Evening star., 1950-10-18
Area Lays Basis
For Mutual Aid
In A-Bombing
Specific Details to
Be Taken Up at.
Nov. 10 Meeting
By Miriam Ottenbero


start planning specific ways of
helping each other in event of an
atomic bombing.
More than 40 officials, repre-
senting the District and Maryland
and Virginia communities, agreed
in general terms yesterday to CO.
operate among themselves.
The next step will be taken No
vember 10 when the areas top
civil defense co-ordinators get to-
gether to start working out
mutual aid arrangements.
Inspector John E. Fondahl, act
ing District civil defense director,
said the November session would
take up:
l. The detailed plans of the
various counties and communi-
ties so the neighboring officials
will know with whom to get in
touch in their own fields.
Uniform Warning System.
2. Recommendations for a uni
form air raid warning system for
the entire Metropolitan Area, al
lowing for the fact that warning
devices in the cities might not be
suitable for the country.
3. A communications network
that would assure prompt passage
of information, warnings and ap-
peals for help throughout the
area.
4. Legal angles involved in de-
veloping mutual aid pacts.
Inspector Fondahl said the No
vember meeting in his Office will
bring together General Jacob L.
Devers, retired, newly named
civil defense co-ordinator for
Northern Virginia: Col. D. G. Nc
Intosh, Maryland civil defense di-
rector; Edward L. Foster, Mont
gomery County civil defense di-
rector, and Col. Guy N. Church,
Fairfax County civil defense di-
rector.
Gen. Devers said he thought it
was important to tie together the
rivil defense plans throughout the
area. AS an example of the legal
problems to be resolved, he cited
the question of which community
would pay the bill for a fireman
who crossed county or State lines
and was injured in line of duty.
Legal Compact Discussed.
Brig. Gen. Gordon R. Young,
Engineer Commissioner, told re-
porters. after yesterdays closed
conference, that many of the con-
ferees took the position that a
binding legal compact will have
to be arranged among the COM
munities in the Metropolitan
Area. That, he said, will be a
matter for the Governors of
Maryland and Virginia and the
District Commissioners to work
out.
An overall civil defense direc-
tor for the area, he added, may
be discussed in the course of ar
irving at legal compact.
In a statement of common
policies for civil defense of the
Washington Metropolitan Area"
issued after yesterdays session, 1t
was emphasized that the state
ment was not legally binding on
any community or agency nor did it
commit them to specific expendi-
lures or actions inconsistent with
existing State or local laws.
The conferees, who included a
number of mayors and county Of
f1cials, agreed, however, that these
policies should be adopted by
their communities:
That it is urgent to establish
sound civil defense plans in each
community and to dovetail all
these plans into an effective work.
ing arrangement for the entire
area.
That the plans should be as
uniform as possible for the sake
OF effective mutual aid in a crisis,
Two Possibilities.
That each plan should be based
on two possibilities-the chance a
community will be bombed and
need outside help and the chance
1t will escape damage and be
called on to help a neighboring
community.
That needless legal or material
barriers should be eliminated to
assure the fullest cooperation
among the communities in a crisis.
That each community has
named or will name a civil de-
fense director charged with
prompt preparation of local civil
defense plans.
That the local civil defense di-
rectors will meet periodically in
the interest of maximum uniform
1ty and cooperation.
Commissioner John Russell
Young, in opening the session,
reported that the National Secur-
ity Resources Board considers the
area centering on Washington
potential enemy target and that
the surrounding territory within
a radius of 20 miles should be con-
sidered a mutual aid area"
The boundaries of Alexandria,
Washington and Arlington, Fair
fax. Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties, he added, closely
approximate the NSRB's circular
area. That, he said, will be the
nucleus of the mutual aid area
but it may be advisable to extend
it farther af1eld and include st.
Marys, Calvert and Charles Coun-
ties in Maryland.