The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-03-19
SAFETY FIRST.

! The safety first exposition. which
! was held in Washington recently and
which depicted what the federal gov.
eminent is doing in the saving Of life
and property, may soon be brought to
the doorsteps of every citizen in the
United States.
The exposition was Of such far.
reaching educational value and Gre
/ ated so much public interest that
Secretary of the Interior Franklin K.
/ Lane conceived the idea that the rest
of the country ought, if possible, to
be given the opportunity OF seeing it.
He accordingly wrote a letter to Dan
! lei Willard, president OF the Balti.
more & Ohio railroad, requesting the
! free use of a complete tram for
! that purpose. President Willard re-
sponded Immediately and offered to
I furnish an all steel train OF any neces-
sary number Of cars to transport the
exhibits. The railroad also agreed to
| haul this train free of charge over the
entire length OF its line, stopping a
sufficient length of time in each city
or town to, enable the people to in
spect thoroughly the various exhibits.
It has been tentatively agreed that
this train viii be in Washin gton by
May l. and that 1t Will be equipped as
rapidly as possible and sent on its
way. An itinerary will be arranged
without delay. 1t is the plan of Secre-
tary Lane that upon the completion
OF this itinerary, the other prominen
railroads Of the country will be asked
to extend similar favors over their
lines and in this way he hopes that
everyone in the country sufficiently in
terested, will be able to see the ex-
hibsts.
The exhibition held IN Washington
originated with the bureau Of Mines,
and through the encouragement of
Secretary Lane. spread to all the 9th
err departments until twenty-seven
federal bureaus were represented.
as well as the American Red Cross
and the police department Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia
IT am Of the opinion that such a
moving exposition, will be OF great
educational advantage 20 the country"
said Secretary Lane today. THE expo
s3tion. az I saw II, was q revelation as
TO the extent Of the federal govern
ment's activities along the lines Of
lie Saving and property saving That
it created great popular interest was
evidenced by the fact that in the very
busy city OF Washing ton, having mani
fold other interests. the exposition at
t-acted more than $4,000 persons dur
ing the week
BEST OF all, this moving exposition
will give the people Of the interior
towns and cities an opportunity to see
and understand what the federal gov
eminent IS doing in places remote.
For instance. the work Of the public
health service, treasury department, .
80 x&
public against epidenics Of diseases
sent us from foreign shores and the
stamping out of these diseases on the |
threshold OF the country; the work OF !
the coast guard service, treasury de- !
partnent. in saving life at sea, making /
the ocean lanes safe for travel; the /
NAVIGATION bureau, commerce depart !
ment, with It's extensive system of
wireless which has already saved |
thousands Of lives on shipwrecked
vessels: the forest services plan, de-
partment OF agriculture, OF fighting
forest fires and preserving millions OF
dollars OF natural resources to the ma
ton; the methods used by the bureau
Of mines. interior department, IN res
cuing entombed miners from terrible
interstate commerce commission
which have so signalIy reduced the
deaths among trainmen l.
In addition there is the safety first
work Of the army and navy depart
ments: in sanitation and the stamping
out OF the typhoid fever in the army
and navy.
These are but few of the many
interesting activities of the federal
government that the people viii be
privileged 70 see and learn about Al II
together It will be a rare opportunity
for the average citizen of the United (
States and will give him better and
q clearer idea of what a great and
humanitarian country he lives In" J