Evening star., 1952-01-11
President Pledges
CDCo-operafion, Gets
Dog Tags for Family

DOg IdgS TOT FdHllly
President Truman pledged his
full cooperation to civil defense
and got his family identification
tags today at the Alert America"
exhibit in the Departmental
Auditorium.
The President and members of
his staff toured the exhibit with
civil defense officials. Mr.. Truman
took his time. inspecting each
stand attentively and listening
closely to the commentaries.
Local civil defense officials had
reserved Identification tag no. L
for the Truman family. and made
up sets for the President, Mrs.
Truman and their daughter,
Margaret.
Tags Cost so Cents.
Records of the tag numbers with
pertinent information on the reg
istrants are kept by the Office of
Civil Defense. Residents may
sign up for the tags for so cents.
District Civil Defense Director
John E. Fondahl said the Presi-
dent commented more than once
on the impreSsiveneSS of the ex-
hlbit and said it should serve to
awaken the citizens to the import
ance of civil defense.
The President has been vitality
interested in the civil defense is
sue. He was critical in his State
of-the-Union message Wednesday
of the failure of Congress to build
1t up adequately.
The exhibit emphasizes poten-
tial enemy sabotage, nerve gas and
germ warfare. 1t dramatizes a.
mock A-bomb attack on a city.
and tells how the country is pre-
pairing to meet the threat with Or
ganized civil defense.
Caldwell in Group.
Mr.. Truman was escorted by
Kenneth D. Wells, president of
the Valley Forge Foundation. !
which produced the exhibit. and
Millard C. Caldwell, administra-
tor of the Federal Civil Defense
Administration. along with In
spector Fondahl, James S. Lay, jr.,
executive secretary of the Ma
tional Security Council. and
others.
Mr.. Truman signed Count on
Me- card pledging civil defense
measures to protect home and
country.
Civil defense officials an
nounced that the exhibit would
be continued here for one extra
day, in view of increasing at
tendance. 1t will be open Sunday
from l to 10 pm.
Previous commitments prevent
the show from staying any longer,
but officials here hope to bring it
back in several months following
its national tour.
Special Showing Held.
A special showing was arranged
this morning also for members of
Congress and for State civil de-
fense directors who are meeting
here.
Air Force Secretary Finletter
told a session at the Wardman
Park Hotel yesterday that civil
defense is vital to the armed
forces and particularly to the Air
Force.
He said a potential enemy has
enough equipment to attack any
part Of the United States now,
and is improving it steadily.
Meanwhile, the first of what
could become daily noon tests of
the Districts air raid warning
system was held today.
Limited to One Minute.
The Commissioners yesterday
authorized Inspector Fondahl to
stage tryouts at noon every day
except Sunday, if they are found
desirable.
Inspector Fondahl obtained per-
mission to use the tests for send
ing out civil defense messages to
the public. They must be limited
to one minute. His message today
was an invitation to attend the
Alert America show.
Residents who do not hear the
warnings will be asked to inform
Inspector Fondahl. giving their To-
cations, to help civil defense Off
cials find the dead spots" in the
warning system.
The Districts adio-controlled
warning system is equipped for
both signals and voice broadcasts.
Inspector Fondahl said the practice
runs will be either straight all
clear signals or a combination of
signal and voice
The city heads turned down a
proposal to permit use of the ia
cilitieS for transmitting any emer-
gency message of general inter-
est to the public at any time.
The Budget Bureau yesterday
disapproved a'District proposal to
permit tho b0rrOWino of Sd million