Wednesday Afternoon Session

*May 7, 1947*

THE Conference reconvened at 2:05 P.M., Chairman Fleming presiding.

Chairman Fleming. Will the meeting please come to order?

This afternoon we will take up another aspect of fire protection. In
other words, we will get right down to cases with the man whose job it
is to put out the fires which the rest of us carelessly start.

We expect a great deal of our firemen. We take it as a matter of course
that they will respect our property and save our lives, if need be, no
matter how many cigarettes we fling carelessly about. The records show
that they have not had too much cooperation from the rest of us these
last few years. I would not blame them a bit if they took advantage of
this present opportunity to lecture us on our bad habits.

I have the pleasure of introducing Mr. Charles A. Delaney, president of
the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Mr. Delaney.
\[*Applause.*\]

Mr. Charles A. Delaney. Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, the very
purpose of this Fire Prevention Conference clearly indicates the
immediate need of action to safeguard and protect human life and
property from the destruction of fire. The calling of this Conference is
a very commendable act on the part of the President of the United States
at this time because of his being burdened almost to the limit of human
endurance with the more complex problems of the nation.

The presence of so many individuals who have seen fit to leave their
homes and respective business and have traveled long distances for the
purpose of attending the Conference clearly indicates that there does
exist a widespread, deep-seated interest in actually reducing fire
losses to a minimum.

The promotion of fire prevention at local levels has been practiced for
many years, and a reasonable degree of success has been attained.
However, despite the fire prevention activities in which many of our
communities are engaged, and with public officials diligently
endeavoring to interest the general public in fire prevention practices,
the fire loss experience of recent months from the stand point of both
life and property proves that to date we have failed to keep pace with
the need for the development of more effective means and methods of
dealing with the problem.

We have all observed that following in the wake of tragic death-dealing
and devastating fires there is invariably a wave of indignation and
concern which swells over the entire nation, the immediate result being
that every rational, thinking individual becomes fire prevention minded
and conscious of the possibility that a like tragedy may strike his
family, his home, his place of business, or may otherwise have a direct
effect on his well-being. But it is regrettable that the enthusiasm is
all too short-lived. Except in such cases where there is an immediate
and direct effect, the occurrence is soon forgotten.

Because of the numerous fires in which mass destruction of life has
occurred, the concern of the public is at present aroused to an
extremely high pitch, and we of the fire service are besieged with
inquiries as to what measures are being taken in our communities to
avoid the tragic experience of the stricken localities.

In many instances various demands for immediate action are being made
upon public officials. Therefore, it is most appropriate that we are
assembled here in Washington on this occasion, and it behooves us to
direct our endeavors toward keeping this spirit of cooperation and
enthusiasm alive until such time as the rising trend is halted,
reversed, and reduced.

The rising trend of fire losses is not wholly the fault of the fire
protection services, public officials, or any of the various
organizations having direct economic interests in such losses, though
each does have its own weaknesses. The major fault apparently lies in
the fact that too few individuals have been made to realize that
regardless of our station in life, we each have a responsibility in the
scheme of American social and economic structure. Therefore, essential
cooperation is lacking.

The vast number of fire chiefs attending this Conference is concrete
evidence that the public fire protection services are ready to do their
part and discharge their duty in every respect. However, in many
instances fire departments are sorely handicapped due to insufficient
personnel, obsolete and unreliable apparatus, worn-out fire hose, and
personnel discontented because of inadequate rates of pay, undesirable
working conditions, unsuitable quarters, and lack of modern appliances
for the extinguishment of fire and for the protection of the
firefighting forces.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs and other firemen's
organizations are wholeheartedly behind this Conference, and we are
confident that the reports of the various committees will point out ways
and means by which the present difficulties may be overcome and fire
prevention made a reality.

I wish at this point to commend the secretaries and chairmen of the
various committees for the wonderful job that they have done in
assembling the reports of their respective committees. While we do not
agree wholeheartedly in everything that they have covered, nevertheless,
as a fire chief, I wish to say that there will be something come out
this Conference that will benefit the entire nation.

I would like at this moment to again announce the meeting proposed for
this evening for the fire chiefs. Yesterday the announcement was made to
those who are members of the International Association. However, the
meeting is intended for all fire chiefs. The meeting will be in the
United States Chamber of Commerce Building at Connecticut Avenue and H
Street at 8 o'clock. We hope to have a good attendance. The meeting is
one of unofficial nature, but we do feel that it gives us an opportunity
to point out what has been going on among the officers of the
association. Thank you. \[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Thank you, Mr. Delaney. That was an excellent speech,
but I think perhaps you let us off a little too easily. Maybe the next
speaker will be less polite.

Mr. George J. Richardson has been secretary-treasurer of the
International Association of Fire Fighters, an organization of more than
60,000 members in 800 cities, since 1920. He was born in Winchester,
Mass., but removed in 1911 to Vancouver, British Columbia. The following
year he entered the Vancouver Fire Department. He was a member of the
first firemen's organization of the American Federation of Labor founded
in Canada and has served as vice president of the international
organization. He has been active for many years in the work of the
National Fire Protection Association, the National Fire Waste Council,
and in various fire schools. He was a member of the Advisory Committee
of the United States Office of Civil Defense and later was sent as an
observer for the Army and Navy to the Pacific combat area. He is a
member of our Conference Coordinating Committee. Mr. Richardson.
\[*Applause.*\]

Mr. George J. Richardson. General Fleming, ladies and gentlemen, first
of all, let me express my appreciation to the Conference officials for
the opportunity to speak today. I am going to speak on the subject, The
Firefighter of Today.

History has many heroes whose martial renown has freed the world, whose
daring and wonderful exploits have been responsible for changing the
boundaries of nations and, in fact, have changed the very face of the
earth.

We have heroes in the fire service, heroes who have given their lives
that others may live. Our heroes die with their hearts aglow, with the
passion for saving men, women and children; they die because of the
carelessness or the criminal greed of others who are willing to make
death traps in order that they might reap the harvest of ill-gotten
gain. Firefighters who are killed in the performance of their duties
have no redress -- they are gone. No citizen would knowingly contribute
to causing the death of a firefighter, yet many do so unknowingly by
their carelessness. With the increase in the number of fire alarms and
fires, the number of firefighters killed has also increased. Any action
that would prevent the loss of one firefighter's life would justify this
conference.

Patriotism and love of liberty and service, the most noble motives that
can fire the heart of man, are the ingredients that make up the
firefighter of our American fire service. He represents no interest that
is private, no privilege that is narrow; he represents no sect, no ism,
or no clique. His service is available to the entire community; he
responds to a fire in the humblest cottage just as quickly as to one in
a palatial home. To us of the fire service he is a firefighter -- in
other words, a fighter of fire. Yet, strange as it may seem, fire is the
friend of mankind and during the progress of the world, fire has been
the most important ally in our modern and scientific developments. Fire
is that which drives the wheels of commerce; fire is that which lights
the highways of civilization; fire is one of the most useful forces in
our country today -- our very existence depends on the controlled use of
fire.

I have the privilege today of representing the firefighters of today;
the firefighters whose predecessors had the foresight and vision to form
an association known throughout the world as the International
Association of Fire Fighters. Today the firefighters from private to
chief are members of our association, in over 800 cities in the United
States and Canada.

We are here with you today because of the carelessness, the ignorance,
the crime, and the neglect of others to take the ordinary safety
precautions in the use of fire. The problem before us today is "What to
do to prevent fires?" We have all participated in safety campaigns and
we all know of the success of the campaigns against the epidemics of the
past. Our greatest task is to fight that unsocial thing, that
carelessness of man who lives unconscious of the rights and the
interests of his neighbor; that man who toys with the great power of
fire, irrespective of its effect. Our fight should be against that greed
in society that will put shoddy work into its buildings and their
materials, and that wretched spirit that would jeopardize the safety of
the occupants in order to hear the jingling coins drop into their
coffers. Our fight should be directed against the man who "fires to
profit" or "burns for cash." We have many of those types of fires and
find great difficulty in convicting those guilty even when they are
apprehended.

The problem before this Conference is not a new one. The fact that it is
a serious problem is the reason you are here. President Truman is the
first President who has had the foresight to do something about the
problem of preventing fires with their resultant loss of life and
property. He has called this Conference together and has told you of his
sincere interest in finding a solution that will reduce this unnecessary
loss of life and property.

When the President announced that a conference would be held, the
International Association of Fire Fighters immediately advised him that
its officers and members were wholeheartedly behind him and that the
facilities of our organization, together with the services of its
officers, were available to assist him in making the conference a
success. Since that time representatives of our Association have
collaborated with every committee in preparing the technical and
scientific reports that have been presented to the Conference.

President Truman, while a Senator from Missouri, became very familiar
with the work and objects of our association. He was one of many
Senators who voted unanimously in favor of a bill, which Congress
passed, permitting the firefighters of our Nation's Capital to join our
association. He was aware then, as he is now, that when any member of a
fire department becomes a member of our association he becomes a member
of a labor organization which has in its constitution the provision that
"We shall not strike or take active part in any sympathetic strike,
since the work of firefighters is different from that performed by any
other workers, as we are employed to perform the duties of protecting
the lives and property of communities in case of fire or other serious
hazards." \[*Applause.*\] Because of that knowledge he was familiar with
the real courage and fidelity of the members of our organization. He
knew that he and all his fellow Americans could depend on the members of
the fire service to render every service in an endeavor to find a
solution to the problem of preventing fires.

On September 5, 1946, President Truman wrote to the delegates and
members of our association:

> I am aware of your organization's greatest contribution in the field
> of fire prevention and fire protection. The work of your association
> in behalf of the members of the fire service of the Nation has been
> outstanding. The improvements that have been made for the members of
> the fire service are the direct result of the work of your
> association.

The President of the United States is probably more familiar with our
organization than many attending this conference, and it is for that
reason I mention that our organization is unique as a labor
organization, in that strikes are not permitted. You, and every other
citizen, have been reading about strikes. We all deplore the necessity
for strikes. You have never read where members of the International
Association of Fire Fighters were on strike and I am sure you never
will. \[*Applause.*\]

Back in 1936 our association expelled a local in Canada merely because
the members took a vote on whether or not to strike.

The financial conditions of many municipalities and the arbitrary
attitude of city officials in some cities have been the cause for some
strikes among some public employees. Our members have had the same
conditions to contend with and yet, out of loyalty to the public, they
stayed on the job and worked long hours at low wages until changes took
place in the city administration, or until financial conditions
improved.

A few years ago, in a city in Texas, the city officials issued an
ultimatum to all members of the fire department stating that they would
be fired if they refused to withdraw from our organization. Our
association withdrew the charter issued to the members rather than
permit the city to remove the fire protection to which the citizens were
entitled. I have often wondered who would be to blame if the city had
dismissed every member of the fire department and left the citizens to
the mercy of any fire that might occur.

Congress today is considering legislation which will regulate certain
activities of labor organizations. No matter what action Congress may
take, our members will never strike. Our association does not have to
worry about any action Congress may take, as our members will not
strike. Our organization activities have been above reproach. Our
association has never had to employ organizers to go out among the
members of the different fire departments to organize them into our
association. The 14 vice presidents who are all members of fire
departments, as well as the president and secretary-treasurer, act as
our representatives to assist the city officials and members of the fire
departments in solving the fire service problems of any city. The growth
of the organization has been wholly the result of a desire on the part
of the members of the fire service to unite their efforts in one
organization representative of the fire service. Our organization has
met that need as 65,000 members can testify.

The deliberation of this Conference can well point to the manner in
which the United States Government, the State governments and all in the
field of fire prevention and fire protection can best assist in
providing an improved plan of fire prevention. The loss of life due to
fire and the number of persons who are injured and crippled as a result
of fire is sufficient reason for all to give serious consideration to
finding a solution which will prevent its continuation.

The leaders in the fire prevention and firefighting field, together with
members of each committee, have been working for several weeks in
preparing for your consideration a number of reports. The reports as
presented are, to say the least, only a step in the direction of solving
the problem. They represent a compilation of the latest thinking on the
subject. Many of you probably will not agree with all the
recommendations, or even the phraseology of the reports. As I said
earlier, the problem is not new; for many years many organizations and
many persons, both in the fire prevention and fire protection field,
have done an excellent educational job. That they have not fully
succeeded in preventing fires is only an indication of the stupendous
task before this Conference. When President Truman invited you to be
present, he believed you would contribute something constructive to the
Conference. We are all here for the sole purpose of cooperating with the
President in an attempt to reduce this unnecessary loss of life by fire.
We have the brains, we have the technical skill, we have the practical
knowledge and we have the will. On behalf of the firefighters of the
Nation we pledge our continued loyalty and fidelity to our President in
his efforts to reduce this tremendous loss of life as a result of fire.

Chairman Fleming. Thank you Mr. Richardson, for an excellent
presentation.

The gentleman whom I will next introduce is an old schoolmate of mine at
West Point, from which he graduated in 1914. I was a first classman when
he was a little redheaded plebe. He has a long and distinguished
military record. He served in France during the First World War and
later was an instructor for a time at West Point. In February 1944, he
became Chief of Staff, G-3 Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary
Forces, which all of us knew as SHAEF. He is now attached to the Office
of the Secretary of War, engaged on problems of civilian defense.

He has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Oak Leaf
Cluster to the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the
Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Medal, and has been decorated by numerous
European governments.

It is my pleasure to introduce Maj. Gen. Harold R. Bull. \[*Applause.*\]

Maj. Gen. Harold R. Bull. Your invitation to participate in this
Conference gives me an opportunity to express the War Department's
appreciation of your purpose to improve the Nation's position in the
solution of fire problems so vital to the national welfare and security
in both peace and war.

I assume that I was asked to speak because of my recent membership on a
special War Department board studying the important problems of civil
defense. I shall discuss primarily that aspect of fire prevention.
Organized fire prevention, of course, stands high in the demands for
adequate solution. With the many eminent specialists in this group who
have acquired personal knowledge by profound study of firefighting
lessons of World War II, I am certain that you have full information of
the terrifying possibilities for this country involved in the future use
of fire as a weapon of war.

Let me first merely state what appear to me to be quite evident
conclusions. I believe it is worth while to point them out, although I
am sure that you realize them.

One. In World War II fire was probably the most devastating of all
weapons.

Two. Development of new weapons will increase an enemy's capabilities
for fire devastation many hundredfold to a point where paralysis of our
own war-making capabilities is a possibility unless we develop and take
counter measures.

Three. Entirely outside of any active counter measures of the armed
forces to prevent or check such fire attacks on our big industrial
centers, lies a vast field of civilian endeavor to mitigate the effects
of such hostile attacks if delivered.

Four. The utter and sudden devastation of atomic attack, with many added
hazards for the firefighters to cope with, will call for development of
some new techniques, equipment, and types of training.

Five. Although there are many other aspects of future modern war against
communities, many presenting entirely new problems to be solved by
strong civilian defense machinery, one very old one but very much
magnified in importance, is fire. Whether it be created by sabotage,
incendiaries, conventional or atomic bombs, whether delivered in
widespread or concentrated fashion, a terrific task faces us if we are
to carry on.

Sixth. No stricken community will ever have adequate resources to meet
the threat single-handed yet the local problem is basically a civilian
problem demanding solution through strong local civilian organization
guided and assisted by State and Federal Government agencies.

Seventh. It is evident that provision of the protection required to meet
simultaneous devastating fire attacks on our crowded American
communities will make the following demands on our individual citizens
and on our various echelons of government:

1.  Training of all individuals in the elimination of all of the many
    unnecessary fire hazards so well known to you, and in
    immediate-action methods of individual firefighting to suppress and
    control incipient fires. These missions will call for not only
    organized training but a disciplined citizenry.

2.  Augmentation of local trained firefighting reserves.

3.  Development of effective reciprocal or mutual aid arrangements in a
    manner certain to be effective in emergencies.

4.  State support of their communities through emergency control of
    available mobile fire reserves within the States.

5.  Federal emergency support with available means including necessary
    elements of the armed forces in aid of the civil powers in stricken
    communities in spite of such undesirable diversion of troops from
    their primary mission.

6.  Standardization of certain fire equipment for flexible employment
    where the need develops.

Where does the Army come in in this scheme for fire prevention and fire
protection in peace and war?

No doubt you are generally familiar with our deep interest in all phases
of fire prevention and realize our accomplishments as a result of the
"Army safety program" headed by a qualified safety engineer now elevated
to the staff of the Director of Personnel and Administration. The
organization extends through each Army and each post and installation
and, with your help, has been most effective in developing sound
procedures. Also the Chief of Engineers carries the War Department
responsibility for procurement of firefighting equipment and for the
doctrine and training of Army firefighting units. Our contacts with the
great civilian organizations in this field are close and continuous and,
I'm sure, mutually helpful in both training and operation.

Outside of the humanitarian considerations in the Government's concern
for the lives of its people, the War Department, with its responsibility
for the mobilization of our vast industrial power, in cooperation with
the Navy, is deeply concerned with any interruption in wartime
industrial production and we recognize that "public enemy number one" in
this respect may well be fire.

The War Department recognizes also its responsibility to respond in
peace and war to appeals for help in situations beyond the civil
authorities' ability to control and has under study now the procedures
and training and equipment required to insure the prompt response in an
emergency of the most readily available forces -- Regular Army, National
Guard, and Organized Reserves -- to meet the additional demands for
support of local civil organizations in the event of devastating hostile
action by sabotage, bombs, incendiaries, or other weapons which may be
used against us.

With this in mind I must say in conclusion that your Convention here in
Washington is making not only a great contribution to community welfare
and to conservation of our resources but in addition, in each forward
step, is strengthening our national security.

Your action now in improving our peacetime fire prevention and
firefighting capabilities is truly a great contribution to national
defense, and speaking as a member of the Army, another fighting
organization, I wish to pay tribute to and salute the courage and
heroism and the public service of America's firefighters.
\[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Thanks you, General Bull, for a very thought-inspiring
presentation.

Our pioneer ancestors thought of our virgin forest lands as an
inexhaustible and therefore expendable resource and slashed and burned
recklessly. We now know that our forest resources are neither
inexhaustible nor expendable, and for a good many years increasing
efforts have been made to conserve our remaining resources.

That fire prevention pays big dividends is indicated by the Government's
forest-management policies. In 1945, which I am told was a fairly
typical year, forest fire losses totaled nearly \$26,000,000. But here
is an interesting thing. Some form of organized fire protection is
provided for some 156,000,000 acres of forest lands, while 127,000,000
acres in State-owned or private tracts lack organized fire protection.
The losses on the protected tracts were slightly over one-half of 1
percent, while the loss on smaller area of unprotected tracts was 11.64
percent.

The Chief of the Forest Service of the United States Department of
Agriculture is a native of Iowa and a graduate of Iowa State College. He
entered the United States Forest Service in 1913 and has made it his
career.

It is the present fashion in some quarters to belittle the Government
bureaucrats, who, as everybody is supposed to know, lies awake at night
thinking up new schemes to squander the taxpayer's hard-earned money. I
give you one bureaucrat whose efforts over the years have saved for us
and our posterity untold millions.

Mr. Lyle F. Watts, Chief of the Forest Service. \[*Applause.*\]

Mr. Lyle F. Watts. General Fleming, ladies and gentlemen, we forest
firefighters deeply appreciate the opportunity to present to this
Conference some of the problems which we face. In calling this
Conference the President specifically emphasized the urgent need for
reducing the drain on our natural resources due to destructive forest
fires.

One-third of our Nation's total land area, more than 650,000,000 acres,
is forest land, and there are more millions of acres of brush and wild
grassland that as range for domestic livestock make a major contribution
to the Nation's supply of meat, wool, and leather. Much of all this
forest and range land is also extremely important as watershed land.
Over all of this huge area of forest and wild land fire is an annual and
continuing menace.

This year our forests will be called on to yield us some 37 billion
board feet of lumber for homes and other uses. They must yield some 20
million railroad cross-ties, 18 million cords of pulpwood for paper and
plastics, 6 million poles for electric power and telephone lines, and a
lot of other needed forest products.

