Milford chronicle., 1945-12-07
TIE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT rate in

TIE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT rate in
Delaware seems to be increasing at an alb
normal rate. I'm Milford last week two serious
crashes occurred, and in at least two other
instances Milford residents were involved in
accidents on the highways of the State.
The heavy increase in accidents certainly
must be Investigated, and means found to
stop them. In none of the local crashes was
the matter of inefficient cars the reason for
the accidents. The matter of the human ec
ment seemed to be the determining factor
and IN one case one of the drivers is alleged
to have been under the influence of liquor
This alarming increase in accidents ap-
parenty Is not confined to Delaware alone
On the basis of present figures the National
Safety Council estimates that unless some
thing drastic Is done in the matter one out
of every fourteen persons in the United
States will be injured in accidents next year
Officials OF the Council predict that the money
loss Will amount to $1,000, ,00O, ,00O, or about
the amount required to service the national
debt. In the meanwhile, with accidents rat
ing fifth as 4 cause Of death in the nation.
the Council finds particularly alarming pic
ture in the traffic field Traffic deaths through
out the nation increased to 3.l00 during the
month of November. This was more than
double the same month of 1914. The toll for
the first ten months this year was 21 800, or
IL per cent above the 1911 like period. But
traffic, and other accidents, are not inevitable
A very small percentage of them properly
can be described aS unavoidable They can
be prevented by better enforcement. by bet
ter engineering, and by better education
They can be immensely reduced if each of
us Will take q few seconds each day to think
soberly of this dreadful and needless waste of
life and property, and act accordingly.
TIE GREAT INCREASE in farming land
values Is giving concern to financial interests,
who look with alarm upon the situation as il
Is shaping up throughout the nation Efforts
are being made to discourage the sale and
purchase of farming lands at the present
high prices. The New York Times, speaking
editorially, about the matter says
"A recent report from the Federal Re
serve System states that all signs point to
the rapid rise of farm land values The pres
ent status of prices for rural property in
many areas is Of serious concern to agricul-
tural leaders and to banks. Six months AGO
the American Bankers Association sent warn
ing letters to banks in rural sections advo-
eating conservative policies to help check the
boom. In June the Alexander Hamilton In
Stltutc reported that farm real estate values
were 90 per cent above the levels of the pre-
war year of 1888
The index used by the Institute showed
a figure of l26. as compared with III in 1911.
In 1884 the index was 81, compared with
lao immediately following the First World
War. The high point, Just before the sudden
defation Of farm land values began in 1920.
was lO. In one of the "pOSt-War economic
studies published by the Federal Reserve
System, William II. Fisher of the Richmond
Federal Reserve Bank cited more than g.
ooo,o0o involuntary transfers of farms and
tracts since 1920. These involuntary trans
1efS represented tragedy and loss of savings
TO hundreds of thousands of farmers.
10 combat the present inflated situation
MIR. Fisher offers SiX-pOint program. an
educational campaign by all agencies con-
cerned with farming and rural life, control
OF demand by ALLEGATION which would hermit
thfough Government control purchase ot
land found to be reasonable in price. rcstric
tionS on purchases, through controlled mort
cages price ceilings for farm land a Snccia
capital gains tax and a forced Savinos nro-
gram from profits in real estate Farmers as
d Wnolc nave enjoyed their highest incomes
III history during the past four wears. The
aftitlclal stimulus of war prices has fosterod
a big production increase in the face of MN
power and machinery shortages A ro,ctin,,
seems probable in the not distant futurn
AulhofltlcS insist that the wise financi,I
course for farmers is to pay off debts and
invest III War Bonds The farmer without =
mortgage and with ready money for eoI,in-
ilehl ana improvements will be best prenarcd
TO meet Whatever problems lie ahead