Evening star., 1937-05-12
RED CROSS HEARS
OF SAFETY NEEDS
Leaders Outline Fight on
ACCidentS--MisS Board
man Honored,


The American Red Cross today
urged its members to battle relentlessly
to insure accident elimination in the
home, on the highway and in the
water.
Let the day come soon when
You're crazy will be the answer to
That car of mine did 10 over the hill
last night" Richard w. Thrush, as
sistant director of Red Cross first aid
and life-saving service, today told the
Red Cross annual convention.
"Carelessness has become a fixed
habit with the average adult" Mrs.
Clarence w. Messenger, chairman of
accident prevention and highway first
aid, Houghton County Chapter, Michi-
gan, said to the delegates In CONT
mental Memorial Hall
Dr. Cassius H. Watson president Of
the National Safety Council, asked for
ever-improved flrst-aid service as a
vital part of accident prevention, and
Carroll Bryant, technical adviser Of
the life-saving service, recommended
greater efforts to insure water safety,
of which Thrush remarked:
Rather generally people no longer
associate caution with coWardice when
it applies to water sports"
They do link the two on the high
way, however, Thrush said He added:
I'VE are not far removed from our
pioneer ancestors and maybe we have
a twisted tradition akin to foolhardi-
ness that has come down OF us through
the years.
Perhaps that is part of the trouble
To be cautious may make us appear to
be afraid, and that would be ter
rible."
Tells of First Aid Unit.
Thrush told Of the Mobile Emer-
gency First Aid Unit developed by the
Red Cross during the past year to bring
medical and surgical help to the scene
of traffic accidents in an effort to make
more certain the survival OF the VIC
tins of the accidents
The chief problem in making
swimming safe for America is to
spread information about the danger
or lack of 1t of various swimming
places and to strive to make all ca
pable of caring for themselves in the
water, Bryant said, He put SWIM
mers and would-be swimmers in three
categories;
"Dunkers," who wade in the water
and bob up and down without getting
their feet OF the bottom
"Splashers" and drinkers" who
fail their way from 80 feet and drink
all the water which washes into their
mouths.
The swimmers, "a rather small
class" who can take care Of them
selves.
The splashers, Bryant said, are the
problem swimmers, because they are
always eager to attempt feats be-
yond their ability.
But, while the highway and water
front are publicized accident scenes,
Americas homes are the scenes OF
thousands of mishaps OF varying seri-
BUSINESS, Mrs. Messenger pointed out
The chief problem here, she said, Is
that most parents consider accidents
in the home unavoidable.
To overcome this point of view, Mrs.
Messenger suggested, educate children
to show their parents by example that
accidents in the home can be re-
duced in number, if not eliminated.
The convention delegates last night
heard series Of after dinner speak
ers praise the work of Miss Mabel
Thorpe Boardman, secretary OF the
American Red Cross, head of its VOL
unteer Service and a leading figure
in the organization for 81 years.
Recalls Miss Boardman's Career.
In 1908, Colin Herrle, assistant dis
aster relief director and a Red Cross
worker since 1905, reminded the
diners at the Willard Hotel, Miss
Boardman vSualized widespread
chapter organization and a greater
disaster service.
When the war started in Europe" 4"
Herrle said to Miss Boardman, you
again were the leader and yours was
the vision of great Red Cross service
during that period Of our history. To
you, and might almost say to you
alone, we are indebted for our ma
tional headquarters buildings"
Others who lauded Miss Boardnian
were Admiral Cary T. Grayson, chair
man of the Red Cross: Mrs August
Belmont, Red Cross Central Commit
tee; Vicomte Bonabes de Rouge, Sec
retary general of the League of Red
Cross Societies; Assistant Secretary
OF State r. Walton Moore and Miss
Betty Moore of the Junior Red Cross.
On behalf Of the members Of the
staff Of the National Red Cross, Ad-
miral Grayson presented Miss Board
man with silver bowl.
Junior Convention Dimes.
Three hundred delegates to the
Junior Red Cross convention at the
same time held their annual banquet
ard dance at the Mayf1ower, where
Thomas Szumski, Bloomfield IN. JD,
schoolboy, suggested to his colleagues
that the organization send American
students to Central and South Ameri-
can cities as Junior Red Cross am
bassadors Of good will.
Charles Miller OF New Orleans Is
permanent chairman Of the Junior
Red Cross Convention, which holds its
sessions in the auditorium of the new
Interior Department Building. Bob
Ward, Omaha, is vice chairman, and
Miss Betty Rogers, Chattanooga,
Tenn, is secretary.