Evening star., 1943-02-23
Defense Worker Dies
In 6-StorY Fall During
BIackout in District
Streeteor Crosh Injuries
z Women; OfficioIs Soy
More Education Needed

The death of a civilian defense
worker in six-story fall and a
streetcar accident injuring two
women marred what city officials
otherwise termed a satisfactory
first performance under the new
afraid signals, despite scat
tered signs Of public bewilder-
ment during last nights black
out.
Fatally injured while acting as a
plane spotter atop the Budget Bu-
reau Building at 1924 F street NV,
was James Hall, colored, about 40,
of 1920 Union street SW., a laborer
employed by the Federal Works
Agency. A guard in the building
had sent him to the roof, which was
not protected by guard rails. First
fatality among civilian defense
workers here, he was pronounced
dead by Emergency Hospital physi-
clans.
The two women were injured dur
Ing the blackout when one street
car stopped and put out it's lights
and another, in which the two
women were passengers, rammed it.
The accident occurred, according to
police, at 9;ol pm. when streetcars
were still allowed to move.
Taken to Hospitals.
Injured were Mrs DeLacy Har-
veil. Al, colored, of BIS Fourth street
SW., admitted to Casualty Hos
pital for observation of hip in
juries, and Mrs. Minnie Harris, 19,
colored, of $40 M street NV, treat
ed for lacerations of the leg at
Emergency Hospital.
Officials predicted that as black
outs become longer and are not
announced in advance. additional
education will be necessary to pre-
vent future accidents as we'll as to
insure complete blackouts on a mo-
ments notice.
District Commissioner Guy Mason,
acting co-ordinator of civilian de-
fense for the Metropolitan Area,
who toured the city with Mrs.
Eleanor Roosevelt. said she had told
him she would report to the Presi-
dent on the excellent performance
she had observed. She was sure the
President would be pleased, she
added.
The Commissioner car was halted
several times by civilian defense
workers, he reported, but he called
that a sign of the full mobilization
of workers.
Sees More Training Needed.
Emphasizing the need for addi-
tional training. he said that some Of
the future blackouts would be an
nounced in order to assist in the
training of new auxiliary police and
wardens who will be recruited by
Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, civilian de-
fense director, as soon as he returns
to work from an illness.
Commissioner Mason also reported
that Brig. Gen. John T. Lewis, COM
manding the Military District Of
Washington, had authorized him to
say the officer considered the test
"wen done" except for some con-
fusion incident to the shift from the
old signals to the new, which was TO
be expected.
Without commenting directly on
the streetcar incident, Commissioner
Mason said that, according to the
regulations, streetcars should pro-
ceed on the blue" signal, with their
interior lights and regular running
lights turned on. 1t was reported
that practices varied throughout the
city, with some streetcars stopping
on the blue" and others proceeding
with their interiors blacked out.
Charles Stofberg, special assistant
to the co-ordinator. called attention
to a scene at Ninth and u streets
NV, where two streetcars came to
a full stop on the blue, parked
beside each other while headed In
opposite directions and blacked out.
At the same time, private cars drew
to a halt beside the streetcars so
that emergency vehicles would have
had difficulty in getting through.
Mr.. Stofberg said there was only
room for an Army jeep to pass and
one did, at 40 miles an hour. He
pointed out the streetcars should
not have stopped, blacked out or
blocked the highway.
Notes Lights On.
Commissioner Mason said he had
noticed a number of lights in the
information building on Pennsyl-
yania avenue and had also noted
military police stopping private cars
en- the blue" on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. between East and West Execu-
tive avenue. He cited the latter as
one of the Misunderstanding future
tests will have to clear up.
AS far as private cars were con-
cerned, he made it clear that they
could proceed on the blue" using
their ordinary city driving lights,
which, he assumed, were low beam
He said he had noticed a number of
cars using parking lights.
Although the test was mainly for
public education, chiefs of service
reported generally that civilian de-
fense forces modified faster than
under the older system, which they
attributed partially TO the audible
blue" signal and partially to the
advance notice.
At 8:53 pm. the first audible
signal, coming 10 minutes after the
confidential yellow" warning, sent
downtown crowds scurrying to the
shelter Of doorways and theater
lobbies. Some private cars drew over
TO the curb, although both pedes-
trian and motor traffic is allowed TO
continue on the blue"
Little Movement Noted.
There was little movement in the
sudden darkness. outside of the
streetcars and buses which con-
tinued on their way. Police men
toned 10 people in the crowds that
they could continue to move until
the next audible signal, but most
OF them stayed where they were
rather than stumble through the
oark. Some OF them pointed out
that there was little reason for NOV
Ing along when they would only get
caught hV the red which u,o,,1,,