Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-06
Peterson AssaiIs.
Evacuation Critics
Sees Headline
Hunting Instead
Of Cooperation

VT NO-OPerQtIOn
Civil Defense Administrator
Val Peterson last night hit at
area civil defense officials who
are trying to get headlines" in
stead of cooperating with plan
ners to correct the weaknesses
in the areas evacuation plan.
Mr.. Peterson said he assumes"
that the officials were correct
last week when they said the
plan would produce traffic bot
tlenecks in Prince Georges
County. but scored a lack Of
plans for remedial road con.
struction.
Mr.. Peterson named no names
but made it plain he was talking
about testimony given last week
by Robert H. Silvers, Prince
Georges County civil defense
co-ordinator, and other area of
f1cials at House military opera
tionS subcommittee hearing.
Mr.. Silvers testified that the
Interim Voluntary Evacuation
Plan here is "'unrealistic," "ridic-
ulous" and suicidal" because
of limited traffic facilities out
side the District.
Master Plan Urged
I He told the subcommittee the
Prince Georges County Evacu-
alton Committee reached q
unanimous decision that I'VE
would rather be vaporized in
the comfort of our own homes
than stuck out on a highway
subject to radiation. blasts and
heat
He held that impossible"
bottlenecks at Sheriff road and
George Palmer Highway and on
Suitland Parkway and Marl-
: boro road would strange evac-
uation traffic. He called for a
master plan and Federal aid
to eliminate the bottlenecks.
The Prince Georges County
Commissioners backed Mr.. Sill
vers "in principle"
Col. John E. Fondahl. the Dis
trict's director of civil defense.
defended the plan as "the best
under the circumstances"
He said he had not known II
' was not fully accepted and it,
: principles understood. There
are bottleneckS in both States he
said.
e Section to Cooperate
Col. Walter M. Oates, civil de-
y Tense director for Northern Vir,
= ginia, said that area would CO.
u operate with the District in q
" practice evacuation during Civi
Defense Week, which begin.
September 9. He said State
headquarters at Richmond would
: so notify Col. Fondahl.
Col. Fondahl said the District
is not committed to any evacu-
r alton test.
I'VE have talked about it, but
we do not have any detailed in.
formation on which we can make
a decision" he said. I'VE are
in favor of it but only under
conditions which are realistic"
! 1t was indicated that realistic
!, conditions would mean clearing
: egress roads so that persons
leaving the district would not
:, become tangled in traffic jams
, The District had made tenta-
! tive plans calling for the evac.
: uation of an area containing q
: daytime population of from co.
; 900 TO 100000.
Col. Oates said the Northern
Virginia plans we're made on the
: basis of the number of cars tc
be used. This was put at from
10000 to $4,000, which would
mean the moving of between
$4,000 and $4,000 persons.
Speaking last night at a joint
meeting in Alexandria of civil
defense officials of Virginia
: Maryland and the District, Mr.
Peterson said:
stop trying to get the head.
lines by telling us what's wrong
with civil defense, but offer con.
structive criticism and your full
cooperation to correct what i.
wrong"
He urged that bridges anc
highways leading from the Dis.
trict be widened and that more
freeways be built.
Businessmen Criticized.
Mr.. Peterson also scored re.
cent complaints by two or tire,
Virginia communities which d.
not want to participate in civi
defense tests during business
hours.
Blame it on the inventors O
nuclear bombs or on Mr.. Khrush
chev if your cash registers hav,
to stop for little WHILE" he de,
clared.
He said he feels the District
as well as all cities, should b,
much farther along in thei
plans for strategic" evacuation
- the evacuation of "nones
sential' inhabitants lin period
of tension" Here. as in mos
cities, he declared, the plans ar,
still in the preliminary stage.
Region rs Plans
William w. Reynolds. directo
of operation control for Fedora
Civil Defense Region 2, outlined
the regions role in Operation
Alert. 1856. which is scheduled
Ito begin July 20. Region 2 Gov
ers Virginia, Maryland, the Dis
trict, Pennsylvania, Delaware
IAi.t- HGn..A..nl... ILL., ~.