Evening star., 1943-02-21
D. {. Unpreparedness
Invites Catastrophe
Citizens Report Says
Defense Setup Severely
Criticized in Statement
BY Federation Committee

deficiencies in civilian defense was
contained in report last night OF
the Police and Fire Protection Com
mittee of the Federation of Citizens
Associations.
Such enemy action, it is feared
would demoralize an improperly
trained personnel to such extent as
to visit directly on the doorstep of
those officials charged with the re-
sponslbility for civilian defense, an
unpredictable percentage of cas-
Qualities which could otherwise be
prevented by additional effort and
interest it added
Harry N. Stull delegate from
Stanton Park and recently named
executive assistant to the chief air.
raid warden, emphatically denied
the accusation of unpreparedness.
He said that the statement was a
reflection on the $4,000 members of
the warden service trained or in
training.
Charges Interest Lacking.
There is much that is good that
is in this report" Mr.. Stull said,
however.
A motion to defer consideration
Of the report until the next meeting
of the Federation was passed by a
vote of Al to %.
Specifically, the report, prepared
after public hearings, charged:
l. That a decreased interest of
volunteers can be partly attributed
to the "lackadaisical attitude" on
the part of the co-ordinator' office.
2. That the co-ordinator of civil
ian defense for the Metropolitan
Area-Commissioner John Russell
Young-haS not consulted suffi-
ciently with the chiefs of service and
that practically all recommended
tions by them have been ignored.
8. That there has been a useless"
squandering of public money in the
purchase of equipment in various
areas.
4. That there has been no at
tempt to coordinate the work of
protective services.
S. That appointments to RESPONSE
BILE positions have been made with
out sufficient regard to competence
and training, and
6. That the lack of equipment
makes the auxiliary firemen useless.
"Halfhearted" Efforts Cited.
Percival j. Ableman, chairman,
charged that "halfhearted' at
tempts to create an awareness of
the need for civilian defense had
left volunteers with the feeling
that such need does not exist"
"The chiefs of service" the report
continued, have not been sufi-
ciently consulted nor their advice
and experience called upon by the
co-ordinator as to the policy and
operation of the civilian defense
organization. Practically all of the
recommendations by these officials
and most of the communications
written by those interested in this
matter have been ignored and not
even acknowledged"
On the subject of funds, the re-
port said it had been impossible to
determine the expenditures made in
the various defense areas because of
the lack of centralized control and
accounting.
THE failure to issue adequate in
structlons concerning expenditures
in the local areas together with the
lack of information on equipment
which would be issued has created
q chaotic condition. Purchase of
such equipment" the report con-
tinued, by individual areas from
donated funds have been a useless
squandering of the publics money
which could have been forestalled.
Further, the requisition to purchase
strrup pumps from funds donated
by the Central Labor Union, when
2l000 of the more efficient tank
type pumps were on order, is little
more than outright waste.
Coordination Held Lacking.
The committee report contended
that there had been no attempt
to coordinate the activities of the
protective services, leaving each
other to operate on its own initia
tive without regard to the function
Ing OF the other units" There has
been neither sufficient practical
training nor adequate effort to con-
dition the organization as a cohesive
force"
1T is felt" the report continued
that appointments to responsible
positions in the setup have been
made without proper regard for the
vital competence for the duties to be
olshcharged and without due con-
slderation for training experience. ;
In the discussion of auxiliary fire.
men, the report said that, although
the auxlliaries had been trained "tc
a high degree Of efficiency" they
were utterly useless to the com.
munlty' under present condition,
because Of lack of equipment. II
said that while the Commissioner,
mad signed a contract for skid
pumps, which were to be made
mobile, the pumps are now stored
and that it would take a week Il
mount them on trucks.
concerning the order late las
month Of the Commissioners il
setting up department of civilian
defense in the District Government
Mr.. Ableman said that 80 far a.
could be learned" the step wa
taken without consultation witt
any Of the responsible chiefs o
service He said that only tim
would tell whether the new arrange
ment would be successful in stem
ming the deterioration of the de
tense setup"
Something Radically Wrong"
Mr. Ableman said the creation o
the Council Of Civilian Defense las
summer was an admission by MI
Young and Col. Lemuel BolIes, thel
executive director Of local civilian
defense. that something was "radi
cally wrong He said that Will
the council had been created OF
request of the co-ordinator or hi
executive director" all reccmmen
datlons made by the council hav
been ignored and all excent on