We are using up in this country our saw-timber supplies, our biggest and
best trees, half again as fast as they are being replaced by growth. It
is of the utmost importance, then, that we do not still further upset
the balance between growth and drain by inexcusable loss from forest
fires, just as important as protecting the forests as a source of water
and a regulator of stream flow. Municipal water supplies, hydroelectric
developments, and irrigation farming are dependent on forest and wild
land for their watersheds. Elimination of fires on watersheds is the
basic step in reducing the menace of floods.

Then, too, the forests harbor a large part of our wildlife resources.
The recreational values of the forests not only contribute to our
physical and spiritual health, but they are of economic importance as
the basis of a very sizable industry serving recreation and vacation
needs. All of these values are constantly menaced by forest fires.

The direct danger from forest fires runs into many millions of dollars
annually. In 1946 fires destroyed enough timber to build 215,000
five-room houses. They destroyed homes, farm buildings, and crops,
mills, and other improvements. Ten lives were lost fighting forest fires
in 1946.

To these direct losses must be added the vast intangible losses
resulting from such things as the decay or deterioration of fire damaged
timber, the replacement of desirable tree species by less valuable ones,
soil deterioration and erosion, uncertain streamflow and flood damage
resulting from fire, the destruction of game and valuable range, loss of
scenic value, interruption of travel and of tourist business, and the
disruption of industry and employment.

Though difficult to measure in dollars, these indirect losses are by no
means theoretical. Los Angeles County in California had an excellent
example a few years ago where cause and effect were as graphically
apparent as if drawn out on a chart. On New Year's Day 1934 a flood
ripped out of Pickens' Canyon destroying 400 homes in the town of
Montrose, causing \$5,000,000 in damage, and taking 34 lives. A month or
so earlier a forest and brush fire had burned over the watershed above
the canyon. Heavy rains occurred over that whole general region, but it
was from the few hundred acres of burned watershed above Pickens'
Canyon, and only from that burned watershed, that damaging flood waters
emerged.

Preventing and suppressing forest fires present their own peculiar
problems. Forest fires are mostly outside the sphere of activity of city
and municipal fire departments. The problems of time and distance to be
overcome in forest country are much greater than in thickly populated
areas. The values involved are generally without benefit of fire
insurance.

Often, too, the damage amounts to a far greater loss in public values
than in financial loss to the immediate owner. The Los Angeles County
story I cited a moment ago is a case in point. The brush and chaparral
consumed by that particular fire had little or no cash value of itself,
but the flood damage resulting from that fire ran into the millions, and
from that example we can readily see why it is often as important to
protect brush or a scrubby growth from a fire as it is to protect mature
timber. The brush or chaparral that many people call worthless may be
worth many dollars per acre as watershed cover.

Systematic forest fire control began in this country about 40 years ago
in national forests under administration of the United States Forest
Service of the Department of Agriculture. It was for the most part a new
endeavor, and focused first on the heroic task of controlling fires in
the backcountry of the West. From that beginning it has advanced
rapidly, until it has become a highly specialized undertaking in many
sections and is steadily increasing in efficiency.

At about the same time, private timberland owners began to band together
in timber protective associations. In 1911 the first real impetus to
protection of State and private land came about through the Weeks law.
It recognized the public stake in controlling fires and provided Federal
funds to reinforce the efforts of States and private owners. In 1924 the
Clark-McNary law greatly enlarged and liberalized these provisions.
Under these acts the area of privately owned forest land protection has
increased from 61,000,000 acres in 1911 to 319,000,000 acres in 1946.
But there are still 120,000,000 acres of privately owned forest lands
that as yet received no organized fire protection, and in many places
the protection already in force needs greatly to be strengthened.

Responsibility for forest fire protection is now actively assumed by
Federal, State, and private agencies. The United States Forest Service
protects the largest area of Federal forest land, some 185,000,000
acres, but several other Federal agencies also have a highly important
job in protecting wild lands. The National Park Service, the Indian
Service; the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service; and
the Bureau of Reclamation in the Interior Department all have large
areas of public land to protect. The Soil Conservation Service and the
TVA both cooperate in protection work. Even the Army and the Navy have a
very sizable forest fire protection job on military reservations.

In 43 States organized protection on non-Federal forest land is a
primary job of the State forestry department. Under the Clark-McNary law
a total of \$23,000,000 is budgeted for expenditure this year on
cooperative protection for State and privately owned forest lands. Of
this sum, the States are contributing 55 percent, the Federal Government
35 percent, the private landowner 10 percent.

Around 175,000 forest fires occur each year in the United States, of
which only 10 percent are caused by lightning, leaving 90 percent caused
by man and, therefore, preventable. The human hazard has more than
doubled since the war. People are vacation hungry, and they do
constitute a fire risk when they go out in the woods.

Perhaps that applies to some of us, too, you know. We are making
impressive progress in the methods of fighting growing forest fires, but
it will be far better and cheaper in the long run if we can cut down the
huge waste and destruction from careless American habits by checking
man-caused forest fires at their source.

This calls for an aggressive, continuing campaign of education. We have
under way a Nationwide cooperative forest fire prevention campaign in
which the American Red Cross, the Advertising Council, Inc., and many
organizations and individuals are cooperating with Federal and State
foresters. There are also effective "Keep America Green" programs under
way in 20 States. Such education programs need wider sponsorship and
need to reach more segments of the American public.

We need more work in the schools. We need to instruct farmers in the
care of burning old fields and brush, woods workers and sportsmen on
fire safety in the woods. We need to teach millions of smokers how to
handle their cigarettes and matches like responsible, grown-up
individuals. Our educational work must be coupled, and is, with law
enforcement and with State restrictions, excluding the public from
highly hazardous areas during periods of unusual fire danger. In
general, the State fire laws are reasonably adequate, but in many States
enforcement is weak, particularly in the case of laws applying to
incendiaries.

Equally important with fire prevention and law enforcement is
strengthening of the forces and facilities to combat fires that do
start. Organized protection should be extended as quickly as possible to
the 120,000,000 acres not now so protected. Existing Federal, State, and
private forest fire protection agencies, local, town, and municipal fire
departments, should be better coordinated.

A logical development is the expansion of forest protection into this
whole field of rural fire control. In some places this has already been
done. There should be continued study and development of forest
firefighting equipment, studies of fire weather, research in fire
prevention, and in suppression techniques.

Forest fire protection has now developed to the state in many places
where, in my opinion, insurance on standing timber is entirely feasible.
In order to attain these objectives we must have a better understanding
and appreciation on the part of the public of the great importance of
our forest and wild land resources - what their protection and wise use
mean to the individual in the way of cheaper lumber, better hunting and
fishing, and recreation -- what they mean to the Nation in safeguarding
water supply, regulated streamflow, steady yield of basic raw materials
for industry and employment. If and when every American citizen comes to
know how much our forests mean to national welfare and prosperity, we
shall have very few man-caused forest fires. I think this Conference
might well consider this matter and take the initiative toward making
forest insurance a reality. I am asking this Conference to give serious
consideration to the Nation's forest fire problem and in its findings
and recommendations to give full support to measures which will help
reduce the enormous damage and loss caused every year by the red demon
of the woods. The Federal, State, and private forest protection
agencies, I know, will cooperate to the fullest in effectuating the
President's program for fire protection. Thank you. \[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Thank you, Mr. Watts. The last four addresses have
most appropriately led up to the report of the Committee on Firefighting
Services. Gen. William J. Donovan, who was chairman of this committee
and who worked unceasingly with the committee and was here the early
part of this week, is unable to be here today to give the committee
report, so I am asking Horatio Bond to pinch-hit for him. Mr. Bond.
\[*Applause.*\]

Mr. Horatio Bond (National Fire Protection Association). I am sure that
General Donovan is sorry not to be here today, and I am personally
disappointed that he is not here to present this report to you. I have
greatly enjoyed working with him on this job. I have special affection
for him because he was one of the first of the topside military people
to accept the importance of the role which fire could play in the war.
He helped us get certain technical specialists at a time when they were
badly needed, and he sensed, I think, very early fire destruction might
be one of the pressures through which victory could be brought about.

![](media/image1.png){width="5.684722222222222in"
height="3.9722222222222223in"}

What those pressures are is perhaps illustrated by this Conference. A
few disastrous fires in this country during the past year, the LaSalle
and Winecoff Hotel fires, for example, and a number of others, have
prompted the President of the United States to ask some 2,000
distinguished citizens of the country, who are able to help deal with
fires, to come to Washington for the better part of a week to think
about what might be done.

It was true that the pressures of fire damage did bring victory. As
General Bull has indicated, fire is not only a peacetime but a wartime
problem. The destruction by fire of Hamburg, Germany, in the summer of
1943 by Royal Air Forces very nearly knocked Hitler out of the war at
that time.

In his address this morning Mr. Bugbee mentioned that a fire which has
been prevented is not spectacular. I know that it cannot compete as a
spectacle with the picture I have of a fire here in Washington just a
few years ago. The fire was in Hahn's Shoe Store, and the pictures
showed it enveloped in smoke. Four high pressure hose streams from
aerial ladders are shown in the pictures; another from a water tower;
four or five more from deck guns; and probably many others, that did not
show in the pictures, from hand lines inside the buildings. These plus
an array of apparatus, hose lines like spaghetti in the street, 300
firemen at work on a five-alarm fire, produced a real spectacle.

In presenting this report of the Firefighting Services Committee I am
making these remarks simply to draw a few lines of perspective.

Nearly all of the current large fires are those involving a single
property and, therefore, are not conflagration in the sense of a
sweeping fire. There have been some forest conflagrations and waterfront
conflagrations, but the day of the great sweeping fire involving dozens
or hundreds of buildings in our city areas, is largely past. It has been
about 25 years since we have had a conflagration of the sort involving a
loss of as much as \$10,000,000, and no conflagration to match those of
Chicago in 1871, Boston in 1872, Baltimore in 1904, or San Francisco in
1906.

It is proper to mention these, because the greatly reduced chance of
conflagrations is due to the development of our municipal fire and water
departments. Improvements in building construction, especially the
general exclusion of wood-shingle roofings, of course, has helped reduce
the chance of conflagration, but I am addressing these observations to
the effect of the improvements in firefighting facilities.

Estimates of fire losses available to us are expressed in dollars, and
you do not need me to tell you that the dollar today is not what it was
even 5 years ago. In dollars the 1946 estimated loss was about the same
as that of 1926. In terms of relative destruction the 1946 loss is only
about 77 percent of that of 1926. The estimated losses in 1946 increased
in dollars 16 percent over the previous year. In terms of relative
destruction this increase was less than 5 percent.

A better picture of the spectacular progress which we have made against
first comes from a consideration of the amount destroyed in comparison
to the total amount of property there is to burn. The amount of property
which could burn has greatly increased since 1926, yet even the
distorted dollar values show that we are burning, currently, a little
less than then. The amount this year will be only a fraction of the
total which might burn. Add in your mind to the normal increase in
building since 1926 the huge expansion of the war years, and you can see
the extent of the accomplishment.

There is more and more to burn every year, yet less and less of it is
burning.

The report before you has been prepared on the basis of ideas supplied
by members of the committee. These were developed at meetings of four
working subcommittees early in April. A meeting of the full committee
was held on April 14, and following that meeting the draft which has
been circulated here at the Conference was prepared. It was reviewed
yesterday at a very fully attended meeting and was given extended
discussion. The numerous items in the action program in the report were
approved. At the same time a number of changes were made which will
appear in the published report. Practically all of these were of an
editorial character, none of which change any fundamental parts of the
program recommended.

Mr. Chairman, I move the acceptance of the report by the Conference and
the approval of the Action Program for the Firefighting Services as
presented in the report. \[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Thank you, Mr. Bond. You have all had copies of the
report. Mr. Bond has explained to you the very slight changes in it,
except some editorial work. Is there any second to this motion?

{*The motion was seconded by Mr. Frank McAuliffe, was put to a vote, and
was unanimously approved.*}

Chairman Fleming. The American Red Cross is the one organization to
which we all turn in time of disaster. After the devastating tornadoes
that swept portions of Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri this spring and at
the Texas City calamity in April, it was the Red Cross that was first on
the scene to hold out a helping hand to the afflicted. In reality that
was the helping hand of all the American people, for the Red Cross is a
democratic organization supported by all the people and serving all the
people in time of need.

The executive vice chairman of the Red Cross is a native of Boston and
has a distinguished record in social work. Principally, however, he has
made the Red Cross service his career, and it was he who handled the
negotiations that brought the Red Cross into Holland to succor the
afflicted at the German invasion of 1939.

Mr. James T. Nicholson. \[*Applause.*\]

Mr. James T. Nicholson. Mr. Chairman, ladies, and gentlemen, the dean of
a well-known women's college, realizing that he could not do anything
about the smoking on the part of the girls, addressed them one morning
and said, "I am not going to sermonize or moralize about smoking, but I
want to tell you that you neither smoke as ladies or gentlemen," and I
suspect that in what he said a lot could be made to apply to most of us.

It happens that my father was a firefighter in a volunteer fire
department many years ago. He took his job very seriously, and he
instilled in me certain habits with respect to fire prevention that
still control certain of my actions. I paid the penalty somewhat the
other day, because just after a 15-cent shine, as habit, I threw my butt
onto the sidewalk and then proceeded to step on it and grind it out,
only to find that I had stepped into a mud puddle. But my discomfiture
was not as great as the experienced from the glares of the butt snipers
in Frankfurt a year ago with General Bull and in Cairo, Egypt,
particularly.

I am indeed glad to bring you a message from the American National Red
Cross and to assure you of wholehearted Red Cross support in the
Nationwide fight to prevent destruction of lives and property by fire.

Many may not realize it but, from its inception, the American Red Cross
has been a fighter for the prevention of fires and of fire hazards and
with considerable cause. Sixty-six years ago, in 1881, the newly
organized American Red Cross numbering only 250 members answered its
first disaster call -- a call to take help to homeless sufferers in the
great forest fires that were sweeping Michigan. Word came to the small
Red Cross group that thousands were fleeing before the flames; that many
were dying in the ashes of their hard-earned homes.

That was the first test -- a test by fire -- of the ingenuity and
purpose inherent in the hearts of those first American Red Cross
disaster workers. Sixty-six years ago, communications and
transportation, as I need not point out, were not as fast as they are
today -- yet many boxes of supplies, nearly \$4,000 in cash, as well as
volunteer help was rushed to the Michigan area.

That was the organization's baptism in disaster work.

In the past 10 years we have given help in rehabilitation and disaster
occurring on an average of one every 2 days. And ever since that time,
it has been a major Red Cross responsibility to relieve the human
suffering and misery caused by fires -- and, through educational
prevention programs, to help reduce the number of fires.

The Red Cross congressional charter states -- and I'd like to quote --
that we must "continue and carry on a system of national and
international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating
the suffering caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other
great national calamities and to devise and carry on measures for the
prevention of the same." And I would emphasize the last phrase. I can
think of no gathering where the question as to what the Red Cross
actually does about fire prevention could be better asked -- and
answered -- than at this Conference.

First, because nearly 9 million Americans have completed Red Cross
accident-prevention and first-aid courses within the past 7 years. Take
first-aid courses, for example. We cannot teach how to treat a burn
without giving counsel about preventing fires, the cause of so many
fires, getting out of burning buildings, and turning in alarms. We
cannot teach accident prevention without giving information about common
fire hazards and how to eradicate them.

A major part of all Red Cross accident-prevention courses is devoted to
reducing the hazards of fires in homes and on farms. Red Cross training
objectives in this field -- and again I quote -- are "to focus upon
individual responsibility in the prevention of fires and the elimination
of fire hazards -- and also to acquaint students fully with the programs
of fire prevention as conducted by the state and local communities."

American Red Cross workers, serving at 581 major fires throughout the
United States during the past 7 years, saw again and again the enormous
toll of life and property which occurs year after year. Many of these
workers are still on the scene of the Texas City explosion and fire;
others are in the Texas-Oklahoma Panhandle areas where fire followed
tornado. Last year Red Cross men and women served at the Winecoff,
LaSalle, and other hotel conflagrations which took more than 270 lives.

Yes, your Red Cross sees at first hand the dire need of greater fire
prevention education.

And now -- secondly -- because the Red Cross works directly with the
United States Forestry and the United States Weather Bureau in fire
prevention, fire spotting, and disaster preparedness. Early in 1945,
special forest fire prevention committees were set up by Red Cross in
each of its five area offices. Through its network of 3,754 chapters,
the Red Cross has helped circulate films, posters, pamphlets, cartoons,
radio skits, and other attention-compelling publicity to schools,
libraries, filling stations, lumber companies, railroads, and hotels.

My third and possibly most important point -- deals with Red Cross fire
prevention work among 19,000,000 young Americans -- members of the
American Junior Red Cross.

There is where our greatest hope for the future lies. This year seven
area training centers, established in cooperation with the United States
Forest Service, have enrolled hundreds of Junior Red Cross members in
the States of California, Washington, Minnesota, Arkansas, Montana,
Virginia, and Georgia. As an important part of these programs for
leadership training, veteran forest rangers have presented films and
lectures, and have taken the Junior Red Cross fire prevention trainees
on field trips. The practical phases of these on-the-ground fire
prevention courses have occupied from 3 to 10 hours for each Junior Red
Cross member.

This type of Red Cross fire prevention work is, I believe, concrete and
well defined. Similar programs are under way in many of our chapters. In
Spokane, Wash., for example, several hundred Junior Red Cross members
recently went on duty at all filling stations throughout the city. These
young people were not pumping gasoline or filling car radiators or
wiping off windows. They were performing a simple, courteous service in
emptying automobile ash trays, so that the ash trays could be used
without possible danger by car occupant. As you well know, cigarettes
tossed carelessly from car windows have many times caused tremendous
brush and forest fires. As each ash tray was emptied, a small sticker
was attached to it, reading: "Use the Ash Tray -- Prevent Forest Fires."

Again -- this time in Salt Lake City -- all boys and girls belonging to
the Junior Red Cross pledged themselves to act as voluntary fire
spotters for the city fire department and for the United States Forest
Service. Numerous instances have already been quoted in official reports
showing that alarms turned in by these young people prevented
potentially large fires from gaining headway.

Many other Red Cross chapters and Junior Red Cross groups could be cited
for their practical, down-to-earth programs of fire prevention. Their
projects may vary in some degree, according to locality, but the same
over-all purpose inspires each of them.

And that, at least in part, is what the American National red Cross is
doing in this Nationwide campaign for increased fire prevention
education.

We are pleased that President Truman has asked the Red Cross to
participate in this great conference. We are delighted to be an active
partner with all of you and with other national and community groups who
are striving toward a common goal. Working together, I'm sure we can
achieve a safer America -- a more alert America, constantly on guard
against the needless loss of life and property from preventable fires.
\[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Thank you, Mr. Nicholson.

The next speaker is a gentleman who has developed such a distaste for
fire in any shape or form that I am told he even eats his food raw.
\[*Laughter.*\] A fire anywhere in the United States is certain to cause
him acute distress.

I have the honor of presenting, not introducing, Mr. W. E. Mallalieu,
general manager of the National Board of Fire Underwriters. Mr.
Mallalieu needs no introduction to any audience interested in fire
prevention. \[*Applause.*\]

Mr. W. E. Mallalieu (general manager, the National Board of
Underwriters). General Fleming, ladies and gentlemen, as I think of the
inspiring and challenging address President Truman delivered from this
platform yesterday, filled with sincerity and sympathetic understanding
of the problems of this Conference, and as I think of the addresses and
papers presented here, the main thought in my mind is: What an
opportunity we have to make our America a better and safer place in
which to live! \[*Applause.*\]

Fire waste in the United States constitutes a problem of paramount and
far reaching importance. It vitally affects the economic future of the
Nation.

During the 81 years since the National Board of Fire Underwriters was
founded it has fought a relentless battle against fire.

From a small beginning the fire loss has increased almost annually
despite the combined efforts of many companies and organizations to
arrest it. During that time many cities have been almost burned out. The
tragedies of Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chelsea, and scores of
others have kept the sky red with the glow of conflagration.

Over the past half century we have made great technological progress in
fire prevention. The principles involved in eradicating the conditions
that breed fires and in preventing the spread of flame and toxic gases
are well known. We have worked out safe methods of handling and storing
a vast number of highly flammable and explosive products. We have
devised measures which make hazardous industrial processes relatively
safe to human life.

