The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1917-05-31
MUST PREVENT FIRES WHICH DESTROY FOOD

potentially precious. That there was
insurance cuts no figure for you can
not eat money.
'1n behalf of our mutual business
and the higher motive of patriotism, ii
occurs to us to suggest that you use
your war-stimulated earnestness and
quickened sense of duty for serving
your country in a consecrated effort
for the prevention or loss by fire in
your bushes territory and plan cam
paign which will make incendiarism
as odious as treason and careless in
difference to e-prevention require
ments as nothing less than criminal !!
"You have the ability, the knoWl-
edge and the experiences; you nave
the, confidence of your clients and
acquaintances, and you have behind
you the critical need of your country
in conserving the supply of food.
You know where fire dangers exist
and what improvements are needed.
This is no small matter at any time,
bnt is much emphasized just now
and is worthy of your determined I'M
dertaking according to plans which
are best calculated to bring results In
your respective localities. Enlist the
interest of your competitors, your hre
department, your good citizens, your
local press, and arouse your commun-
ity to the prodigal Wastage OF hre,
which can easily be lessened. We are
sure that If the insurance men OF this
country we're conscious of how much
tbey could do in this behalf and made
that consciousness active along lines
in which they are we'll informed, our
sham eful annual ash-heap would d.
minish, rates of insurance would de-
crease, a patriotic service would be
rendered and an important contribu-
ton to the food supply Of the future
would be made"
There is no gainsaying the import:
ance and timeliness of this plea. The
country is not yet awake to the tact
that we are at war. The sound or the
guns is afar off and it is on the other
side Of the world that men are dying.
Yet millions in value-including mil
lions of value in food-and hundreds
of lives have been destroyed here at
home in the carrying out OF a war
fare as real as that raging from the
English Channel to the Swiss frontier
and as bitter as that which has filled
the gloomy chambers of stormy seas
with uncounted dead.
And all because there has been, in
this country, no adequate system OF
prevention, no well-planned method
of protection, no general adoption of
sound principles for the accomplish
ment of fire extinguishment.
Individual responsibility is a burden
on all; but it bears with compelling
force on those whose properties are
destroyed, and particularly those mills
where grain is ground into -four and
meal, in the warehouse where food
stuffs are stored and especially in the
grocery store where the keeping of
foodstuffs and infiammable materials
near together renders an extra haz.
ard It is up to them to remove every
hazard that is removable. 1t is UP to |
them to provide every means, method !
ind facility for protection against both |
Internal and external hazards.
And. above all, if works and devices
,ail, there is the last-trench defense of |
e-extinguishment From the very
nature of the problem-food conserva.
don't is necessary that this be ac-
,omplished, with the least possible loss
,r damage, which presupposes imme-
liate detection Of fire at the point of
origin, imm ediate alarm 90 outside fire
lighters that fire exists, and immediate
etting to work to e0tinguish It. This
means that these functions must be
automatically performed, to be of high.
st service.
Fire prevention, therefore, for the re-
nova1 OF causes; fire protection, for
he safeguarding of properties and
PROCESSES, and sprinkler equipment to
meet the exigencies of the situation
despite all precautions-ire de.
'elops- these are the elements of the
PERSONAL responsibility that must be
houldered by the food hand, ers of the
ounty.
What are YOU going to do about I'll