Civil Defence Duties
The observance of "Civil Defence Day " on Sunday last was at the same time a reminder of the great battle of endurance which this country sustained during the heavy bombardments of 1940-41, and a demonstration of the efficient organisation that has been built up to cope with bombardment and fire. The roll of 47,000 men, women and children who have died in the blitz indicates clearly enough the need of being prepared, of having firemen and fire- watchers, police, A.R.P. workers and first-aid helpers, all with clearly assigned duties ; for though it is unlikely that the enemy can repeat the horror on the same prodigious scale as before, at any moment attacks may come. Mr. Morrison and the Ministry of Home Security are right to be vigilant in preparing a complete organisation of fire-watchers, for when incendiaries are falling pre- vention is better than cure, and much life and property may be saved by a well-planned system of watching. At the same time, the question arises as to what amount of insurance we are in a position to provide against the contingencies of air-raid. Against this we have to measure the amount of additional fatigue imposed on workers and the effect it may have on production. A balance has to be struck somewhere. In announcing a stricter comb-out of men for fire-watching last Tuesday, Mr. Morrison said that women, though they must be subject to compulsion, will not be called upon at business premises until all available men are doing duty. The. Minister is right in insisting that we must not relax, but every- thing possible should be done to lighten the burden of this addi- tional duty and ensure that the hours of fire-watching for full-time workers are not unnecessarily prolonged. Meanwhile it is to be hoped Mr. Morrison has finished with " funk-express " talk.
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