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Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950: J Summary and Legislative History by WILBUR J

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Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950: J Summary and Legislative History by WILBUR J Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950: j Summary and Legislative History by WILBUR J. COHEN and EVELYN F. BOYER* The Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 raises many important sary coordination and guidance; shall problems relative to the administration of health and welfare be responsible for the operations of services and the future development of such services in this the Federal Civil Defense Administra- country. Because of the responsibility that the Federal Security tion as set forth in this Act; and shall Agency has for health and welfare services in the United States, provide necessary assistance as here- the following summary of the new law has been prepared for inafter authorized. the information of Agency personnel and other persons con- nected with the administration of health and welfare services. Section 3 defines seven terms used A brief legislative history of the new law is also given. in the new law. The two most essen- tial definitions are those for the terms N JANUARY 12,1951, President that will allow the people to go about “attack” and “civil defense.” “Civil Truman approved H. R. 9798, their business, if those same people defense” is broadly defined and spe- 0 the Federal Civil Defense Act are needlessly uprooted from their ciilcally includes “measures to be of 1950 (Public Law 920, 81st Con- homes, separated from one another, taken following attack (including gressl . The new law, according to and moved to strange surroundings. rescue, emergency medical, health President Truman, “affords the basic Moreover, while it might be possible and sanitation services; monitoring framework for preparations to min- to evacuate thousands of people, it for speciilc hazards of special weap- would be clearly impossible to evacu- ons . Candl emergency welfare imize the effects of an attack on our ate the factories where they earn their civilian population, and to deal with measures. .J’ living. If the plants stay, the people Title I establishes a Federal Civil the immediate emergency conditions must also stay. If the people stay, which such an attack would create.” then they and their homes and our Defense Administration to be headed The basic reason for the new, law factories must be ready to Aght back by an Administrator, appointed by the was summed up in the report of the through a sound civil-defense pro- President, by and with the advice and House Committee on Armed Services. gram.= consent of the Senate. A Civil De- fense Advisory Council is created to Production capacity demands man- Summary advise and consult with the Admin- power, and factories in which that istrator on general or basic policy mat- manpower can operate. But produc- The Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 consists of four titles. Sections ters relating to civil defense. The tion capacity depends utterly upon the Council is to consist of the Admin- community in which it thrives. In the 1, 2, and 3 of the Act precede title I and give the short title, declaration istrator, as chairman, and 12 addi- community sense, production capacity tional members to be appointed by the also demands houses within reach of of policy, and definitions. The titles the factories, and transportation are: I, Organization; II, Powers and President. Three members of the facilities by which people can get to Duties; III, Emergency Authority; and Council must be representative of and from their work. It demands IV, General Provisions. State Governments, three must be wives at home to cook dinner when The declaration of public policy in representative of the localities, and the shift is over and food for them to section 2 of the law sets forth the gen- six are to be citizens of the United cook. It demands families to be cared eral principles on which the adminis- States (other than Federal employees) for, and places for those families to of broad and varied experience in live in, and enough light and heat tration of the Act is to be based; it reads as follows: matters affecting the public interest. and water to make their homes hab- A novel provision in the law is the re- itable. It demands schools for the It is the policy and intent of Congress quirement that the six members rep- children, and medical care for the old to provide a plan of civil defense for resenting the States and localities and in&m. the protection of life and property in shall be selected by the President from All these human needs are prime con- the United States from attack. It is Panels of names established by the cerns of the local, State, and National further declared to be the policy and Council of State Governments, the civil-defense authorities. They can- intent rof Congress that this respon- Governors’ Conference, the American not be supplied in a workable pattern sibility for civil defense shall be vested primarily in the several States and Municipal Association, and the United their political subdivisions. The Fed- States Conference of Mayors. The l Mr. Cohen is Technical Adviser to the eral Government shall provide neces- Council must meet at least once a Commissioner for Social Security: Mrs. year and at such other times as the Boger is in the Legislathe Services Unit, Offlce of the Surgeon aeneral, Public 1House Report No. 3209 to accompany Administrator may request. The Ad- Health Service. H. R. 9798,Dec. 10, 1950,pp. 8-9. ministrator is authorized to appoint Bulletin, April 1951 ’ 11 fen.% activities of Federal agencies; (3) provision for civil defense com- Emergency Welfare Service munications and dissemination of warnings of enemy attacks; (4) de- Under wartime disaster conditions, many self-sustaining families velopment of measures to afford ade- and individuals may suddenly And that they have to depend temporar- quate protection of life and property, ily on others for even the simplest essentials of life. After a disaster, including development of shelter de- a family may be left on the street without housing or adequate cloth- signs, equipment, and facilities; (5) ing, with no place to eat, wash, or sleep, with no means of transporta- provision for training programs; (6) tion and perhaps without money or the ability to care for immediate dissemination of information; (7) as- needs. sistance and encouragement to the An emergency welfare service will be necessary in the civil defense States to enter into interstate com- program to help reestablish families, provide emergency housing, food pacts; 18) construction, lease, and dis- and clothing, locate missing persons, and care for infants, children, tribution of materials and facilities; the aged, and the sick. (9) administration of Federal grants- In atomic disasters, thousands of families may be affected. Welfare m-aid to the States; and (101 pro- services are essential in order to restore civilian morale as quickly as vision for sale of surplus materials. possible. Title III gives the basis for the use Families or parts of familes may have to be evacuated and helped of certain emergency powers. Section in adjusting to strange households and communities. The community 301 stipulates that the provisions of which receives evacuees will need to assess its social services and ex- title III shall be operative only during pand them to support the morale of the evacuees and the receiving the existence of a state of civil de- households. Continuing enemy attack may necessitate extensive mass fense emergency and that the “exist- feeding, clothing, and shelter, but every effort should be made to move ence of such emergency may be pro- as rapidly as possible to individualized treatment of personal or family claimed by the President or by con- needs. To do this, every community should prepare, in advance, its current resolution of the Congress if family welfare-service program for civil defense . the President in such proclamation, Services for individuals and families.-The term “welfare service” or the Congress in such resolution, is used to cover the essential activities involved in providing material finds that an attack upon the United assistance and other help on a temporary basis to individuals or States has occurred or is anticipated families until they can reestablish themselves and take up their normal and that the national safety there- activities in home and industrial life. fore requires an invocation of the Material assistance in civil defense is a temporary, emergency pro- provisions of this title. Such emer- gram designed to provide civilians with food, clothing, shelter, fuel, gency also shall exist with respect to cash, household equipment and supplies, transportation, medical care, any designated geographic area or and other items required to enable people to return promptly to pro- areas of the United States when the ductive activity. President determines that any such Other welfare services include: attack has been made upon or is an- (a) Providing for rehousing or settlement for individuals and fam- ticipated within such area or areas, ilies uprooted from their homes. and directs the Administrator to pro- (b) Furnishing information to individuals on help that is available ceed pursuant to the provisions of this to them, and where it may be obtained. title with respect to such area or (cl Assisting persons to take advantage of insurance or other bene- areas. Any such emergency shall ter- fits to which they are entitIed. minate upon the proclamation of the (d) Referring persons to available employment, retraining, voca- termination thereof by the President, tional rehabilitation, medical services, and specialized child welfare or the passage by the Congress of a services. concurrent resolution terminating (e) If necessary, providing for children to be separated from their such emergency.” parents on the best basis possible and with the least shock.
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