The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-09-22
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR POINTS WAY
TO REDUCTION OF STATE FIRE WASTE
ates more keenly than I do the un-
selfish loyalty and devotion Of the
press to the best interests Of the

ates more keenly than I do the UNI
selfish loyalty and devotion of the
press to the best interests Of the
state; the eagerness and enthusiasm
with which the newspapers seize up
OF every opportunity that is offered
to promote the common welfare. We
must have the cooperation Of the
press in this great matter, and We
can have it for the asking-if we do
not ask amiss.' BY that l e that
the appeal must be properly framed.
THE average newspaper man has
been 'farmed' to such an extent by
designing people that the soil Of his
good nature-like the soil of our
farms in too many instances-is worn
out. The newspapers must be con-
WINGED Of the good faith of this move
ment. They must be made to see
that it is not q cheap promotion
scheme but that it is designed to
benefit the whole people. and that
these benefits will be expressed in
servation of lives and property. Then,
you may be sure, the newspapers will
do their part.
Must Have State Officials.
Then we must have q fire marshal
law and q state fire marshal. That
We should spend thousands of dollars
each year for the preservation of fish
and game, and not one cent for the
prevention Of fire waste and the pre-
servation Of human life is a most
grotesQue parody on real economy.
The fire marshal must not be a mere
%busybody; he must not be a meddle-
some bigot, with a predisposition to
investigate and to harass every mar
who is unfortunate enough to suffer
q loss by fire. And on the other
hand, he must not be a trifler. nor
a temporizer, nor a coward.
The fire marshal should be a man
Of mature judgment, fine discernment
and genuine courage-an officer Of
the state without fear and without
reproach.' Such an officer will be as
quick to go after q greedy and un-
scrupulous agent who offers tempta-
ton to arson in the way Of over-in-
surance, al he is to lay the iron hand
Of the law upon that meanest and
most sordid criminal, the incendiary.
Such a law and such an officer as I
have in mind are crying needs In this
state.
Wants Special Day.
along the lines Of publicity and Of
sentiment promotion l believe the
governor of North Dakota might. with
excellent propriety. follow the lead
Of the chief executives Of Michigan,
Indiana. Illinois, Minnesota and other
states in proclaiming a special day in
each year and calling for its general
observance as Fire Prevention Day.
In the states that l have mentioned.
October 8 was this year proclaimed
Fire Prevention Day. that being the
fortieth anniversary Of the great Chi
'cago fire. I shall not stop to sug-
gest the various and appropriate eX-
ercises and ceremonies which might
be observed on Fire Prevention Day.
1 speak advisedly, however. in saying
that Governor Burke is heartily in
sympathy with this movement, and
that his executive action merely waits
upon a reasonably definite indication
that the time is ripe for such action.
Use the Public Schools.
another plan which has been
adopted with great uccess in certain
states-Ohio and Montana among
them-is that of introducing in the
public schools. text books which
treat Of the Danger and Chemistry of
Fire These text books are designed
for use in the primary and grammar
schools, and embraces a series of
studies on such subjects as the use
and danger Of matches: kerosene
lamps; kindling fires: the ash heap
and the coal pile: the use Of gasoline;
common fire dangers. etc. There are
forty lessons. in all. and their treat
ment is such that they cannot fail to
interest and instruct the children who
are given the benefit of such teach.
ing. It would be a fine thing If these
text books could be given a place in
the course Of study in the common
| schools of this state.
."It was my purpose in these re-
marks merely to offer certain sugges-
tions and to give assurance of the
earnest desire Of the Insurance de-
partment to further in any way pos
sible the splendid work of the North
Dakota State Fire Prevention asso-
%ciation."