The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-12
KANSAS M THIRD PLACE
Clarence f. Brown, Employc of Union
Pacific, Urges Safety.

Clarence E. Brown, Employc of Union
Pacific, Urges Safety.
Clarence E. Brown, a machinist in
the Union Pacific shops at Armstrong,
has written a safety First allegory,
which is to be printed and posted on
the bulletin boards of the road, as one
of the measures of the safety first
campaign which the Union Pacific is
carrying on.
The Union Pacific campaign in
cludes the offering of banner for the
division which has the least number
of accidents during the coming year,
in proportion to the locomotive mile
age. The Kansas division now stands
third in the contest.
Another banner is being offered for
the shops which have the fewest acct
dents, and the Armstrong shops, in
which Brown is employed, stand at the
head of the list.
His AIIegory. X
Browns allegory is as follows:
"OId Man Carelessness and the New Year"
1t was New Years Eve Outside,> bells
were merrily ringing, whistles joyfully loot
ing. and a mad crowd of care-haters wildly
yelling and waving gaily decorated horns,
hats and festal regalia, celebrating, ringing
in the New Year and ringing out the ola.
It was indeed happy night for all, care
swept aside everything but the happiness of
the moment; Did say everybody, was
happy? Well, meant nearly everybody.
old Man Accident. seated in his dingy
Hall of Sorrow, -poked the dying embers
in the dilapidated CRATE with rod of iron
in the the c Of bob tei H.
the windov, pulled aside the black curtain
and peered out in the darkness with his
one good eve, the other being glass.
The sight of the joyful, care-free crowd
jostling one another was too much for the
old trouble-maker. who slowly, made his
way back to the fire. stroking his Scared
bald head with CORY fingers muttering,
How things have changed Before my foe
Safety, got busy, this used to be a wonder
ful night when l could gloat over the doom
of millions, blindly stumbling towards my
dark abyss. The moan of injured workmen
music in mine ears. much sweeter than the
meaningless chatter of this happy holiday
throng-
I've gods. how 1 hate Safety. And yet.
shouldn't feel SO blue. because the past few
months haven't been completely barren of
results from my work. L have, indeed.
been. real help to my silent partner,
Death.
During the past year, industry has suf
fered something like 500 900 serious acct
dents, many of which have crippled men
and women for life. Some record, isn't it,
himself. LAS a cause of Sorrow he con-
pared to me. 1 wonder why people con-
old and tired of my job. When i think
of the lives lost and injuries suffered by
tbe weare Of an ouS as baa
for the lives lost and the injuries have
caused, and yet, L am not altogether TO
blame. The injured ones themselves are
largely responsible. They take chances.
They disregard rules made for their WE'LL
being. They ignore the Safety movement.
and scott ut Safety First They refuse to
wear goggles or take the simplest precau-
tons. All of this helps my record but deem
down in my heart L hate Thoughtlessness.
Carelessness, and Ignorance. altho they are
my greatest aids.'' Old Man Accident paused
moment, yawned YEARLY and in a trem-
bling voice exclaimed: "Oh. Safety, hurry.
Make men see that they are the ones who
suffer most and pay the cost of their fool
hardness. Altho | hate you, L am sick at
heart over my past eEdeavors. Allow me
to die and Danish my aids. Thoughtless-
ness, Carelessness. and Ignorance
As the words died away, a great silence
filled the room. Old Man Accident was
asleep. new year had-come, with untold
potential possibilities, and the problem is
squarely to<yOu. Are you going to arouse
Old Man Accident thru any thoughtless ac5
or deed? Or are you going to do your part
to keep him asleep for 1921 and forever
Safety Always
The safety of the whole Of US
Depends so much all of US
That it surely behooves each of us
To be thoughtful for the rest of us.