[Ocd News Letter. No. 16]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

V Homes Launched!
AMERICA’S HOMES are enlisting!
To determine the extent in which the country’s homes are participating in the total war offensive and making necessary air raid precautions, a house-to-house survey under OCD guidance has just been launched.
Local defense officials are now empowered to award a ■“V Home” certificate to any home which has made necessary air raid precautions and which asserts that it has participated in practical measures strengthening the war effort such as conservation, salvage, refusal to spread malicious rumors, and regular purchases of War Savings Stamps and Bonds. Designed as a window sticker for display purposes, the "V Home” certificate? will be signed by the air raid warden or other appropriate local defense official and be .available in about a month.
Simultaneously, protective measures for business establishments in strategic areas are being checked. This survey will include hotels, large apartment buildings, stores, shops, factories, and office buildings. An official certificate for approved business establishments—which also may be used as a window sticker—will attest that "Air Raid Precautions Have Been Taken Here.”
"The purpose of this program,” Director Landis declared, "is to make sure that all homes and all business establishments for which civilians are responsible in strategic areas have made the proper precautionary arrangements for an air raid, and that American homes everywhere are fully and actively enrolled in constffTCtive war
This Is a V Home!
We in this home are fighting. We know this war will be easy to lose and hard to win. We mean to win it. Therefore we solemnly pledge all our energies and all our resources to the fight for freedom and against fascism. We serve notice to all that we are personally carrying the fight to the enemy, in these ways:
I.	This home follows the instructions of its air raid warden, in order to protect itself against attack by air.
II.	This home conserves food, clothing, transportation, and health, in order to hasten an unceasing now of war materials to our men at the front.
III.	This home salvages essential materials, in order that they may be converted to immediate war uses.
IV.	This home refuses to spread rumors designed to diyide our nation.
V.	This home buys War Savings Stamps and Bonds regularly.
We are doing these things because we know we must to Win This War.
work. For nearly a year now, the Office of Civilian Defense ¡and the various State and local Defense Councils have been instructing people at home and in business and industry in the proper methods of preparing themselves so that raids, when and if they do come, will cause a minimum of damage, distress, and confusion. It is now time to find out how well those lessons have been learned—how thoroughly they have been put into operation.”
To qualify, a person must demónstrate that his home meets the essential protective requirements as to blackout, S revision of a shelter room, and fire-fighting equipment as eemed necessary locally. The other requirements for the "V Home” certificate will be satisfied by the word of the householder that he is actually living up to them. Inspection of all property will be subject to the consent of the owner or occupant.
Heroes
Provincetown, Mass.-
On a mid-June night as the fog kissed the God-fearing New England shore, an auxiliary policeman on dim-out duty heard the rumble of thunder. Immediately he phoned the Coast Guard station and a plane soon zoomed out to sea.
By morning the fog was in and so were a boatload of shivering survivors of a torpedoed ship. Instantly, organized Civilian Defense sprang into action in a 32-hour unbroken stretch of duty. First aiders bandaged injured seamen, air-raid wardens detoured main-street traffic and canteen workers served 500 meals, 1,000 cups of coffee, 250 sandwiches. Blankets yanked from village beds were wrapped around the soaked seamen. Dry clothes, warm beds awaited them. Doctors and nurses speedily took them in hand. Snoopers were barred. Cigarettes, candy and magazines were contributed. One shipwrecked Spanish-speaking sailor, whose worldly possessions had gone down into Davy Jones’ locker, scorned food until assured that it was free. Next morning the merchant seamen were whisked away. Once again, even as in Revolutionary days, a New England Committee on Public Safety had served its country in a night of stress.
To commemorate this speedy, faultless mobilization, in this honest-to-goodness test, Director James M. Landis presented an embossed, beribboned scroll to the Cape Cod town—the first to be awarded by the OCD.
Los Angeles, Cal.—
While faithfully performing his air-raid warden duties, John Homer Arnold was killed by a hit and run driver.
