Evening star., 1944-04-11
5D.C. Utilities
Win Awards
For 0CD Work
Pledge Continuance
Of Precautions
Against Raids

Five publi, utilities companies
pledged continued efficiency by
their air-raid protection organiza-
tions today as Commissioner John
Russell Young presented them with
National Civilian Defense Security
awards for the superior standard"
OF protection so far maintained.
The ceremonies, first of their kind
in the country, were held at the
Washington Terminal Co., Potomac
Electric Power Co., Washington Gas
Light Co., Chesapeake g. Potomac
Telephone Co. and the Capital
Transit Co.
A sixth award, to the National
Airport, will be made by Commits
sioner Young some time next week.
Only Sc public utilities throughout
the country have received similar
awards, he said, and never before
have so many been presented with
official ceremonies in one city.
Officials Take Part.
Stressing that the companies could
keep the awards only as long as
the same standards are kept up,
Commissioner Young greeted hun
dreds of employees gathered in each
of the five buildings. He was ac-
companied by large official party,
Maj. Gen. John T. Lewis,
commanding general of the Military
District of Washington; Col. C. w.
Kutz, Engineer Commissioner; James
H. Flanagan, chairman of the Pub
lie Utilities Commission, and Col.
F. A. McNanee, director of OCD
Region II.
Terminal personnel enrolled in the
Red Cross and firefghting civilian
defense units gathered to watch
presentation Of the award to B. R.
Tolson, general manager, in the
Servicemen's Lounge at the Union
Station.
Mr.. Tolson promised that the sta
tion's state OF preparedness" would
be continued.
After the ceremony at Union Sta
tion the delegation visited the Poto-
mac Electric Power Co. Building,
where representatives of the power
company's auxiliary police, demoli-
ton squad, telephone control center
and other civilian defense units over
flowed the room where A. G. Neal,
Pepco president, accepted the en-
graved scroll from Commissioner
Young. Mr.. Neal emphasized that
employees would continue
their faithfulness to their protec-
ton tasks until the day of victory.
Nearly 1000 of the company's en-
ployes will receive awards for eff
cheney at special ceremonies tomor-
row, he said.
Importance Stressed.
The next stop was at the WASH
ngton Gas Light Co. Building, where
E. J. Boothby, assistant chief, &C
cepted the award, which will be
passed on later to units at the
Rosslyn Gas Co., Arlington and
Alexandria divisions and the Wash
ington Suburban Gas Co. In ex-
pressing appreciation for the award,
he stressed that it carries the same
weight as the Army and Navy 'E"
presented to industrial plants. He
said the same security efficiency,
especially efforts to prevent time
consuming accidents, would be con-
stantly maintained by the company.
Employees of the telephone COM
pany, unable to gather on the roof
of their building, where the next
ceremony was held, heard the praise
Of Commissioner Young through the
company's amplifying system.
Charles A. Robinson, vice president
and general manager, accepted the
scroll. Before the ceremony, the
official party was conducted on q
tour of telephone equipment and
special safeguards of telephone
service in emergencies.
After luncheon at the phone COM
pany, an award was presented to
the Capital Transit Co., accepted
by j. E. Heberle, vice president.