Evening star., 1932-10-03
SAFETY CONGRESS
| OPENS WAR TO GUT
$1,000 DEATH TOLL
Aggressive Campaign De-
cided on at Opening of
Sessions Here.
DELEGATES GREETED
BY OFFUTT AND CROSBY
President Bergquist of National
Council Says Depression In
creases Workers Risk.

1OulIllS OUT tHat the UnlteQ states
can III afford the huge cost OF last
years $1,000 accidental deaths, the Ma
tional Safety Congress today pledged
itself to an aggressive campaign for
public, industrial, home and school
safety.
In resolution at this mornings
opening session the congress called at
tention to the fact that while last years
accident death rate showed some i'm
provement over preceding years, lit was
still far above that CT any other civilized
country in the word"
The 1000 delegates to the congress,
one of the countrys largest assemblies,
next to the political conventions, passed
a resolution at the first general session
stressing the fact $500 persons met
death last year in traffic accidents,
$4,000 in the home, 10000 in public
places other than traffic and 1900 in
industrial establishments, and that
9,400 900 persons were permanently or
temporarily disabled through accidents.
The invocation at the opening was
delivered by Rev. w. Coleman Nevils,
S. j., president Of Georgetown Uni
versity.
Welcomed to Capital
The delegates were welcomed to
Washington by George w. Ofutt, chair
man Of the Executive Committee in
charge of local arrangements, and by
Maj. Gen. Herbert B. Crosby, District
Commissioner. The opening meeting
was held at Wardman Park Hotel.
Both the Wardman Park and the
Shoreham Hotel are being used as
headquarters by the delegates.
Responding to the welcome, c. w.
Bergquist OF Chicago, president of the
National Safety Council, which is spon-
Sor1ng the congress. declared special
efforts are needed by safety workers
to overcome hazards resulting from
the depression
"Undernourishment, lowered morale.
worry and the uncertainty about the
future make the worker Of today ar
increased accident risk, even when the
demand for production is lessened.
The last three years have taught
that although accidents increase with
business activity, they do not decrease
proportlonately with output. In many
cases, safety departments have been
obliged to carry on with reduced STATS
and smaller appropriations. The men,
tai hazards are even more serious. Men
have been worried, perplexed and un-
certain about their jobs. They may
have lacked medical or dental care,
which larger earnings would afford
Also men who return to work after
idleness are out Of step and likely to
be accident prone.
Proper Backing Required.
I'm the field Of public safety we find.
as in the industrial field, that drastic
rules for safety fail without proper
backing. We have seen temporary en-
forcement drives which forced some of
the reckless to moderate their driving
until the excitement subsidized. We have
seen emotional campaigns with tenn
still nonchalant about reckless driving.
Some consider ticket for speeding a
huge joke"
Mr. Bergquist said public opinion must
awaken in the reckless driver sense
OF his responsibility by refusing to con-
done traffic infractions. He deplored
the fact that vast sums have been spent
for medical research in the control of
disease while accidents, although rank
ing high in the causes Of death, have
received comparatively little attention
from humanitarians.
Public Support Necessary.
THE elimination Of accidents" Mr..
BergQulSt continued, lies in the cor
related efforts of the engineer, the
physician and the psychologist, but the
necessary public support has not been
forthcoming"
Mr.. Bergquist closed with an express
sion OF optimism for the business future.
Our streets and highways" he said,
will be buster than ever and crowded
with vehicles capable of even greater
speed. In every line of human activity
there will be increased opportunities
for the safety movement. We must be
prepared"
A highlight OF the congress this
year Is the safety exposition OF accident
prevention apparatus filling the large
display hall at Wardman Park. Several
Government agencies are among those
displaying the latest engineering equip
ment for the prevention Of accidents.
Suits for divers who descend deep into
the ocean and flyers after altitude rec
ords are being displayed, together with
apparatus for determining the effect on
the diver or flyer under these condi-
tions.
Many Safety Exhibits.
Industrial concerns are exhibiting
safety types of gloves, shoes, helmets,
shirts and overalls for steel workers,
miners and others exposed to extreme
vocational hazards. The exhibition in
cludes almost every type of safety
equipment for the street, factory and
home.
The congress passed resolutions this
morning thanking the local Committee
on Arrangements for its cooperation.
Newbold Noyes is general chairman
Of the committee. The congress also
thanked the Greater National Capital
Committee Of the Washington Board Of
Trade for its assistance in arranging an
entertainment program for the dele
gates.
The twenty-flrst annual congress will
be in session through Friday, and scores
Of group conferences on specialized sub
jects Of public, industrial and home
safety will be addressed by leading
technical experts.