Evening star., 1961-05-25

in the event Of catastrophe.
Asks Nationwide
Shelter Program :
Once the validity Of this
concept is recognized, there is
no point in delaying the initia-
ton of a Nationwide long
range program Of identifying
present fallout shelter capacity
and providing shelter in new
and existing structures. Such
a program would protect mil
lions of people against the
hazards of radioactive fallout
in the event Of a large-scale
nuclear attack. To assure
effective use of these shelkars,
additional measures will be re-
quired for warning, training,
Pathological monitoring and
stock-piling of food and medi-
cineS. And effective perform
ance of the entire program re-
Iquires not only new legislative
authority and more funds, but
also sound organizational ar
Irangements.
% Therefore, under the
authority vested in me by Re-
organization Plan No. of
1850, I am assigning RESPONSE
bility for this program to the
top civilian authority already
responsible for continental de-
fense, the Secretary of De-
fense. It is important that this
function remain civilian in ma
ture and leadership; and this
feature will not be changed.
Responsibilities for prepared
ness programs in connection
with health, food, manpower,
transportation and other needs
in the event Of an attack will
be assigned to the appropriate
department and agency heads,
all Of whom will work with
State and local agencies. For
their role remains an essential
one.
(2) The Office Of Civil and
Defense Mobilization will be re-
constituted as a small staff
agency to assist me in the CO.
ordination of these functions.
To more accurately describe its
role, its title should be changed
to the "Office of Emergency
Planning"
CD AS soon as those newly
charged with these responsible
ties have prepared new authori-
cation and appropriation re-
quests, such requests will be
transmitted to the Congress for
a much strengthened Federal
State civil defense program.
Such a program will provide
Federal funds for identifying
fallout shelter capacity in ex-
isting structures, and it will in
clude. where appropriate, incor-
poration of shelter in Federal
buildings. new requirements for
shelter in buildings constructed
with Federal financial assist
ance, and matching grants and
other incentives for construct
ing shelter in State and local
government and private build
ingS.
Federal appropriations for
civil defense in fiscal 1862
under this program will in all
likelihood be more than triple
the pending budget requests;
and they will increase sharply
in subsequent years. Financial
participation will also be re-
quired from State and local
governments and from private
citizens. But no insurance is
cost-free; and every American
citizen and his community must
decide for themselves whether
this form Of survival insurance
justifieS the expenditure of ef-
fort, time and money. For my
self, I am convinced that 1t
does.
VIII. Disarmament
I cannot end this discussion
Of defense and ornaments with
out emphasizing our strongest
hope-the creation of an order
ly world where disarmament
will be possible. Our arms do
not prepare for war-they are
efforts to discourage and resist
the adventures of others that
could end in war.
That is why it is consistent
with these efforts that we con-
tinue to press for properly safe
guarded disarmament meas
ures. At Geneva, in co-opera-
ton with the United Kingdom,
we have put forward concrete
proposals to make clear our
wish to meet the Soviets half