Evening star., 1935-11-21
A National Disease.

This country's record of more than
100000 deaths and nearly 100000
serious injuries in a single year as the
result of accidents of various kinds is
q sad commentary upon the American
manner of living. Carelessness and
heedlessness prevail to q degree that
bellies the intelligence of the people.
That record, compiled by the Secretary
OF Commerce, has caused the President
to suggest to him the organization of
group of citizens to cooperate in the
formation of plans for the control of
this distressed condition" In his letter
to Secretary Roper he says that acci-
dents constitute one of our gravest ma
tional problems. Whether the solution
of this problem can be found is not as
sured. Certainly no rules and regu-
lationS concerning the daily domestic
life of the Nation can be satisfactorily
devised or strictly enforced. First of
all must be established in the public
mind, which means among tens of mil
lions of active citizens, men and women,
and other tens of millions of children, the
fact that danger lies in many of the
ordinary activities of life and that that
danger can be averted by thought and
care in the formation of habits of pre-
caution.
In Secretary Roper's classification of
deaths from accident during the past
year motor vehicles lead with $4,000.
But close in second place is the category
of accidents in the home, with 34,5O0
deaths. Public and occupational causes
account for 33,5o0. Those are fatalities.
In addition more than 100000 people
were hurt in their homes
The unavoidable" accident is so rare
as to be negligible factor in this COM
pilation. In almost every instance there
is a human fault-lack of observation,
lack of consideration, haste, impulse.
Even when an accident results from a
break in material there is often care
1eSsneSs as cause, failure of inspection
or unwarranted overuse and strain. The
"obdurate materials" of which much of
the mechanism of modern life is COM
posed are abused and neglected until
they fail and take their toll.
Accidents due to motor travel have in
recent years commanded the greatest
degree of attention, chiefly because of
the steady and alarming increase in the
number of both fatalities and grievous
and costly injuries Every community is
afflicted with these wholly needless sac
rifices of life and limb and the heavy
economic losses that result. The plain
common sense of care in handling of a
motor car in both city and country is
continually stressed, and, yet the obvious
lessons are not learned.
The patriotic and widely known citi-
1ens" whom the President recommends
to be summoned to constitute the ma
tional conference next month on land
and sea and air accidents will have no
lack Of material to indicate the vitality
urgent need of correction or of sugges-
tions for the cure of these evils. The
subject has been exhauStively studied
by the National Safety Council, which
has prepared and issued reports cover
ing every phase of this subject. Every
large city in the United States has at
one time or another done the same.
States themselves have instituted re-
searches and studies. A national COM
mission has but to collate these ma
terials. Whether it can find actual
remedies in the form of rules and laws
that can and will be enforced is the
question of interest at this time. All
but the chronically needless and selfish
will indorse any prescription that may
be written for the cure of this veritably
national disease.