Evening star., 1942-03-10
Plans Adopted
ToB|ack Out
u. 5. Buildings
3o1 Offices Under
P. B. A. to Be Made
Completely Dark

P. B. A. to Be Made
Completely Dark
Federal buildings, previously con-
spicuous by their bright lights dur
ing Washington blackouts. will be
as dark as the rest of the city in flu
ture blackouts, Acting Federal Works
Administrator Baird Snyder said
today.
The Public Buildings Administra-
ton, under Mr.. Snyder, in effect has
abandoned the simple lights out
blackout policy Mr.. Snyder previ-
ously contended was sufficient safe
guard against the possibility OF air
raids.
Funds the p. B. A. was hesitant to
release without assurances they
would be paid back probably will be
used in areas to be blacked out, the
acting administrator said.
Order for Materials Placed.
Backing up Mr. Snyder's promise
of action, the P. B. A. Immediately
placed an order for 10000 yards OF
blackout material, as much as the
entire amount bought previously to
obscure strategic" spots in Federal
buildings. The order brings the
amount spent for materials and
labor to $4,000, P. B. A. spokes-
man disclosed.
The final cost, it was said, will
not be determined until all Federal
agencies have reported how many
of their employees have to work at
night. If materials for essential
blacking out come to as much as
$3.50, 900, as is expected in some quar-
ters, the work will have to be let
out on contract.
The announcement that the p B
A.. which has jurisdiction over 39l
Federal buildings as a part of the
Federal Works Agency. had swung
into line followed conference be-
tween Mr.. Snyder and James M.
Lands. director Of the ONCE Of
Civilian Defense, at which, according
to Mr.. Snyder, full accord was
reached on steps to be taken to in
sure complete and effective obscura-
ton of illumination" in the 39l
buildings.
Two Plans Suggested.
The blackout, he said, would
affect all Federal buildings under P.
B. A., including those where work
must continue during an air raid
alarm. A survey, he announced, is
now under way to determine what
personnel must remain on duty
hereafter for night work
Along with the survey, results Of
which are already coming in, a
nightly check is now being made of
Federal buildings by Ferdinand
Kaufholz, chief of the building
service division of P B. A.. and his
staff to see how widespread night
lighting is.
Although some Federal buildings,
including the Capitol Hill group and
certain others, are not under P. B.
A. Jurisdiction, voluntary co-opera-
ton is expected since Charles A..
Peters, building manager of P. B. A.
is also deputy AFRAID warden for
all Federal buildings here. The
fund now under discussion at the
Budget Bureau would cover them
as we'll as buildings directly under
P. B. A. Some of these buildings,
however, have their blackout prep
arations out of their own mainte-
nance funds.
The blackout, Mr.. Snyder said, will
be achieved in one Of two ways:
Areas where work must continue
will be obscured by necessary con-
struction to permit Illumination
within.
All other areas in which personnel
may or may not be working will be
obscured by switching off all lights
Necessary funds for construction
will come from regular building
maintenance budgets, he said, after
which restoration of these funds
will be sought"
S1,00O,000 Needed Here.
Now pending in the Budget Bu-
reau is a s25 100000 estimate for
protection of Federal buildings
throughout the country. Part OF
that estimate is 81 ,000, 900 for black
out precautions.
1t has been estimated, according
to Federal Works spokesman, that
100000 would be needed for a
complete blackout of Government
buildings in the Washington area to
permit normal night time operation
but the 100000 included in the
estimate would not all be available
for Capital blackouts.
Provision already has been made for
blacking out such strategic spots in
Government buildings as commune
cations centers, telephone switch
board rooms, guard rooms, essential
equipment rooms and principal sta1
Offices of the War, Navy and State
Departments. Much of this cor
struction, Mr.. Snyder said, has been
completed.
How soon and how much backing
out Will be done Otner tnan turning
out the lights was not indicated
by the acting administrator. He said
certain protective measures cannot
be made effective instantly, but all
will be pushed with the utmost
speed"
Present plans, he pointed out, call
for installation of signal system
in buildings where lights are to be
extinguished so all illumination could
be terminated except that essential
for safety, which would not be viSi-
BILE outside the building
Mr. Snyder said he would seek
special authority where necessary
to prosecute the 100 per cent black
out.