The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1914-06-28
WAY NOT THINK OF rHIsY

derous arm to this country and xii
| 2I5 children in one week, Injurinl
1892, some Of them for life, blind o.
lacking fingers, Americans would risi
as one and go to war and there't
be no watchful waiting about it eth
er. IN.
If a school-house should collapse
killing 215 children and injurini
1922 others, frenzied city would de
mand vengeance upon the guilty i'll
spectors who allowed the guilty build
ers to commit this murder.
But when through our own sill,
feeble -mindedness we allow 215 chill
dren to be killed and 5092 to be in
ju9cd many for life, out of idiotit
sense that in come way it honors the
brave men who wrote and signed and
proclaimed and defended the Decla
ration of Independence which set us
free from the yoke Of England, we
just don't do anything about it.
That Is, we don't rise in wrath and
demand vengeance. The bereaved pa
rents call it accident and the Hand
of God" The little graves are dug
and the doctors are very busy and
that's all.
But finally, In 1909, when the fig
ures OF killed and wounded had been
steadily climbing year by year until
they reached that appalling 215 and
5092, some forces in our country did
al last take action. The ladies Home
journal which had long been ham
mering for constructive action had the
pleasure of seeing other periodicals
and papers, and especially women s
clubs get after the work Of proven
ton. City after city fell into line
with ordinances forbidding the sale
and use of fire works. Last year, the
list Of casualties of the first week
In July dropped to 20 killed and 1131
injured
That is to say, by substituting pic.
mics parades, pageants and other
really interesting and pleasant ways
Of celebrating the day for the doubt
full pleasure of playing with danger.
Gus explosives, over 200 children
were kept alive and safe, over 1000
who would have been manned and
had the increase kept up,
are today well and happy
And where was there any loss to
Offset that great gain?
What there was is not perceptlble
to the naked eye How about the
fireworks manufacturers, you ask?
Perhaps some of them did, lose and
change their business. But in most
Of the communities progressive
enough to forbid the sale OF fire
toy cannon sand other dead
ly noisemakers. the city or neigh
borhood associations armed with per-
lnits demanding proper safeguards.
engaged the fireworks people them
selves to give evening displays of
Iarest beauty.
There is legitimate field for that
kind of fireworks, handled by experts
who are careful, producing really
artistic pleasure which may be en-.
joyed by thousands of people. In
mcra than one town the bands play
in the parks in the evening of indie,
pendence Day, the fireworks are set
of by grown men who know how to
handle them, In i large safely rop II
oil enclosure. and the lawns and hills.
sides are thronged with happy. good.
natured Gro IDS. s>cb dy's little s'n
or daughter or nephew or niece Ur
cousin or neighbours little child has
been killed or had an arm blown of
or eye put out, so everybody can eat
pop corn and sing patriotic songs and
say oh" and "Ah!' without any
pall hanging over the celebration.
This decrease in the patriotic
mortality rate from 80 TO 81 is splen-
did But why the So? Its fine that
the rate of injured has dropped so
ger cent. But why the 1881 injuries
Why any at all?
Only few children Of the fire.
works age miss anything by the de-
plivation. Those growing up without
the habit are perfectly happy. And
ii they must have extra racket, the
supply of paper bags one can pur-
chase from the grocer is almost I'm