Evening star., 1943-12-23
j Defense
Here Placed on
Reserve Basis
Exhaustion of Funds
Forces Cut in Costs
To $4,000 q Month
BY BAINBRIDGE CRIST.

~ %tVSVVV " NSOuItu
BY BAINBRIDGE CRIST.
Faced with an exhaustion of funds
and refusal of the Budget Bureau to
approve an amendment to the
Blackout Act to borrow 81 ,000, 900 Of
additional funds from the Treasury,
the Commissioners yesterday de-
cided to place civilian defense on a
reserve basis, except for auxiliary
police and firemen.
The second major shake-up in
civilian defense this month, the new
move will reduce operating cost
from $4,000 month to $4,000 a
month and will go into effect mot
later than February /, 1914" Earlier
in the month the Commissioners
abolished 10 jobs, at yearly savings
OF more than $31 900.
The Commissioners action will
result in dropping approximately
800 persons from civilian defense
activities including roughly so civil
ian employees, so police and 200
guards at the Washington Aqueduct.
Outlines Situation.
Outlining the financial situation
which brought the crisis to civilian
defense, Capt. H. C. Whitehurst. di-
rector Of civilian defense, said that
out of authorizations of $4,000, 900
since 1941, revised figures of ex-
penditures, obligations and reserve
funds amounted to $1.544,617 in
July. This left, he explained, for
the protective services and the
$455,383 for the fiscal year
1874, although the budget totaled
$823, ,066.
ITO December 81, 1943. based
upon actual expenditures through
November and an estimate for the
month Of December, expenditures
and obligations against these budg-
ct figures will amount to $166, 800
for the protective services and $l88,-
900 for the Washington Aqueduct,
a total of $354,32O," Capt. White
hurst said.
"Summarizing the financial situ-
alton, we will have on hand avail
able for expenditure on January l.,
1914, the sum of $l0l ,063-in addi-
ton the reserve fund of 100000,
which was set up to meet claims
due to injuries and similar purposes,
plus the $25 900 reserve fund for the
use of private property in the event
of an emergency, in addition to the
$4,000 set aside for Civilian War
Services"
Called Unnecessary.
In July the corporation coun-
sci, Richmond B. Keech. was di-
rected to prepare an amendment
to the Blackout Act to enable the
Commissioners to borrow an addi-
tional 81 1000 900 for the balance of
the fiscal year 1914 and part of the
fiscal year 1945. .
In declining to agree to the legis-
lation, the Budget Bureau on De-
cember II returned the amendmnt
with-the statement: - 'a------~-
"One copy of,ton.draft of bill and
letexSVftransmittal is
returned herewith. and you are ad-
vised that enactment of the pro-
posed legislation should not be con-
as being necessary and,
therefore, not in accord with the
program of the President"
Capt. Whitehurst informed the
Commissioners that two steps we're
possible One was to continue the
organization as at present, with the
prospects that funds would be ex-
hauSted by February 20, thereby
making it necessary to use $4,000
OF the reserve fund for the pur-
pose of liquidating obligations, such
as leave and property collection.
The other solution was to place
civilian defense on a reserve status.
Held Sensible Procedure.
1T appears to u.s." Capt. White
hurst declared, that the latter plan
is the only sensible course of proce-
dure. We are certainly not in a
position and should not advocate
or consider the complete demobiliza-
ton of the District Civilian Defense
and all of its facilities at this tine"
lai
Urging the Commissioners to act
before January !, Capt. Whitehurst
estimated in memorandum that
for January would
leave $50,000 for the period from
February to the end of the fiscal
year. June 80.
The available balance of $4,000
after January" Capt. Whitehurst
said, would make it possible to run
on a reserve status through the
balance Of the fiscal year 1914 with
out tapping the reserve funds. The
reserve funds must be maintined
to meet liquidation expenses and
expenses that may arise in connec-
tion with services for which they
were intended"
Capt. Whitehurst proposed that
the 1945 appropriation bill include
for the District an item of $4,000
a month for civilian defense. He
pointed out that if an emergency
arose, the Commissioners would
have authority to tap the $125 900
reserve funds "for such expendi-
lures as may become necessary to
the amount of $4,000 to $75,OOO."
Plan Adopted.
The plan adopted by the Commits
sioners follows:
Reduction of personnel of the
regional and directors Office and
of the various protective services,
communications, to bring
personnel costs down from
$1,000 to $3.50.
The AFRAID warden, control and
communications, medical, public
public works and trans
portation are to be placed on re-
serve status. Capt. Whitehurst said
is believed the personnel of these
are well trained and organized to
meet any emergency that may
arise"
Periodic training exercises will be
arranged by the chiefs OF services
so that the organization will be
kept In condition for immediate
service. 'The personnel will be ex-
pected to respond to all alerts and