Evening star., 1945-01-23
.WPbAsksPoIice
To Help Enforce
'BroWnout' Rule
New York System
Used as Model for
Program Here

enforcement OF the War PrOduc-
ton Boards "brownout" order, effec-
tive February /, will require the
local police to report violations
where they see outside illumination
still on contrary to the orders.
Edward Falck, director of the
Office of War Utilities of the WPB
today sent a telegram to District
Commissioner Young saying: "Effec-
tive enforcement depends upon using
local police. We have asked local
electric utilities to work out with
you enforcement measures within
your community. Will greatly ap-
preciate your cooperation"
Confers With La Guardia.
Mr.. Falck said he had spent two
days in New York comforting with
Mayor La Guardia on the enforce
ment of the order and although
procedure planned still is under
discussion with Police Commissioner
Lewis A. Valentine, it is the pro-
cedure which is expected to be fol-
lowed throughout the country. The
plan is substantially as follows:
The police will receive and become
familiar with the "brownout" order
Where they notice a violation, they
will call it to the attention of the
violator informally.
However, where the patrolman
sees the violation continue on the
second night. he will then inform
his captain, and the captain will
forward report to the utility COM
pany The utility. in turn, will use
informal pressure to try to end the
violation, but where that fails it
will send formal letter of warning
to the violator and send copy OF
that letter to the WPB.
From then ON it is the RESPONSE
bility of the WPB to issue to the
utility an order to curtail or to cut
of electric power to the violator.
Theaters Will Cooperate.
Representatives of SO of the 81
theaters in the District, meeting
today under the auspices of the Mo-
ton Picture Theater Owners Asso-
citation, adopted a resolution stating
that starting Immediately the the
aters will conform in principle with
the war production order on the
conservation of electricity and re-
duce the outside illumination of
their theaters to the minimum re-
quirement of the public safety"
A. Julian Brylawski, theater asso-
citation official, said this means that
starting tonight all lights above the
marques of the theaters will be
turned out and the marquee lights
will be turned out so to s5 per cent,
depending On the wiring of the
lights. He said Raymond c. Roberts,
District fire marshal, agrees that a
certain amount of lighting under
the marques or around the en-
frances is necessary for safety. The
District police regulations, he said,
require a white light outside of
every exit. These will be continued
with no change in size, he said.
Meanwhile, in Washington the Po-
tomac Electric Power Co. has started
removing 446 street lights, leaving
only one light on double-light stand
ards, and of adjusting the automatic
turmoil devices so street lights will
be out Is minutes earlier in the
morning. These measures are ex-
pected to save approximately TOO
tons of coal a year.
In the past, street lights have been
turned off Is minutes before sunrise.
Walter E. Kern, District electrical
engineer, said the work of removing
the second lights from double stand
ards was delayed yesterday by rain,
but should be completed within sew
eral days.