WISCONSIN BLUE BOOK


of legislators and citizens to study civil defense. This committee
sought to draft a proposal establishing a civil defense organization,
and the seventh draft of the proposal was introduced as Bill No.
39, S. After 5 months of discussion and many amendments, it
was enacted as Chapter 443, Laws of 1951. It created a state
director appointed by the Governor and permitted towns, villages,
cities, and counties to create local organizations for civil defense.
The agency was to function in time of emergency proclaimed by
the Governor. One and a half million dollars were made avail-
able for the purchase of supplies. The fears that the agency might
be used for other than defense purposes were reflected in the
express provision that it should not be used for political purposes
or in any legitimate labor dispute.
   Meanwhile, in the fall of 1950, Governor Rennebohm appointed
Ralph J. Olson as Director of Civil Defense; and when the latter
became Adjutant General, he retained the post as Civil Defense
Director because the law expressly authorized the Governor to
appoint the Adjutant General as Civil Defense Director. General
Olson continued in that dual capacity until 1961 when a full-time
Civil Defense Director was named.
   Continuing the legislative history of civil defense, while minor
changes in the law were made from time to time, it was not until
1959 that a general overhaul was made after extensive study.
This move was virtually imperative because of many changes in the
world situation. Almost a decade of experience had shown that
there was need for greater detail in the plan of organization and
for clear-cut lines of authority in the huge organization under
which every town, village, city, and county was required to es-
tablish a civil defense unit. Among the significant changes was
the provision that this tailor-made organization could be put into
operation in time of natural disaster as well as in time of enemy
attack.
  The 1959 Legislature also gave first approval to an amendment
to the Constitution to create Article IV, Section 34, a very short
provision directing the legislature to establish promptly a plan of
government to operate in an emergency created by an enemy
attack. It was given second approval by the 1961 Legislature and
approved by the voters in April 1961 by a vote of 498,869 to
132,728. It read as follows:
   "Continuity of civil government. Section 34. The legislature, in
order to ensure continuity of state and local governmental opera-
tions in periods of emergency resulting from enemy action in the
form of an attack, shall (1) forthwith provide for prompt and
temporary succession to the powers and duties of public offices,
of whatever nature and whether filled by election or appointment,
the incumbents of which may become unavailable for carrying on
the powers and duties of such offices, and (2) adopt such other


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