The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-04-22

! In the year 1914 Mr.. H. L. Browneii,
director OF safety OF the surface lines
of that city, delivered scores OF lee
lures in the public schools OF Chlcaso,
showing the school childnen by means
of moving picture film and stereoptl-
con views how accidents occur, and
telling them how TO be safe.
The result was that fatal accidents
TO children in which the cars OF the
surface lines We're the instrument.
were reduced over 10 percent in the
year 1914 Mr.. Brownell states that
in the month of July, 1913 seventeen
children were killed by being run
over by surface cars in Chicago. In
the same month of 1914. after his cam
paign of. education in the public
schools, not a single child met death
from this cause.
10000 are Killed.
Statistics. which are admittedly in
complete, tell US that there are 10000
people killed as the result of acci-
dents, every twelye-month in the
United States. Two million or more
suffer injuries sufficient to incapaci-
tate them from work
Insurance actuaries tell US that the
average earning power OF these forty
thousand killed, based upon the expec-
fancy OF life had the accident not cut
short that life, as of the sum of $4,000
each. That Is two hundred millions
of dollars taken from the productive
industrial power OF the country every
year. The two million who are IN
jured, some OF them permanently dis
abled, lose in wages because of their
injuries at least another two hundred
millions. Four hundred millions OF
dollars wasteS, and every dollar OF it
could be saved
For the cold fact IS that not a
single accident which costs life or dis
ablement of the victim but which
could have been avoided, if someone
concerned had thought safety first
The key to successful safety first
campaign is to arouse the thought OF
safety first in the minds Of everyone.
1T is problem OF thorough organi-
zation, of continued agitation, of con-
slant reiteration of the thought, and
clements with which to accomplish
the work.
No Roadway can be made in this
work If it is gone about in cold, I'M
sympathetic manner. To arouse the
enthusiasm of the employe it is neces-
sary TIKI the organizer himself be
filled with his subject. and he able to
inject his enthusiasm into those whom
he calls in as aides.
Get Away from Old Way.
Perhaps some OF you general mana
gers still believe in the old-school
method OF handling your employees at
as 1t were. If SO, you will
not waste time in trying 10 develop
the safety first habit among your en-
ployes, for unless you can bring your
self to treat your workmen as human
beings, ard not merely as parts of
your machine, youA would waste your
own time and that of the employees,
and gain nothing in either efficiency
or good will.
And that is another benefit which
can reasonably he expected TO flow
from the Setterment of working con-
ditions, induced by the thought among
the workmen that everything Is being
done that can be to promote their
safety.
Make working conditions safe and
you remove one of the burdens which
war upon the efficiency of the work
men. If the mind is left free to de-
vote to the work in hand, the result
cannot fail to be an increase in eff
cheney of the workmen. 1t Is in this
direction as much as in the direction
of the saving effected by the reduc-
ton of the long list OF losses through
the claims and damages induced by
accident, in which the safety first
is destined to prove itself.
And last, but by no means least Of
the advantages, is the closer under
standing on the part of the public Of
the work Of the corporation, which
will result from the conduct OF
public campaign Of safety first.
Problem In Traffic.
The increasing traffic of the streets,
and OF the country highways as well,
presents problem which the cleo
trio railway manager finds difficult Of
solution The number of high-pow.
cred vehicles Is increasing SO rapidly
that there is scarce room for all of
them. This problem has been vastly
complicated in the past few months
by the appearance of tho jitney bus,
which, lacking any restrictive meas
ures, has become a nightmare disturb
ing the sleep of the motormen who
drive the cars. and is rapidly silver
ing the hairs OF the general mana
gers
In the city of Davenport alone, the