Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-03

them by so large percentage of the public
the yeSe round, little surprise follows the
mounting toll of automobile fatalities Yet for
the year 1927, which is the latest period for
which detailed figures on both drownings and
automobile fatalities are available upon a COM
parative basis by States, the number Of deaths
due to drownings was more than third OF the
automobile fatalities in AZ States
A tabulation of deaths by drowning and in
automobile accidents, as drawn up by actuaries
of the Travellers. for 1927 shows:
That in all but four of the AZ States tabu-
lated the drowningS which occurred in sections
classified as rural far outnumbered those which
happened in urban districts, which include
cities showing population Of 10000 and over.
The number OF drownings reported in rural
sections for 1927 was almost twice the death
toll indicated in urban communities. According
to the record of vital statistics for New York
in 1929, nearly Sc per cent Of the number of
drownings which occurred outside New York
City happened in the months of june July and
August, while 40 per cent of such deaths within
New York City occurred in the same months.
The number of deaths by drowning within New
York City was 437 for the whole year, while
in the remainder of the State 1t was $50.
During the observance Of July Fourth in 1928,
q list Of accidental fatalities compiled for that
day by one or the country's press associations
showed that IL persons were killed by fireworks.
while 81 were killed in accidents connected
with motor vehicles, and LOG were drowned.
Obviously, it Is not true that more persons
were bathing or were in boats or canoes that
day than were going about the country in motor
vehicles That goes to show that, although
there is constant and proper emphasis placed
upon the dangers of the road. there Is lack Of
sufficient organized effort to reduce the hazards
of the water. Notwithstanding the efforts of
various organizations to teach the boys and
girls to SWIM too many of them have not
learned an art which is at once Q pleasure
and a protection
Unless many more people begin to learn the
truth about the way tragedies happen in the
water, more and more will the record Of deaths
by drowning mount, because the use of the
motor vehicle has enabled whole families by
the scores Of hundreds of thousands to reach
wayside streams and shores and lakes that
were inaccessible not so many years ago.
Ready means of transportation and the gen.
eral all-round improvement of highways beckon
father, mother and children to week end parties
far away from the msddenng crowd and the
stufy confines of city life, while shortened
hours OF labor allow the extra time for relaxa-
ton, swimming prominently included.
PERHAPS the most outstanding evidence of
the Quickening of interest in the art of
swimming Is to be found in the changing modes
of wearing apparel (or lack of it, which have
been adopted by the well-dressed women at
watering places. Not long ago 1t was not
regarded proper for woman to be seen bathing
unless she was fully and heavily clothed. The
freedom Of youth in this respect has even
stimulated their elders, and the enthusiasm
with which this modern idea of dress-as-you-
please has been taken up is to be noted in the
ever-increasing crowds at seashores
1t may be of interest to observe the trend of
drowning fatalities among both sexes since 1920.
n no
ton Of the United States increased more than
IL per cent The number of deaths by drown
ings involving males increased more than 46