Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-22
HARDING PR0CLA|MS
OCT. 8 TO OBSERVE
FIRE PREVENTION
President Calls on Citizens to
Recognize Need of
Safety.

Washington, Sept. 21.-President
Harding Thursday issued a proclama-
ton designating Monday, October y,
AS national fire prevention day. me
fire loss in the United States year after
year, the president declared, reaches
appalling figures, which are not APP
preached in any other country. 1here
ought TO be especial effort, ne addeo'
to minimize such losses.
The text of the proclamation follows:
1T has become a nationwide custom
10 observe October o. anniversary OF
the great Chicago fire of 1871. as
national fire prevention day; and III
recognition of this excellent precedent
am. herewith directing the attention
of all citizens, especially those IN au-
thority in the states and cities, TO the
desirability of continuing the opserV-
ance this year and making 1T as I'M
pressive as possible.
"It has long been a reproach to our
country that by reason of poor CON
struction, inadequate facilities for fire
prevention and an all too general care
iessness about possible causes of con-
flagration. our fire wave reaches fig
ures wear 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, it may be emphasized that In
times when all communities need 10
conserve our in hand and to pro-
mote production in every possible way,
there ought to be especial effort TO
minimize such losses: 10 TINS end'
therefore, /, Warren q. Harding, pres
dent of the United States, appeal to
the public authorities of the country,
by such measures as TO them may seem
most effective, and to citizens general
". to take steps for the observance OF
Monday, October 9, as fire prevention
day. / suggest the special d~esirabihty
Of impressing upon the teachers and
public school pupils and all workers in
industrial establishments the impor-
lance of precautionary measures for
avoidance of fires.
"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 o
needlessly sacrificed.
in witness whereof, | have hereuntC
set my hand and caused the seal of the
United States to be fixed.
Done in the city of Washington
this sixteenth day of September, in the
wear of our Lord, one thousand nine
hundred and twenty-five and of the
independence of the United States the
one hundred and fo~rty-seventh.
"(Signed)
WARREN G. HARDING"
Chamber of Commerce Acts
The Chamber of Commerce of the
United States at the same time an
rounced that local commercial bodies
throughout the United States will take
the lead in observance of fire proven
ton week from October , to 8. The
chamber. it was added, had placed be
fore business associations a suggested
program for the week, and in a state.
ment said:
Property valued at about $7,S69,
900 900 was destroyed by fire in the
United States during the 40 years end
ing with 1921. The loss during th'
last year of this period was approx
mately six times as great as that Of
the first year. In 1921 more thar
$4,000 lives were lost and property
valued at half a billion dollars was
destroyed by fire. This was simply thu
total of many separate fire losses anc
was not the result of any great con
~fiagration.
During the first seven months o.
the current year, property valued a
S23O.O00.0 900 was added to the nations
ash heap"