Yet in the past few years we have seen the fire loss growing. We have
seen the numbers of fires increase steadily until, a survey conducted by
this Conference tells us, they now average more than 800,000 fires per
year in the United States. Our dollar fire loss is at an all-time high.

However, compared with the amount of property at risk and the increased
wealth of the country we have undoubtedly made substantial progress in
protecting our Nation from fire.

And who can say how much greater devastation would have been visited
upon our cities or what the cost would be in human life, if we had not
developed sound principles of fire prevention?

Yes, we've made great progress. Progress that can be measured and
counted in the tens of thousands of lives saved, and hundreds of
millions, perhaps, billions of dollars worth of property preserved to
serve the Nation and the world.

But this progress is not enough. We still burn too much and destroy too
many lives.

If history repeats itself -- should the upward trend of fire losses
follow a curve similar to the experience after World War I and continue
to rise for nine consecutive years, we will soon be confronted with
billion-dollar losses instead of half or three-quarter billion-dollar
destruction.

At the present rate of increase, fire losses for 1947 will hit
three-quarters of a billion dollars. Projecting the same rate of
increase into the future, the shocking figure of \$1,000,000,000 will be
reached by 1950 -- just 5 years after the conclusion of World War II, as
compared to 8 years after the termination of World War I when the
greatest fire loss of that period occurred.

To me it is unbelievable that we have allowed this situation to exist or
that we will tolerate its continuance without mobilizing all the talent
and ingenuity, energy and resources this great country possesses.

Rightfully we have always prided ourselves upon our American spirit of
accomplishment -- our will and our ability to get things done. Our
people have wrested a great Nation from the wilds of an untamed
continent. We have built upon an economic system of free enterprise,
based on individual initiative, which has achieved a productivity and
resulted in a standard of living which is the envy of the rest of the
world.

We have succeeded in solving, or at least mitigating, most our great
social problems such as contagious disease, sanitation, and crime, by
the effective application of the developments of science and technology.
But each year we continue to sacrifice to fire thousands of lives --
innocent men, women and most tragic of all, children -- burned to death
or maimed and cripple for life. We have permitted and continue to permit
the wanton, profligate destruction of billions of dollars in
irreplaceable natural and created wealth.

For years we have endeavored to meet this problem by general education
and by the adoption of restrictive fire codes, but today it is apparent
that nothing but the whole hearted cooperation of all interests in our
national life can control the loss of life and property due to life.
Reviewing the tragic years that are past, we look hopefully into the
future. We have gone far. We have accomplished splendid results in the
education of our people to the hazards which are developing in everyday
life. With the help of specialists and the cooperation of different
interested organizations we have been able to solve many of the critical
fire conditions introduced into modern society. Safety standards and
regulations have been developed and in many cities have been accepted
which have proven of lasting value. Building codes have been adopted --
but the best building code in the world depends entirely on proper
enforcement.

Let me direct your attention for just a moment to what has been
accomplished in other fields. These are achievements which should be an
incentive and a spur to us to strive to do as much in fire safety.

According to statistics compiled by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.,
diphtheria took a toll of 125 lives per 100,000 population in 1885 while
in 1945 this death rate had been reduced to 1.2 per 100,000.

In 1885 typhoid accounted for 50 deaths per 100,000 population while in
1945 deaths from that great killer had been practically wiped out --
reduced to a mere 0.4 deaths per 100,000.

Even against our greatest killer, tuberculosis, we have made remarkable
progress. In 1885 approximately 200 died of this disease out of each
100,000 population while in 1945 this rate was only one-fifth of that
frightful toll -- 40.1 deaths per 100,000.

How have those miraculous results been accomplished? Simply because as a
people we recognized the hazards which faced us and were willing to pay
the price -- in money, in effort and in perseverance, to make the
unrelenting fight necessary to bring them under control. We applied the
latest scientific and technical knowledge to the problems. We took the
preventive measures necessary to eliminate or control the breeding
places of the germs responsible for those diseases. We enforced
protective measures to safeguard our people against these scourges.

Why can't we as a Nation attack the fire menace with the same spirit of
determination? Why can't all of us -- Nation, State, and municipalities
-- work together, using every resource at our command to take those
corrective measures which are necessary to control fire hazards? Why
can't we apply to this great problem the wealth of knowledge, experience
and scientific information available?

The great price which we are paying each year in innocent lives and
irreplaceable wealth demands that we do so -- now!

In calling together this Conference, President Truman has shown the
initiative and leadership essential to the approach to this problem on a
truly national scale. I regard this President's Conference as perhaps
the most significant event in our country's long fight against fire
menace. It will enlist great new forcers in the fight against
preventable destruction. With the more general acceptance by public
officials of responsibility for fire safety in their respective
jurisdiction, the promise of greater progress in the future seems
assured.

We are facing an era of constantly growing fire hazards brought about by
the discovery and widespread use of new and increasingly hazardous
chemical compounds. The Texas City disaster on the very eve of this
Conference has highlighted the problems of the future. We must speed up
our research. We must apply the latest scientific knowledge and
technological developments to the conquest of fire in the same manner
that scientific tools were used in our victory over contagious diseases.
We must attack the fire problem on every front with the same
determination that characterized those campaigns against disease.

The organization which I have the honor to represent has been engaged in
the fight against fire for over three quarters of a century. I pledge to
this Conference that we will not only continue that fight in the days
ahead but will intensify our efforts. We will do all that is within our
power to help to make effective the recommendations which are
promulgated by this Conference. The true success of our effort, however,
will depend not alone upon the trained men leading our fire departments
and the intelligent efforts of our public officials in the States and
municipalities, but upon the fire consciousness of the general public.
To all of them I now appeal. The opportunity, ladies and gentlemen, is
yours! What an opportunity! \[*Applause*.\]

General Fleming. Thank you very much indeed, Mr. Mallalieu. That was
really most inspiring.

It would be surprising if with some 10,000 lives being sacrificed to
fire each year in the United States the life insurance companies did not
feel that they also had a very considerable interest in fire prevention.
I imagine the life insurance people would be quite happy if all of us
could just keep on living forever. Unhappily, that does not yet seem to
be quite possible, although within a generation the average life span
has been almost miraculously increased. A boy baby today can expect to
live to an age of 62 at least, while a girl baby may look forward to
more than 67 years on this mortal soil. Maybe the girls are tougher.
They can expect to live that long barring automobile accidents and
fires.

The accidents that have the growth of mechanization have replaced as
outstanding killers a number of diseases once considered fatal. For a
decade or more we have been losing ground in our battle against fire.
That is curious when you come to think of the extreme difficulty of
controlling disease compared with the relative ease with which fires can
be prevented if we only set ourselves to the task.

It is my privilege to introduce Mr. O. J. Arnold, an old friend of mine
from Minneapolis, president of the Northwestern National Life Insurance
Co., who has long been a leader in insurance association work. Mr.
Arnold. \[*Applause.\]*

O. J. Arnold. As others here have pointed out, the recent holocaust at
Texas City provides a grim backdrop for this Conference. At the same
time it dramatically points up the need for an all-out attack on the
disastrous fire toll for which this meeting is the kick-off. When we
review the appalling costs of this conflagration, we may even agree with
the unknown ancient who first said "It is later than you think." Had
such a Conference as this been held a year ago, and had it perchance
prevented the spark which set Texas City aflame, what a contribution
that would have been to the well-being and happiness of the American
people!

Such a contribution would not have been measured wholly by the property
losses which would have been avoided had there been no catastrophe. Nor
would it have been measured by the indemnity for the human lives lost,
whatever that figure may prove to be when the life insurance payment
figures are finally available. Far more important than the immediate
economic costs of any disaster, huge as they are, are the personal
losses to the families of the dead and the continuing loss to our
society of the contributions they would have made in their life's work.
Who can say what these Texas City losses will eventually add up to?
There may have been among the fatalities a scientist who would have
found the cure for cancer, a potential statesman whose leadership would
have hastened harmony and understanding among all the nations, a
musician destined to write the modern folk songs of America. There must
have been, among the dead, men who would have produced children with
qualities of mind and spirit which the nation urgently needs. These are
the irreplaceable values -- human lives as well as economic values --
which are snuffed out in the flame and gases over Texas City. These are
the more important of the values we seek to conserve in the program
launched here.

We in the life insurance business believe that any business holding the
important place which life insurance does in the national economy has a
responsibility to promote the welfare of the people as a whole, as well
as of its policyholders. We believe that is good business as well as
good citizenship. And speaking for the life insurance companies, I do
not hesitate to say that keen as our interest is in conserving life in
order to reduce mortality rates, our business as a whole is aware, too,
of these human values and of the long-range contribution they make to
the general welfare. Because of these human values, the desire of the
life insurance business to have this Conference point the way to
conservation of life through fire prevention is deepened and
strengthened.

The human race has, from early tribal days, attacked its worse scourges
by calling a council of war and planning a full-scale attack. That is
why this Conference gives encouraging promise of real accomplishment.
Intelligent thought and planning lie behind this meeting. I take
personal satisfaction in the fact that your Chairman, General Fleming,
to whom much credit must go, is an old acquaintance of mine, dating back
to the years when he headed the upper Mississippi River development
project which has meant so much to those of us who live in that area.
General Fleming, in his public expression on the subject of fire
prevention, has emphasized the three E's -- Education, Enforcement, and
Engineering -- as the keys to the problem, and he wisely puts education
first. That is where, in my opinion, the best chances for success lie in
combating the fire menace.

Perhaps many of you noted the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.'s survey
of catastrophic accidents over the past 10 years, released by grim
coincidence on the very day of the Texas City explosion. That survey
concludes that almost 90 percent of all catastrophic accidents, and more
than three-fourths of the resulting deaths, are the result not of
natural disasters but of human failures.

Human failures -- carelessness, if you will -- lie at the bottom of most
fire tragedies. Surely that is apparent on every hand. And carelessness
will yield only to education -- persistent, persuasive education as to
what causes fires and how appalling can be the consequences of failure
to observe preventive measures. Only when the people as a whole
appreciate these facts will we get really effective action on a broad
scale.

Over the years I have found that people will do the things they should
do, if they understand they are desirable for them and for the public
good. They will get vaccinated against smallpox -- and deaths from
smallpox have been reduced to an almost negligible figure. They will
contribute generously to worthy causes such as the fight against heart
disease, cancer, and polio -- yet polio, for example, even in an
epidemic year, claims only a fraction of the deaths which fire claim.
They will take preventive health measures. In my own city of
Minneapolis, we are this very week launching a community-wide program in
cooperation with the Federal Government, to X-ray the chest of every
adult in the city, in order to disclose signs of tuberculosis and other
chest ailments such as enlarged hearts and cancer. We may not achieve
this goal 100 percent, but the public reaction to the idea of taking a
dramatic step toward making Minneapolis the healthiest city in the
country is phenomenally good. Six months ago I would have been extremely
skeptical -- now I am confident this ambitious goal is attainable. Yes,
people will respond to intelligent programs of education.

Finally, I present my one and only recommendation to the members of this
Conference. It is this: that we add a fourth "E" to General Fleming's
three E's -- Education, Enforcement, and Engineering. The fourth E is
Example. Each of us in this auditorium is present because he or she has
some special responsibility in the war against fire disaster. Each of us
has some influence in our community. If each of us will, when we get
back home, provide an example for our fellow citizens by practicing the
commonsense rules which we all know will reduce the local fire toll, we
will be using one of the most effective tools of education. If we are
fire prevention conscious, and let that fact be known by our example,
others soon will be. If we are not, how can we expect others to be? If
we start with ourselves, we shall have taken the first small but
necessary step toward our long-range goal.

Chairman Fleming. Thank you, Mr. Arnold. I want to say that I am all for
that last "E" the fourth one. I hope you will all take that back with
you.

I am told that the Committee on Research has its report ready, and to
present the report I call on Mr. Woodward H. Brenton, Chairman of the
committee. Mr. Brenton. \[*Applause.*\]

Mr. Woodward H. Brenton. Mr. Chairman and members of the Conference, to
make my position perfectly clear, I want you to know that I stand before
you merely as spokesman for a group of very able men who have been
serving as members of this Committee on Research. As a layman, I want to
tell you about how greatly I appreciate watching these men work and
seeing their skill and ability on this subject and, more than that,
observing their seriousness in trying to solve this important problem.
Right now I want to thank those men, especially Mr. Alvah Small, for the
heavy burden he has carried in connection with this committee as
secretary of the committee.

You have all seen the report of the committee, which was prepared after
a number of conferences and was made available. Yesterday afternoon the
committee had a 4-hour session. A number of changes were made in the
report, but for the most part they had to do with clarifying it and
making more complete the original intention of the members of the
committee. There are four major matters which I feel, however, should be
called to your attention before presenting the report.

In the first section of the draft which was made available to you, in
the recommendation of a central place for availability of information
for fire prevention, the word "authority" was used. Since there was no
intention toward the establishment of any authority, the wording of this
section has been changed.

The second matter I wish to call to your attention is in the section
dealing with the treatment of habitual fire setters. The wording was
changed to give due respect to the rights of the individual.

![](media/image2.png){width="5.534722222222222in"
height="4.327083333333333in"}

In the section on Navy firefighter schools it was first recommended that
the Navy firefighter schools be made available. Since this original
recommendation was made, the Navy has announced its willingness to make
these schools available; therefore, the wording of this section was
changed.

The one addition that was made to this report is an additional section.
I will read the conclusions of that section contained in one sentence:

> The Committee on Research believes it appropriate to recommend to the
> Conference that it go on record asserting its support and endorsement
> of National-State-local government and civilian programs for fire
> prevention.

Mr. Chairman, I want to recommend and move the adoption of this report
of the Committee on research. \[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Thank you very much, sir.

Mr. Walter Williams (Seattle, Wash.). I second the motion.

Chairman Fleming. We are happy to have in the audience today Mr. S. H.
Ingberg, Chief of the Fire Resistance Section of the National Bureau of
Standards, who tells me he would like to comment briefly on the report
of this committee. Will Mr. Ingberg please come up on the stage so that
he can speak into the microphone and be heard by all of us? He is a very
distinguished man in this particular line. We are very happy to have him
here. \[*Applause.*\]

Mr. S. H. Ingberg. Far from being distinguished, I feel very humble,
particularly in this company. I have spent some years in fire-loss
prevention, and I really have not felt that I made more than a very,
very feeble start.

One of the objects and outcome of research in fire loss prevention
should be establishment of its more important fundamentals on a broad
and secure basis. These cannot be said to be as well developed or
established as those for structural, mechanical, electrical, and safety
engineering. While acknowledging the greater complexity of conditions
that affect the fire loss, it should be possible to make more effective
use of the loss experience in establishing basis of evaluation of
hazards for given conditions and the application of appropriate
protection measures.

The outlay required for protection should be proportionate to the
reduction in the fire loss that can be achieved thereby. Where life loss
is not involved, it is questionable whether it should exceed the
expected saving. Even where protection of life, as well as property, is
a consideration, an evaluation on the above basis will give significant
information.

The annual cost of loss prevention measures can in general be taken as
the sum of recurring items, such as fire inspection, fire brigade, and
watchman service, plus a percentage of the initial cost of fire
protection equipment, the latter to cover interest on the investment,
depreciation, and maintenance. In arriving at estimates of possible
reduction in fire losses for given outlays, due account must be taken of
the degree of effectiveness of the measures provided, and an outlay for
given measures equal to the expected loss for the unprotected condition
is justified on the basis of saving of property only, if such measures,
as judged by the experience record, will reduce the loss to a
comparatively small percentage thereof.

Considerations such as the above should assist materially in the
application of rational analysis to the evaluation of specific
conditions from the standpoint of hazard and required protection.
Possibly, as an outcome of further study, a case book might be
developed, listing on one side the factors having a bearing on the
hazard, such as construction, occupancy, and public protection, and on
the other, the more applicable protection measures. If of sufficient
range and suitability arranged and indexed, such a compilation might
prove very helpful in the initial appraisement of

given conditions.

An approach such as the above should assist in preventing the proposal
of a miscellany of measures on the chance that some of them may be
effective. It would also be helpful in offsetting the tendency to
indicate a too limited range in protection measures, where others might
equally or better apply. The essential difference between fire
protection engineering and promotion of the various devices and services
by which it is in part implemented is the ability to truly appraise the
hazard and recommend the most economical and effective measures for the
conditions presented.

It should be recognized that a high degree of protection is attainable
with a combination of conditions or measures, none of which by itself
may rate as of highest effectiveness. In this connection I will cite the
fire loss record of the Government building plant for Washington and
vicinity. The value of buildings and contents subject to fire loss, not
including any valuation on records, is near \$1,000,000,000. The average
annual fire loss for the past 15 or 20 years has been less than
\$10,000. This gives an annual loss rate of no more than 1 cent per
\$1,000 of value exposed. This compares with a national average of the
order of \$2 and, for the better improved risks, of 20 cents per
\$1,000.

The construction is superior for nearly all buildings but for some of
the leased properties. The occupancy conditions present a general range
from light to medium fire hazard, with only relatively small areas of
high hazard. Inspections for fire hazard are made more or less regularly
but, otherwise, there is no central control of occupancy conditions.
Incombustible furniture and filing equipment are used to a considerable
extent, but some areas present a considerable fire hazard from record
storage in combustible shelving. Standpipes, hand extinguishers, and
watchman service are provided for nearly the whole property. Automatic
Sprinkler and automatic alarm equipment cover less than 1 percent of the
total. While the property with very little protection might not be
considered a bad insurance risk, with what is provided it quite
apparently represents an extraordinarily good one.

The above is presented only as an example of the possibilities of fire
control by appraisement of conditions and application of protection and
management measures that have significant bearings on the fire loss,
more general recognition of which may assist in furthering the general
objectives of the Conference. \[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Thank you, Mr. Ingberg. We still have before us the
motion of Mr. Brenton that this Conference accept the report of the
Committee on Research. It has been seconded. Is there any further
discussion?

{*The question was put to a vote and was carried unanimously.*}

{*Announcements.*}

Chairman Fleming. We will now recess until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.

{*The Conference adjourned at 4 P.M.*}

Thursday Morning Session

*May 8, 1947*

THE Conference reconvened at 10:15 A.M., Chairman Fleming presiding.

Chairman Fleming. The Conference will please come to order. I shall can
on Rabbi Norman Gerstenfeld, minister of the Washington Hebrew
Congregation, to offer the invocation.

Rabbi Norman Gerstenfeld. O Thou Who are the seat of our hopes, the
tower of strength of our souls, the guide of our hands, the vision of
our courage, and the love in our hearts, help us to save our generation
from the terror that cometh by night and the arrow that flieth by day,
from the pestilence that walketh in darkness and the destruction that
wasteth at noonday. Shield our children from the devouring fires of
destruction and our dear ones from the thoughtfulness of themselves and
others that would add to the devouring flame.

Fill our hearts with Thy wisdom and understanding, for except Thou
keepest the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Amen.

Chairman Fleming. Among our guests today is one very distinguished one,
whose arrival in this country is fortunately timed so he can observe our
deliberations today. He is Dr. S. H. Clark of the British Fire Research
Organization maintained jointly by the British Department of Scientific
and Industrial Research and the British Fire Officer's Committee. Dr.
Clark is director of this new British Fire Research Organization and
will be in this country for several weeks to come. He will undoubtedly
have the opportunity to see and talk with various ones of you as he gets
around. I am glad to welcome him and will ask him to stand up for a
moment so that we may greet him. \[*Applause.*\]

{*Dr. Clark stood in recognition of the applause.*}

Chairman Fleming. Maj. Gen. Alden Waitt, Chief of the Chemical Warfare
Service, through Col. L. M. Johnson, Chemical Warfare Service, wishes to
announce that the Chemical Warfare Service will be happy to conduct
tests at Edgewood Arsenal on the gas travel and characteristics of
propane and butane gases in the air due to leaks from tanks. All
information on this subject will be given out by the Chemical Warfare
Service to all interested.

