Evening star., 1953-07-08
Civil Defense Too Biq
For Any One Agency,
Peterson Tesfifies

Peterson Testifies
Civil defense, in the opinion of
Civil Defense Administrator Val
Peterson, is too big for any one
Governmental agency to handle,
especially if an enemy attack
used germ warfare.
"And in event Of an enemy at
tack we expect that the Russians
will introduce plant and animal
diseases into the United States. -
Nebraska's former governor told
the House Appropriations Com
mittee in testimony disclosed to-
day.
His request for 800 million for
his agency was among amounts
sought by more than a score of
departments or agencies in q sup
Elemental supply bill. Those In
dividual sums totaling almost
$3.50 million would be for the fis-
cal year that started July /. They
we're not included in regular ap-
7ropriation bills previously re-
,orted out.
The committee indicated 1t
would report out the supplement
tai bill late this week.
Main Goal Educational.
Mr.. Peterson and Representa-
tive Cannon of Missouri, ranking
Democrat on the committee, had
a lively exchange as to the proper
scope of the Civil Defense Ad-
ministration. They ended appar-
emily in general agreement that
the agency's principal services
would be to educate the public on
how to cope with an enemy at
tack and to warn the public when
one is imminent.
They agreed also that expendi-
ture of substantial sums for civil
defense work and planning by
the Agriculture Department and
other agencies is necessary.
Meanwhile. Mr.. Peterson pre-
dicted, the cost of running his
own agency can be substantially
lowered.
Civil defense will never work
and would be too expensive un-
less each Federal agency ap-
proaches civil defense as a nor
NAL part of it's routine respon-
sibility in whatever field it is
in," Mr.. Peterson said in reply
to Committee Chairman Taber's
question about coordination
with the Defense Department
and other agencies.
Seen as Normal Duty.
II am hopeful that as time
goes on we could incorporate
into the Federal Government the
idea that civil defense is simply
and from this time on a normal
and additional responsibility of
citizenship and Government.
Consequently. they would take
civil defense in stride. In their
ordinary regular work they
would think about the implica-
tions of an atomic attack on the
United States, and thus do that
work without a lot of special
talk about it and without the
necessity of special appropria-
tions."
Mr.. Petersan's charge that
Russia would resort to germ
warfare and perhaps nerve
gases and other chemical agents"
in any attack on this country
was based on his belief that "it
is a cheap way of attacking us. !"
Mr.. Cannon commented that
undoubtedly Russia is prepar-
ing to distribute plant diseases,
animal diseases and human di-
SeaSeS."
Warning System Underway.
The Missouri member added,
however. that this country can
forestall tragedies such as that
and a devastating atomic at
tack. He urged alert, widespread
and co-ordinated preparation
that would discourage and pre-
vent any enemy from attack
ing.
The Civil Defense Administra-
tor promised that its attack
warning system throughout the
country would be completed early
in 1854.
A major difficulty exists in the
States and local communities.
the committee was told by other
witnesses at the closed hearings
last month. 1t. Gen. Henry L.
Larsen, ret. president of the Ma
tional Association of State Civil