Evening star., 1950-12-12
Civil Defense Funds
Sought by District
Deferred in House

The Districts request for $751;
800 in civil defense funds has been
deferred for the time being by a
House appropriations subcommit-
tee to await more definite de-
cisions in the Governments Ma
tional program for protection
against enemy attack.
Action by the subcommittee
came yesterday after an appeal
for the appropriation had been
presented by District officials. The
subcommittee will submit its
recommendation to the House
Appropriations subcommittee on
deficiencies. But little hope is
held for favorable action on the
funds there.
Meantime, pushing forward on
the national problem, a ses-
sion was scheduled today by al
Senate Armed Services subcom-
mittee. Testimony was ex-
pected to be offered in support of
a Nationwide bomb shelter pro-
gram. This follows a long public
hearing yesterday by the subcom-
mittee headed by Senator Ke-
fauver, Democrat, of Tennessee.
Vote to Defer Was 4 to 1.
The Districts plea for funds
was laid before the subcommittee
headed by Representative Bates,
Democrat, of Kentucky, who re-
fused to disclose what his unit
had done.
1t was learned. however, that
the vote had been 4 to l for
deferring action. Among the
reasons were that the new 82d
Congress can take up the matter
next month, and the pattern for
national civil defense may be more
clearly defined by that time. Also,
it was argued, if the Senate should
approve defense money for the
District-as it sometimes has in
the past-the House would be in
a better bargaining position, by
having refused the funds.
District officials at the executive
session included Commissioner
Guy Mason, 1t. Col. Thomas
Hayes III. Assistant Engineer
Commissioner; Civil Defense Di-
rector John E. Fondahl, H. Neil
McKillen, assistant to Inspector
Fondahl: Walter Fowler, District
budget officer, and William G.
Wilding, assistant budget officer.
Shelters to Be Surveyd.
At the Senate subcommittee
secret session today the subject
OF A-bomb shelters was to be sur
veyed in detail.
Military spokesmen and men,
bers of the Civil Defense Admins
tration were expected to produce
secret facts and figures to show
that shelter program should be
incorporated into a unified plan
for civil defense and should get
under way as soon as possible.
In sense, the testimony would
amount to reply to the sugges-
ton yesterday that the shelter
program might be omitted from
the civil defense bill now under
consideration. if its inclusion in
the bill caused delay in passage.
Suggests Separate Bill.
Gov. Lausche of Ohio, president
of the Council of State Govern
ments. urged that the whole mat
ter OF bomb shelters and the
financing Of a wide-scale con-
struction program be thoroughly
evaluated." In case competent
technical advice is not available,
he said. "the shelter program
should be handled in a separate
bill to avoid delay in the estab-
lishment Of an overall national
policy" on civil defense.
Acting Deputy Administrator
James j. Wadsworth indicated
the technical information is avail
able and would be presented to
the committee in closed session.
At yesterdays session, Senator
Cain, Republican. of Washington,
a member Of the subcommittee
expressed doubt the bill could be
passed at this session of Congress.
If 1t should not be, the COM
mlttee was urged by Gov. Lausche
and Gov. Peterson of Nebraska, to
consider passage of a joint re-
solution that would permit States
to enter into civil defense COM
pacts with neighboring States or
with neighboring foreign countries.
This action would be especially
important, they contended, since
all except four of the State
legislatures are scheduled to con-
vene in January.
Train Without Engine"
Gov. Peterson likened the pres
ent situation to "a train without
an engine" so far as defense from
the effects of an atomic attack is
concerned, he said, the States lack
the technical information neces-
sary and cannot take action with
out leadership by the Federal
Government"
The witnesses were agreed that
the chain of command in civil de-
fense should be from the Federal
agency through the State govern
ments, rather than direct to the
local communities. They were
also firm on the point that civil
defense should be run by civilians
rather than placed under control
of the military establishment