I think I will take just a moment to say a word about the music with
which we have been entertained at the Conference, On Tuesday, as you are
aware from a glance at your program, we heard the United States Marine
Corps Band under the leadership of Maj. William F. Santelmann. Yesterday
we had with us the United States Navy Band under the leadership of Lt.
Com. Charles Brendler. We are indebted today to the United States Army
Band under the leadership of Capt. Hugh J. Curry. These three bands are
great national institutions. They have frequently toured the country,
and you have probably heard them before.

Ordinarily, when we think of a brass band, we think of stirring marching
music. These gentlemen can play that kind of music, too, but you have
been made aware of the fact that they also come close to the symphonic
ensemble, and I dare say there is not a member of any of the three
organizations who could not hold down a chair in any one of the leading
symphony organizations of the country. I am sure that I speak for all of
you when I express my thanks to Major Santelmann, Lieutenant Commander
Brendler, and Captain Curry and their men and express your appreciation
for the manner in which they have added to the pleasure of this
Conference. \[*Applause.*\]

For the last 2 days we have been considering various aspects of the fire
prevention problem, but we have saved until nearly the last what is by
no means least in importance, namely, the legal phase of fire
prevention, for I think it is no exaggeration to say that our best
techniques for fire prevention and extinguishment will be less effective
unless authority exists in law to compel compliance with at least
minimum safety precautions.

I have the honor of introducing Mr. J. H. Craig, chairman of the fire
marshals' section, National Fire Protection Association. He has served
as State fire marshal of Illinois since 1941, and during the war he was
the State fire coordinator and State property officer. Mr. Craig.
\[*Applause.*\]

Mr. John H. Craig. I am honored to have the opportunity to represent the
State, provincial, and city fire marshals at this most important
meeting, where the leading authorities in fire prevention work are
meeting at President Truman's request in an endeavor to lessen the
appalling loss of life and property due to fire.

"There ought to be a law" is the cry that goes up from the public every
time there is a major fire disaster. As a result, the various State
statute books are cluttered up with laws, some good, some bad, with the
question of enforcement often left dangling in midair. The consensus of
State fire marshals is that fire prevention laws, rules, and regulations
to be effective in holding down the fire loss must be enforced at the
local level, with the State offices to be used in an advisory capacity
or in special cases requiring State help, or where the local officers
are negligent in performing their duty.

In most all States, the State fire marshal laws provide that the
officers of cities, villages, towns, and fire protection districts are
charged with inspecting and examining buildings and other structures and
if a dangerous condition or fire hazard is found to exist shall order
the dangerous condition removed or remedied. Willful failure, neglect,
or refusal to comply with the order is a misdemeanor punishable by a
fine, subject, of course, to the owner's right to appeal the order to
the State fire marshal.

These State fire marshal laws set the correct pattern and if every one
concerned did his duty, most all fires would be prevented. However, most
local officials seem to have little sense of responsibility. The
tendency is to ask for an inspector from the State fire marshal office
for the most trivial fire hazard conditions, such as burning of trash in
an alley by a storekeeper, removal of weeds from vacant lots, rubbish
accumulations, defective flues, improper use of electric extension
cords, and so forth.

Fire authorities state that 60 percent of all fires are traceable to
such simple, but dangerous, conditions. You know how many of the large
fires start. Some careless smoker discards a lighted cigarette, the
housekeeping condition is bad and contrary to local ordinances, no one
bothers about enforcement. Every one should know better -- including the
careless smoker. The place is soon in flames. Maybe the fire department
can control the fire, often it can not. It ma be a hotel, a place of
public assembly, or an entire community may be wiped out, with the loss
of many lives, all because no one bothered about enforcing simple safety
standards.

Adoption of uniform minimum codes at the State level would still leave
the problem of enforcement with the State. The National Fire Protection
association and the National Board of Fire Underwriters have prepared
standards and codes that may be adopted by municipalities, covering
every local need, such as electrical wiring, building construction,
equipment for hazardous processes, volatile oils and liquefied petroleum
gases, dry cleaning plants, moving picture theaters, and so forth. The
National Board has prepared a booklet of suggested ordinances for
municipalities, which would be simple to adopt and enforce.

Every municipality should have a fire prevention bureau, with city
ordinances to cover essential problems of fire safety and with proper
provisions for enforcement at the local level. Each community differs
from other places in matters such as zoning, building regulations and
licensing, items of no concern to the State fire marshal. We believe
that fire prevention, like charity, must begin at home.

After every session of the various State legislatures, more and more
responsibilities are imposed on the State fire marshal. One example is
the "model hotel fire safety law" that was formulated by a special
committee of State, provincial, and city fire marshals, which will be
passed in some form by many States. In my State we are asking for
enforcement at the local level, for the reason that there are about
3,000 hotels that would come under the act, many of them in metropolitan
areas of Chicago, Peoria, Decatur, Springfield, East St. Louis, and
other Illinois cities, which have competent fire prevention bureaus and
do an excellent job of fire prevention inspection and seldom call on the
State fire marshal office for assistance. We are constantly urging other
cities and towns to organize fire prevention bureaus and adopt proper
local ordinances.

I know of no other State that has a larger or more able force of field
deputy fire marshals than Illinois, or whose legislature appropriates a
larger budget from the fire prevention fund, collected from the fire
insurance companies at the rate of one-half of 1 percent on all business
done in the State during the year. In spite of this, if we were
compelled by law to inspect the 3,000 hotels of the State semiannually
and make the necessary rechecks and follow-up for compliance, we would
not get the job done and I do not think any other State could do the
work properly at the State level, especially if we are to carry out the
mandates we already have from the law making bodies, which include in
Illinois passing on proposals for gasoline service stations, bulk
storage plants and garages, dry cleaning plants, liquefied petroleum
gases, approval of plans for buildings for schools and places of public
assembly, inspecting several hundred private nursing homes, county
operated homes, and hospitals for the State Departments of Public Health
and Public Welfare, besides the State hospitals, penal, corrective, and
educational institutions. Our work includes also the investigation of
some 500 fires of suspicious origin; conducting regional fire department
instruction schools for firemen; visual education and demonstration
programs for school children and local organizations; cooperation with
the State firemen's association and the State fire college; and
sponsoring a Statewide fire prevention week program.

No State fire marshal wishes to try to organize a bureaucracy or an army
of unqualified employees going about the State confusing the issues,
even if funds are available. We prefer to have fewer men who know and
like their work, can point out definite fire hazards and use tact,
diplomacy and salesmanship, explaining methods of correction and
responsibility for non compliance. We have a number of employees in our
office who have demonstrated their ability and have been working on
their jobs from 15 to 25 years. Their services are invaluable.

If some plan could be worked out to take the fire service out of
politics from top to bottom, it would be a great stride toward greater
fire safety. It is a disastrous set back to any fire protection program
when some competent fire chief or chief of an inspection bureau is
discharged just because a new mayor of an opposite political faith has
been elected. Politics in the fire service can only promote more and
bigger fires.

Summing up, I think we have some real spade work to so on a long range
program which will include the following:

1.  Local communities must assume and discharge their full share of
    responsibility for administering and enforcing fire safety.

2.  To assist in bringing this about, State fire marshals must devote a
    major effort toward organizing and improving local controls. This
    will involve education and training of local inspection personnel
    both in standards of fire safety and inspection technique.

3.  The start must be made now. Cities and villages must begin to take
    over their ordinary inspection work and build up from there.

4.  Chambers of commerce and civic groups must take a realistic view of
    the fire problem and regard it as a matter of major consequence.
    Their interest and support are necessary.

5.  We can rely on the press and radio to build public sentiment if
    there is adequate leadership for the program.

I hope it will be the consensus of this Conference to promote, sponsor,
and endorse the principle of enforcement of fire safety legislation at
the local level.

Chairman Fleming. Mr. Craig, we appreciate that address very much. You
have really given us something to think about there, especially this
idea of taking fire prevention out of politics. On the local level we
must look for support and guidance to our municipal law officers.

I have the privilege of presenting Mr. Herman C. Wilson, president of
the National Institute of Municipal Law Officers. Mr. Wilson.
\[*Applause.*\]

Mr. Herman C. Wilson. General Fleming, ladies and gentlemen, when a
lawyer gets up to talk, particularly when that lawyer is a public
officer, you have a right to fear and probably expect that you are going
to hear a long talk. I am going to surprise you in that respect today.

As spokesman for the city attorneys of the nation and our national
organization, the National Institute of Municipal Law Officers, I want
to go on record as stating that we are 100 percent back of President
Truman in the objectives he has stated for this great Conference on Fire
Prevention. We city attorneys fit into this picture because we write the
building codes and other ordinances which govern fire prevention
programs in the cities of this country, or at least we lend a legalistic
touch to the technical knowledge provided by the engineers, building
officials, fire chiefs, and other experts in this field before such
codes and ordinances receive the final approval of our city councils and
mayors.

You are all aware of the fact that a city can only do those things
specifically authorized by charter or by statute. A city government is,
in fact, just a vast mass of legal powers designed to further the public
health, safety, and general welfare. Fire prevention regulations are
certainly an exercise of these powers. That they are vital to human
safety is a fact which no court can deny.

There can be no doubt that courts will uphold any city fire prevention
regulation reasonably designed to prevent injury or loss of life. One of
the reasons for the very existence of city government is the need for
the exercise of such protection. We start, therefore, with undeniable
city legal power to act in this field.

Have cities realized that they have this power? Have they exercised
their legal capacities to the fullest extent to cut down on what
President Truman so aptly termed the tragic sequences of the 830,000
fires that occur annually in the United States?

The answer to these questions is certainly, "No." This is to me the
major finding of the excellent report of the Committee of Laws and Law
Enforcement, which Judge Knox will present. While the 16,220
incorporated cities in our Nation all have the legal power to adopt
building codes and fire prevention ordinances, less than 2,000 have done
do. Until the remaining 14,000 cities adopt adequate building codes and
fire prevention ordinances, their city officials can do nothing in this
field, for they must be legally authorized before they can act.

It is also true that many of the 2,000 building codes now in effect are
antiquated to the point that they are practically worthless. To
translate the technical knowledge of the experts in this field into new
codes where there are none and into necessary amendments where existing
codes are outmoded is our job as city attorneys. That is where we can
and will make our greatest contribution to the realization of the
objectives of this Conference.

We feel that the report of the Committee on Laws and Law Enforcement
offers in condensed capsule form the legal tools with which we can start
this task. This report and its recommendations, with which the National
Institute of Municipal Law Officers is heartily in accord, will indeed
go down in municipal legal history as a landmark work. It will serve as
an impetus to all city attorneys, for they will utilize its compiled
knowledge in making the legal machinery of their cities adequate to meet
the needs of adequate fire prevention.

I can assure you technical people in this field that if you will give us
your aid and cooperation, we will do our part in adapting city legal
machinery to the lifesaving and injury-prevention goals which all of us
hope to achieve through this Conference. I thank you. \[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Thank you, Mr. Wilson. You have made a very important
contribution to this Conference.

On a State level we must look to our State attorneys general for support
of our activities. The Honorable George Neuner, Attorney General of the
State of Oregon, speaks as representative of the National Association of
Attorneys General. Mr. Neuner. \[*Applause.*\]

Hon. George Neuner. General Fleming, ladies and gentlemen of the
Conference, it has been a revelation to me to have the privilege of
attending this Conference. I must confess that while I thought that I
knew something about fire prevention and fire-law enforcement, little
did I realize the magnitude of this subject until I had the privilege of
attending this Conference. You speak in millions and billions of dollars
of property destroyed by fire, which reminds me of the young schoolboy
who came home one day and said, "Dad, how much is a billion dollars?"
The father was somewhat occupied and did not give the attention to the
son that he should have. Unthinkingly he remarked, "That is a 'helluva'
of lot money." The next day the boy came home crying, and the father
said to him, "Son, what is the matter?" He said, "Dad, you did not give
me the right answer." \[*Laughter.*\]

It is with somewhat of a feeling of humility that I even attempt to
represent or to speak for the National Association of Attorneys General.
The personnel of this association is composed of some of the ablest
lawyers in the land, many of whom would grace the ermine of our highest
courts. Through the Association of the Attorneys General the Council of
State Governments, that great organization which has accomplished so
much by disseminating and distributing the laws throughout the various
States of the Nation, has performed a marvelous service by unifying laws
that affect the daily life and conduct of every man, woman, and child in
the Nation.

Each State, of course, has its own problems and legal questions. The
procedure in one State may not be applicable in another. The attorney
general plays an important part in his respective State in construing
the statutes, and advising the agencies of the State Government. In some
States he is the public prosecutor, while in others he prosecutes only
when directed by the chief executive, but in each he is at all times the
legal advisor to the State officers.

Would that every attorney general of our organization could have been
here and have participated in these deliberations. I know it would have
been instructive and would enlighten him to perform better his official
duties. I know each would be impressed, as was I, with the President's
sincere and timely message delivered from this platform.

From the legal standpoint Attorney General Clark gave us much food for
thought. As a prosecutor of some 20 years, one realizes and appreciates
that of all of the criminal cases tried throughout the land -- I think I
am safe in saying that perhaps the same result obtains elsewhere in our
State -- the crime of arson in its different aspects gets the least
number of convictions of all the crimes punishable under the law.

Why? Because, as General Clark stated, the evidence usually is burned
up. But it has been my experience that in nearly all of the cases in
which the prosecution was successful, it was largely dependent upon
circumstantial evidence, the most technical guarded evidence known to
our jurisprudence.

The average person knows little about gathering circumstantial evidence
and preserving it so that the prosecutor can go into court with it and
satisfy a strict construction of the law, and it follows that the
average juror is somewhat prejudiced against circumstantial evidence.
Yet to my mind, when the chain of circumstances is complete, it is the
best evidence that there is, as I have frequently stated to juries,
circumstances do not lie, and witnesses sometimes do. \[*Laughter.*\]

It is therefore becomes necessary, indeed imperative, that through the
legal heads of government -- Attorney General, District Attorneys, City
Attorneys -- that law enforcing personnel must be schooled and
instructed in the gathering and preserving of circumstantial evidence.
Usually the fireman has his duties to perform and overlooks some very
important features in every fire. It requires particularly trained
investigators, and schools for that purpose should be conducted
throughout the various States, counties, and municipalities in order to
have men trained in that line of duty who will get on the job
immediately and preserve every bit of evidence available.

In our State, if you will pardon my transgressing from my assigned
subject -- I can only speak of conditions that obtain in our State -- we
take pride in our fire organizations. We have a very efficient State
fire marshal department. We have many efficient fire departments
beginning with the city of Portland, our largest city, down to many of
our small municipalities. We have good fire laws, due to the efforts of
our national organizations. Our last legislature strengthened our laws
to conform with the requirements of your associations.

Under the police power of our State -- and I take it, this means in
every State -- the municipal ordinances must conform to the general
criminal laws of the State, and it is necessary for the municipalities
merely to pass ordinances reenacting State building codes and covering
local details applying to the respective communities. Our legislature
has given and will give us the laws necessary to accomplish the desired
results.

We in Oregon have serious fire problems. Our State has about 25 percent
of the standing merchantable timber of the Nation. When I tell you that
in one of our western counties there are about 100 sawmills or more
operating throughout the county, each cutting from 10,000 to over
100,000 feet board measure per day, you can appreciate the volume of
logging that is entailed and the fire menaces that it creates. But
through our effective forestry fire protection association in
cooperation with the United States Forest Service we have in the last
year reduced that fire hazard to a minimum.

There are also many rural problems, and I take it that the rural problem
is the one that generally is most difficult to solve. When you consider
the area of our State and the population of the entire State,
approximately that of the city of Washington, you can readily visualize
the fire problems presented throughout its area.

But your educational program is timely. Your observance and enforcement
program is imperative. Your engineering program is also very important,
and now it remains for us by percept and example to contribute our
individual efforts in order that the entire program may bring about
intended results in education in fire prevention and the enforcement of
the fire laws.

It is about the beginning of the fire season in our land at home. The
time is now. I believe you may rest assured that the attorneys general
as an association, collectively and individually, will play its and
their parts efficiently and effectively. We all have a job to do. Let us
return to our respective homes and resolve to do it as lovers of this
great land, rededicated ourselves to the protection of life and property
and firmly do our duty as citizens to our God and country.
\[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Thank you, Mr. Neuner.

The report of the Committee on Laws and Law Enforcement should naturally
round out the able presentation of the last three speakers. For that
report I call upon the Honorable John C. Knox, judge of the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Judge Knox.
\[*Applause.*\]

Hon. John Knox. Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, my fellow delegates,
we are ready today upon what may be, if we so will, a great occasion. We
have come from the East, the West, the South, and the North. We are here
for one purpose and for one purpose only, and that is to preserve the
heritage that is ours and to see that our fellow citizens may live their
lives in peace and safety.

Most of us, I suppose, know something of politics. We have seen life as
it is lived, and some of us have sought, and perhaps found, the object
of our personal desires. But if this be true, there is one obligation
that rests upon each and every one of us, be he a Republican or a
Democrat, and that is that each of us should do all that he can do to
see that our property is preserved and that human beings be freed from
the hazards that can and must be avoided.

The danger that is most threatening to America today is not Communism;
it is not Russia; it is not the ascendancy of either the Democratic or
the Republican parties; the terror of our lives is the danger of fire.
When that cry rings out in the day or in the night, we have no thought
of politics. The idea of partisan advantage is something that never
enters our minds. We are part and parcel of the common weal. Our only
consideration is that each of us may do what he can to minimize loss and
to see that humanity is saved from the fire, suffering, and death to
which it is now subjected.

In doing this in recent years we have been far from successful. Due to
inertia and carelessness we have borne witness to the holocausts of
Coconut Grove, the Winecoff, and the Hotel LaSalle. Sobered by this
experience, we are here today at the invitation of the President of the
United States to see if we cannot evolve a program whereby America,
Democrats and Republicans alike, whites and blacks, Jews and Gentiles,
can save themselves from the ravages of fire and smoke by which we are
constantly menaced.

![](media/image3.png){width="5.396527777777778in"
height="3.615972222222222in"}

Ladies and gentlemen, the responsibility that rests upon us is nothing
short of tremendous. If any one of us leaves this Conference with the
idea that financial considerations should transcend the value of human
life, this meeting is a matter of complete futility. Such considerations
unfortunately constitute the fundamental problem that confronts us today
in bringing about the enactment and the enforcement of adequate fire
prevention laws. But human life, as I have said, is far more important
than is the cost of the protection that we desperately need and which
ultimately we must have.

When we leave here to go to our homes, let us carry the conviction that
America's most priceless possession is the humanity that has made us
great and that it is the thing that will preserve us from all enemies,
foreign and domestic. If this be our conviction we will do all that we
can to preserve that humanity together with its worldly possessions.

This convocation to me is a matter of inspiration. It has made me
believe that each of us in a very real sense may, if he will, be the
keeper of his brother. In the presence of the men who fight fires,
standing before persons who from experience know the terror of
conflagrations, associating with men and women who succor and give
relief to those who suffer and die as a result of fires, I stand very
reverently and very humbly. I give to each of them my tribute of respect
and gratitude and, may I say, my offer of help.

I know, nevertheless, that whatever happens, whatever may be the
results, there is in the background something that is called the law. By
chance, I am the chairman of the committee having to do with that phase
of the Conference. For days and days, and weeks and weeks, the members
of that committee have labored diligently, may I say patriotically, in
an endeavor to suggest to States, communities, and municipalities a
means and method whereby , by a minimum of expense and imposition, they
may serve the interests of our most priceless possession, the
preservation of human life.

The report that we have made is available to each member of this
Conference, and many of you, I know, have seen and read it. Without
going through the details of our recommendations, I may say that they
are the unanimous conclusions of the membership of the committee.

Mr. Chairman, I move the adoption of the report of the Committee on Laws
and Law Enforcement. \[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. That was a powerful exhortation, Judge Knox. It has
been moved that the report of the Committee on Laws and Law Enforcement
be adopted by this Conference. Is there a second to that motion?

Mr. Charles Rhyne (Washington, D.C.). I second the motion.

{T*he question was put to a vote and was carried unanimously.*}

Chairman Fleming. And now I have a special treat. Since Tuesday you have
been listening to some very important statements, but until now the
Conference has been lacking the feminine touch and the woman's point of
view.

