Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1918-01-25
OMIT FIREWORKS
DURING HOLIDAYS
SHOULD BURN NO MONEY
Fireworks Made Of Materials Most
Needed in Prosecution Of War;
Should Enforce Laws.

The attention of the North Carolina
Insurance Department has been called
to the fact that fireworks manufac-
turers are appealing to officials of
Southern cities and towns which have
fireworks to lift the ban for the COM
Ing holiday season under the plea that
it will take the form Of patriotic cele-
bration 1t is sincerely to be hoped
that no officials OF North Carolina
towns Or cities will listen to this plea.
At time when every energy OF
State and Nation is directed toward
the conservation Of every resource for
tie prosecution of the war and the
conduct of the National defense it is
Iii timed, to say the least, to call for
demonstration under the guise OF pa
. triotism which involves the burning OF
j money invested in fireworks. made of
the material most needed for the prose-
cution of the war.
! This one fact is enough to cause
patriotic city officials to turn deaf
ear to the plea of the fireworks manu-
facturers But when records OF the
past are brought up showing the mil
lions of dollars Of losses from fires in
this country caused from careless
handling of fireworks the plea presents
the appearance of being out of all
reason. To the man or woman OF
patriotic impulse there can be no
doubt that the only place where Amer
lean fireworks can have any place il,
the observance of Christmas in this
year of 1917 is cover there" The only
American official who should encour
age allow or direct the handling OF
fireworks is General John J. Pershing
"or his duly appointed agents"
An insurance magazine of recent
d. e discussing this plant has the fol
lowing to say:
- "Of course these manufacturers have
but one selfish purpose in view-tha
they themselves may wax rich from
the sale of their unwelcome and I'm
necessary goods. They are not reall.
patriotic, and they have very FOOLS!
ideas indeed if they think that all tina
patriotism requires Is for the publ
to shamefully spend their good none
for fire crackers and explosives tina
may burn and cripple and MAIN pet
ple Patriotism is made OF muc
sterner stuff.
I'm past years, business. social an
civic organizations have urged sal
and sane Christmases. Each year til
holiday has become safer and sane
and thousands of dollars worth
property and many lives have bee
saved as a result. Many cities an
towns passed stringent laws again
the wholesale and indiscriminate di
charge of fireworks. The good acco1
plished has been apparent.
'If safe celebrations of Christina
were desirous in peace times, he
=. much more should this idea prevs
now that our country is at war. FIJI
works require material that is us
+, in making gunpowder for our gu1
Our allies need al. the war munitio
: they can get. How much more
triotic these fireworks manufacture
would be If they used their plan
!. labor and material in supplying t
necessary uoeuS dCI Ooo In0 oSOeAAA'
GAS President Wilson said, this
a time when all America should VIC
and pull together. To discharge Fl
works this Christmas is working II
the hands OF the enemy by endang
ing lives and property, exhausting
plosives recklessly, and accompll
ing no real good,
"It is hoped that all munic1pa1'
ard store dealers will recognize tn
d-tv to their country, and not tt
Few fireworks manufacturers. This
4 sine when every real American
show his devotion to old Glory
not e..,danger its resources and PEG
"In the South there are thousa
OF bales of cotton, concentrated Il
Or less and much OF it is uncove
3 shark from firecracker may Sc
ahlazs. 1t has happened before "
fireworks we're permitted"
FIRES IN TEMPORARY ABSEN