In extending his sympathy to the deceased’s family, Director Landis observed, "This unfortunate occurrence is symbolic of the spirit which characterizes those thousands of Americans who serve in the Civilian Defense forces throughout the nation. Civilian Defense is a serious business-—it demands courage, loyalty, intelligence and a will to win the war. That one man has died in this service points up its serious meaning. ’ That this man has given his life in this way should cause others to rededicate themselves in the work. Mr. Arnold died a patriot’s death— a soldier on the battlefield can do no more.”
Washington, D. C.—
In a pouring rain, John Eugene Eklund, a notorious murder suspect, escaped from twa U. S. deputy marshals. Immediately began one of the greatest manhunts in Washington history with the police of neighborhood Atlantic seaboard States enlisted.
Carl E. Goetzinger, an alert 36-year old Washington auxiliary policeman, noticed a suspicious looking character. Goetzinger questioned him and with a regular policeman, took him into, custody. Result: within 38 hours df his dramatic escape, a dangerous criminal is again behind bars.
CAP Wing Tips
Scene: Senate Committee on Appropriations
Senator Bankhead: What has been the result of establishing these bases off the coast of Florida?
Mr. Landis: We have been credited with saving at least twenty-five merchant vessels as a result of crash dives on approaching submarines. We have picked up something over 250 suvivors, that is, located them. Then, I cannot recall how many times we have called Army’or Navy assistance after locating a submarine, to bring the striking power to the submarine.
Senator Bankhead: How many planes on an average do you have at a base?
Mr. Landis: Between 18 and 25, with probably 75 men. The average number of miles we fly on the patrol alone every week is about a half a million miles.
Senator Hayden: This courier service you are going to furnish to the Army. Does that relieve the Army planes and permit them to be used for more important purposes? Mr. Landis: Yes. What we do there is we fly from one depot to another and thus save the time of Army planes and Army fliers. It is a less costly service, because the cost of operating these small planes is very small as compared to the cost of operating larger planes.
Senator Bankhead: This is a splendid volunteer service. It is magnificent.
■ *
To carry war production supplies and personnel between war plants and their subcontractors, the New York Wing formed a First Cornier Command with planes and pilots standing by from dawn to dusk at the Aviation Country Club, HICKSVILLE, LONG ISLAND. Within 10 minutes of a request, a plane takes off. Key men have been flown to iron out production problems. Urgently needed parts have been rushed by CAP( to prevent a production bottleneck. It is planned to start a similar service for plants in other Eastern areas.
Hugest congregation of CAP planes yet was staged by the Michigan Wing at Brook Field, MARSHALL, MICH., with a total of 303 aircraft and 785 uniformed members.
During a recent flood on the Missouri River covering hundreds of thousands of acres and marooning numerous farm families, the MISSOURI WING sprang into action. Working with State coast guard and State highway patrol, CAP members, with their two-way radios, located washouts on rail lines, and livestock in need of rescue.
Squadron 5111, CINCINNATI, is going into camp with the State Guard. Members still bring their own planes, live in tents, post their own guards, and serve as an aerial unit with the ground forces.
CAP members will now have new rank insignia! Heretofore officers could not be differentiated from ordinary members unless it was by a small sleeve insignia identifying Wing, Group, Squadron Commander, Staff and Flight leaders. Now that shoulder rank insignia has been approved, CAP will soon have majors, 'captains, lieutenants and sergeants^
Ln an effort to tie the Squadrons closer together, CAP units increasingly are getting out their own news bulletins.
What Your Councils are Doing
Mexico’s President Camacho has approved a civilian defense structure similar to ours. Already Mexican border towns are staging practice drills. U. S. officers áre aiding Mexican Army personnel in instituting defense measures in their border states. U. S. civilian defense publications are now being translated. R. E. Smith, director of OCD REGION 8 observed that "a friendship being built up by cooperation during this emergency will have a deep effect on relations after the war.”
To conserve gas and rubber, an "exchange job” program has been launched by the DUQ UESNE, PA., Defense Council and those of adjoining towns. Workers employed in the Duquesne, Clairton, and Homestead steel mills will be asked to exchange their jobs for similar ones in plants near their homes, or to move closer to their place of employment.
