Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1911-09-29

meal questions which more especially
concern the insurance companies and
their patrons, because there are others
who are infinitely bettre qualified than
I am to handle those subjects. But I
do want to endorse in the most posi-
tive and unqualified manner the North
Dakota State Fire Prevention assicia-
tion and the splendid program to which
it is committed.
Is Greatest Problem.
ct believe that no greater economic
problem confronts the nation today
than that Of finding ways and means
for bringing about very substantial
reduction of the enormous annual fire
waste in this country, and that it is the
solemn and imperative duty of every
citizen to cooperate in the movement
having that object N view.
"The North Dakota State Fire Pre-
vention association, which was organ
lied about year ago, has entered upon
the task of arousing public interest
along these lines in the state. I shall
not be surprised if the pioneers in this
field become discouraged at times, be-
cause in all human experience there is
hoGIlHS luOIt ICLldlhdUlC OI ulSCOuCcIG"
ing than the calm Indifference of the
public toward matters Of economy
which effect in the most vital manner.
Even the most obviously virtuous and
necessary reforms move slowly. Mrs.
ROWING must have had this thought
in mind when she wrote: 1T takes a
soul to move body. It takes a high
souled man to move the masses-even
o a cleaner stye.'
"But, after all, it is not strange
that there seems to be so little general
interest in the subject of fire proven
ton, because it has only been within
recent years that those who had the
facts before them and were the most
directly concerned-I mean the fire in
surance companies, the underwriters
and the field men-commenced to give
the subject intelligent and serious at
tention.
Use Striking Figures.
"With the view, I suppose, of break
ing down the wall Of public indiffer-
ence and driving home are lesson
sought to be conveyed, the melancholy
facts regarding the annual fire waste
in this country are presented in pictur-
esque and striking figures. Thus we are
told that fires in the United States
cost $500 minute; that the cost OF
fires each year is equal to one half the
cost Of all the new buildings erected
in year; that the annual fire waste
and cost Of fire prevention in the Unit
ed States amount to $3.50, 100000, or
more than the total American produc
ton of gold, silver, copper and petrol
ium in year; that the annual per cap
tia fire waste in the United States is
1921, while in Europe it is only 33
cents; that 1900 people are killed and
5000 injured fatally annually as re-
suit of fire. 1t is said that the fire lass
es in the United States in 1910 would
pay the total interest bearing debt of
the country in four years; would build
the Panama canal in two years; that
they exceed the total cost Of maintain
ing the army and navy of the United
States in the corresponding year.
Proud of the Waste?
"Someone has suggested that the
people of this country are so bent up
on doing things on big scale that we
are exen proud of the fact that we com
pletely distance eevry other civilized
nation in the magnitude Of our fire
waste and the incidental destruction Of
human life. IF this is true, We have
nothing on the Robinson family, Of
whom Col. Plummcr, the silver tongned
orator Of an earlier day in this state,
used to relate that one of its members
sad, Eyes. we have the sevenyear itch,
ard We re proud of it,
Dakota Loss JI.3vv.
How shall we in this sta.@. tackle
the problem of reducing tho annual
fire waste within our own borders9 The
first step, I think, should be in the d.
rection of stirring up the public con-
science 10 3 realizing sense Of the euor.
nifty If this .oss-which amounted to
no less tLoa 100000" last y.*r, and
:" he fact that this tren ,nduoLs ]uss
can be cry materially reduced by the
exercise of common prudence and the
use of simple and easily accessible
means of fire prevention.
The next step in furtheraace of