I now present a lady who was born in Minneapolis not many years ago, as
you can see; was graduated from Smith College with high honors; and has
won distinction in the field of social work and civic service. She was
active in civilian defense all during the war and is now national
chairman of the Civilian Advisory Committee of the Women's Army Corps.
Mrs. Oswald Bates Lord! \[*Applause.*\]

Mrs. Oswald Bates Lord. Thank you, General Fleming. Ladies and
gentlemen, the part I have been asked to play at this Conference has
already been beneficial. In doing my homework and in reading how to keep
from going to blazes and 13 ways not to burn your home, I have set up a
program for my husband this weekend that will keep him very busy.
\[*Laughter.*\]

Our small home in the woods and hills of Connecticut is about to go
through a complete metamorphosis, and by Monday I shall ask our local
fire chief, who is also the local plumber and electrician
\[*Laughter.*\], to inspect and give our home a medal of merit.

My husband is rebelling a little since I have told him I thought we had
better replace our hand-hewn shingles with something more fireproof.
There will be no time this weekend for tennis or for the garden.

Education of all kinds starts in the home. How our children turn out
depends on the training, encouragement, teaching which they receive at
home and the example they are given by their parents and by their
guardians. As children have a natural sense of dependency, we utilize
this fact in their training, teaching them how to eat, teaching them how
to dress, and teaching them discipline, and we adult homemakers feel
that we have had all the training necessary. But sometimes I wonder.

Let's wonder today about one of the greatest causes of loss of property
and life in homes, fire. And let's discuss what the homemakers of
America can do toward reducing this hazard, what they can do by training
both themselves and their children. Fire is no fun when it strikes our
home, and even the best prepared and best fitted and protected houses
can be struck.

As I make this statement, it takes me back to an instance which happened
at another White House conference and happened in the Blue Room of the
White House. It was a conference on child welfare, and many delegates
were gathered. Mrs. Roosevelt was addressing the conference. Suddenly
the curtains of the White House went up in a blaze. Mrs. Roosevelt said,
"The White House is well protected and well equipped for fires. I want
all of your individual attention. I want the conference to continue, and
if for some reason the fire cannot be put under control, there are
exits, and we shall all leave in an orderly fashion." No one turned
their eyes toward the blazing fire, and within a few minutes the fire
was extinguished.

What can we homemakers do toward keeping our homes free from fire
hazards? First, we must teach our families that an ounce of fire
prevention is much better than the fanciest fire engine. Second, we must
look for booby traps in our homes, especially in our basements. Do we
check and clean our heating systems once a year? Are we sure that
kindling, left-over paint, and papers are a safe distance from our
furnaces?

Are our fuses a proper size? Does the house have good wiring, and is it
well strung, not under rugs and over hooks and in exposed places where
wear may make it dangerous? How are our chimney flues and our cooking
stoves? Are they well insulated? Have we left around carelessly any old
paint or furniture polishing cloths?

I was very much impressed by a story I read in the paper of a 23 year
old woman who died in a hospital in Chicago recently from burns suffered
when a fire in a broom closet ignited her dress when she opened the door
of the closet. The evidence indicated that the outbreak occurred in some
furniture cloths, which ignited spontaneously.

Do we always remember to put away our electric irons? Over 90 percent of
the electrical fires every year are due to misuse of our electrical
equipment, such as irons. Do we have good screens in front of our fire
places?

Third, we must avoid doing things that we think will not matter. Too
many of us think we can handle the situation and that "this one time
will not matter." Therefore, too many people are trying to do their own
wiring. Too many people are dry-cleaning at home with combustible
liquids that can even be touched off, as you all know, by static spark
caused by rubbing materials together. Too many of us are forcing our
furnaces to get more heat. Some people put pennies in fuses; some empty
hot ashes into wooden boxes; and too many housewives empty the contents
of their vacuum cleaner bags into incinerators or stoves, not realizing
the power of dust and that even flour dust under the right condition
could blow a car up as high as seven stories.

There are those who empty full ash trays after a party into wastebaskets
without checking to see if all cigarette butts are out, and there are
many who do not realize that the only safe place for gasoline in inside
a car. Too many leave strike-anywhere matches around where children, and
even mice and squirrels, can ignite them.

Lastly, there is the bedsmokers' club. \[*Laughter.*\] The smoker who
believes that if he should fall asleep, the tickle of the flame will
wake him up before it is too late does not realize that smoldering
textiles give off the lethal array of combustible gases that are usually
the cause of death of people who smoke in bed.

All of these people who do these things just this one time have helped
to initiate something over 350,000 dwelling fires a year with damages
exceeding \$100,000,000. We must remember that children are not expected
to have judgment, adults are; and in teaching our children, this concept
must always be remembered.

Our fire departments all over the country will cooperate in planning and
conducting inspections of our homes for fire hazards and will help the
communities teach and demonstrate safe conditions and practices in the
home, and I hope at this conference that there will be action taken and
plans made to outline certain specific programs that the homemaker and
the housewife can take part in.

I have put a lot of emphasis on children. Why? Let me remind you of a
few figures that most of you already know. Accidents take a yearly toll
of almost 20,000 boys and girls under 20, and most of these accidents
are preventable. The high proportion of these fatal accidents to
children take place in the home, and 20,000 children in one year died of
burns that could be traced back to adult carelessness. Last year in
January over 7,000 children were known by State agencies to be crippled
because of burns.

A child imitates and observes and performs as his parents, and many
times a chance a parent takes may be inconsequential as far as the
parent is concerned, but to the young imitator it may be fatal.

In closing, let us remember that, as parents and homemakers, our
responsibility lies in doing for our children what we should be doing
for ourselves, protecting the child, restraining the child, conditioning
the child by training, and developing an awareness. Not being able to
eliminate all hazardous situations, a child should be taught to
recognize a danger and meet it, face bravely situations that cannot be
avoided, and encouraged to call for help when assistance is needed.

Before I sit down, I want to remind the audience that since I began
talking to you 18 more American homes have burned. Thank you.
\[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. I was right, Mrs. Lord, when I said that our
deliberations up to now had lacked the feminine touch. I think our
Conference results will be much more fruitful for your having been here.

Now for the last of our committee reports. It almost goes without saying
that we shall fail in our objectives unless we have the support of the
people. Fire prevention is not just something for fire departments or
city officials or State and Federal officials to do something about.
Every citizen has his part to play.

I now call for the report of the Committee on Organized Public Support.
I am sorry, Mr. Williams, that you were not able to be with us Tuesday,
when I introduced you in absentia. It was a good introduction, and I
hope you look it up when you get the transcript. \[*Laughter.*\]

I present Mr. W. Walter Williams, first citizen of the State of
Washington and chairman of the committee. Mr. Williams. \[*Applause.*\]

Mr. W. Walter Williams. General Fleming, distinguished guests, and
members of the President's Conference. I wonder if you have not been
impressed, as I have been impressed, during these days of the Conference
with the very gracious and generous manner in which the General has
introduced the various speakers. It suggests to me an incident that
transpired in Cincinnati last fall when former Governor, now Senator,
John Bricker was being presented to a large audience at the closing
session of a convention that I was attending there. The man who was
introducing him left absolutely nothing to chance; he took nothing for
granted. He had prepared this introduction with a full sheet of
typewritten information single-spaced. As he read on, line after line,
he just built halo after halo about the head of John Bricker. At long
last he concluded, and when John Bricker arose to his feet he stood
before the microphone for a moment or two, had an almost angelic
expression on his face, then said, "That introduction makes me feel like
a lifelong Christian holding four aces." \[*Laughter.*\]

I rather think that our Chairman has done a job of making all of us feel
a good deal like lifelong Christian holding four aces, and I wonder,
inasmuch as we are rapidly coming to the conclusion of this Conference,
if turnabout would not be fair play, and it would therefore be in order
for us to pause just a moment to give this fellow who has been presiding
over this Conference a little round of applause in appreciation.
\[*Applause.*\]

I knew you would feel that way about it.

You have heard a series of very interesting talks during this
Conference. Those talks have been given by Government officials,
including the very highest of our Government officials, the President of
the United States. They have included jurists; they have included
businessmen; they have included representatives of the firefighting
forces; they have included educators; they have included one charming
and, according to the Chairman -- and I am sure all of us will agree --
young lady. In a word, we have had a cross section of the American
public represented in the addresses which have been presented to us at
this Conference, and all the way through, the thread has been these two
points: (1) America is experiencing appalling losses in life and
property because of fire; and (2) we ought to do something about it.

We have been listening to these fine addresses -- and you will agree
that they have been fine addresses -- but now we have come to that part
of the Conference where we have to do something about it. In a word, we
are at the point where we have to take action.

The General referred yesterday to the fact that Mark Twain had pointed
out the importance of brevity. Yes, and Mark Twain also indicated that
many people talked about the weather, but very few did anything about
it.

We are at the point where we have to do something about this thing about
which we have been talking and listening for the last two or three days.
I think at one and the same time we have a grave responsibility, and a
shining opportunity. Who, if not you, who, if not the group represented
right here in this room now, would undertake the job or could undertake
the job to do it successfully?

At the same time that we have a grave responsibility to discharge to the
public, we also have a shining opportunity, because, as we listen to the
mounting figures of death and property losses measured in terms of
dollars, think of the tremendous opportunity we have for positive
achievement to the degree that we can succeed in the program that we are
undertaking.

I should like to call upon the members of this Conference to accept, if
you please, as a byword, as a watchword, of the Conference, the words
that were included in a citation that was given to a young Jewish
scientist by the United States Government recently. This young Jewish
scientist was a member of the Manhattan Project. The details have not
been released by the Government, but sufficient information was given
out to tell us that somebody committed a very grave error, and lives
were put in jeopardy because of the fact that this error had been
committed. This young Jewish scientist, drawing, I suppose, on something
that had been inculcated into his character from away back when, acted
and as a result of his action he took the full force of the radioactive
particles. But because of the fact that he took them, nobody else was
injured.

He died, and, therefore, he gave his life in expression of practical
service to his fellow men. The citation read, "He took affirmative
action," and I can think of nothing better, Mr. Chairman, growing out of
this Conference and the deliberations of these two or three days than
for each one of us to resolve that he will accept as his slogan, if you
please, and as his guide, as we leave this Conference hall and go back
to our respective homes, these words, "I will take affirmative action,"
in trying to carry out the purposes of this Conference.

I am going to read only a portion of the Committee's recommendations,
because I think that copies have found their way into the hands of most
of you. But without reading the subheads, I think it is important for us
at least to have brought to our attention at this time the four main
heads. Let me read them to you briefly:

1.  It is recommend that a continuing committee be appointed by the
    General Chairman in order to implement the action program of the
    President's Conference; provide a gage on progress made in States,
    cities, and rural communities throughout the country in the months
    following the Conference; and maintain the interest in fire
    prevention on the part of the large number of important national,
    nongovernmental groups represented on the Committee on Organized
    Public Support, as well as the general public.

2.  It is recommend that each of the Governors of the 48 States, the
    Governors of the Territories, and the Commissioners of the District
    of Columbia, appoint Statewide fire-safety committees composed of
    the appropriate public officials, including State foresters and
    representatives of nongovernmental groups, to explore the fire loss
    problem in all its ramifications within their respective
    jurisdictions, for the purpose of setting up practical fire
    prevention programs tailored to the needs in each particular area.

3.  It is recommended that where an effective fire prevention committee
    does not already exist, the mayors, city managers, or chief
    executives of all cities, towns, villages, or other municipalities
    appoint a fire safety committee composed of both public officials
    and representatives of nongovernmental organizations to carry on a
    continuous campaign of fire safety throughout the year.

4.  It is recommend that each of the National and State organizations
    represented on the Committee on Organized Public Support be urged to
    endorse and support within the limits of the objectives set forth in
    its charter, constitution, or bylaws, the recommendations of the
    President's Conference on Fire prevention. Each organization should
    extend the fullest cooperation possible at the National, State, and
    local levels.

Mr. Chairman, before presenting the motion for the adoption of that
committee recommendation, I should like to make this additional
statement. Those of us who are in this room do not believe in communism;
we do not believe in statism; we do not believe in any kind of
totalitarian regime. We believe in the potentialities of the individual.
But that at the same time calls upon us to see to it that the individual
does his job.

Sometimes I think we are inclined to think that, "Well, I as an
individual cannot do very much." Let me give you just a grand example to
show how wrong you can be in that belief. Three or four years ago, after
the war had got well under way, the Boeing Aircraft Co. in Seattle was
having a great deal of difficulty in recruiting employees to turn out
its B-17's and B-29's, and so after having exhausted the orthodox
methods of recruitment, it called upon the Army and the Seattle Chamber
of Commerce to help solve the problem, and here is what they did.

They called together a huge mass meeting at the stadium of the
University of Washington. That stadium ordinarily would hold perhaps
45,000 people. On this particular occasion the outpouring of the public
was so great that by loudspeaker each person was asked to crowd over so
that three people could sit where two would normally sit, and so I
suppose it is safe to say that there were 60,000 people gathered there
that evening.

The Governor of the State was there, the mayor was there, we had other
dignitaries there. Gen. Hap Arnold was there and gave a half-hour radio
talk on a national hook-up. It was a great occasion. But perhaps you
will understand why the outpouring when I tell you that Jerry Colona was
there, and Frances Langford was there, and Bob Hope was there. Need I
say more?

Yet in spit of the attractions and the grandness of that program, there
was a young fellow who was wearing the khaki of Uncle Sam's Army who
stole the show. Just about the middle of the program he stood out there
in the open end of that horseshoe stadium, which had as its backdrop
beautiful Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains, and standing there
in a simple, nonoratorical style he said, "I want to say a few words to
you about the purchase of war bonds." Then he went on to say, "Perhaps
you think that the purchase of a \$25 bond does not amount to much. I
want to see if I can prove that you are mistaken. I wish every one of
you would take a match out of his pocket. I am going to wait just a few
moments, then I am going to ask that those floodlights be turned out,
than I am going to ask that each one of you light his match."

Suddenly the lights went out and there was the most dazzling spectacle
that those people who were there that night ever saw in their lives. A
solid, blazing mass of light in a horseshoe made up of 1 match plus
59,999 others!

Do you think he drove home his point? I'll say he did! Twenty five
dollars multiplied by 60,000 is a pretty tidy little sum, so he drove
home to every individual there the lesson and the fact that the
individual and the activity on the part of each individual do count, and
I ask each of you not to forget that as you leave the halls of this
conference room and go back home.

I listened the other day to a British war correspondent who had just
come from England. He was apparently quite a high-up one, because he was
a member of the King's entourage that went into Coventry just after that
bombing. As they walked through the city with its rubble, mess, and
smoke, they were very much depressed. Just as they were leaving the
city, this ace correspondent pointed out the fact that the wind somehow
or other came along providentially and blew away the smoke and
illuminated a sign which was posted across the church which had been
miraculously spared. The words on that sign were, "It all depends on
me."

This Conference is about to break up, but I am calling on you, each and
every one of you, to remember this. The Conference will have been
futile, as the judge said a moment ago, it will have been a dismal
failure, if we have merely come here to listen to a series of speeches.
But if we go home pledged within our own respective souls that we really
mean what we are talking about as we have sat here for these three days,
and that each of us is going to do something about it; if we become
possessed of the fact that, like the young man who pointed out that a
\$25 bond does, after all, not mean much, that as individuals we do
count and can do something positively and effectively at home; and if we
will also accept the challenge, as in the words of the Coventry church
sign, that "It depends on me," whether the job is going to be done at
home or not, then this Conference will not only not have been a failure,
but it will have been a glorious success, because this group of 1,000 or
1,500 men and women will go out to the four corners of the United States
of America, and the expression of what is in their souls, because of
what they have learned here and because of what they are determined to
do back in their own home quarters, will produce tremendous results.

So, Mr. Chairman, as I move the adoption of this recommendation, I am
going to call upon each one here not merely to give a perfunctory "aye,"
but to vote by rising, not merely to approve the recommendation, which I
am assuming, but to express by that rising vote that each one is
pledging to himself that he will go home and do a job to carry out the
purposes of this Conference.

Mr. Chairman, I move the adoption of this recommendation.

{*The delegates stood and applauded.*}

Chairman Fleming. I think we all understand now why he is called the
first citizen of Washington. You have heard the motion. Is there a
second?

Mr. J. W. Vincent (Cincinnati, Ohio). I second the motion.

Mr. Howard Welty (Oakland, Calif.). Mr. Chairman, I am representing the
secondary schools of California. This is the time, it seems to me, for
us to take appropriate action on a matter on which we failed to act
yesterday. Mr. Percy Bugbee, speaking for the National Fire Protection
Association, told us that 120,000 of the 800,000 fires annually
occurring in this country came from the carelessness of smokers, and he
made a suggestion at the end which we failed to take action on, that we
ask the tobacco companies, who profit by the sale of cigarettes, to join
their immense strength to ours in bringing to the attention of smokers
all over our country the things which they do and should not do. I am
sure that the tobacco companies would welcome from us the suggestion
that they join in this great national campaign for public welfare. They
will spend thousands of dollars in advertising to teach the public to
smoke Camels, but they say nothing against taking a Camel to bed with
you.

Mr. Chairman, with that in mind I move that this Conference urge upon
the tobacco companies manufacturing cigarettes the carrying on of a
Nationwide campaign of education against the carelessness of smokers,
not only as a civic privilege of cooperation and a matter of public
welfare, but as an imperative duty arising out of the hazard to life and
property created by and in direct proportion to the growth and success
of this great business enterprise.

Chairman Fleming. I wonder if everybody could hear that. Maybe I had
better read it up here.

Mr. Welty. I am not sure that you can, but I think I could make them
hear it, Mr. Chairman.

Chairman Fleming. Did everybody hear that? No, they did not. Will you
step up here?

{*Mr. Welty cam to the platform and repeated his motion.*}

Mr. Lewis McBain (Massachusetts). Mr. Chairman, I would like to second
that.

Chairman Fleming. We have no time this morning to discuss it; I will put
it to a vote.

{*The question was put to a vote and was carried unanimously.*}

Mr. Leroy Gates (Nyack, N.Y.). Mr. Chairman, may I have the privilege of
the floor? I see that according to the program there is no further
opportunity for discussion from the floor. This should be a note on
which the Conference should close. I present it now in lieu of later.

Today is the sixty-third birthday of the gentleman who occupies the
position of the President of the United States, and in deference to the
initiative and foresight on his part which called this Conference
together, and the attention which he has given to us personally here, I
move you, sir, that this Conference send him congratulations,
felicitations, and our best wishes, our heartiest wishes, for many more
years of life and happiness.

Chairman Fleming. He has moved that, because this is the President's
birthday, because of his interest in this program of fire prevention,
this Conference send him its congratulations, felicitations, and wishes
for many more happy birthdays. All in favor signify by saying "aye."

{*The motion was put to a vote and was carried unanimously.*}

Chairman Fleming. Now we are ready for the presentation of the action
program which will, we trust, summarize our conclusions and lay the
groundwork for future action back in our home communities. I regret to
report that Mr. W. E. Reynolds, Commissioner of Public Buildings and
chairman of the Conference Coordinating Committee, who was to have
presented the program, is absent because of illness. He is convalescing
nicely and should be able to return to his desk shortly.

![](media/image4.png){width="5.396527777777778in"
height="4.548611111111111in"}

Before he became ill, Mr. Reynolds did much hard work on preliminary
arrangements for the Conference, and I feel that much of the success of
the meeting is due to his efforts.

To present the program of Mr. Reynolds, I have the pleasure of
introducing the Honorable Louis Johnson of Clarkesburg, W. Va., a member
and vice-chairman of the Committee on Laws and Law Enforcement, a former
national commander of the American Legion. Colonel Johnson holds a
Legion of Honor decoration for services in the First World War. He
served as Assistant Secretary of War from 1937 to 1940 and was then my
boss, and was personal representative of the President in India in 1942.
Colonel Johnson. \[*Applause.*\]

Hon. Louis Johnson. Mr. Chairman, gentlemen of the Conference, mine is
an easy task. I wonder first, though, if those of you who are here
realize what an impact your Conference and your deliberations have had
upon the Nation.

