Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-09-30
FIRE PREVENTION AND CLEAN
lip WEEK OCT. 90


year has closely approached 81, as
shown by the figures of the Actuarial
Bureau OF the National Board Of Fire
Underwriters is most impressive in
it's lesson, in other words, that 1t
should cost for every man, woman
and child constituting the population
OF this State almost 81 yearly for the
toll of fire loss is almost unbelieve-
able"
The speaker was Insurance Com
missioner G. Walden Smith who at
the present time is arranging for
constructive, Statewide campaign OF
fire prevention. having designated
October % as Fire Prevention
and CIean-Up Week. $50 important
10 this question of fire prevention"
continued Commissioner Smith, that
the present year finds the President
issuing a proclamation in connection
with this great movement, supple
mented by proclamation from Cover
nors Of As States. the letter issued by
Governor Baxter of Maine being in
the most emphatic and convincing
language. l am not regarding this
matter with any thought of false
alarm, but rather there is borne into
my very fibre the serious import OF
doing everything that can be possibly
done to stop this senseless loss which
! is largely preventable.
1.-THE Insurance Department of
Maine, in the past three years has
conducted similar campaigns with
satisfactory results and it is a service
that everyone should feel interested
from a most vital standpoint to sup
port. Helping to prevent fires where
by loss OF life and property are sus-
tanned must be from a psychological
standpoint a creation Of the heart.
No one unless they feel the human
throb of helping his nation, his COM
munity and those he loves can realize
or will do that which he under other
circumstances would only regard as a
matter Of civic duty. This must be
somewhat a question of love and
call upon the clergy. of the State to
make a strong appeal from their pull
pits on Sunday, October 9Th. 1 ask
the organizations of various kinds
throughout the State, including the
Chambers of Commerce, Rotary
Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, business mems
organizations, women's organizations
Of all character to render the as
e.stance which / am sure they must
feel from a sense Of duty should be
given freely.
ITO all of the leading fire under
writer's, fire chiefs and municipal au-
thorities there Is being sent this week
a series Of posters, and request is
made that they be placed in a con-
spicuous prominent place as so i'm
pcrtant service and subject de-
serves. that they make such arrange
ments for the removal of rubbish
and trash from cellars and attcs so
that they may not only have cleaner
conditions for fire prevention but
healthful cause of the removal Of
what frequently constitutes disease
breeding conditions.
This is call to arms" continued
the Commissioner. II feel it most
seriously to be one that the entire
State should get back of the Insur-
ance Department and make every
honest man, woman and child a party
to the biggest thing that can possibly
be contemplated from a standpoint of
preservation OF property and health
Any information as to methods or
means, suggestions or cooperation,
will be gladly afforded II the Depart
ment is communicated with, but the
time has come when straight from
the shoulder the message must be
fully and genuinely understood that
here 10 condition that IL soberly, in
telligently and sanely regarded means
a reduction Of taxes, fire insurance
premiums and building products for
in the face Of all this terrible loss
there must be fully understood this
one thought, IS per cent is prevent
able. caused purely through negli-
gence or carelessness and such con-
ditions must be allied to and known
as crime"
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The SChriAtian" of ENGLAND aays