HomeMy WebLinkAbout1940-DEFENSE-rpt.pdf LEXINGTON CIVILIAN DEFENSE CONkITIEE
ORGANIZATION AND NOTES
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Board of Selectmen
Chairmen of Town Government Committees
Chairmen of Sub-committees
SUB-COMMITTEES
1. Promotion of Enlistments .
(a) To receive all material from Corps Area
Recruiting Office.
(b ) To be enlarged by all local Reserve Officers
while available .
2. Protection of Persons and Property.
(a ) Auxiliary Civilian Police Corps.
(b) Auxiliary Civilian Fire Corps .
( c) Trained Air Defense Group. (From Sportsmen' s Club)
(a) Consider desirability of two-way Radio.
3. Public Utilities,
( a) Reserve Water Supply.
(Note : Study of old system and possibility of
its use . Test local waters Where usable, shut
off from contamination, and continue tests.
Estimate of amount of local water available and
minimum needed) .
(b) Lighting.
(Note Provision for street lighting if system
fails. Reserves of candles. Study of private
Diesel plants available) .
( c) Wood Supply
(Notes In event of failure of transportation or
electric supply - adequate Town equipment for
supply of wood - study of areas to be cut -
letter of instruction to citizens, provisions
for converting furnaces to wood burning if fire-
places not available, Estimrte of probable
needs and supplies ) .
(d) Sanitation.
(Note : Reserves of pipe supplies and adequate
equipment for repairs ) .
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4, Subversive Activities
(Note : General direct_on to be received from
Adjutant General ' s office )
5 Transportation and Food Supplies .
6 Finance
(Note : Lexington Appropriation Committee )
7 Publicity
LEXINITON CIVILIAN DEFENSE COMMITTEE
GENERAL RULES OF OPERATION
This committee has been authorized by His Excellency,
the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as the
official committee representing Lexington in the Statets plan
of National Defense.
The action of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts in authorizing this committee as the official body
representing Lexington in all matters relating to local, state
and national defense plans is confirmed by vote of the Board of
Selectmen of Lexington in meeting assembled June 24, 1940 and
is so recorded in its records .
Upon recommendation of the BoE.rd of Selectmen of Lexington,
the Governor of the Commonwealth, acting throurh the Adjutant
General, in a letter dated June 11, 1940, has appointed
Archibald R. Giroux, Chairman of the Lexington Board of Select-
men "to organize and direct a civilian committee in your
community for the purpose of co-operating with all local, State
and National agencies having to do with the defense of the
United States" .
Acting under this authority, the Chairman of the Lexington
Civilian Defense Committee, under date of June 19, 1940, appointed
William G Potter, A Edward Rowse, George W. Sarano and Errol H.
Locke, these being the other members of the Board of Selectmen,
as members of the Lexington Civilian Defense Committee, and �
designated the Board of Selectmen as the executive body of that
committee, this executive committee to be enlarged at a later
date and to include in addition the Chairmen of the Town Govern-
ment Committees and the Chairmen of the Lexington Civilian
Defense Committee sub-committees.
The Lexington Civilian Defense Committee shall consist of
representatives of Town Government, religious , veteran and civic
organizations, and such other citizens whose services are found
necessary
The Board of Selectmen of Lexington, acting as the executive
committee of the Defense Committee, shall subdivide the general
committee into groups for the planning of all phases of the work,
and shall designate the chairmen of the sub-committees.
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The Chairmen of the sub-committees shall be chosen from
citizens not subject to military call.
Upon approval of the executive committee, the sub-committees
may enlarge their membership and shall submit for approval the
name or names of the proposed additional members.
The sub-committees shall study, plan and recommend any
action believed needed in relation to their particular phase of
the defense program. Before carrying the plan into action they
shall obtain the approval of the executive committee . Once
approved, the sub-committee shall supervise and direct the
operation of the plan through an individual appointed by them
who shall report to them at directed intervals . The sub-committee
shall keep the executive committee informed of developments and
progress in their work.
The entire committee shall meet for consultation and report
not less than once every two months.
Fifty percent of the executive committee being present and
voting shall constitute a quorum of that body.
The Clerk and Assistant Clerk of the Board of Selectmen shall
be appointed Secretaries to the Lexington Civilian Defense Com-
mittee, and records shall be kept of all meetings of the entire
committee and of the executive committee . Each sub-committee
shall appoint a Secretary, and records of meetings shall be kept ,
All activities of the Lexington Civilian Defense Committee
shall be carried on in such a manner as to prevent rather than
create alarm, hysteria and panic.
Approved June; 24, 1940 by the Board of Selectmen of Lex-
ington, acting as Selectmen and as the Executive Committee of
the Lexington Civilian Defense Committee .
ARCHIBALD R. GIROUX, Chairman
WILLIAM G. POTTER
ERROL H. LOCKE
A EDVV±.RD ROVWSE
GEORGE L., SARaN10