Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-17
URGES DAY TO TEACH
PREVENTION Of FIRES
Commissioner Brownlow Wants Help
of Civic Bodies and School
Authorities.
Tells Retail Merchants Association
That Fire Losses Exceed the
Premiums Paid.

|
lumbia during the last year have ex-
ceeded the premiums. II the losses
continue to be as great. It will result ir
one of two things-either the COM
| panies will increase their rates or with
draw from this territory"
Such was the statement made last
night by Commissioner Brownlow IN
the course of an address delivered be-
fore the Retail Merchants Association
at the Raleigh Hotel, in which he ad-
vocated a plan to hold Are proven
ton day in Washington some time
| next fall. The best way to combat fire
losses is to educate the people how to
prevent fires, the Commissioner said.
Such education should start in the pub
lie schools. for many fires are started
as the result of carelessness on the
part of children.
Planned for Next Fall.
Mr. Brownlow said the board of Com
missioners proposes to make an effort
to get the support Of the board Of edu-
cation and all the trade bodies and
civic Organizations in the plan for a
fire prevention day. He said he thought
the best time to hold such an affair
would be in October or early in Novem-
Der after the school classes have be-
come thoroughly organized.
A feature Of the fire prevention day
would be parade in which the IRE de-
partment would participate. There also
would be floats and banners teaching
the lesson Of fire prevention. Fire pre-
vention days have been held in New
York and other cities, tho Commission
er said. In every locality where they
fire
ished. AT the suggestion Of Mr.. Brown
low. President r. P. Andrews was au-
thorized to appoint committee Of ten
members to cooperate with like COM
mfttees representing other organiza-
tons in making plans for the proposed
fire prevention day.
Need Of More Money.
Mai. c. w. Kutz, Engineer Commits
sioner. spoke OF tho work being done
by the public utilities commission,
which, he said, was hampered some-
what by lack Of sufficient funds. He
urged the association to use its efforts
to persuade Congress to give tho COM
mission more money with which to
work.
Neutrality-suspicious. pay $14.ooo.o 900 a
year: or Sss per capita per annum. for
services rendered by public service cor
porations here" said MAJ Kutz. 1.-THE
cost of maintaining the public utilities
commission is about $4,000 a year, or
8 or cents per capita per annum. In
other words, people Of the District pay
for the maintenance of the commission
only .23 Of l per cent of what they
spend for public services.
The commission has completed about
10 per cent of the work on physical val
corporations and expects to complete
the work by September 1. The work
will have cost $4,000"
Compliments Association.
Commissioner Newman complimented
the Retail Merchants Association on
its growth and the work it is doing.
He said he had followed the activities
OF the organization since its formation
He urged the merchants to cooperate
with the Commissioners in movements
for the beterment Of the National Capt.
tai.
Maj. Raymond Pullman, superintend-
ent of police, spoke on the prevention
of crime. THE police department is
planning to pay greater attention to
preventive work." said Maj. Pullman.
The public in being careful can pre-
vent much crime. Frequently the pub
think the cash register has done as
much as any other one thing to de-
crease the amount of larceny. The
police department is planning now to
check and prevent the reckless driv-
ing Of automobiles. Cooperation Of the
public will be required"
Fleming Newbold. business manager
of The Star. spoke of the progress
which has been made in the circulation
OF washington. the City Beautiful"
pamphlets, published under the aus
pices of a committee composed Of rep
resentatives of the four Washington
newspapers and of the civic bodies of
the city. The first issue of the pam
phlets. numbering 10000 copies, has
been distributed by out-of-town hotels
and various firms of the city have
ordered total of $4,000 additional
copies. Several members Of the asso-
citation stated that the replies which
they had received from firms and in
dividuals to whom they sent copies In
dictate that they are valuable boosters"
for Washington.
New Members Admitted.
The following new members were
taken into the association: The Ameri-
can Ice Company. Stephenson d Bro,
Bradfords Detective Agency. Barron G.
Collier. Inc: the Chesapeake and Poto-
mac Telephone Company. and ]. M. Ash
A letter was received from the Bust
ness Mems Association of Chesapeake
Beach, requesting the aid of the retail
merchants in bringing next summers
encampment of the District National
Guard to that town.
ANNIVERSARY mr. FIRF