New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-31
.bLAMES LAX METHODS
FOR "F|REBUC" EVIL
Director Allen Of the Research
Bureau Also Suggests
Greater Publicity.
STIRRED BY TRIBUNE STORY
Wants Fire Department to Pub
lish a Weekly Report--John-
sons Work Praised by In
vestigator's Counsel.

Fire Commissioner Johnsons article in
yesterdays Tribune. the third in the
series written for The Tribune by heads
of the city departments, and particularly
his announcement that 20 per cent OF the
fires In this city last year were OF incen-
diary origin, created deep interest among
those in touch with what is being done
to prevent fires. While the Commission
er's statement was not accepted In all
quarters without sustaining proof, there
was general comment to the effect that
| the report OF which he spoke would beget
close attention.
The emphasis which the Commissioners
laid on incendiarism brought from Will
| lam II. Allen. director Of the Bureau OF
Municipal Research, who has devoted
much time to the study Of fire prevention.
the suggestion that greater publicity
should be given to fire losses and their
causes.
"If Commissioner Johnson IL right
said Mr.. Allen. Gin charging that . per
| cent OF New York's fires I'm 1911 were due
to 'frebugs,' then December so. 1912. Is AL
together too late for that interesting bit
OF news to reach the public. Again, II he
is sure enough Of his charge to make II
publicly, he must have had a vast amount
Of specific evidence which should have
been used In criminal and civil actions
every week during and since 1911"
| 81 hope that the Commissioner forth
coming report will answer such questions
as these" Mr.. Allen continued. (which
fires were incendiary? When did the Blu
reau of Fire Prevention learn that they
were incendiary? When did the Commits
shioner learn the fact? How did he and
his bureau use this Information? How
many 'firebugs' were caught? How many
were fined. imprisoned or freed? How
many times were insurance companies
told OF the incendiary origin? What pro-
tests did the Commissioner make against
| light punishment? What steps have been
taken to cure the defects which led the
Board of Estimate to condition part OF
its allowance for fire prevention?
Should Remove Incompetents.
LAS IN dealing with crime and vice and
school defects. so In dealing with fire
| cNllo i IilIllis bflA'Nt Alldb VIC So b'''
results by expecting official departments
TO do well what they already know how
| 10 do rather than TO tackle what they dc
not yet know how TO do. The best posi-
bic way TO stop 'firebug' fires Is TO re-
move incompetence In the Fire Depart
monts use OF it's fire prevention powers
II this next year the preventable care,
lessness and violation OF law by citizens
IL reduced, az II can be, BY reducing pre-
ventable inefficiency at fire headquarters
In the appointment, assignment, super.
vision and checking up OF men-and by
educational work. incendiary fires will not
| seem so serious.
Mr.. Allen proposed that the Fire De-
partment be required 10 publish a weekly
and quarterly report analogous TO tina,
published by the Department of Health
printing the results Of Investigations into
FIRE costs and causes. II was not enough
10 have fire prevention bureau operat-
Ing, no matter how efficiently. he said
unless IL kept coming 10 the public with
proof that the public itself had not beer
sufficiently careful or had been derelic'
I'm adopting methods OF preventing iirt
waste.
Miss Frances Perkins executive secre
tary OF the committee on safety. re-
| marked that Commissioner Johnson was
| right I'm saying that the laws against
| arson were not strict enough Germany
| she said. had the best guard against
| arson There they fined a man for hav
ing fire in his house, whatever tn
| cause The consequence was that there
were few fires. she Observed.
Abram /. Elkus, counsel for the stat'
factory investigating committee, said:
1T was testified before our committed
that the number OF incendiary fires wa'
large but / had no idea II reached suct
! proportions. The fire marshal was sup
| posed TO investigate the causes OF fires
| bur Fire Commissioner Johnson is doini
| an excellent work I'm organizing and per
| festing this function OF the department.
| The president and secretary OF the Ne"
| York Board OF Fire Underwriters were
! asked yesterday to comment on Commits
| sIoner Johnson's statement that II there
| were not a dollar Of fire insurance III th'
! CITY the number of fires would be reduced
| q per cent, but both refraned from com
hitting themselves. A. VI. Thorourn
the secretary, remarked that he though
| Mr.. Johnson's estimate OF the number o
| iucendiary fires too high entirely. VIVA
the Commissioner said about the IRE In
s,rance business didn't concern him par
| ticularly, he said.