Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-10-17
SAFETY FIRST

~ with the one object OF preventing
those accidents that are caused
through carelessness To the autoists who
speed through crowded thoroughfares with
reckless disregard for life or limb, pushing
their machines to the speed limits and over,
is held up the warning; Safety First. To the
pedestrian who crosses streets through con
gested traffic, lodges behind street cars and
in front of auto trucks is sent the admoni-
tion: Safety First
And how sensible this movement is There
is a spirit in this modern age which forever
cries, Hurry, Hurry" The American man
is noted in Europe for his impetuous desire
to get to whatever place he may be going in
the quickest possible way. True, much Of the
time saved by the American 5 hurry is worth
dollars and cents to him. But how often it
is that this hurry is unnecessary How often
il is merely an expression Of nervous energy
which should be kept under control
SO little thought accompanies the desire to
get somewhere quickly, If a man thought,
would he delbcrately\run across a crowded
street TO catch street ear that would net
him few minutes timer Probably not il
he considered The chances of his being struck
by passing automobile or knocked down
by horse or street ear. Would possible death,
permanent or temporary physical injury
weigh less than the three minutes Of time
LVcd2
Now that three minutes are saved, what
does the man do with them7 Nnely-nino
times out Of one hundred he uses them fool
ishly. 4 distinguished English visitor to this
country asked in ama2ement why it was that
n gentleman he had noticed dodgng beneath
the up-roared hoois of horse and barely
escaping death under the wheels of an auto
in his frantic haste TO get somewhere, should
have spent The next Fifteen minutes in gazing
in the window of drug store where u man
was demonstrating q new style Of safety
razor Was il for this he had risked his lifo2
II was for the satisfaction of his desire TO
hurry. His haste had no purpose and had he
asked himself he would have known Of no
real reason why he was hurrying,
Safety First The men who are working
in this new movement hope to bring out clear.
ly the foolishness of useless hurry, and TO
make America a nation Of saner persons
But what has this TO do with the man in
the country where congested thoroughfares
are only seen on Ncircus or fair days, and
where chores are seldom done with mad
hasteY Safety First, docs not mean only less
hurry 1t means carcfuncss in every sense of
tho word.
Suppose you go into the loft to let hay
down to the horses. You notice a board is
loose in the flooring. Sometime later it might
slip from It's place causing someone to STUN
bic and fall to the floor below, Safety First.
Suppose the weather bureau sends out frost
notices II ism I cold 80 you think you will
take no precautions to protect your produce,
particularly as It would mean much extra
labor that would be useless in the event that
there was no frost Safety First Suppose the
bull has battered large board from the gate
Of the corral oh, WELL he can I get out yet,
Safety First
Why fireproof building' Why put block
systems ON the railroads' Why put emer-
gency brakes on aulomobilesY Why put
lightning rods on farm buildingi Safety
Firstl