I returned last night from the West. In the press and on the radio there
has probably been fuller coverage than anything of like type in the
history of the country.

You have had these six reports, reports upon which much time and effort
have been expended. You have had exhortations such as that of Judge Knox
this morning which, when you see it in print, you will agree is one
magnificent document.

Mine is the privilege of calling your attention to each of these six
reports, saying to you that the Coordinating Committee has combined in
the document before you all six of the reports. It is called the Action
Program. I hope you have looked at it. It gives you the message of the
President on the first page and of our esteemed and able Chairman on the
second page, and goes on through, with the summary and coordination of
the six reports.

I want to say to those of you who have not read it that the men who have
made this compilation of the six reports assure me, just as in the plan
of action, which Walter Williams just presented to you, that nothing is
left out in the summary, although where they cross into each other's
fields it has been somewhat condensed.

Two additions to the individual reports have been made. I want to read
you those two additions, because thereafter I shall move for the
adoption, as the plan of action or action program, of this condensed
compilation and summary of the six reports.

The two additions are to the research section of the action program, and
they read as follows:

1.  The need for ready availability of information, complete and up to
    date, pertaining to the subject of fire prevention, fire protection,
    fire loss experience, and research development is emphasized. A
    central library facility would serve this need.

2.  While endorsing the national-state-local governmental and private
    programs for fire prevention and control for our natural resources,
    the Conference recommends continuous research to improve, where
    practical, methods of fire prevention and control in these essential
    States.

Mr. Chairman, gentlemen of the Conference, in order that the waves
started already from here may continue in the interest of saving life
and in fire prevention, I move you that the report of the Action Program
be adopted as presented to this Conference. \[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Copies of the Action Program were available to you
today outside. I presume most of you have had them and have seen them.
Colonel Johnson has explained the small additions made to what you have.
Is there a second to the motion?

Mr. Homer B. Oates (Wheeling, W. Va.). I second the motion.

{*The question was put to a vote and was carried unanimously.*}

Chairman Fleming. The last of the program -- and it is now up to all of
us to put into effect and make it work. In that endeavor we shall need
the support of the mayors and the city managers of our cities.

The president of the United States Conference of Mayors is a publisher
by profession. He has a unique distinction. Appointed city manager of
Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1929, he consented to serve only on the
condition that he would be permitted to waive the \$12,000 salary that
went with the job and work for \$1 a year instead. The city very
reluctantly, I suppose, met his terms. Grand Rapids, I think I am safe
in saying, thus got the highest-class service at the lowest price in the
history of municipal government.

Since then our next speaker has been four times elected mayor of Grand
Rapids. The Honorable George W. Welsh. \[*Applause.\]*

Hon. George W. Welsh. General Fleming, ladies and gentlemen, might I pay
my respects to two of the previous speakers, who, I consider, have made
especially important contributions to this Conference? I refer to the
genial lady, Mrs. Lord, who, I consider, has given the best exposition
of fire prevention that I have heard in a long, long time. I should like
to pay my respects to Mr. Walter Williams for that inspiring appeal that
he made to get some action from this Conference.

I should like to tell you, General Fleming -- and I was glad to hear the
gentleman over there make a motion to pay some respect to President
Truman on his birthday -- it is a refreshing thing after years of the
most terrible waste of life that civilization has ever seen, to find a
group thinking and paying some attention to the saving of human life.

I am mindful of the fact, General Fleming, that a year ago you also
presided at a conference on traffic safety; and now it is fire. I rather
imagine that the purpose of these conferences is to focus attention and
dramatize, if possible, the need for action along these lines.

It is a significant thing that these conferences are held here in
Washington, where the eyes of the Nation, at present particularly, are
concentrated because of the activities of our Congress.

Doesn't it seem just a little bit inconsistent, to put it mildly, that
while here we are considering the problem of saving human life, up on
the Hill last Monday a congressional committee struck from an
appropriations bill a sum which is negligible in comparison with the
amounts of money that have been spent, a mere \$5,000,000, that wipes
out the maintenance of 148 traffic control towers on airports?

This Conference dramatizes the need for fire prevention. General, I
should like to ask you -- you have flown a good deal -- how would you
like to land on some of these airports without a traffic control tower
to bring you in? And I should like to ask the gentlemen on the Hill,
What must we do to dramatize the need for air safety? Must we have four
or five crashes and the loss of human life to wake them up?

I would like to suggest to you, General -- and I commend you and the
committee that has been responsible for the conduct of these conferences
-- that it might be a good idea to call another conference on air
safety.

While we are talking about it, there are many ways that life is lost and
endangered in addition to fire, automobile traffic, and airways. Up on
the Hill we of the cities are interested in the removal

of a cancerous growth that is eating into the vitals of all our great
industrial cities, slum areas, breeders of crime and disease, while a
nonchalant attitude is taken by our representatives, who state that
while it is important, perhaps, that veterans and other citizens be
provided with housing, and while it would be a good thing to remove and
clean up these slum areas, that is a matter than can wait for another
year.

What kind of mental processes must be going on? Are they mindful of what
you are doing here? I think the country is, and it seems that under the
very figurative noses of Congress they should be alerted to these
dangers that frighten the country.

I do not know of any group that is more appropriate to be represented
here today than the United States Conference of Mayors. This is strictly
a city problem. I am reminded that quite some time ago I saw a copy of
the first proceedings of the first Board of Trustees of the Village of
Detroit. It was a record of the first meetings of any public officials,
of what is now one of the country's great dynamic industrial centers. In
that were the first ordinances that were passed; the first paid public
officials were hired and their salaries fixed.

Perhaps it will interest you to know that the first ordinances that were
passed by the first Board of Trustees of the Village of Detroit were
fire ordinances, and they provided that at each house or cottage there
should be a ladder with so many rungs on it, a barrel containing so much
water; and the first employees were two inspectors to see to it that the
provisions of the ordinances were carried out. The first police powers
and the first penalties were imposed for violation of those ordinances.
It reads somewhat humorously.

I found out that Widow Campbell was fined \$1.50 because she had a
couple of rungs out of her ladder. Somebody else's barrel was not full
enough of water.

This is strictly a major problem of cities and communities. I was very
much interested in the address of the state fire marshal. I have not yet
met a fire marshal, as such, who has ever thrown a pail of water or
helped a child down a ladder. We had a rather disastrous fire in a
neighboring community, and I asked a group of our firefighters, led by
our present marshal, to make a study f that fire and come back and tell
us what we would have to do in order to be assured that such a
catastrophe would not happen in our city. They brought back a very
enlightening report, very well done. Summed up, it somewhat paraphrased
the great statement of Winston Churchill when he said. "Give us the
tools and we will do the job." There was not a recommendation in the
report that proper finances could not cure.

I am particularly glad that following me this morning is the
distinguished Governor of West Virginia. Your Excellency, I am
particularly pleased that you are here, because it rather gives a
background to what I think is the real crux of this and many other
problems.

It is a rather strange thing, if you stop to think about it, that this
Conference is sponsored by the Federal Government, officers of the
Federal Government, called on invitation of the President himself. I
believe, whether you know it or not, that back of the inspiration to do
something along this line comes a recognition that the war emphasized
particularly that one of the great strengths of this republic of ours
lies in these great industrial communities. More munitions of war were
turned out in the state that I come from than perhaps any other spot on
the face of the globe. While we were considerably late in getting into
the fracas, we demonstrated that the industrial communities of America
were capable of producing the munitions of war. We were able to fulfill
the plea of Winston Churchill for the tools, adequate and in tremendous
quantities, and apparently all at once it has dawned on the Federal
Government that anything that is done to aid these industrial
communities is a good thing for the country.

I recently made a trip with a delegation of mayors from nine different
States. We started in my home town, went to Des Moines, Kansas City, St.
Louis, New Orleans, Birmingham, Ala.; Memphis, Indianapolis, Louisville,
and Cincinnati. We did it for two or three purposes: First, to focus
attention on this thing that is now nationally recognized, the
importance of local government, and to perhaps strengthen the hands of
the local officials, and, incidentally, to pick up a few items of
information.

I know in a general way, as anyone does who has been long in local
government, that all municipalities are in legislative straitjackets.
There is no more democracy in the great communities of this great
republic than there was in some of the countries that we defeated, and
it is only a matter of degree in the various states. I though we were
pretty bad in Michigan, but we were not nearly so bad off in Michigan as
they are in Iowa.

One of our colleagues, when he got back home to Connecticut, found out
that his State was perhaps worse than any he had been into. The great
municipalities, starting with New York and going on down the line, are
legislative captives, they are starving financially.

You say, "Do a job." I have yet to hear a recommendation of the one
thing that would make it possible to do the job. Some speaker this
morning suggested appointing permanent fire prevention committees. We
have them trained committees, uniformed committees, with equipment such
as it is, who are on the job 24 hours a day. That is were the job is
going to be done. Give us the money to engage the men so that
inspections at not too long an interval can be made of every home and
every building, where the trained eye of a firefighter will go in and
point out what is wrong. Give us the finances to equip these men with
the kind of equipment that they ought to have, and the job will be done.

I understand that in this audience are representatives of building and
construction interests, fire insurance companies. I remember that the
gentleman who spoke for fire marshals said something about the tax of
\$1.50 a thousand that was applied to fire insurance policies that went
into the State coffers. Did you gentlemen ever stop to think that if a
proper job was done in these cities and fire losses were less, it would
be profitable to you? Why don't you head a movement that will go on
these rurally dominated legislatures where all cities are inadequately
represented? Why don't you spearhead the movement and ask that a tax be
placed on your insurance policies of, say, a dollar a thousand that will
be returned to the local fire departments for their use in the local
fire departments exclusively in fire prevention and fire protection. I
will guarantee you that your losses will be reduced.

The United States Conference of Mayors is presently engaged in a
crusade, if you please, to call attention to the fact that most problems
come where most people are. This is no longer a great agricultural
Nation. We are the greatest industrial Nation on the face of the globe,
but we haven't homes to house our people and we haven't adequate fire
protection to protect those homes. We do not have adequate voice in our
State governments nor in our county governments. We are the geese that
lay the golden eggs of taxes, and we are receiving what is begrudgingly
handed out to us. We cannot turn around without the consent of a State
legislature, and that condition, friends, will not change until those of
you who live in these industrial communities recognize the fact that
while you think you are American citizens and have the same power that
any other American citizen has, you are not as much an American citizens
as you would be if you lived in a rural district.

We are asking for just a little bit of this democracy we hear so much
about for the communities in which the great majority of the people
live. This problem, the problem of traffic control, the problem of
preventing further disease and crime in the slum districts, must be done
at the local levels.

I close with making the appeal that if you will make it possible for the
communities of America to get the wherewithal to get the tools, we will
do the job. \[*Applause.*\]

Chairman Fleming. Thank you, Mayor Welsh.

I ought to forewarn the next speaker, who represents the Council of
State Governments, that we have designs on him and his gubernatorial
election. This Conference already has produced home notable results,
although they remain to be translated into action.

Following the President's Conference on Highway Safety last year, we
turned to the Governors of the States for further help, and we were not
disappointed. We asked them to hold their own statewide conferences
paralleling the President's Conference in order to enlist the support of
their citizens and to hand-tailor the Action Program to meet of their
own commonwealth. They have very generously complied, and we are going
to ask for the same kind of assistance in this great movement to save
lives and property from fire.

I have the honor of introducing the Honorable Clarence W. Meadows,
Governor of the State of West Virginia. \[*Applause.*\]

Hon. Clarence W. Meadows. My fellow American citizens: I am certain I
voice the sentiment of each of you, and as a Governor, that of the Chief
Executives of every State in the Union, by paying tribute, first of all,
to the President, for his foresight and wisdom in calling this most
timely conference. The justification for such is now, more than ever
before, apparent to you who have been attending these sessions, and
therein lies a responsibility to which I shall refer later.

"So you want to be a fireman?" This question, posed by my mother many
years ago as our family stood on the open porch of our home in the small
town where I lived, and for the greater part of a memorable night
watched the entire business section of that community burn to the
ground, made an indelible impression upon my memory.

Was there ever a boy who did not want to be a fireman? That urge seizes
most of us in our youth and never quite leaves -- no matter how old we
may grow. There is something wrong with almost any American who does not
possess a secret desire to don the coat and boots and hat of a fireman
and go charging down the street to the scene of a conflagration.

A little silly perhaps, but nevertheless, we come by it quite honestly
for fire and mankind are closely associated, and have been since this
natural phenomenon first enabled man to cope with the wild beasts which
menaced his primitive life and its usefulness has been constantly an
important part of his progress throughout the ages. Because of his
capacity for controlling this phenomenal force in the world about him,
mankind succeeded in making his food more palatable, his life more
generally comfortable, and he has been able to pass the desolate
frontiers which walled in his primitive environment and to occupy
regions which must have otherwise remained perpetually uninhabited.

Fire has given to man the refinement of minerals, and generally, an
increased utilization of the natural deposits of the bountiful earth in
the furtherance of his multifarious needs. The experience with fire
which man thus acquired through the ages he has definitely reflected in
his superstitions, his religion and his philosophy; and through symbol
and metaphor, it has enriched the language with which he strives to give
expression to his sentiments.

Therefore, it becomes more understandable why men rush to a fire, not to
do anything about it particularly, but just to watch and see what
happens.

With the ever increasing usefulness of fire to mankind in making his
life more liveable, his wealth greater, and his vision more farsighted
through the years, the ingenuity of the human mind, our desire for
living together, and the consequent economic and social problems
attendant therewith has likewise increased the destructiveness of the
very thing which is so beneficial, to the point where we might well say
that the devastating ability of this creation may now outrank the
usefulness thereof.

Since you have been here, I am certain you have been assailed from all
sides with facts and figures, which perhaps not only astound you, but
which I am certain have brought the conviction that something must be
done to curtail the annual destruction to life and property directly
attributable to fire. I will not burden you with statistics, but when I
am told that for the month of March the fire loss was greater than the
loss in any previous month since April 1906, when the great San
Francisco fire occurred, I must ask you to do something about it. Then
with the terrible disaster at Texas City, I have not the slightest doubt
but the month of April will be even worse than the month of March. So,
with the toll of destruction steadily mounting by such leaps and bounds,
it appears beyond contradiction that today is a day for action --
emergency action, if you please!

I said a moment ago that we Americans run to a fire to do nothing about
it but just to watch and see what happens. My fellow Americans, that is
literally just what we have been doing through the years -- and nothing
more. We can stand on the sidewalk, watch a great building or somebody's
little home burn -- we can shout instructions to the firemen as to what
they should do, and just how they should put it out -- but that is about
as far as our advice or efforts have ever gone. So you want to be a
fireman, do you? If so, you'll have to do better than that.

I think I would speak the mind of so many public officials and just
ordinary citizens throughout this land by repeating what I am sure was
said years ago back in my home town shortly before the fire I spoke of
occurred, when it was said, after buying some of the firefighting
equipment then available -- "Well, we have the problem of fire whipped
now." Too many people -- too many public officials -- too many cities
place their trust in a fire engine -- in a good fire department -- and
these they should have -- but no horse was ever saved by locking the
barn door after he was gone, and a fire that has started is definitely
much harder to put out than one which never gets started. The real basic
answer to this whole problem, as you must undoubtedly realize by now, if
never before, is prevention -- again let me say it -- Prevention! The
people of this Nation must awaken to the fact that the public good and
welfare require a new set of rules in construction, cleanliness and
carefulness. Law making bodies and public officials must assume their
just responsibility in setting up building codes, fire prevention
methods, fire protection devices, and after having placed such upon the
statute books, enforcing the same without fear or favor. The untold
thousands of lives and billions of dollars worth of property which have
been untimely and most horrifyingly caught up in a swirl of flames and
smoke may well be charged to the officials who have winked at the
requirements of a building code, safe wiring practices, rubbish
disposal, and other things of like nature. Just as it might have been
you or me, or perhaps it was John Doe, who flicked a lighted cigarette
into a convenient corner; or who left the matches where the children
might play with them; or who neglected to turn off the furnace and lit a
match to see whether or not his suspicions were correct -- yes, we are
all guilty to some degree, and that guilt will continue to pile upon
each and every citizen in this great nation until we resolutely
determine that we will do something besides watch the fires burn.

Perhaps I can turn an even more somber page -- at least one which makes
me stop and think -- think, that is, for the future. Twice within a
quarter of a century, we had to arouse ourselves reluctantly, of course,
and turn from our quiet, rather careless ways of peace, to carry fire
and sword against peoples arrayed against us and menacing our very
existence. Sickening though the thought may be, we would be foolish
beyond all past performances to close our eyes to the possibility of
another such occurrence. Certainly the general chaotic condition of the
world today constitutes a most compelling motive for our recognition of
such an unfortunate eventuality.

Since the ancients first found fire useful in combating their enemies,
and learned to hurl flaming arrows into the crude fortresses of their
foes in battle, mankind has devoted itself more and ever more
assiduously to perfecting the weapons of incendiary destruction. This
perfection -- this development of the diabolical art of concentrating
fire in one form or another against an enemy certainly reached its most
advanced and deadly exposition in the last global conflict -- a war
which itself is best comprehended when conceived as a world aflame --
crowned by a gigantic pillar of smoke, steam, and flame mushrooming
miles up into the air above the blast of atomic energy which just left
everything below a field of seared, twisted death and destruction.

Against a repetition of this, we have dedicated our lives and our
treasure. The best mind of this Nation, in magnificent disregard of our
normal partisan political alignments, are working day and night with the
tremendous task of evolving with our allies some means of keeping the
word at peace. But even in our commitment to this policy, which is of
more fundamental importance to the human race than any other problem
which history records, we cannot afford to blind ourselves to the fact
that in this unpredictable age, erstwhile allies may overnight become
mortal enemies, and that any relaxation of vigilance will inexorably
imperil our very existence.

Military leaders and other experts who chronicle the lessons of war and
utilize them in the evolution of engines or devices for our protection
in any future conflict, solemnly assure us that any assault which may
come upon us will most certainly be aimed at the destruction, in a
matter of minutes, perhaps, of our greatest center of population, which
are also our points of heaviest industrial concentrations. Such an
assault we may most certainly anticipate would thrust upon us
immediately a battle against fire hardly within our capacity to imagine.
Protection against the spread of fire and the control of fire once
started would suddenly become the most deadly important task in the way
of our survival that perhaps we would ever face. Appalled as we are now
by a contemplation of the power of fire to destroy human life and
property in a nation at peace, and determined as we should be to
mitigate this destruction through a general program of public education,
forward-looking laws and strict law enforcement for preventive measures,
we can well stand aghast at the prospect which might some day be ours if
we should become the target in a renewal of global war waged by powers
to whom the fantastic weapons of the immediate past may then be
obsolete.

From here on, the problem is ours. Our President has issued the order --
it is the duty of every American -- individually, officially, and
cooperatively -- to carry out the command. Will you do it? I believe you
will.

As one of the 48 Governors, it will be my high privilege to lay before
the Executive Committee of the Governors' Council, which meets in Salt
Lake City this coming July, the full recommendations of this Conference,
at which time I confidently expect such to be placed on the agenda for
discussion and action on the part of the Governors' Conference itself. I
not only anticipate favorable action thereon, but I well know that each
of my fellow governors shall not only be highly aware of this matter,
but will gladly embrace any workable and worthwhile program, and put it
into effect on a State level without delay. Each of you in your
respective capacities, whatever they may be, will, I am sure, carry back
to your people and to your organizations the same message as shall I,
and will there find same hearty reception beyond doubt.

Your Conference can be, and I know will be, a landmark along the great
road which has and will continue to lead America and the American people
to a better and fuller life. By your action taken here, there will in
the years that lie ahead be untold thousands of men, women, and children
who will have been spared the torture and horror of death by fire and
the general prosperity of all lifted by the savings of the countless
millions of dollars of property which have heretofore fed the flames of
wanton disregard and destruction.

Chairman Fleming. Thank you, Governor. What you propose to do is
certainly all and more than we could possibly hope to ask for.

