New-York tribune., 1920-07-21
The Tribune Fresh Air Fund
277 Boys and Girls ESCAPE to the
Country To-day
Country To-day

"Please let three fellers escape, -"
writes a contributor of sci to The
Tribune Fresh Air Fund.
Escape from what?
An editorial which appeared in "The
Evening Mail" of May 3, 1920, gives
one answer:
"Our City of Dreadful Streets
"That New York is maintaining it's
record as the city of dreadful streets
is impressively indicated by the police
record of killings by motor trucks for
the first three months of the year,
During January, February and March
hfty-eight persons were killed by
motor trucks alone. For April the
hgures have not yet been tabulated,
but the indications are that the toll
of the juggernaut for that month will
add more than thirty to the record Of
the year up to May l.
"Of the ffty-eight crushed to death
by the wheels of motor trucks during
January, February and March twenty
flve were minors, and most of these
were younger than twelve years.
This execution. be it observed, was
the work only of motor trucks. And
the figures include only killings. They
do not include the many children who
were seriously injured and left the
hospitals manned for life. AS is
usually the case, most of the children
they were avaiing themselves of their
right to play-and their only choice Of
a playground was the city streets
Parents possessed of means are
enabled to give their children
the opportunity to play in safety
by making their homes in the
less thickly settled areas of the met
ropolitan districts. But the vast
majority of parents are unable to adopt
such measures Of immunity for their
little ones during the al-mportant
periods of play, which is as vital to
childhood as are food and clothing.
"Ninety-fve out of every hundred
children in New York must play in the
streets or stihe the instincts that ma
ture planted in their minds, muscles
and souls for their development 10 use
full. normal womanhood or manhood
For these ninety-five out of every
hundred children the community must
provide the Fairgrounds Of which the
growth of the city has deprived them.
or continue to read in the record of
each day the heavy toll of young lives
taken while children are availing them
serves Ol LHcii oiliy Pioy b l outiN, ~HS
streets.
Some day New York will awaken to
the enormity of the wrong which it
is doing to its children. But in the
meanwhile the children are paying with
their lives for the failure of the city
to perform its bounden duty by them.' >
The statistics upon which "The Mail'
comments so forcibly are for the three
months of the year when children
spend less of their time upon the
streets than at any other period of
the same length. During January,
February and March they are sheltered
by the schools for five hours of the
day and the cold drives them off the
streets when school hours are over.
Now there are no schools and the heat
drives them into the streets for air.
Motor traffic is heavier during the
summer. Statistics will show the
streets to be an even more dreadful
place for children in summer than in
winter
The Tribune's Fresh Air vacations
are rescuing many boys and girls from
the dangers of the streets this summer.
You can help in the rescue work by
contributing toward the expenses of
the Fresh Air Funds work.
Seven dollars lets one "feller" es-