Evening star., 1942-04-27
AnoIyzes Expenses Of
LocuI Defense Work
Writer Tells How Funds
Have Been AlIocoted
For Guordinq Copitol
For Guordinq CopitoI

Have Been AIIocoted
For Guarding CopitoI
By John w. Thompson, Jr.
Before Chairman Randolph Of the
House District Committee introduced his
recent bill authorizing the Commission
ers to borrow an additional 100000 from
the Treasury for civilian defense, he
asked the Commissioners the question
that civic and civilian defense leaders
have been asking since the beginning Of
the year-"whsts been done with the
$1,000, 600 previously authorized?"
The city heads were ready with the
answer and In brief it is this: As of April
20 all but 345,445 has been earmarked
for the varied defense activities and
about $4f5,405 has been actually spent
or Is obligated. There are also several
pending applications for that $45.445.
Actually, the story is not new, most Of
the expenditures having been announced
separately by the Commissioners as they
approved them, but in many instances
citizens perhaps did not understand that
the payment was to be from the So
called blackout fund Of $1.000,000. The
area Civilian Defense Committees, push
ing doorbells to solicit money for the
operation of their defense services.
did not trickle into their Golfers They
felt they had volunteered their time to
set up the protection of the city and
thought the million was to relieve them
of the financial burden that even the
smallest warden post imposes by reason
Of the need Of communications and basic
supplies. The tangible evidence of the
expenditures reached them only in the
form Of few helmets, flashlights and
armbands and they naturally wondered
where the rest Of the money was going.
In the Office Of Budget Ohicer Walter
Fowler, however. the picture clears up
and those whose job 1t is to account the
money have seen 1t set aside for the
various needs, in many cases obligated
for purchases that have not been de-
lvered, and In other cases dribbling
away unnoticed by all save those COM
pletely familiar with the far-flung ex.
tent of the city's protective services.
Few persons, for instance, are prob
ably aware that some $4,000 was tapped
from the fund for needed personnel in
the rent control ofice and the District
Rationing Board. The amount is small,
but the point is that 1t was an expense
not ordinarily associated with civilian
defense. Certainly, however, it is q
wartime expense and the Commissioners,
when the pressure on the agencies be-
came too heavy, simply turned to the
only quick source OF money open to them.
Without going into a mass Of figures,
1t can be said that more than $2Oo,00o Of
the million Is obligated for personnel
services. This includes about S159 900
for protection Of the District water sup
ply system and about $75 900 for special
policemen to protect bridges and other
vital points around the city. Both of
these expenses developed when the Army
withdrew military protection of these,
locations last February.
Other small personnel expenses pro-
vide for .telephnne operators. stenoeza-
pliers and the Ike for the main civilian
defense ofhces.
Thus the bulk Of the money is allotted
for materials. More than $4,000 has
been set aside for the air-raid warden
service-helmets, flashlights, whistles,
training equipment and the 1ike-but
only about half Of this amount has been
spent. Another $75O00 is to go for
sandbags. but only q small portion has
been spent. For the Fire Department,
$4,000 has been set aside; more than
500, 900 for the needs Of auxiliary police;
for controls for street lighting, $4,000:
for backing out trafnc lights. more than
$4,000; for blackout materials for Dis
trict buildings, some $4,000; emergency
medical services, $13,585; air-raid shelter
survey, $4,000.
All these smaller items add up to q
sizable sum, especially when added to
the near quarter of a million set aside
for the afraid warning signals and
the city Electrical Department for spe-
cial lighting where necessary. From
this amount comes the installation and
equipping of the Al electric sirens, the %
air horns and the 20 steam horns that
will sound the alarm should the enemy
come.
These major items are clear indica-
ton Of where the million dollars Is go
ing and has gone without having to list
each minor expenditure such as the
$3.50 set aside for Mrs. Clifford Pin
chot's emergency food and housing ad-
ministration.
In q number Of instances, the present
allocations represent changes made over
those which prevailed between the last
Of December, when the bill authorizing
the money became law, and the middle
of March.
In some instances, for example, pur-
chaseS were made at less cost than
originally anticipated. In others, as for
instance in the case of emergency medi-
cal supplies, the National ONCE of Ci-
villain Defense undertook to provide
about $37 900 worth Of materials. These
changes released some Of the originally
aLocated funds for use In other projects
The cost of the water supply guards,
however. plus few other minor ex-
penses developing in the past month,
has served to nullify the benefits OF these
first gains.
It should also be pointed o,,t that in