Window displays tell the story of good nutrition to GREENWOOD, S. C., residents. In window space donated by 16 local merchants, nutrition course graduates have prepared exhibits showing consumers how to buy according to standard grades, the importance of nutrition to teeth, why school lunches make happy children, food superstitions, soybeans the wonder plant, what the soldier has been fed in each of America’s wars, and Seven Dwarfs and how they helped Snow White (a display of sugar substitutes). The exhibit is sponsored by the OCD, Nutrition Committee, Health Department, Red Cross, Council of Farm Women, Boy and Girl Scouts, 4-H Councils, Future Farmers, and Extension Service.
To protect prospective defense workers against wasting their time and money at racketeering training schools, the CALIFORNIA State Defense Council is urging them to check with the U. S. Employment Service on what kind of jobs are open and what local schools give efficient training courses before enrolling.
Other towns may call them "block wardens” or "welfare wardens,” but in PLAQUEMINE, LA., they are plain “blockheads!” And it is1 an honored title. The Women’s Division of the Defense Council (under Mrs. J. L. Horten-stine) has appointed a woman in each block to take complete responsibility for defense activities in her block.
Victory Gardens
NEBRASKA has nearly 100,000 families enrolled in its Victory Garden program. MICHIGAN'S registered number approaches 150,000. ILLINOIS reports more than 600,000—four times as many as last year. Active Victory Garden Committees in Illinois and Michigan distributed thousands of gardeners' manuals and growing charts. Local Victory Garden chairmen in Illinois organized demonstrations to show amateur gardeners how to meet common hazards, and hold Victory Garden shows for Army and Navy relief funds. The Michigan Victory Garden Committee issues regular radio releases giving gardeners seasonable information.
Reprinted with permission of The New Yorker
The $100,000 contributed by the Central Labor Union (AFL) to the WASHINGTON, D. C., Defense Council has been used to convert 11 police radio scout cars and equip them for use as ambulances, and to purchase 40,000 air raid warden and auxiliary police hats, 1,500 rubber boots, and 2,000 metal air raid signs. Union President John Locher reports that the fund is growing rapidly as union members pledge one day’s pay for civilian defense.
When WPB's salvage agents arrived in PENNSYLVANIA, the Council of Defense staged a meeting of all local salvage chairmen, and another of several hundred scrap dealers, to whom the WPB representatives presented their program.
Seven thousand "Minute Women,” Hunter College students, have been organized to carry out war tasks in their NEW YORK CITY neighborhoods, under a system originated by Dr. George N. Shuster, president of the college, as a permanent scheme to encourage students to take part in civic affairs. Students are listed in each air raid warden headquarters and are available for any calls received through volunteer offices. For their first job they called on parents and brought children to health centers for a mass inoculation against smallpox and diphtheria. Many have been called upon to act as interpreters for draft and ration boards.
Learn the improved fire-bomb method!
Quotes
•	"I am an air raid warden. My country, my State, and my community have given me many pleasant and fruitful years and now in time of trouble I feel that it is my duty to do my part in the work assigned to me in helping to reduce to a minimum any harm that may come from without or within. I know the meaning of the word 'Warden’ and all that it stands for. Warden means Guardian. Guardian of my neighbor’s life, property, and manner of living and actions, particularly in time of disaster ... I believe in the 'Freedom and Equality of America.’ I have learned and remember that Lieutenant Colin Kelly was a Catholic, and that his bombardier who sank the Japanese battleship 'Haruna’ was a Jew. I have learned and remember that Chrispus Attucks, the first man killed in the American Revolution at Boston, was a colored man, and that General MacArthur is a Protestant Episcopalian. All loyal, patriotic Americans, regardless of creed or color.”—Leaflet published by Detroit Metropolitan Area, OCD.
•	"Woo-pitchers, picknickers, bathers, and plain citizens accustomed to being out at night for a breath of air or a glimpse of the stars must confine their nocturnal peregrinations to inland areas and not go near the water.”—Floyd D. Houston, Suffolk County (N. Y.) Director of Civil Protection.
