The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-19
Sane FOURTH
ADVOCATED BY
FIRE MARSHAL
State Official Suggests Ways
TO ENJOY Day Without Bat.
tlefield Casualties.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. June a.
Community gathering and patriotic
exercises for the coming Fourth are
advocated by H. H. Friedley, State
Fire Marshal, to take the place of the
noisy and hazardous demonstration of
former years.
During the past several years, says
the IRE marshal. great strides have
been made in the direction of a safe
and sane celebration of Independence
day. with the result that the toll of
dead and manned. and the number Of
fires, have steadily decreased.
In the interests of avoiding revival
of the dangerous celebrations of pre-
war years, with the attendant casualty
lists and needless fires, the state Of
ficer sometime ago called attention to
restrictions placed by the fire marshal
law upon the sale of fireworks at re-
tail
Pointing to the community gather
ing as the best ;antidote for this dan
gerous form of entertainment, he Of
fers to municipalities and civic organ
igations the following suggestions for
use in arranging programs for the
days observance.
historical Pageants.
Patriotic exercises, parades, athletic
sports, baseball games, plenty Of band
concerts and music may be included
in the program. Pageants have proven
very successful in some cities, and
could be arranged very nicely. In
nearly every section of the state it Is
possible to find some event concerning
the early settlers, scenes with the
Indians, events of the civil war period,
or the marshalling Of a company Of
soldiers, that would lend itself to this
purpose.
Celebrations. rich in patriotic senti-
ment and attended by no less of pleas
ure and enjoyment for the young, but
without the burning of powder, have
been frequent during recent years.
But perhaps none was more worthy of
repetition than that of the people
of Irvington, residential suburb of
Indianapolis. The Irvingtonif ) were
hosts to thousands who att I'd an
open-air historical pageant n the aft
ernoon, picnic dinner in the evening
followed by a program of music and
singing. There was time for golf. ten
mis-, baseball and other athletic events
The Community Sing.
The Community Sing" provides
one of the most interesting and stir
ring forms of patriotic entertainment
Every redhlooded individual loves to
sing The patriotic sentiment can be
keyed to the highest pitch in no bet.
ter way than by song. Community
singing should, therefore, be included
in the program. A good band and a
good director should be provided to
lead the singing.
Begin Arrangements Now.
There is still time to complete the
necessary arrangements if begun @ow
1t is usual for the Mayor to al. int
an Independence day committee, te
be selected from the following bodies
City officials. chamber of commerce
women's clubs, merchants associa
lions, school board, federation of labor
churches, and perhaps other organl
cations.
subcommittee should be selected
as follows: Finance, publ city, recep
ton, prizes, sports, music, pageant
floats, transportation. These sub-com
mittees could be varied to meet th'
differing needs of smaller towns.
1t is suggested that the money t.
cover the cost of the celebration m1gh
be raised by city appropriations II
cover the entire amount required, o.
by private subscriptions alone. Th'
selling of reserved seats for field ant
track events, baseball, etc, might adj
to the general fund.