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Show THE WAR AGAINST FIRE INTENSIFIES In a recent address, W. E. Mallialieu, general manager mana-ger of the National Board of Fire Underwriters, observed that the war against fire has made great progress. Thousands of lives and enormous sums in property values have been saved by organized prevention work. But this is not enough. Fire waste is inexcusably high. There are now more than 800,000 fires each year in this country. Our dollar fire loss is at an all-time record level If the present rate of increase is maintained, this loss will reach the shocking figure of $1 billion a year by 1950. Mr. Mallalieu spoke of what has been accomplished in dealing with other menaces to human life and welfare. Diphtheria took a toll of 125 lives for each 100,000 of the population in 1885 in 1945 it took but 1.2. In 1885 typhoid accounted for 50 deaths per 100,000 Americans now it has been practically wiped out. So it goes, down a long list. Comparable progress can be made in controlling the menace men-ace of fire if only we attack it with determinaiton. The recently-concluded President s Conference on Fire Prevention, in Washington, D. C, was a milestone in the battle against fire. Some 3,000 delegates, representing represent-ing every state, attended and they will bring to the regions an all-inclusive program for dealing with every phase of the fire problem. But they cannot do the job alone. Success will depend upon the active, informed support of the public at large. |