Milford chronicle., 1955-08-26
IT'S TIME TO TAKE STOCK OF OUR
WARNING AND DEFENSE SYSTEM

IT'S TIME TO TAKE STOCK OF OUR
WARNING AND DEFENSE SYSTEM
Last week we had prepared an editorial
about our civil defense and other groups dur
ing the Connie emergency We held it
until the last minute and then, with Diane
being built up by the professional calamity
peddlers, decided to wait until it had passed
before making any comment. We are glad
that we did, for what we had written was a
scatching denunciation of much of the de-
fense set-up.
With more time to think the hurricane"
problem over, we feel very definitely that a
radical change must be made in the catas-
trophe set-up if the people are to be expected
to respond when the need is here. With daily
newspapers carrying large scare heads, with
radio and television regularly sounding off
with alarmist reports of the progress of the
Hurricane" and with the weather people
themselves changing their predictions SO rap
idly that no person of sound mind could keep
up with them, how could the average person
fail to become alarmed at the prospect of
death or property damage?
How could the man on the street or at
work at his place of employment or the
housewife at home evaluate the news and the
prospect of disaster?
With leaders either becoming panicy and
over-emphasizing the situation, or deliberate
ly creating "test rum to determine their
readiness to meet the emergency, what are
we to expeGts when real disaster strikes? Will
our citizens respond, or will they ignore real
warnings of approaching trouble? That re-
mains to be seen.
The writer has owned seaside property
We have seen the "northeasters" blow many
times and have left the summer cottage at
or,I r0f.rp NOD
occasions-not because of fear of being blown
away or washed overheard, but because it
was more comfortable away from the damp
ness which accompanies such blows. We be-
leve that the majority of the "odtimers" who
left the beaches during the great emergen-
cy' just passed did so for the same reason.
The reports that all but two families at
Slaughter Beach had been evacuated" were
a bunch of lies. Rehoboth Beach suffered no
property damage of any extent-but the
business people there suffered thousands of
dollars loss from the generated hysteria
which caused many city visitors to leave hur-
riedly. In spite of the reported destruction
of property at Bethany Beach the writer
could find no such damage. We saw the prop
erty opposite the Lord Baltimore School in
Ocean View which had been caused by trees
blowing over. This happens frequently in all
sections during blow. 1t should not be
the occasion for irresponsible propaganda to
create sentiment for civil defense or any
other group
1t seems to us that over-enthusiasm for
their several groups caused poorly thought
through actions on the part of many leaders
and workers.
In the South. having become Injured to
these periodic and often misleading admoni-
tions of the part of publicity agencies, dis
aster groups and the like, there has arisen a
facecious saying, Hurricane warning; take
in the garbage cans, there is too much slop
flying around already
1t would be too bad if such an attitude
should Develop in lower Delaware through
the actions of over-enthusiastic leaders and
workers. A little more judgment on the part
of these men and less enthusiasm for 'prac-
tice runs" will insure more ready response
from our citizens in case of real disaster.
NSoN&
FREE TRADE VICTORY
Congress has passed a bill extending the
reciprocal trade agreements for three years.
1t also grants the President power to reduce
tariffc 15 per cent over a three year period
and to negotiate reciprocal trade pacts with
other nations in accordance with the bill
without further approval of Congress.
This is victory for the Presidents pro-
gram and for all those who believe that our
national strength and international prestige
can be bolstered by stimulating freer trade.
Stopping Communism in the world re-
quires more than armies, more than planes
and hydrogen bombs. Military strength can
check those nations that might be aggressors.
But all the weapons in the world cannot de-
feat Communism if our allies are torn apart
by economic strife and by poverty.
The President can now use his power to
encourage other nations to lower trade bar
riers by rewarding them with lower tariffs
L. {ko~~ all -,
wisely he can make it an instrument of ma
finnal dofonSo aS uroll ac ono of urnrld roaeo