The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1955-04-01

for the protection of civilians in
case of hydrogen bomb attacks
is either important or not impor-
tant. If it is not important, then
there is no sense in all the going
on about 1.-THE solemn confer
ences, the alarming speculation,
the exhortations to the people to
show more concern about what
may be about to happen to them.
If it is important, then all this
talk, and whatever state and To-
cal organization may result from
it, are utterly inadequate as prep
aration.
The persons who are in the best
position to know whether or not
it is important-atomic scientists,
the President and other high-level
officers of the Government, the
members of the committees of
Congress having to do with the
defense of the nation, military
leaders, writer's who have given
serious study to the subject-de-
clare that it is. And they declare
it with all possible emphasis.
We ought to trust them to know
what they are talking about. Not
to have respect for their opinion,
when it is virtually unanimous,
unaffected by attachments to any
party or any class, is to proclaim
our lack of faith in our whole sys-
tenn of democratic government.
For, the very basic idea of this
system is that by majority vote,
we choose as our representatives
the persons whom we consider
most competent to study our prob
lens of Recommendations,
foreign relations, the tariff, taxa
ton, and all the rest-and make
decisions about them. Of course
when these representatives divide
and dispute it is proper, in fact
it is inherent in the system, for
US to enter the dispute on which
ever side we like, and rage and
roar to our hearts content. But
hen they do not dispute, when
they are all agreed on question
vital to the national safety, GER
tainly they deserve our confidence.
1 am not saying that man does
not have a perfect right to be a
dissent even if he be the only
man in :. million or a hundred
million to hold his opinion, but we
are under no obligation to listen
to him if we do not want to; not
for more than a moment in pass
ing, anyhow. Here 1 am talking
not about the lone wolves but
about the ordinary run of people.
In connection with the danger
of hydrogen bomb attacks you
hear and read a great deal about
dispersal" and evacuation" The
dispersal of population (that is,
the moving out from big cities,
for permanent stay) is a long
range policy. 1t has been under
way for several years, quite indie
pendently of the danger of enemy
attacks, and now more of it is be-
ing urged as means of diminish
ing the panic and the slaughter
in cities if the bombs begin to
drop. Evacuation is something
very different. 1t is an emergency
operation. 1t means getting people
out Of New York or Boston or
Philadelphia or Chicago or Detroit
or any other big city with the
greatest possible speed after an
alarm about approaching bombers
has been sounded.
If you think you can imagine
what a task that would be, you
are wrong, for the difficulty of
it is inconceivable to even the
most daring Imagination. And the
idea that it could be performed by
any sort of makeshift state or To-
sal agencies, with the aid Of
civilian volunteers, is dangerous
nonsense. And a makeshift is
y, nat any controlling agency other
than a division of the United
States Government is bound to be.
The hurry-up evacuation Of, a
great city's population calls for
the most thorough, the most seri-
Gus and the most devoted study.
the most intelligent planning. EN-
bracing, as it does, fire-fighting,
the regulation Of traffic, the dis
tribution Of masks and the taking
of other measures against radia-
ton, medical and surgical services,
and all manner of ministrations Of
relief, it calls for exhaustive adj
vance training not only of techni-
cal experts but Of administrators
capable of directing this colossal
and fearful enterprise. Which is
not to say, at all, that civilians
should not be called upon to help.
OF course they should be, for the |
sake Of the national morale, just
as the Red Cross and other aux
iliary services have been called
upon to help in all our wars, just
as civilian spoilers were called
upon by the Navy and served