New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-27
Fire Underwriters
Work to Reduce
Losses of Food
Start Nationwide Move
ment for Larger Measure
Of Storage Protection

The National Board Of Fire Under
writers believes that with every day
furnishing increased evidence that the
world is racing with starvation, II is
a crime against humanity 10 allow the
usual percentage Of fires In grain ele-
vators and other places Of storage to
be continued. The board therefore has
been working out extensive plans for
providing fire protection, as distin.
guishcd from mere FIRE indemnity, for
all elevators. -four mills, potato and
onion warehouses and other food re-
positories In the United States.
Committees Appointed
To this end President Bisscll has sp-
pointed local subcommittee In New
York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston,
San Francisco, Minneapolis-St. Paul,
Atlanta, New Orleans and Dallas.
These committees have already entered
into active cooperation with the Gov
errors, state councils Of defence, COM
mittees of safety. fire marshsls and
the financial and commercial interests
of their localities. particularly with
committees Of grain dealers associs-
tons. representative owners, etc.
Their activities are Of q fsrreaehing
nature. involving inspections, the cor
rection of structural hazards ard the
promotion Of careful methods, inelud.
ing cleanliness.
Much Food Destroyed
The vast annual loss Of food staples
through ire has long been recognized
as very largely preventsble, but there
never before has been such an oppor-
tunity for bringing about a widespread
campaign Of conservation. The success
iui fruits OF this campaign should pre-
serve the living for unnumbsrsd thou
sands whose food requirements would
be destroyed were the Are loss to re-
main as usual.
Cotton and Coal
But little less important 10 the con-
servation of the cotton crop-that
great staple whose employment In the
manufacture OF explosives, ~ well IS
in fabrics, makes il an indispensable
wartime necessity. The United Stxtss
is the source Of large part Of the
worlds supply, and it is vitality i'm
portant that this supply should not be
diminished through Are. The burden
Of this responsibility falls especially
upon the committees in Dallas, New
Orleans and Atlanta, although shared
to some degree by those IN other cities.
In this work, ~ we'll, the closest co.
operation is maintained with oil jeeal
authorities and interested orgsnlsa.
tions.
The protection Of coal properties, In.
Guiding breakers, tippies, etc., Of fer.
:ilizer works, Of sawmills and Of piers
and whsryes, 10 an important divisleB
of the work undertaken. With the
growing probability that every ounce,
Of the nations strength may be re-
quired, II would be intolerable to esn-
tinue the drain Of preventable hrss In
these vital resources. Each one Of
them, therefore, 10 being made the sub
ject Of the closest study and most &C
tive effort In = great IRE prevention
campaign the like Of which the werld
has never known.
Raising "Fire Prevention" Army
This campaign is sniissins the SER
vices Of approximately four thousand
trained fire prevention engineers, in
spectors, surveyors and appraisers, To-
Gated in every part Of the country, ss
we'll as OF numerous supplementary
insurance organizations, and IN army
Of oficisis, leagues. committees aad -.
socistions, all eoordinstsd into . elm
gle movement, working earnestly for
the nations safety.
II 10 Of the utmost importance that
every individual In the nation shsuld
consider himself - . eommittss ef ene
to cooperate In the removal Of al On.
necessary FIRE hazard that msy eems
within bis knewlsdgs. The urgsaey %
this need 10 paramount