Before we part, I wish to thank all of you, for the President and for
myself, for your attendance upon this Conference and for the invaluable
help you have given us with your counsel and your advice. As we depart
from this auditorium and go our separate ways to our homes, we take with
us a program for future action that has been forged upon the anvil of
sound experience by the best intelligence in the fire safety field that
we could find.

This has been a 3-day Conference, but we must all be deeply aware that
to bring that program to life, to implement it in every town and city of
the country, it is going to be no 3-day task. It will call for our best
efforts 365 days of the year. We have enlisted not for a brief skirmish,
but for the whole campaign. In winning that campaign we shall have the
satisfaction of knowing that we are saving lives and putting an end to
the wanton destruction of our Nation's resources.

Again, I thank you for your assistance and for the consideration you
have given your General Chairman. I want to particularly thank the
chairmen and members of our committees, the secretaries who have labored
long and earnestly, the consultants and staff who helped them, and
particularly Mr. Bruce Bielaski, who has done so much to make this
Conference a success. \[*Applause.*\]

We will now stand up and hear the Star Spangled Banner; then the
Conference will be adjourned.

{*The assemblage stood for the National Anthem.*}

{*The Conference adjourned at 12:15 P.M.*}

**CONFERENCE ORGANIZTION**

**GENERAL CHAIRMAN**

Maj. Gen. PHILIP B. FLEMING, *Administrator, Federal Works Agency*

**EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR**

> A. BRUCE BIELASKI, *Assistant General Manager, National Board of Fire
> Underwriters*

LEWIS A. VINCENT, *Assistant Executive Director.*

William J. Chattin, *Technical Assistant.* John B. West *Technical
Assistant.*

John L. Werheim, *Technical Assistant.* Russell R. McGuire, *Publicity.*

Douglas H. Timmerman, *Conference.* Hester M. Bell, *Secretary.*

> *Arrangements*

**STAFF CONSULTANTS**

A. C. Hutson F. C. McAuliffe R. E. Truman

R. E. Verner R. E. Wilson

**COORDINATING COMMITTEE**

**CHAIRMAN**

W. E. REYNOLDS, *Commissioner of Public Buildings*

O. J. Arnold, *President, Northwestern National Life Insurance Co.*

Frank Bane, *Executive Director, Council of State Governments.*

Paul Betters, *Executive Secretary, United States Conference of Mayors.*

Ernest B. Brown, *President, Ernest W. Brown, Inc.*

Frank A. Christensen, *President, National Board of Fire Underwriters.*

J. H. Craig, *Chairman, Fire Marshals' Section, National Fire Protection
Association.*

Dr. Ned H. Dearborn, *President, National Safety Council.*

Charles A. Delaney, *President, International Association of Fire
Chiefs.*

Robert E. Dineen, *President, National Association of Insurance
Commissioners.*

Jas. R. Edmunds, Jr., *President, American Institute of Architects.*

Wallace J. Falvey, *Chairman, Advisory Committee, National Conservation
Bureau.*

Hovey T. Freeman, *President, Manufacturers Mutual Fire Insurance Co.*

A. V. Gruhn, *General Manager, American Mutual Alliance.*

W. K. Jackson, *President, Chamber of Commerce of the United States.*

Leroy A. Lincoln, *President, Metropolitan life Insurance Co.*

W. E. Mallalieu, *General Manager, National Board of Fire Underwriters.*

Earl D. Mallery, *Executive Director, The American Municipal
Association.*

James H. Mooney, *President, Building Officials' Conference of America.*

James H. Park, *President, Pacific Coast Building Officials Conference.*

Curtis W. Pierce, *President, National Fire Protection Association.*

George J. Richardson, *Secretary and Treasure, International Association
of Fire Fighters.*

Mrs. Pearl Wanamaker, *President, National Education Association.*

Guy T. Warfield, Jr., *President, National Association of Insurance
Agents.*

Frank M. Whiston, *President, National Association of Building Owners
and Managers.*

**TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP**

H. R. Bassford, *Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.*

Robert B. Beach, *National Association of Building Owners and Managers.*

James V. Bennett, *Federal Interdepartment Safety Council.*

George W. Booth, *National Board of Fire Underwriters.*

A. L. Brown, *Associated Factory Mutual Fire Insurance Cos.*

Percy Bugbee, *National Fire Protection Association.*

W. C. Clark, *Federal Fire Council.*

Theodore I. Coe, *American Institute of Architects.*

John P. Coyne, *International Association of Fire Fighters.*

Dr. Robert W. Eaves, *National Education Association.*

Hubert R. Gallagher, *Council of State Governments.*

Donoh W. Hanks, Jr., *The American Municipal Association.*

Julien H. Harvey, *National Conservation Bureau.*

A. L. Kirkpatrick, *Chamber of Commerce of the United States.*

West Shell, *National Association of Insurance Agents.*

Fred Shepperd, *International Association of Fire Chiefs.*

J. C. Stennett, *American Mutual Alliance*

COMMITTEE ON ORGANIZED PUBLIC SUPPORT

**CHAIRMAN**

W. WALTER WILLIAMS

*President, Continental, Inc., Seattle, Wash.*

**SECRETARY**

GEORGE G. TRAVER

*Acting Head, Public Relations Department, National Board*

*of Fire Underwriters, New York, N.Y.*

Howard Abrahams, *National Retail Dry Goods Association, New York, N.Y.*

Kenneth H. Anderson, *National Committee on Boys and Girls Club Work,
Chicago, Ill.*

David W. Armstrong, *Boy's Clubs of America, New York, N.Y.*

Milton W. Arnold, *Air Transport Association of America, Washington,
D.C.*

A. W. Baker, *American Transit Association, New York, N.Y.*

J. R. Blunt, *West Coast Lumbermen's Association, Washington, D.C.*

Morton Bodfish, *United States Savings & Loan League, Chicago, Ill.*

M. E. Boorman, *Northern Montana Forestry Association, Kalispell, Mont.*

George H. Boucher, *Fire Protection Institute, Newark, N.J.*

O. O. Bright, *Southern Pine Association, Washington, D.C.*

H. E. Brinckerhoff, *I\\American Pulpwood Association, New York, N.Y.*

R. E. Broderick*, Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, New
York, N.Y.*

George Bugbee, *American Hospital Association, Chicago, Ill.*

C. F. Byrnes, *Keep Arkansas Green Committee, Fort Smith, Ark.*

William F. Canfield, *The Inland Daily Press Association, Chicago, Ill.*

Mrs. James C. Carmark, *General Federation of Women's Clubs, Providence,
R.I.*

Rt. Rev. Msgr. Howard J. Carroll, *National Catholic Welfare Conference,
Washington, D.C.*

Rev. Samuel McCrea Cavert, *Federal Council of Churches of Christ in
America, New York, N.Y.*

George H. Cecil, *Conservation Association of Southern California, Los
Angeles, Calif.*

C. R. Chamberlain, *Keep Virginia Green Committee, Lynchburg, Va.*

W. Winthrop Clement, *Risk Research Institute, New York, N.Y.*

Harry Clepper, *Society of American Foresters, Washington, D.C.*

R. A. Colgan, Jr., *National Lumber Manufacturers Association,
Washington, D.C.*

Marshall B. Dalton, *Associated Factory Mutual Fire Insurance Companies,
Boston, Mass.*

Arthur C. Daniels, *Institute of Life Insurance, New York, N.Y.*

John W. Dargavel, *National Association of Retail Druggists, Chicago,
Ill.*

George W. De Franceaux, *United States Junior Chamber of Commerce,
Washington, D.C.*

Oliver D. Diller, *Ohio Forestry Association, Wooster, Ohio.*

Alvin E. Dodd, *American Management Association, New York, N.Y.*

Paul Dunn, *Keep Oregon Green Committee, Corvallis, Oreg.*

Don Eck, *National Editorial Association, Chicago, Ill.*

W. A. Ellinger, *Northern Pine Manufacturers Association, Chicago, Ill.*

George W. Elliot, *Chamber of Commerce,* *Philadelphia, Pa.*

H. E. Everley, *Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Inc., Cincinnati,
Ohio.*

William T. Faricy, *Association of American Railroads, Washington, D.C.*

H. E. Fisk, *Outdoor Advertising Association of America, Chicago, Ill.*

E. C. Faulkner, *Gypsum Association,Chicago, Ill.*

Herbert E. Foreman, *Associated General Contractors of America,
Washington, D.C.*

L. J. Freedman, *Keep Maine Green Committee, Great Works, Maine.*

M. R. Freeman, *National Fire Protection Association, Boston, Mass.*

Dr. E. K. Fretwell, Boy Scouts of America, *New York, N.Y.*

S. L. Frost, *Texas Forestry Association, College Station, Tex.*

S. V. Fullaway, Jr., *Western Pine Association, Portland, Oreg.*

Charles A. Gillett, *American Forest Products Industries, Inc.,
Washington, D.C.*

Williard E. Givens, *National Education Association, Washington, D.C.*

W. B. Greeley, *Keep Washington Green Committee, Seattle, Wash.*

Paul H. Griffith, *American Legion, Indianapolis, Ind.*

Milon Grinnell, *American Agricultural Editors' Association, Detroit,
Mich.*

Andrew J. Haire, *Associated Business Papers, New York, N.Y.*

A. G. Hall, *The American Forestry Association, Washington, D.C.*

Dr. Lloyd C. Halvorson, *The National Grange, Washington, D.C.*

Henry H. Heimann, *National Association of Credit Men, New York, N.Y.*

Colin Herrle, *American National Red Cross, Washington, D.C.*

H. E. Hilton, *Chamber of Commerce of the United States, Washington,
D.C.*

Phillip C. Hodill, *National Association of Buildings Owners and
Managers, Pittsburgh, Pa.*

John V. Hoene, *Timber Producers Association, Duluth, Minn.*

R. M. Hofer*, Portland, Oreg.*

Frederick T. Hollowell, *Department of Interior, Washington, D.C.*

Thomas Imlay, *National Association of Building Owners and Managers,
Washington, D.C.*

William F. Jacobs, *Florida Forestry Association, Tallahassee, Fla.*

Melvin Jones, *Lions' International, Chicago, Ill.*

Harry K. Kaiser, *National Retail Hardware Association, Philadelphia,
Pa.*

Mrs. Rose M. Keifer, *National Association of Retail Grocers, Chicago,
Ill.*

Mrs. Dean King, *Keep Montana Green Committee, Kalispell, Mont.*

William M. Kinney, *Portland Cement Association, Chicago, Ill.*

Harry S. Knight, *American Bar Association, Chicago, Ill.*

A. W. Koehler, *National Association of Motor Bus Operators, Washington,
D.C.*

Clarence Korstian, *Keep North Carolina Green Committee, Durham, N.C.*

B. M. Lufburrow, *Georgia Forestry Association, Savannah, Ga.*

Dr. George F. Lull, *American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill.*

R. D. MacDaniel, *Federation of Mutual Fire Insurance Companies,
Indianapolis, Ind.*

L. G. McCubbin, *Rocky Mounatin Farmers Union, Denver, Colo.*

J. B. McCullough, *Motion Picture Association, New York, N.Y.*

J. O. McMurray, *Keep Idaho Green Committee, Boise, Idaho.*

C. J. Mack, *American Hotel Association, Washington, D.C.*

Henry J. Malsberger, *Southern Pulpwood Conservation Association,
Atlanta, Ga.*

H. Gleason Mattoon, *Pennsylvania Forestry Association, Philadelphia,
Pa.*

John Mayer, *National Association of Insurance Agents, New York, N.Y.*

Carl H. Milam, *American Library Association, Chicago, Ill.*

C. E. Miller, *Southern Hardwood Producers, Inc., Memphis, Tenn.*

Mrs. Dudley H. Mills, *Girl Scouts, New York, N.Y.*

John D. E. F. Morgan, *Aircraft Industries Association of America,
Washington, D.C.*

Fred Morrell, *The American Paper and Pulp Association, Washington,
D.C.*

Mrs. Ruth I. Mulroy, *American Trade Association Executives, Washington,
D.C.*

A. W. Nelson, *Mississippi Forestry & Chemurgic Association, Meridian,
Miss.*

Mrs. L. K. Nicholson, *National Congress of Parents and Teachers, Salt
Lake City, Utah.*

H. R. Northrup, *National Retail Lumber Dealers Association, Washington,
D.C.*

Henry K. Norton, *National Association of Manufacturers, New York, N.Y.*

Barnet Nover, *American Society of Newspaper Editors, Washington, D.C.*

Edward A. O'Neal, *American Farm Bureau Federation, Chicago, Ill.*

Earle Pearson, *Advertising Federation of America, New York, N.Y.*

X. L. Pellicer, *Keep Florida Green Committee, St. Augustine, Fla.*

M. Walter Pesmau, *Colorado State Forestry Association, Denver, Colo.*

O. E. Peterson, *Kiwanis International, Chicago, Ill.*

Francis A. Pitkin, *State Planning Board, Harrisburg, Pa.*

Lawrenece W. Rathbun, *Society for the Protection of New Hampshire
Forests, Concord, N.H.*

Roscoe R. Rau, *National Retail Furniture Association, Chicago, Ill.*

Harry Read, *Congress of Industrial Organizations, Washington, D.C.*

John P. Redmond, *International Association of Firefighters, Washington,
D.C.*

Harris A. Reynolds, *Massachusetts Forest and Park Association, Boston,
Mass.*

Frank A. Robertson, *Keep Minnesota Green Committee, Side Lake, Minn.*

George Romney, *Automobile Manufacturers Association Association,
Detroit, Mich.*

Fred M. Rosseland, *Association of Safety Council Executives, Newark,
N.J.*

Mrs. Thelma Sabiston, *North Carolina Forestry Association, Carthage,
N.C.*

Seward Scharff, *Orange, N.J.*

W. R. Schofield, *California Forest Protective Association, San
Francisco, Calif.*

W. G. Schultz, *Association of Mutual Fire Insurance Engineers,
Mansfield, Ohio.*

Harry C. Shellworth, *Southern Idaho Timber Protective Association,
Boise, Idaho.*

Howard Starling, *Association of Casualty & Surety Executives,
Washington, D.C.*

Louis Starr, *Veterans of Foreign Wars, Washington, D.C.*

Edward H. Stayton, *Statewide Forestry Committee, Independence, Mo.*

Dr. Harold Stonier, *American Bankers Association, New York, N.Y.*

Arthur Stringer, *National Association of Broadcasters, Washington,
D.C.*

O. T. Swan, *Northern Hemlock & Hardwood Manufacturers Association,
Oshkosh, Wis.*

Walter A. Taylor, *The American Institute of Architects, Washington,
D.C.*

E. Huber Ulrich, *The Curtis Publishing Co., Philadelphia, Pa.*

Lacey Walker, *American Petroleum Institute, New York, N.Y.*

Paul West, *Association of National Advertisers, New York, N.Y.*

Frank A. Whipple, *American Association of Advertising Agencies,
Hartford, Conn.*

Cranston Williams, *American Newspaper Publishers' Association, New
York, N.Y.*

Sidney Williams, *National Safety Council, Chicago, Ill.*

Robert J. Wilson, *National Restaurant Association, Washington, D.C.*

Sheldon C. Wintermute, *Wilkes-Barre Record, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.*

King Young, *American District Telegraph Company, Los Angeles, Calif.*

Mrs. William Harvey Young, *Potomac Area Camp Fire Girls, Washington,
D.C.*

###### COMMITTEE ON RESEARCH

**CHAIRMAN**

WOODWARD H. BRENTON, *President, Brenton Bros., Des Moines, Iowa*

**SECRETARY**

ALVAH SMALL, *President, Underwriters Laboratories, Chicago, Illinois*

**ASSISTANT SECRETARY**

MATHEW M. BRAIDECH, *National Board of Fire Underwriters, New York,
N.Y.*

**ASSISTANT SECRETARY**

WALTER T. JOHNSON, *American Airlines, Inc., New York, N.Y.*

**ASSISTANT SECRETARY**

REAR ADMIRAL DALLAS G. SUTTON (MC) USN (Rt.)*, Washington, D.C.*

**ASSISTANT SECRETARY**

T. M. TORREY, *Insurance Company of North America, New York, N.Y.*

John A. Arnold, *National Retailers Insurance Company, Chicago, Ill.*

E. H. Barlow, *Standard Oil Development Co., New York, N.Y.*

Leonard I. Barrett, *United States Forest Service, Washington, D.C.*

Hylton R. Brown, *Bureau of Mines, College Park, Md.*

William T. Butler, *United States Coast Guard, Washington, D.C.*

Harry Campbell, *Bureau of Explosives, New York, N.Y.*

David W. Cook, *General Aniline and Film Corp., New York, N.Y.*

Gordon Davis, *Mutual Loss Research Bureau, Chicago, Ill.*

John H. Derby, *American Fire prevention Bureau, New York, N.Y.*

Alden H. Emery, *American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C.*

H. E. Hagood, *Chief Building Inspector, Birmingham, Ala.*

Commodore Norman B. Hall, *United States Coast Guard, Washington, D.C.*

Felix Hargrett, *Home Insurance Co., New York 8, N.Y.*

Rex Hieronymus, *Aldis & Co., Chicago, Ill.*

John T. Howell, *Rubber Reserve Corp., Washington, D.C.*

R.C. Iddings, *The Fyr-Fyter Co., Dayton, Ohio.*

S. H. Ingberg, *National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C.*

Ira W. Knight, *Grinnell Corp., Providence, R.I.*

Calvin G. Lauber, *National Board of Fire Underwriters, New York, N.Y.*

Commander Lloyd Layman, *United States Coast Guard Reserve, Parkersburg,
W. Va.*

Dr. Nolan D. C. Lewis, *Columbia University, New York, N.Y.*

James E. Moss, *American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C.*

Robert S. Moulton, *National Fire Protection Association, Boston, Mass.*

Capt. Harry J. Parker, *The Board of Underwriters of New York, New York,
N.Y.*

Capt. Roy L. Raney, *United States Coast Guard, Washington, D.C.*

Harry N. Rider, *Automatic Sprinkler Corp. of America, Youngstown,
Ohio.*

S. H. Rolle, *Civil Aeronautics Administration, Washington, D.C.*

N. J. Thompson, *Factory Mutual Research Corp., Boston, Mass.*

Rear Admiral A. H. Van Keuren, U. S. N. (Ret.), *Washington 8, D.C.*

Hubert Walker, *America La France Foamite Corp., Elmira, N.Y.*

Warren N. Watson, *Manufacturing Chemists Association of the United
States, Washington, D.C.*

John L. Wilds, *Protection Mutual Fire Insurance Co., Chicago, Ill.*

R. C. Woodward, *Civil Aeronautics Administration, Washington, D.C.*

Dr. Lloyd N. Yepsen, *Department of Institutions and Agencies, Trenton,
N.J.*

###### COMMITTEE ON LAWS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

**CHAIRMAN**

JOHN C. KNOX, *United States District Judge, Southern District of New
York*

**VICE CHAIRMAN**

LOUIS A. JOHNSON, *Attorney at Law, Washington, D.C.*

**SECRETARY**

CHALES S. RHHYNE, *National Institute of Municipal Law Officers,
Washington, D.C.*

Anne X. Alpern, *City Solicitor, Pittsburgh, Pa.*

J. Raymond Berry, *National Board of Fire Underwriters, New York 7,
N.Y.*

William D. Buck, *International Association of Firefighters, St. Louis
9, Mo.*

Thomas A. Burke, *Mayor, Cleveland, Ohio.*

Ralph V. Clampit, *State Senator, Massachusetts State Senate, Boston,
Mass.*

Roger T. Clapp, *Grinnell Corporation, Providence 1, R.I.*

John R. Cooney, *President, Firemen's Insurance Co., Newark 1, N.J.*

Joseph H. Crowley, *City Hall, Cleveland, Ohio.*

Arthur M. Curtis, *Landers Building, Springfield, Mo.*

William E. Dowling, *Corporation Counsel, Detroit 26, Mich.*

Horace H. Edwards, *Mayor, Richmond, Va.*

B. T. Fitzpatrick, *National Housing Agency, Washington, D.C.*

Edward Freeman, *New York Joint Legislative Committee on Statewide
Building Code, White Plains, N.Y.*

