Evening star., 1951-03-11
Officials CHARGE
Apathy Toward
Civil Defense
D. c. Health Brunch
Attacks Attitude of
Business as Usual
By Crosby S. Noyes


Charges of lethargy and apathy
in civil defense were voiced yes
terday by spokesmen on both the
national and local levels.
A spokesman for District medi-
cal and health services charged
that the development Of an
emergency medical plan for cas-
ualties of a possible atomic at
tack has "bogged down" in the
face of inaction by public officials.
At the same time, the rural
areas of the nation were taken
to task by Federal official for
failure to realize their RESPONSE
bility to support the cities in
case of an attack.
The District health branch,
headed by DR.. Daniel L. Seek
niger, has called a meeting of its
citizens advisory committee Tues
day in an effort to break the bot
tlenecks delaying the creation of
a working organization capable
of dealing with a disaster.
Officials Show. Frustration.
The action is symptomatic of a
general feeling throughout the
civil defense organization that the
time has come for vigorous action
against business as usual at
titude" toward the city's prepara-
ton for attack. Faced with an
argent timetable for turning paper
plans into a working organization,
"a growing sense of Illustration
can be noted among key officials.
The principal thorn in the side
of the medical leaders at this point
is their inability to get a definite
commitment from civil defense
officials that their space require
ments will be met.
These requirements are of two
types. First. storage space is
needed in heated and guarded
buildings for medical supplies and
mobile equipment that would be
rushed into a disaster area. After
weeks of dickering, arrangements
were made Friday for Is of the
city's 80 fire houses to be provided
for such use.
Second, and more important, is
the need for space in which to set
up emergency hospitals after an
attack. For this purpose, Federal
authorities have pointed out that
public schools are most desirable
having adequate sanitary and
lighting facilities. and, in many
cases, equipment for serving food
to large groups.
Corning Invited to Attend.
Local civil defense officials agree
that schools should be used for
the purpose. However. under the
Districts jurisdictional setup the
schools are controlled by a board
independent of the District Com
missioners, so the ultimate deci.
sion as to use of school buildings
rests with the board.
School Supt. Hobart M. Corning
has been invited to attend the
Tuesday meeting and will be urged
to make the buildings available.
DR.. Corning has taken no official
position on the matter, but is re-
ported to prefer keeping the
schools operating for the use of
children, if possible.
Expressing himself on the pro-
gress of civil defense in the medl-
cal field, DR.. Oscar B. Hunter, as
sistant director in charge of medi-
cal care services. declared yester-
day that he is tired of fiddling
and faddling around" and that he
will either get action, or get out -
Rural Areas Rebuked.
Hubert r. Gallagher, field ad-
ministration director for the Fed
eral Civil Defense Administration
was the official who accused rural
areas of apathy.
Speaking before the American
Society for Public Administration
Mr.. Gallagher said that steps
must be taken to awaken the
rural areas to their responsible
ties in providing help for refu-
gees from bombed cities in case
of an A-bomb attack.
At the same meeting, George
H. Deming Of the Bureau of Gov
ernment Research at the Univer-
sity of New Hampshire, COM
planned that the Federal agency
has been negligent in failing to
establish an adequate training
program.
New Hampshire, he said, is
making plans to receive refugees
but has been held up because mo-
body is available for training from
the national level"
Caldwell Opposes Politics.
Other civil defense Develop
ments yesterday ranged from the
problem of political patronage to
the emotional problems of school
children.
Speaking in Philadelphia, Fed
eral Civil Defense Administrator
Millard F. Caldwell declared that
President Truman, Congress and
his own staff are determined that
civil defense cannot be politi-
cal football"
Mr.. Caldwell said he wants in
his organization only men OF
ability who are ready to tackle
a tough job for the public good. y
He has been fortunate, he said,
'in being allowed to choose such
people without regard to their po-
litical affiliations"
The emotional problems OF
school children in civil defense
training were called to the at
tention of Commissioner of Edu-
cation Earl j. McGrath by men,
bers of the Citizens Federal Com
noittnn oy, EdIIcatiop