Evening star., 1925-10-12
Urges U. S. to Build.
Fire Prevention Week Cited in
Favor of $5O,OOO,OO0 Program.

To the Editor of Tho Star:
A fifty million dollar building prof.
ect. There may be those who will
stagger aghastly when they read such
seemingly stupendous figures that
should be spent by the Government,
have read this that they will think
1t only a meager sum compared to its
worth.
This being Fire-Prevention week
and after reading the timely edito
rial in The Star. very vividly recall
the building plan of Senator Smoot.
Senator Smoot has ever been re-
garded the United States Treasury
watchdog. His milliondolla
building project, covering period OF
ten years, might refute that idea, but
it showed that he had keener and
| more wise business foresight than
many of us like to admit. IT is true
that he keeps "a Watchfu1 eye upon
any eXtravagant and useless expendi-
ture; but any that will show event
| ually financial saving. the preserva-
| ton of valuable documents and guard
ing the safety Of Il human life, he
| would be one of the first to propose
or sanction.
AS we know, many valuable papers
are housed in some ramshackled, fire
trap buildings. Papers that involve
| millions Of dollars. which, IL destroyed,
would mean an irreparable loss to the
Government and its people, not only
this generation, but for all future
| posterity. There would be q great
| financial saving in having all these
records housed together, causing less
expense in time and money securing
any data or information. besides the
| rents saved in having them stored in
q Government building.
Then there is another thing far
| more important than any money
value-the safety Of human lives. No
price can be placed upon them: there
| fore, 1t would be well that they work
without jeopardizing their lives OF
limbs. If that danger be removed.
their efficiency could be greatly in.
creased, as they could work at ease
| without having an eye upon some fire
| escape or wondering how they would
| escape in case fire broke out.
| What effect would such u building
! program have upon the economical
! conditions Of the country? Some might
say: None, except to help few con-
tractors, mechanics and laborers In
the City of Washington and burden
the country with taxation" But. n
broader viewpoint must be taken.
| First. all raw material in the con-
struction Of these buildings must
| come from the mills, mines. quarries,
etc. somewhere in the States. reach
ing from the coast Of Maine to the
! Golden Gate and from the Great
Lakes to the Gulf OF Mexico. This is
going to give employment to thou
sands Of men. each representing four
or five dependents. Those men. being
employed. will be able TO consume
more food and buy more clothes and
| ich Snr ca1y- y6 far los
which VIII give employment to farm
ers, manufacturers and many others.
| They, in turn. Will be able to buy more
| and live better.
! The direct and indirect benefit from
such an expenditure has become SO
| complex that it would be about as
easy TO solve the old. medieval feudal
| system, as it would TO find out all
the beneflciaries.
| An employed. prosperous people VIII
take more time to improve the es-
thetic and cultural side of life, which
| Will. naturally, make for better citi-
| zenship.
| Distrust, riotins and anarchy breed
in a government where its people are
unemployed and dissatisfied. There
fore. no better plan can be used than
to spend money, wisely and judicious-
! ly on either Government or private
| building projects, insuring happiness,
| peace and prosperity. The tranquil
| lity and stability Of any government
| depend upon the contented minds Of
| it's people and there is no better solu-
| ton for this than to keep them en-
ployed and prosperous.
In conclusion, the 10000. 900 peo
pie. making up the greatest Nation
on earth, could look with pride upon
the many magnificent buildings, hous-
to- &>air
| hundreds of employees intrusted to
| fhA Air keenipy OSCAR N MILLER