T. J. Gentry, *City Attorney, Little Rock, Ark.*

Hall Hammond, *Attorney General, Baltimore, Md.*

Barnet Hodes, *Corporation Counsel, Chicago, Ill.*

William S. Hogsett, *Attorney at Law, Kansas City, Mo.*

Nathan C. Horwitz, *Third Deputy Commissioner, Fire Department, New
York, N.Y.*

Walter R. Johnson, *Attorney General, Lincoln, Nebr.*

Alan Johnstone, *Chief Counsel, Federal Works Agency, Washington, D.C.*

William E. Kemp, *Mayor, Kansas City, Mo.*

M. L. Landis, *Central Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Co., Van Wert,
Ohio.*

J. Edwin Larson, *Commissioner of Insurance, Tallahassee, Fla.*

Charles E. Murphy, *Corporation Counsel, New York, N.Y.*

Ray Murphy, *Association of Casualty and Surety Executives, New York 7,
N.Y.*

E. F. Mynatt, *Associate Solicitor, Department of Agriculture,
Washington 25, D.C.*

Hale Powers, *Office of the Solicitor, Department of Interior,
Washington, D.C.*

George F. Prussing, W*estern Oil and Gas Association, Los Angeles 14,
Calif.*

Arnold C. Renner, *State Fire Marshal, East Lansing, Mich.*

Eugene Sanders, *Austin, Tex.*

J. C. Savage, *City Attorney, Atlanta, Ga.*

Abram P. Staples, *Attorney General, Richmond 19, Va.*

J. E. Taylor, *Attorney General, Jefferson City, Mo.*

Frank F. Truscott, *Solicitor, Philadelphia, Pa.*

John Warden, *President, Auto Call Co., Shelby, Ohio.*

Thomas Watters, Jr., *Attorney at Law, New York 7, N.Y.*

Lyle D. Webber, *Chief Building Inspector, City Hall, Denver, Colo.*

James C. Wilkes, *Attorney at Law, Washington, D.C.*

Herman C. Wilson, *City Attorney, Greensboro, N.C.*

###### COMMITTEE ON FIREFIGHTING SERVICES

**CHAIRMAN**

Maj. Gen. WILLIAM J. DONOVAN, *2 Wall Street, New York, N.Y.*

**SECRETARY**

HORATIO BOND, *National Fire Protection Association, Boston, Mass.*

**ASSISTANT SECRETARIES**

H. R. CHASE, *International Association of Fire Chiefs, Miami, Fla.*

WILLIAM FITZGERALD, *Fire Department Headquarters, Seattle, Wash.*

A. H. GENT, *Illinois Inspection Bureau, Chicago, Ill.*

W. A. ROSS, *U.S. Office of Education, Washington, D.C.*

John Alderson, *Fire Department, Los Angeles, Calif.*

John Andrias, *Associated Factory Mutual Fire Insurance Companies, New
York, N.Y.*

Edward Boatright, *Fire Department, Portland, Oreg.*

R.A. Bogan, *Fire Department, Baton Rouge, La.*

Prof. Harold R. Brayton, *Agriculture and Mechanical College of Texas,
College Station, Tex.*

William Earl Brower, *International Association of Fire-Fighters,
Everett, Wash.*

William T. Cawker, *Topeka Fire Department, Topeka, Kans.*

John Coffmann, *National Park Service, Chicago, Ill.*

Eugene Connor, *Commissioner of Public Safety, Birmingham, Ala.*

Herbert A. Friede, *International Municipal Signal Association,
Washington, D.C.*

John F. Gilliams, *Camden Fire Insurance Co., Camden, N.J.*

Gifford T. Cook, *Headquarters, U.S. Army Air Forces, Washington, D.C.*

Charles S. Cowan, *Washington Forest Fire Association, Seattle, Wash.*

John P. Crane, *Uniformed Firemen's Association, New York, N.Y.*

J. E. Cryan, *National Fire Waste Council, Chicago, Ill.*

Calvin H. Dalby, *Director of Public Safety, Norfolk, Va.*

James Deach, *International Association of Fire Fighters, St. Paul,
Minn.*

W. W. Dean, *Office Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C.*

Frank Egenreither, *Fire Department, St. Louis, Mo.*

Colonel Alva L. Fenn, *War Department, Washington, D.C.*

J. W. Just, *University of Maryland, College Park, Md.*

John B. Keenan, *Department of Public Safety, Newark, N.J.*

David P. Godwin, *United States Forest Service, Department of
Agriculture, Washington, D.C.*

Clarence Goldsmith, *National Board of Fire Underwriters, Chicago, Ill.*

W. A. Hebert, *Springfield Fire and Marine Insurance Co., Springfield,
Mass.*

Paul P. Heinz, *Department of Fire Services, New Haven, Conn.*

Everett Hudiberg, *Fire Department, Stillwater, Okla.*

E. C. Iverson, *State Fire Marshal, Lincoln, Nebr.*

Edward J. Jeffries, Jr., *Major, Detroit, Mich.*

Albert F. Jordan, *Commissioner of Insurance, Washington, D.C.*

Frank C. McAuliffe, *International Association of Fire Chiefs, Chicago,
Ill.*

Grey Marsh, *Weston Volunteer Fire Department, Weston, W. Va.*

L. J. Molloy, *Association of American Railroads, Norfolk, Va.*

Edward N. Montgomery, *Headquarters, Boston Fire department, Boston,
Mass.*

Anthony J. Mullaney, *Chicago Fire Department, Chicago, Ill.*

L. G. Keeney, *Farmers Mutual Reinsurance Association, Grinnell, Iowa.*

H. L. Krieger, *Ohio Inspection Bureau, Columbus, Ohio.*

Hon. Fiorello H. La Guardia, *New York, N.Y.*

A. M. Lewis, *National Automatic Sprinkler and Fire Control Association,
New York, N.Y.*

George S. Lockhart, *Fire Department, Minneapolis, Minn.*

Forrest B. Lucas, *Department of Public Safety, Dayton, Ohio.*

Leonard C. Lund, *Fire Marshal Division, State of Minnesota, St. Paul,
Minn.*

Clement Murphy, *Fire Department, Washington, D.C.*

M. I. Parker, *Missouri Inspection Bureau, St. Louis, Mo.*

F. B. Philbrick, *The Gamewell Co., Newton Upper Falls, Mass.*

Harry M. Pontious, *Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Columbus, Ohio.*

D. J. Price, *United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.*

D. P. Rachael, *Fire Department, Port Arthur, Tex..*

Walter O. Randlett, *Virginia Electric & Power Co., Richmond, Va.*

Clarence Ridley, *International Association of City Managers, Chicago,
Ill.*

Theodore A. Rosenwald, *New Mexico State College, Albuquerque, N. Mex*.

Oliver T. Sanborn, *Fire Department, Portland, Maine.*

Dr. H. H. Schrenk, *Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, Pa.*

Cornelius D. Scully, *Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, Pittsburgh,
Pa.*

H. J. Segrave, *Mine Safety Appliance Co., New York, N.Y.*

George T. Slocum, *Fire Department, Grand Rapids, Mich.*

Edgar A. Spotz, *State Fire School, Harrisburg, Pa.*

Jay W. Stevens, *National Board of Fire Underwriters, San Francisco,
Calif.*

John W. Strohm, *State Fire Marshal, Des Moines, Iowa.*

George L. Swan, *National Board of Fire Underwriters, New York, N.Y.*

Waverly Sykes, *Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Va.*

Glenn E. Thom, *International Association of Fire Fighters, Detroit,
Mich.*

Ray Tiller, *Fire Department, Waterloo, Iowa*.

Spence D. Turner, *Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles,
Calif.*

E. J. Vanderwall, *Director of Conservation, Madison, Wis.*

W. M. Walton, *University of Alabama, University, Ala.*

William G. Wandras, *Fire Department, Kearney, N.J.*

Thomas S. Ward, *State Department of Education, Sacramento, Calif.*

John B. Warden, *Harrisburg, Pa.*

C. R. Welborn, *Unerwriters' Laboratories, Inc. Chicago, Ill.*

George W. Welsh, *U.S. Conference of Mayors, Grand Rapids, Mich.*

Edward E. Wischer, *Fire Department, Milwaukee, Wis.*

D. O. Wood, *Fire Extinguisher Manufacturers Association, Dayton, Ohio*.

F. B. Wornall, *Director of Fire, Kansas City, Mo.*

Joe R. Yockers, *State Fire Marshal, San Francisco, Calif.*

###### COMMITTEE ON FIRE PREVENTION EDUCATION

**CHAIRMAN**

DR. H. C. BYRD, *President, University of Maryland, College Park, Md.*

**SECRETARY**

PROF. JOHN J. AHERN, *Director, Department of Fire Protection and
Safety*

*Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois*

**ASSISTANT SECRETARY**

PAUL D. COLLIER, *Director, Bureau of Youth Services,*

*State Department of Education, Hartford, Conn.*

DR. GEORGE HAUPT, *Professor of Science, State Teachers College,
Glassboro, N. J.*

HENRY MARSCHALK*, President, Volunteer Firemen's Association,*

*Montgomery County, Takoma Park, Md.*

EVA G. PINKSTON, *Secretary, Department of Elementary School
Principals,*

*National Education Association, Washington, D.C.*

DR. HERBERT J. STACK, *Director, Center for Safety Education,*

*New York University, New York, N.Y.*

Frank L. Ahern, *Department of Interior, Washington, D.C.*

W. Ellery Allyn, *Commissioner of Insurance, State of Connecticut,
Hartford, Conn.*

Franklin G. Armstrong, *Montclair Public Schools, Montclair, N.J.*

F. L. Bacon, *Evanston Township High School, Evanston, Ill.*

Walter F. Beyer, *Home Insurance Co., New York 8, N.Y.*

R. P. Blake, *Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.*

Glenn O. Blough, *U. S. Office of Education, Washington, D.C.*

Prof. L. M. K. Boelter, *University of California, Los Angeles 24,
Calif.*

C. S. Boucher, *University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebr.*

Ovid Butler, *American Forestry Association, Washington, D.C.*

Sister Mary Carmelyn, *Mundelein College, Chicago, Ill.*

Clarence Coley, *National Association of Building Owners and Managers,
New York, N. Y.*

Chaplin Collins, *American Forest Products, Inc., Washington, D. C.*

Rodney R. Cox, *Fifth Naval District, Norfolk 11, Va.*

Prof. William N. Cox, Jr., *Georgia School of Technology, Atlanta, Ga.*

Gerald S. Craig, *Teachers College of Columbia University, New York 27,
N.Y.*

George W. Dean, *State Forester, Charlottesville, Va.*

R. J. Douglas, *Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical School, Stillwater,
Okla.*

Gilbert H. Dunstan, *University of Alabama, University, Ala.*

P. W. Eberhardt, *Walter Kidde and Co., Inc., Belleville 9, N.J.*

Paul E. Elicker, *National Association of Secondary School Principals,
Washington 6, D.C.*

Commander O. J. Emory, *Office of the Chief of Naval Operations,
Washington 25, D.C.*

Miss Alice Everitt, *Tunica Elementary School, Tunica, Miss.*

John B. Fisher, *The Cambridge School, Weston 93, Mass.*

T. Alfred Fleming, *The National Board of Fire Underwriters, New York 7,
N.Y.*

Edgar Fuller, *State Department of Education, Concord, N.H.*

Prof. Henry Giese, *Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa.*

Gordon C. Graham, *National Commission on Safety Education, Detroit
Public Schools,*

> *Detroit, Mich.*

Sam Hardin, *Pacific Fire Extinguisher Co., San Francisco, Calif.*

Morrill Hartshorn, *National Council for Social Studies, Washington,
D.C.*

Charles Hawkins, *West Virginia State College, Institute, W. Va.*

William A. High, *Oakland Public Schools, Oakland, Calif.*

Ralph E. Himstead, *American Association of University Professors,
Washington 6, D.C.*

Fred W. Hosler, *Department of Public Schools, Allentown, Pa.*

Mrs. Edith Hudnall, *Elementary School, Jacksonville, Fla.*

Dr. S. S. Huebner, *American Institute for Property and Liability
Underwriting,*

> *Philadelphia 4, Pa.*

Don D. John, *Mutual Fire Insurance Agency, Louisville, Ky.*

Keith Johnson, *National Association of Science Teachers, Washington,
D.C.*

Galen Jones, *U. S. Office of Education, Washington, D.C.*

Miss Olga Juniger, *Board of Insurance Commission, Austin 14, Tex.*

Paul W. Kearney, *Brooklyn, N.Y.*

V. Kearsey, *Department of Public Schools, Los Angeles, 12, Calif.*

Capt. A. T. Kessler, *Fire Department, New Orleans, La.*

Fred H. Lang, *Division of Forestry and Parks, Little Rock, Ark.*

Julius Levi, *National Association of Insurance Agents, Houston 2, Tex.*

John W. Lewis, *Association of Public Schools Business Officials,
Baltimore Public Schools, Baltimore 18, Md.*

J. Williard Lord, *Atlantic Refining Co., Philadelphia, Pa.*

S. P. Lyle, *Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.*

Worth McClure, *The American Association of School Administrators,
Washington 6, D.C.*

Ray N. McFarlin, *Board of Education, Cleveland 14, Ohio.*

Rev. William E. McManus, *National Catholic Welfare Conference,
Washington, D.C.*

Morris Meister, *Bronx High School of Science, Bronx, N.Y.*

C. D. Minor, *Virginia Fire and Marine Insurance Co., Richmond, Va.*

H. George Murphy, *New York State Department of Education, Albany, N.Y.*

Dr. Irma Gene Nevins, *American Red Cross, Washington 13, D.C.*

John A. North, *Phoenix Insurance Co., Hartford, Conn.*

W. W. Pierson, *Association of American Universities, Chapel Hill, N.C.*

Thomas G. Pullen, Jr., *State Department of Education, Baltimore, Md.*

Dr. Edward A. Richards, *Junior Red Cross, Washington, D.C.*

Dr. Harry S. Rogers, *Society for Promotion of Engineering Education,
Brooklyn, N.Y.*

Prof. D. Kenneth Sargent, *American Institute of Architects, Syracuse
10, N.Y.*

Prof. E. R. Schwartz, *Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge,
Mass.*

Guy E. Snavely, *Association of American Colleges, Washington, D.C.*

Franklin Bliss Snyder, *Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.*

O. W. Stewart, *Associated Factory Mutual Fire Insurance Companies,
Boston 10, Mass.*

Milton J. Terry, *Oakland, Calif.*

N. E. Viles, *U. S. Office of Education, Washington, D.C.*

H. O. Welty, *Oakland Technical High School, Oakland, Calif.*

John C. West, *National Association of State Universities of United
States of America,*

> *Grand Forks, N. Dak.*

Garnet C. Wilkinson, *Board of Education, Washington, D.C.*

Harry I. Willett, *Department of Public Schools, Richmond, Va.*

A. G. Woelfel, *H. G. Vogel Sprinkler Co., New York, N.Y.*

Ron B. Woolley, *International Association of Fire Chiefs, New York,
N.Y.*

George F. Zook, *President, American Council on Education, Washington 6,
D.C.*

COMMITTEE ON BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION, AND PROTECTION

**CHAIRMAN**

ALFRED C. FULLER

*President and Chairman of the Board, Fuller Brush Co., Hartford, Conn.*

**SECRETARY**

GEORGE N. THOMPSON

*National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C.*

**ASSISTANT SECRETARY**

J. H. COURTNEY

*American Standards Association, Washington, D.C.*

**ASSISTANT SECRETARY**

W. D. MILNE

*Eastern Inspection Bureau, New York, N.Y.*

**ASSISTANT SECRETARY**

J. MILTON WRIGHT

*Associated Reciprocal Exchanges, New York, N.Y.*

K. W. Adkins, *Missouri Inspection Bureau, St. Louis, Mo.*

John Ashmead, *The Phoenix Insurance Co., Hartford, Conn.*

George R. Bailey, *Albert H. Wetten & Co., Chicago, Ill.*

Albert H. Baum, *City Hall, St. Louis, Mo.*

Arthur J. Benline, *Superintendent, Housing and Buildings, Municipal
Building, New York, N.Y.*

H. E. Bilkey, *H. E. Bilkey Corp., New York, N.Y.*

Clinton T. Bissell, *National Board of Fire Underwriters, New York,
N.Y.*

Carter Bowser, *State Fire Marshal, Indianapolis, Ind.*

John J. Bradley, *Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.*

Frank Burton, *Burton Abstract and Title Co., Detroit, Mich.*

W. E. Cheesman, *Improved Risk Mutuals, New York, N.Y.*

Wharton Clay*, National Mineral Wool Association, New York, N.Y.*

M. L. Clement, *Southern Building Code Congress, Birmingham, Ala.*

Hal Colling, *Pacific Coast Building Officials Conference, Los Angeles,
Calif.*

R. C. Corson, *Factory Mutual Laboratories, Boston, Mass.*

W. S. Credle, *State Department of Education, Raleigh, N.C.*

W. A. Danielson, *Danielson Associates, Inc., Memphis, Tenn.*

T. Seddon Duke, *Star Sprinkler Corp., Philadelphia, Pa.*

John W. Dunham, *Public Building Administration, Washington, D.C.*

John Fies, *National Housing Agency, Dallas, Tex.*

E. W. Fowler, *National Board of Fire Underwriters, New York, N.Y.*

William C. Freeman, *Federal Public Housing Authority, Washington, D.C.*

G. J. Halpin, *American La France Foamite Corp., Elmira, N.Y.*

George C. Hawley, *State Fire Insurance Department, Austin, Tex.*

John L. Haynes, *Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C.*

T. R. Higgins, *American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc., New
York, N.Y.*

Roy Hudenberg, *American Hospital Association, Chicago, Ill.*

A. C. Hudson, *New Hampshire Board of Underwriters, Concord, N.H.*

Captain Harold K. Hughes, *United States Navy, Washington, D.C.*

Winthrop M. Jones, *Factory Insurance Association, Hartford, Conn.*

Ferdinand Kautholz, *Federal Works Agency, Washington, D.C.*

R. G. Kimbell, *National Lumber Manufacturers Association, Washington,
D.C.*

R. C. Loughead, *Michigan Inspection Bureau, Detroit, Mich.*

Henry F. Ludorf, *American Institute of Architects,* *Hartford, Conn.*

Robert W. McChesney, *National Electrical Contractors Association,
Washington, D.C.*

James M. McCormack, *Commissioner of Insurance, Nashville, Tenn.*

Joseph A. McGuckin, *Philadelphia Electric Co., Philadelphia, Pa.*

H. L. Minor, *E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co., Wilmington, Del.*

N. D. Monfalcone, *War Department, Washington, D.C.*

John A. Neale, *Underwriters Laboratories , Inc., Chicago, Ill..*

George C. North, *Northwestern Mutual fire association, Chicago, Ill.*

George C. Parsons, *Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Public
Safety, Boston, Ma..*

J. F. Peelle, *The National Metalclad Door Association, Buffalo, N.Y.*

H. E. Plummer, *Inspector of Buildings, Portland, Oreg.*

L. H. Provine, *University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill.*

H. N. Pye, *South-Eastern Underwriters Association, Atlanta, Ga..*

Raymond C. Roberts, *Fire Marshal, Washington, D.C.*

Bernard A. Savage, *Building Officials Foundation, New York, N.Y.*

F. R. Scherer, *National Council on Schoolhouse Construction, Rochester,
N.Y.*

Glenwood J. Sherrard, *Parker House, Boston, Mass.*

A. E. Smith, *American District Telegraph Co., New York, N.Y.*

A. G. Smith, *Travlers Fire Insurance Co., Hartford, Conn.*

George E. Strehan, *Building Officials Conference of America, New York,
N.Y.*

E. A. Taylor, *Fire Marshal Department, Salem, Oreg.*

Victor H. Tousley, *National Fire Protection Association, Chicago, Ill.*

W. V. Van Cott, *Federal Housing Administration, Washington, D.C.*

Joseph Wolff, *Commissioner, Department of Buildings & Safety
Engineering, Detroit, Mich.*

Bert L. Wood, *American Iron & Steel Institute, New York, N.Y.*

Lloyd H. Yeager, *Gypsum Association, Chicago, Ill.*