Evening star., 1944-02-07
|b|ackout Test
Called District S
|besttoDate
Is Persons Reported
For Violations,
5 Others Warned

The Districts 28th AFRAID test
last night-the first blackout held
here since October 15-was termed
today by Army and Civilian De-
fense officials as the most Sue
cessfup thus far.
Police found it necessary, how
ever, to report the names of l3
persons to the Corporation Counsel
for violating the regulations, while
5 other persons, not reported, were
given warnings.
One of the violators, Samuel Sper-
ling, 54, operator of store at 632
Fourth street S.W., told Judge Brice
Clagett that he turned out the lights
in his store at pm. yesterday but
evidently the switch was broken and
they remained on.
In another blackout case, Joseph
Moore of 46 Rhode Island avenue
NV. was fined s25 today in Munich
pal Court when he pleaded guilty to
a charge of driving more than Is
miles per hour during the blue
signal. He was arrested on the Taft
Bridge by police who said he was
driving 40 miles an hour.
OCD officials observed the test
from the Washington Monument.
The party included Maj. Gen. John
T. Lewis, commanding general Of
the military district of Washing
ton, and Commissioners John Rus
sell Young and Charles w. Kutz.
Gen. Lewis said he felt the black
out surpassed any previous test,
while Commissioner Young, who is
regional OCD director, termed it
highly satisfactory"
The officials were pleased with
the promptness with which street
and traffic lights went out at the
given signal.
Federal Buildings Mar Test.
Lights from several Government
buildings and passing cars were the
only factors marring the test. In
scattered instances lights in private
homes remained on, but were quickly
turned of when AFRAID wardens
noticed the violation From the
Monument a light could be seen
burning in the Capitol.
During the test the airport was
completely blacked out Union Sta
ton was partially darkened, as al
lowed, with business almost as usual,
except during the l0-minute red
alarm period, when no one was al
lowed to leave.
Only two minor accidents, neither
involving injuries, were reported
during the blackout. The actual
test lasted from $50 pm. to 10:45,
although the first audible signal for
llghts-out sounded at 9:55. The
wavering red signal, halting pedes-
trian and vehicular traffic, came at
1920 and the second steady blast
(blue) sounded at 1920. The all
clear came at 10:45 pm.
-..-.4 Moonlight Is Bright.
The full moon illuminated the
area during the test. The White
House, which had been darkened
early. was invisible to observers in
tliC NOllulllSIlt UelUI6 tIlS DldCkOUJ
began, but was seen clearly after the
surrounding buildings were dark
ened
Oficials were pleased at the COM
pliance Of nearby counties. Arling-
ton was completely blacked out. Not
a light could be seen. Frank> C..
Hanrahan, Arlington County OCD
director, said. The best I've seen
yet" Excellent results also were re-
ported in Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties.
Pedestrian traffic on downtown
streets thinned noticeably about
half an hour before the test started.
William j. Mileham, chief air.
raid warden, reported his group re-
sponded "splendidly" Simulated
incidents were held throughout the
city, but dispatching of emergency
equipment was held to a minimum
because OF the shortage of gasoline.
The blackout was the first held
under the new War Department
policy of permitting one announced
test on SUNDAY every three months