pupils
to II years old-sang their songs, and
the parents listened.
Then, as the sound Of the carols drifted
away. the pupils went back to their
classrooms and the parents listened to
a talk-on the psychological effect Of
air raids on children.
The speaker was one of the parents Of
Cambridge Lower School, a woman who
brought two boys safely through both
the NaN terror in Austria and through
the Nazi blitz on England. She is DR..
Crete Bibring, who came to London
from Vienna with Sigmund Freud.
Now a psychiatric physician practic-
ing In Boston with her husband, DR..
Bibring speaks of war and children out
Of experience and knowledge.
In the first place. she says, children
reflect their parents. If the parents
can take it, the children can, too And
In the second place, says DR.. Bibring,
the period now being experienced by the
people of both American coasts is in
many ways more difacult than an actual
bombing. The suspense is worse than
the reality.
To lessen fears, for both children and
adults. DR.. Bibring prescribes facts.
The more we know about thing.
the less fearful it becomes" she says.
Reality, no matter how horrible, is bet
ter than our fantasies
One of DR.. Bibring's stunts is to ask
people how big they think an incendiary
bomb is. After they have described .
huge and terrifying instrument of mod
ern warfare, she takes an actual bomb
out of her handbag-and reveals the
small and unimposing outlines of reality,
weighing little over two pounds.
Tell the children the truth, says DR..
Bibring; tell them that air raids are
possible; let them know about bombing
planes and bombs-and let the children
help in preparing for civilian defense,
and for fighting the war. Saving for De-
fense stamps, learning what to do in an
air raid getting sand ready for incen-
diary bombs-defense activity is good for
children and adults, says DR.. Bibring.
Expresses Thanks for Cooperation
In Virginia Utilities Problems.