A ''But, if I’m too old to sight and drop a stick of bombs. I’m not too old to lay my money on the line for war savings stamps and bonds! Maybe I am too stiff and slow to fly, but I’ve got control enough to keep my car speed under 40 ... so they can keep their fighting planes above 400! And if I can’t march thirty miles a day with a full pack, I can walk two miles to work and back to help save gas and rubber! . . . I’ve come around to thinking that z here at home we’ve got the job of passing the ammunition along, of sacrificing little things, of giving up and going without, of looking ahead to 'less’ instead of''more. Somebody’s got to do the necessary, undramatic things and I guess that’s what older men are for.”—Advertisement of United States Rubber Company.
•	"The other day we ran into a strange animal. It was a block captain who didn’t believe in civilian defense. His reasoning went something like this: 'I can’t see why we’re building up such a tremendous civilian defense organization; Chicago can’t be bombed. There’s no point to having air raid wardens and fire wardens in every block anf| making extensive plans for blackouts. All those other things—victory gardens, conservation, and salvage campaigns are unnecessary. And parades are a waste of time.’ . . . Such talk contradicts every opinion of our military leaders. It is strangely reminiscent of those who not so long ago said the Maginot Line was impregnable, that Singapore could not be taken, that a Pearl Harbor was impossible. It’s the kind of talk that completely forgets the bombings of London, the Nazi siege of Moscow, the five-year struggle in China, and the mighty fine job the home front fighters in each of these countries are doing in helping to beat down the invader and to minimize the suffering. ... If this fellow wasn’t a friend of ours, we’d
U. S. GOVERKMEHT MIMTIMG OFFICE: 19*1
say he belongs to those circles which want to see us lose this war. But we know him better. We’d say he wasn t thinking and didn’t know what this war was all about. We’d say he didn’t know what civilian defense was all about. Maybe there are a few others like him around. If so, we’ve all got a job of education to do. We can’t have a single CD worker who isn’t functioning on all cylinders.”—Chicago Civilian Defense "Alert,” July 7, 1942.
•	“I am writing this to Casanova who deplores the conduct of air raid wardens. In the first place, we should not conduct ourselves in such a manner during a blackout that it is necessary for a warden to holler or blow his whistle. We all know beforehand that a blackout is to take place and what we should do at such a time.
It isn’t easy for men and women who work all day to have to patrol at night to keep the ones who are comfortably sitting at home from disobeying the rules.
My advice is not to make it necessary for a warden to whistle or holler.”—Letter to Washington Post.
•	“Every town in America should have a Defense Council to help give an answer to the question most frequently asked in America, today, What can I do to help win the war? A properly organized Defense Council should be a coordinating center of all community war activities.” Mary Dublin at Boston, Mass., June 15, 1942.
Nurses9 Aides Wanted!
Merely one quarter of the 100,000 Nurses Aides required in this country have been enrolled, according to June reports. The Civilian Mobilization Branch requested that state and local mobilization efforts be enlisted to assist the Emergency Medical Service and volunteer offices in stepping up enrollment.
Two successful recruiting drives were recently held. New York City with a Nurses’ Aide quota of 10,000 and an enrollment of about 2,100, started a campaign on April 6 which more than doubled the enrollment in one month. A publicity chairman loaned by the United Hospital Fund, and CD VO promotion facilities were utilized to push Nurses’ Aide Victory Week which featured a military band, window displays, a parade, enrollment booths in department stores, ceremonies in churches and synagogues and an address by the Mayor. Red Cross interviewers were stationed at each borough volunteer office to assign volunteers to training classes immediately.
California staged a Nurses’ Aide Week June 1 to 7, featuring coast-wide radio broadcasts with Hollywood stars.	______
The War Department Civilian Protection School now being conducted at Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif., will move th Occidental College in Los Angeles for two 10-day sessions during August. The first class will register August 2; the second August 12. Complete cost of the course, including room and board on the campus, will be $28.50 per student. It is hoped that more community leaders from the southern section of the Ninth Civilian Defense Region will be able to attend these official civilian protection courses in Los Angeles.