Evening star., 1943-05-06
Home Front Accidents
Cripple War Effort,
Public Is Reminded
Mrs. Roosevelt, Wickord
And Col. John StiIweII
Speak in Radio Forum

Pointing out that accidents on the
home front last year cost the war
effort 800, ,000,0 600 man days of pro-
duction, speakers on the National
Radio Forum last night called on
Americans to practice greater safe
ty to help win the war.
Making the safety appeal were
Mrs. Roosevelt, Secretary of Agri-
culture Claude Wickard and Col
John Stilwell, president of the Ma
tional Safety Council. The program,
sponsored by The Star, was broad
cast over Station WMAL and the
Blue Network
Keynoting the discussion in his
role as master of ceremonies, 10th
rop Stoddard of The Star reported
that last year non-fatal accidents
alone caused a time loss equivalent
to a shutdown of the entire aircraft
and shipbuilding industries for 54
days.
Far Above War Casualties.
"While you are listening to this
program" Mr. Stoddard told the
radio audience. five Americans will
be killed and 500 more injured
through accidents that could have
been prevented. These will be home
front casualties. The accidents,
which will take this needless toll
of American manpoWer, will occur
on production lines, on our farms.
in our homes, on streets-Wherever
we may be-
. Accidents in the home take a
terrible toll in human lives" Mrs.
Roosevelt declared. She called at
.tention to an Office Of War Infor-
nation report that in the first 1872
months of the war, ending February
7, American battle losses in men
killed, wounded, missing or captured
5totaled 1890. BY comparison, six
and half million Americans were
killed or injured by home acci-
dents in the II months of 1912" she
said.
Most home accidents are due to
earelessness and are preventable,
Mrs. Roosevelt said.
you can not be useful in any
kind of work for the war if you are
laid up she reminded listeners
You are undoubtedly taking the
time of a doctor, or a nurse, or some
other civilian to take care of you.
They all have plenty to do today
Advises Check up in Homes.
Taking into consideration the loss
of time. wages, salaries, insurance,
disqualification, medical care. prop
erty damage and other expenses. the
arS-and-centS cost of home acCl-
dents last year was $500 900 900, Mrs.
Roosevelt said.
She advised housewives to go over
their kitchens and easements care
fully.
The kitchen is responsible for
cuts. falls. burns. fires. gas poisoning
and many other serious accidents,
she said. Other hazards in the
home occur in stairWays. in bath
rooms. attics, cellars, stoopS and
areaways. If you do not fasten
down YOUR rugs, some one may slip
and fall. If you are cleaning with
flammable fluids, they may explode.
You should see that ladders are
not ricketv and you should not
clutter up your stairs.
Clean up your home and keep it
clean" Mrs. Roosevelt further ad-
vised. DO not try to use equip
ment which is inferior, and take
reasonable precautions when you
are trying to do something in the
house which you are not accustomed
to doing. One very good lesson to
learn is to move with a certain
amount of dehberation.
Accidents in Services. Too.
Mrs. Roosevelt said she had been
Impressed in military hospitals with
the fact that men in our armed
forces are often laid up because they
moved too fast and either fell down
hatchways. dropped from moving
truck or stepped off the sidewalk in
dimout. We civilians do much
the very same kind of thing she
added
Secretary Wickard directed his
safety appeal to Americans on the
farms, warning that in 1943, if
we do not take precautions. the
number of farm accidents may in
crease
He pointed out that farmers will
be working harder to meet their war
production goals and will be getting
along with more inexperienced
workers and often with old ma
chinerv"
"A sharp increase in farm acci-
. cents could have a serious effect of
our food production program this
wear" the Secretary declared. All
who live on farms or have an in
terest in farming can help by OBJ
= serving the rules of safety and by
encouraging safety practices for
others
The greatest number of farm &C
: cidentS involve machinery, tractors
+. IN particular, Mr. Wickard said. In
: juries by farm animals rank second.
Cautions Against Sun.
f, He suggested that farmers give
q safety instructions in all cases
: where machinery is trusted to un-
: skilled operators. New farm work
: ers should be gradually seasoned to
! heavy work in the hot sun. and
) should have proper protective cloth
: ing, frequent rest periods at first
and salt to replenish that lost
; through perspmation, he said.
Col. Stilwell pointed out that al
: though accidents last year brought
. death TO $4,000 persons, perman-
. entity disabled 100000 and injured
! 100000 others, substantial prog
reSs" was made in the reduction of