Evening star., 1942-07-05
D. {. Won Join
In Mary|and's
B|ackout Test
Plans Completed d
For Statewide
Drill July IS

Washington will not take part IN
the State wide duskto- dawn black
out for Maryland July Is 1t was
announced last night as civilian de-
fense officials in nearby Montgorn-
cry and Prince Georges Counties
disclosed plans for the test
Arrangements nave been made
with the District. however, to CO.
operate to the extent of handling
traffic at the District line.
In Anne Arundel County the
blackout enforcement will end at
midnight because of an insufficient
number of AFRAID wardens, Col.
John dep. Douw, county defense
director, said yesterday.
Short-wave radio, as an auxiliary
method of communicating signals
throughout Maryland control CEN
ters, will be employed for the first
time.
The State director will establish
headquarters at State police head
quarters at Pikesville and direct the
blackout from that point. A State
highway patrolman will be sta
toned with a adio-equipped car
at each county control center to
receive the alert and alarm signals.
The official hours set for the
blackout are from pm. July IS,
to 5 am, July Is.
Half Hour Raid Test Planned.
Street and traffic lights will re-
main on and vehicles will be per.
mitted to move at a speed not ex-
ceeding 25 miles an hour with the
depressed beam or city driving"
lights on except during an unan-
nounced period when an air raid
test will be held for a half hour.
During the AFRAID drill all traf-
f1c. except emergency vehicles, will
be halted and all lights will be ex-
tinguished. During the "air raid"
no emergency vehicle may travel
more than Is miles an hour.
Fire apparatus engaged in prac-
tice drills will use dim lights and
| travel not over Is miles an hour but
will use full lights and usual speed
in responding to actual alarms.
Strategic points will be guarded
throughout the night by the Mary
land State Guard. Industrial plants
working on Government war con-
tracts will be permitted to continue
operations but are requested to black
out totally for at least 10 minutes
during the air raid alarm Rail-
roads viii not be required to par
ticipate but have been urged to dim
lights on all trains passing through
Maryland If consistent with public
safety. Under no circumstances will
the movement of war equipment by
the railroads be hindered, 1t was
stated.
The civil air patrol will observe
the entire State and make pictures
Of important points.
Anne Arundel Limits Drill.
In announcing the intention of
Anne Arundel County to end its
blackout at midnight, Col. Douw de-
clared, There Just aren't enough
wardens to enable us to assign re-
lief men during the blackout.'
This proposition is purely vol
untary," he added. "and I can't
allow men to work all night and
then work all day too"
After midnight, Col. Douw as
serted, the air raid wardens in the
county will be released from duty
and observance of blackout regula-
tions will be voluntary.
Col. Duow previously had said
that because of special problems
in Anne Arundel County the black
out would extend only until mid
night.
One Of these special problems" :"
he explained. is the fact that stu
dents at the Postgraduate School
of the Naval Academy must stay up
late at night studying.