Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-28
Civilian Defense
as
Unit
Whitehurst to Assume
Job as FuII-Time
Director Monday
BY DON S. WARREN.

Creation of a department of
civilian defense as a part Of the
regular municipal establishment
was ordered today by the Com
mlSSlOnerS in a major reorgani-
zatiOn intended to bring new life
into the massive volunteer corps
and remove kinks in its controls.
Capt. Herbert c. Whitehurst. vet
eran director of highways, is brought
in as full-time civilian defense di-
rector and as commander of the
Civilian Defense Corps of the Dis
trict. He will retain his regular
District job, relieved Of all duty
except general supervision.
Col. Lemuel Bolles, executive Of
flcer Of the District OCD for we'll
over year, continues as executive
assistant to Commissioner Young,
the United States co-ordinator of
civilian defense for the Metropolitan
Area, but the order of the city
heads strips Col. Bolles of any di-
rection over the District civilian de-
Tense Setup.
Preceded by Months of Study.
With one exception, all of the
existing defense services and units
are covered into the new District
department, with the thousands of
volunteer workers continuing on
no-pay basis. The unit left out
Civilian Mobilization - is made
auxiliary to" the new department.
The revamping order, initiated by
Commissioner Young, was adopted
after months of study by members
of the Commissioners Legal Ad-
visory Board, headed by Judge Sam
E. Whitaker of the Court of Claims,
the judge advocate general in the
District OCD. Other members are
Frederick r. Gibbs Milton w. King
Hugh H. Obear. Paul E. Lesh. E
Barrett Prettyman and Henry
SchWeinhaut, who met on the work
three times week for two months.
Judge Whitaker announced his
group had begun its work September
Is, after he had received request
for the study from Co-ordinator
Young
Capt. Whitehurst, who will take
over all immediate direction of the
program Monday, when the order
is effective, responsible only to the
Commissioners, en- tered District
service in 1926 as an assistant engi-
neer commissioner, and for the past
13 years has headed the Highway
Department. Prior to the appoint
ment of Col. BolleS, he had served
for some months as civilian defense
executive, before Pearl Harbor.
Whitehurst Doesn't Want Job"
Somewhat diSmayed, but still &C
cepting his orders, Capt. Whitehurst
said: II did not seek the Job. I
didn't want it and don't now. But I
will try to be a good soldier and do
the best I can"
He will receive pay as highway
director.
The new department is to operate
under the general supervision of the
Commissioners. 1t consists of the
civilian defense director; the inSpec-
tor general, post now held by Brig.
Gen. Charles D. Roberts. u. S. A.,
retired, the judge advocate general
and the Legal Advisory Board. the
property officer, the incumbent
being Miles Bell, District property
inspection officer; the Volunteer
Office, headed by Mrs. Harry Bern
ton; the Evacuation Authority,
which has been headed by j.
Sanders, and the citizens defense
corps.
The latter includes Capt. White
hurst and his staff; the control and
communications service, headed by
Herbert A Friede; transportation
service, the chief of which is J. A.
Brown; fire service, headed by Fire
Chief Stephen T. Porter; police
service, headed by Maj. Edward j.
Kelly, police chief; AFRAID warden
service, headed by William j. Mile
ham; the emergency medical serv-
ice, DR.. John A. Reed; public works
service, P. Y. K. HoWat, and public
utilities service, c. Melvin Sharpe
Old Orders Continued.
Only in the instances of the police
and fire services does the Commits
sioners' order specify that the chiefs
shall be the incumbents.
The order states that all orders
and instructions, as we'll as all reg
ulations, previously issued by the
co-ordinator and now in force and
not in conflict with the Commits
sioners' new order, are to remain
in effect, until otherwise ordered,
as if they had been expressly re-
cited"
Capt. Whitehurst is authorized to
name chiefs of service with the
consent of the Commissioners, when
ever the need arises. Likewise he
Is given power to dismiss any
chief Of service, subject to APP
tSee OCD, Page A-22J