Evening star., 1950-06-28
Extraordinary Steps
Taken 10 Defend D. E.;
Boiling Clamps On Lid
By Robert K. Welsh

the House DlStrlct COmmlCtee To-
morrow will consider a bill to SCI
up District Office of Civil De.
fense, Committee Chairman Nc
MILAN announced today.
This promise of prompt actor
on a proposed bill for protection
of Washington in event of emer.
gency came as stricter securit!
regulations went into effect a
many armed forces installation
in this area and throughout tn,
country.
Several District officials will
appear at the committee meeting
at 1890 am. tomorrow, Mr.. Nc.
MILAN said. The bill he sponsors
was asked by the District Com
missioners several months ago. I
would empower the Commissioner
to set up new agency, prepare ;
comprehensive civil defense plar
and take various other steps Il
safeguard the city.
DOlIiHB 1FdHHC lieu up.
Tighter military security meas.
ures were being applied today
without a hitch, except for &
temporary tieup of traffic Al
Boiling Air Force Base.
officers said the delay caused
by checking of Identification card.
of military and civilian personne
lasted a little more than an houl
and would not occur again. Al
one time automobile traffic
stretched three-quarters-of- a mile
along Portland street Sc, to the
main entrance of the base.
President Truman's order for
military aid against Communist
aggression in South Korea started
immediate moves not only for
greater safeguarding of military
establishments in the United
States, but also for tighter internal
protection by the FBI.
With Is boards operating to
handle registration and CLASH
f1cation of young men enrolling
here under the existing selective
service law. the Districts draft
organization stood ready to ex-
pand on short notice.
Boiling Tightens Check.
In accordance with authorize
ton from the Defense Depart
ment to take whatever further
security measures were deemed
necessary, Boiling Base began q
closer check on incoming and out
going personnel and visitors, mil
itary as well as civilian.
Military personnel must show
Identification cards. Civilians must
explain the nature of their bust
ness. The checking process was
orderly but slow this morning
That made some of the personnel
late for work, officials said.
Somewhat similar regulations
were put in operation at Andrews
Air Force Base. The Pentagon
showed greatly stepped-up ac-
tivity but ordered no new require
ments for passes or other identifi-
cation of visitors.
The commandant of the 5th
Naval District announced at Nor
folk that casual visitors will not
be permitted at shore stations un-
til further notice. During the July
4 holiday visitors will be allowed
only at ships not berthed at tnaval
installations.
Command Discretion.
The overall security instruc-
tions issued by the Defense De-
partment gave individual COM
manders considerable discretion.
The authorization to all major
commands came from the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
This action can mean that visi-
tors to base or base personnel
would have to show paSses," the
department stated, cor base COM
manders would impose restrictions
which may bar visitors. The di-
receives to the services emphasized
that this was merely a precau-
tionary measure"
AS for internal security, the
FBI moved without talking. With
in minutes after the President S
announcement yesterday. an alert
repeatedly went out from Director
j. Edgar Hoover's Office
Moves for meeting any emer-
gency of this kind. or worse. have
long been planned. Their chief
objective is to provide a still closer
watch to forestall any major act
of sabotage, particularly in basic
industries. The FBI is known to
have documented data on persons
and groups who might be threats
to internal security.
1t was recalled that the FBI
made $4,000 arrests of potentially
dangerous persons after the Pearl
Harbor attack in 1941. Enemy
espionage was kept under control
during World War II.
InfiltratiOn Reported.
Director Hoover has testified be-
fore congressional committees that
the Communist Party has about
$4,000 active members in the
United States and that they are
aided by possible 100000 fellow
travellers.
He has estimated that about 48
per cent of the active Communist
membership has been used to in
f1ltrate basic industry. He has
reported that Communist activity
is most pronounced in strategic
industrial areas of New York, New
Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Cali
fornia and Michigan.
The Districts present selective
service program. set up to handle
registrations under the existing
draft law, is in good shape" but
would have to be expanded con-
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