Milford chronicle., 1943-03-26
CCRIB BILE
~ By ROBT. II. YERKES ~

Courtesy Industrial News Review
MOST OF Us at one time or an
A other have seen powerful dray
horses pulling heavily loaded freight
wagon. Vivid is the memory of steel
shod hooves striking sparks on hard
paVements, as the straining bodies
clawed for footing. Such horses have
become a rarity. Their counterpart
today is the Iron Horse" the raili
ROADS.
The Peoria, Illinois. Star. in COM
menting on the recent move to reduce
railroad freight rates, observes that
reducing rates would amount to re-
moving the shoes from the iron horse.
Anyone who has seen flesh and blood
horses at work knows what would
happen to them if. AT Il time when
they were struggling under an unpre-
cedented load, they were suddenly TO
have their shoes removed. They might
be able to con. plete the job At hand
because good horses are trained to
never quit But they probably would
suffer injury that would impair their
usefulness for Il long time to come.
And so it is with the railroads.
As the Peoria star points out: ANY
one with half an eye can scc the
clogged and troubled condition Of rail
roads painting under q staggering bur
den. The railroads are doing job
which history will record rs 'magnifi
cent Freight tonnage jumped 33 per
cent in ~ over II. and passenger
travel 50 per cent. wish ..22,ooo.o0n
troops being moved "A month";"
The railroads are earning money /
as Il result Of this large traffic vol |
unc. Ijut again they are like faithful !
work horses. When they work hard /
they need more food and other addi-
tiOnal care which costs more money.
Rate reductions under present con-
ditionS would not only remove the
shoes from the iron horse hut would
also mix Sawdust with his grain.
/s/s/
THE FOOD INDUSTRY has warned
government executives that thou
sands will 20 hungry in this country
this year unless thu government moves
promptly to solve the pressing man
power and distribution problems of the
food industry. Lack of manpOwer, he
ginning on the farm and ending he
hind the counters of retail merchants,
is assuming grave proportions.
The position of retail distributors is
critical AT the moment. Officials have
steadily failed to include the merchant
in the war program as q war worker.
They have so far failed TO recognize
the essential part he plays in putting
necessities into the hands of consum-
ers. They fail TO recognize that with
out his expert cooperation. price and .
ratiOning controls would hc demoral- .
lied: that competent merchandisers
are vital TO tllttltIll ulSiIltuliuIl.
Collapse of efficient distribution /
would mean that food grown and pro- i
cessed could not reach the consumer
Waste and decay of precious food
would assume tragic proportions TO I
hungry people. Ii would promote in
hation, and inevitable curtailment OF
war production Z
The food industry has asked officials !
to make clear that food production
and distribution ranks
in, I1irnf- u
ing and drafting OF esSt ntial employ :
ees must cease if We are 10 eat They
also have asked for the proper alloca- !
tion OF food supplies 10 maintain civil i
ian health and morale. and the sim t
plification OF ratiOning procedure. ,
They have asked for these things re- !
Beyond vague generalities !
no action has been taken. I
Disaster will come if this policy '.
continues. Either the appointed ofii l
cials, or Congress must act. e
/s"/
MANY OF THE safety requirements d
A'A of the modern fire ordinance APP /
plicable to places of public assembly, i
which was drawn up by the National ,
Board of Fire Underwriters suisse !
luent to the Boston night club fire 5
tragedy, could he carried out easily S
and promptly Many fire deaths occur 7
IN such places because proprietOrS are
hazards created by temporary deco I
ationS, oVercrowding. thuughtleSs 4
hanges i'm seating arrangements. in
dequately marked exits and other l
angerS contingent upon confusion and A
rowds. The ordinance" represents "a n
approach to thcSe problems Il
I is written in laneuas" that the a
ayman can understand. Many fires [;
ould he prevented 10y giving a copy @
f it to every person whose business :
involves large gatherings of people. II
For example. il states that: The a
ggregate clear width If doorways II
erVing as required exits shall he not "
ass than at the rate of % inches for 1
very 100 persons to toe accommodated.
20 exit doorway shall have Il clear Il
,idth of less than "a inches, corre u
to nominal Sc inch door, L
Xcept that existing exit doorways s.
aving clear width OF at least 2i II
lches may he accepted" Much more u
lformation is given on the subject
f exits. including type of doors. ii
larking and lighting, and stairways. ,i
Comhustihle decorations receive de- =
liled attention. They are the starting :,
oint of many fires and under the or
nance, shall he rendered treprOof" -,
Those responsible for lives in places -, ~
public assembly should urge 9dop- VI
on and enforcement of Il modern fire II
'dinance of this nature. e.