Evening star., 1951-04-05
District Officials
Question Raid
Warning Plan
Commissioners Doubt
Advisobility Of SpecioI
Secret Alert Signal
By crosbys. Noyes

By crosby.s. Noyes
The Federal AFRAID warnin,
plan, involving advance warnin.
tor key civil defense personne
md last-minute notice for flll
general public is being strongl,
questioned by District officials, i
was learned today.
The Commissioners have de,
sided that they cannot take tn,
responsibility for keeping ami
notice of a possible attack from
The public. They have approved
, letter to Federal authoritie.
questioning the advisability of /
ypecial secret alert for key per.
lonnel while the public is lefl
gnorant of approaching danger
This confidential alert is bash
10 the Federal AFRAID warning
plan. The entire warning sys-
tenn has been built around ths
hea that there should be only ont
public alert giving notice that ar
attack could be expected within
) matter of minutes.
Would Get Yellow Alert.
Under the present system, when.
wer enemy aircraft were spotted
Wer or approaching the NORTH
American Continent, the entire
country would go on a conf1den-
ial yellow alert. The word woulc
lash from aircraft observation
POSTS to central communications
lenters, to be passed on to each
state and local civil defense or
lanization.
Here, it would be received al
he Eighth Police Precinct ano
De relayed by especial telephone
b civil defense headquarters al
he National Guard Armory.
Acting Civil Defense Director
John E. Fondahl recently has beer
rying to draw up detailed plan
pecfying which personnel in the
ity civil defense organization
hould be notified and mobilized
N this confidential alert.
Present thinking is that the
Police and Fire Departments must
le told, so that they could take
lp assigned positions generally
outside of what is considered the
ull'S-eye of the Washington tar
ret. Inspector Fondahl is also
onsidering notifying all District
overnment department heads
md key men in the civil defense
etup and the public utilities.
Could Bear REORGANIZATION. \
To get guidance in this matter
e suggested that the Commis-
toner's should write to the Fed.
raj authorities for ciarafication oi
heir policy. After considering the
roblem, the District Building has
ecided that the whole question oil
confidential alert could beal
e-examination.
Some officials feel that it would
impractical to inform key mem
ers of a large civil defense or
anization, while keeping the mat
er secret from the general public
ntil the last minute. Other.
rould prefer to avoid the grave
esponsibility for such a system
yhich, they say. rests finally witt
he local authorities.
Changing the present plan
powever, would raise host O.
omplications. In the first place
here are no authorized publi,
Ignals for a yellow alert which
ould be broadcast over the am
difying system that the Distric
: installing. Specifications fo
he equipment call for the broad
asting of only one kind of sigma
pne.
Other Factors Cited.
Other factors that must bt
weighed concern possible public
eaction to an advance alert. Off.
ials have repeatedly pointed out
he danger of attempting mas.
Wacuation of a target area befor'
N attack. A general flight from
downtown urban districts on 6
ellow alert could result in tire.
nendous increase in casualties
hey say. The entire public edu-
alton effort up to this point i:
Iased on the advisability of find.
ng shelter Immediately and stay.
ng put until the attack is over.
Finally, the Air Force, which
uns the aircraft warning network
las warned bluntly that it cannot
guarantee any advance warning al
III of an air. raid-or at best, moi
more than a few moments warn.
ng. To build a public warning
vstem around the assumption tina
nore advance notice will be pos.
lble. they say. would be dan.
ierous.