Evening star., 1950-08-25
Drive 10 Restore
Civil Defense
Slash Opens
Garfield Criticizes
$3.50, 900 Cut in
Protecting D. G.

quested by the District for civilian
defense.
The legislator attacked the cut
on the floor of the House late
yesterday, expressing hope that
the full amount of $500, 900 re-
quested will be approved when it
comes up for House action. He
is a member Of the Appropriations
Committee.
The reduction was one of sew
eral made in District fund re-
quests when the committee yester-
day reported the supplemental ap-
preparation bill to the House.
The measure may come up for
debate and vote today or to-
morrow. It Is scheduled to fol-
low the big omnibus appropria-
ton bill carrying money for the
Federal Government, ready for
House action today.
$s22.0SS Under Request.
If the House fails to restore
the funds cut from the District
requests. the Commissioners are
expected to seek their restoration
by the Senate Appropriations
Committee.
AS approved by the House COM
mittee. the supplemental District
funds totaled $685. SIG, or $S22,-
098 less than the urgent requests
submitted by the District.
Mr.. Garfield sharply criticized
the cut in civil defense funds
during debate yesterday on the
House floor when the $14 million
commercial airport bill for this
area was under consideration.
I'VE are about to perpetuate
a devastating job on the District
OF Columbia" he told his coll
leagues. referring to the slashing
OF civil defense funds.
"It would be more advisable to
build bomb shelters for the Dis
trict than, to build an airport.
which may not be needed for
several years"
Symington Backed Request.
The request for $3.50, 900 for
District civil defense, he said, had
been made by the District Com
missioners with the backing Of
Chairman Symington Of the Ma
tional Security Resources Board.
who is charged with preparing
plans for national civilian defense.
Pointing to the meager $50, 900
granted by the Appropriations
Committee, the New Jersey leeis-
lator exclaimed. II wonder if you
realize how damaging that cut
would be to all the various States
in the Union?
"They are looking for advice
from Washington for defense
against atomic bombs and poison
gas"
If the House should approve the
cut. Mr.. Canf1eld indicated, 1t
would be a blow to local civil de-
fense officials, who have been
hoping to set up adequate sys-
TENS for defense of the civilian
Applause Greets Plea.
When the speaker concluded BY
saying he hoped the House would
restore the funds to the full $780,
600 requested, he was greeted by
a burst of applause from his col.
leagues on the floor.
Chairman Mcmillan of the
House District Committee plans to
make an earnest effort. to get the
House to restore as much of the
civil defense cut as possible.
Declaring he was deeply con.
cerned. the South Carolina Demo.
crat, who sponsored the legislation
authorizing the new District Civil
Defense Office here, said he would
confer with several House mem
bers today in hopes of increasing
the defense funds.
Representative Kennedy, Demo-
crat. Of Massachusetts,, also plans
to join the fight to increase the
$4,000 now in the bill.
Mr.. Kennedy. a member of the
House District Committee, yester-
day complained that "the Federal
Government has been inexcusably
late in giving proper leadership to
the States and cities of the Nation
In setting up an adequate national
civil defense program"
Integrated Plan Urged.
Meanwhile. a group of northern
Virginia officials called last night
for an integrated plan for civilian
defense in the Washington Metro
politan Area.
A resolution to this effect was
adopted by about 10 representa-
tives of Arlington, Fairfax and
Loudoun Counties and Alexandria
and Falls Church.
Sponsored by Guy M. Church.
retired Army Reserve colonel who.
is defense co-ordinator for Fair
fax County, a resolution was
adopted for co-ordinating all de-
fense measures in the Washing
ton area. It first would require
the sanction of Gov. Battle Of
Virginia, who would have to estab-
lish a civil defense district.
A second resolution, to be sent
to Gov. Battle with a request
that he forward it to the White
House, asks the Federal Govern
ment to set up an agency for
planning defense efforts and to
provide Federal financial aid on
a matching basis.
In suburban Prince Georges
County. Md, an eight-member
advisory council was named last
night at a meeting called by that
areas co-ordinator, County Agri-
cultural Agent Percy E. Clark.
About 80 persons representing 81