Evening star., 1922-09-21
|REPREvEND0N
!. AYPROC|.A|MED
President Harding Urges En-!
tire Nation to Observe
October g.
LOSSES HELD APPALLING
United States Said to Lead World
in Waste of Property and Lives
Through Conaagrations.'
LOSSES HELD APPALLING

President Harding today issued a
proclamation designating Monday, Oc-
tober .. as national fire prevention
day. The fire waste in the United
States, year after year. the Presi-
dent declared, reaches appalling fig
ures, which are not approached in
any other country. There ought to
be especial effort, he added. to mini
mize such losses.
The text of the proclamation fol-
lows:
"It has become a nation wide Gus
tom to observe October 9, anniversary
of the great Chicago fire of 1871, as
National Fire Prevention day; and, in
recognition Of this excellent prece-
dent. I am herewith directing the
attention of all citizens, especially
those in authority in the states and
cities. to the desirability of coKtinu-
ing the observance this year, and
making is as impressive as possible.
Facilities Inadequate.
at has long been reproach to our
country that by reason of poor con-
struction, inadequate facilities for
fire prevention, and an all too gen.
eral carelessness about possible
causes of conflagration, our fire
waste reaches figures year after year
which are not approached in any
other country in the world. Mindful
Of the fire waste, which is expressed
In figures SO huge as to be appalling,
1t may be emphasized that in a time
when all communities need to con-
serve resources in hand and to pro-
mote production in every possible
way there ought to be especial effort
to minimize such losses. To this end,
Therefore, l, Warren G. Harding,
President of the United States, appeal
to the public authorities of the coun-
try. by such measures as to them may
seem most effective, and to citizens
generally, to take steps for the OBJ
Fire Prevention day. l suggest the
special desirability of impressing
upon the teachers and pupils in the
schools. and all workers in industrial
establishments, the Importance of
precautionary measures for avoidance
of fire.
Aid to Economy.
"By such measures. earnestly under
taken and vigorously enforced, we
shall contribute to a vast economy of
the national resources and of the
product of human effort: as well as to
a saving Of many hundreds of human
lives now needlessly sacrificed.
I'm witness whereof I have here
unto set my hand and caused the seal
Of the United States to be affixed.
Done in the city of Washington
this 18th day Of September, in the
nf nrd
hundred and twenty-five and Of the
independence OF the United States, the
one hundred and forty-seventh.
WARREN G. HARDING"
The Chamber of Commerce Of the
United States at the same time an
nounced that local commercial bodies
throughout the country will take the
ton week, from October 2 to 3. The
chamber, it was added. had placed
before business associations q suE-
gested program for the week, and In
a statement said:
1900 Lives Lost In 1921.
Property valued at about $780,
100000 was destroyed by fire In the
United States during the forty years
ending with 1921: The loss during
the last year OF this period was ap-
"a IA oAA SAhASo 80 8kSos 90
that Of the first year.
I'm 1891 more than $4,000 lives were
lost and property valued at half q bill,
lion dollars was destroyed by fire.
This was simply the total of many
separate fire losses and was not the
result Of any great condensation.
During the first seven months of
the current year, property valued at
$3.50. .oo0. 600 was added to the nations
ash-heap."