Evening star., 1946-04-13
Districts War Efforts
Praised at Dinner Of
Historical Society

Historical JOCleV
The contribution the people Of
Washington made toward winning
the war was described last night
in terms of minds, men and money.
Nine men intimately concerned
with the wartime contribution OF
WaShingtonians, ranging from de-
velopment of the atomic bomb to
more than a billion dollars in War
Bond purchases, described these ef-
forts at the SD anniversary din
ner of the Columbia Historical So
ciety in the Mayfower Hotel.
AA Concentration Here.
Brig. Gen. Robert N. Young, COM
manding general of the military
district of Washington, described
Washington as the "No. / command
post of World War II" and revealed
that Washington was protected dur
ing the war by a greater concen-
tration of antiaircraft artillery than
was London.
Putting into few words the work
of Washington men and women
through nearly four years of war,
the following men gave these re-
ports:
District Draft Director William
E. Leahy said the District sent ap-
proximately 125,000 men to war.
The District was counted among the
three States with the highest per-
centage of men in the 1925 age
group sent to fight.
Mr.. Leahy paid special tribute
to the volunteers in District selec-
tive service who went through six
draft registrations and processed
100000 registrants. He pointed out
that there had never been a charge
OF favoritism placed against any
individual or draft board member.
Contribution in Cash.
On Washington's contribution to
war in terms of money, Hugh
Lynch, executive manager of the
District War Finance Committee,
reported that sales of bonds here
from the beginning Of the defense
savings program to the present
amount to sl,334 ,000, 900. The Dis
trict's Series E per capita record,
he added, is the best in the conti-
mental United States.
In terms of Washington's scien-
tific contribution, DR.. Lyman J.
Briggs, director emeritus of the Ma
t1onal Bureau of Standards, re-
ported that the bureaus own plant
supplied the Army and Navy with
nearly 100000 pounds of optical
glass, that beginning as far back
as October, 1889, the Bureau of
Standards was closely associated
with the atomic bomb project and
that the bureau developed the use
OF the proximity fuse for bombs,
rockets and other non-splitting
projectiles.
Reporting on the contribution Of
Washington doctors, DR.. John B.
Nichols, historian of the District
Medical Society, pointed out that 46
per cent of Washington's doctors
went to war and that those who
stayed home carried not only the
additional burden of caring for
more patients but served on a
number of committees and medical
boards.
Speaks for Lawyers.
Walter M. Bastian, speaking for
the lawyers, said one in every FIVE
District lawyers went into the
armed forces and go per cent Of the
nonmedical men in the unpaid
service of the District draft were
lawyers.
The contribution of Washington
business and industry during the
war, said Joseph c. McGarraghy,
vice president of the Washington
Board of Trade. began before hos
tilities, when $1,000 housing units
were built here in two years, when
housing bureau for newcomers was
organized despite Government
sluggishness," when the Greater Ma
tional Capital Committee and the
Hotel Association took active steps
to stop the influx of visitors to
Washington for nonwar purposes,
and when Washington businessmen
drafted and sent a rent control bill
to Congress.
Mr.. McGarraghy pointed out that
business adjusted to war with
Thursday night store hours, fuel
and transportation conservation and
voluntary support of war manpower
regulations.
Red Cross Work Told.
Speaking for the District Red
Cross, Nat C. Wilson said 499, 900
individuals had contributed at least
la pint of blood, $4,000 women made
1900, 900 surgical dressings and over
100000 garments to be sent to liber-
lated countries and that during four
fund-raising campaigns, the Dis
trict exceeded its quotas by an
average of 20 per cent.
Mayor Theodore r. McKeldin Of
Baltimore, who has announced his
candidacy for Governor of Maryland,
lent the historical touch to the So
ciety's dinner by commenting brief
ly on the lives of the Presidents
whose faces are carved on Mount
Rushmore.
F. Regis Noel, president of the
society, directed the meeting. Mai.
Gen. U. S. Grant, Sd, the society's
vice president, was POSTMASTER, and
music was provided by Nine
Camille Chautemps, pianist, and the
"Old-T Timers Quartet"
2 Cab Drivers Cleared