Show THE READERS READER'S DATE BOOK BOOK- M-Day M Is s Holiday Possibility I Prosperity Week November 26 In the next week or so every home town in America will begin decorating for the holiday season The nations nation's Main Streets will willIbe willAbe Abe Ibe decked out in holly and greenery bright br lights will be strung I across cross streets and from lamp post to lamp post and above the noise 1 of happy people preparing for for Christmas Day will be heard the traditional music of Christmas carols All this will reflect the preparations of Americans for one of the happiest har niest days of the year They will go about their business I lof of buying shiny toys amid the sparkle sparkIe and tinsel of Christmas decorations unmindful of the ap- ap approach of one of the most tragic days in the country's history It will will be Day M the Day the day the mil mil- millionth traffic death in the nation is recorded The day will w ll be announced by the Ii A f National Natio al Safety Safe ty ru MAIM I Council There are I only 0 nl y two factors I I j a L that could c o 0 u l I d delay I 1 Day M M D a y beyond V the pre-Christmas pre period the council reports One would be bad ad weather that would keep most automobiles in garages The other would be a sudden shift sh t to cautious driving on the part of Neither ap ap- appears appears ap- ap appears pears likely The millionth fatality could be someone in this home town For that reason it would seem appropriate appropriate appropriate for local merchants to in- in incorporate in in- incorporate corporate safety slogans in their Christmas advertising and even promote Jp a safety campaign that could insure a happy Christmas for the local community Up to the end of September Americans Amerie ns had been in- in injured jur d fatally in automobile ac ac- ac- ac Since then an average of of deaths a day have oc oc- occurred occurred oc- oc occurred from accidents It is just a matter of time until the millionth million has happened Five days before the millionth fatality the Safety Council will be be- begin begin begin gin to issue daily bulletins but will not attempt to identify ident y the 1000 victim It would be he an almost impossible task For instance suppose the count rises to and then three men men are killed in a collision on a high high- way Which would be No The National Safety Council has compiled actual traffic deaths since 1933 The statistics on deaths before that time are the best available records and estimates The earliest vehicle death the council has been able to find oc oc- occurred oc- oc occurred in hi New York City Sep Sep- September September September 13 1899 The New York Times printed a paragraph five-paragraph story It began H H. H Bliss a real estate dealer with offices at 41 Wall Street and living at West Seventy-fifth Seventy Street was run over last night at Central Park West and Seventy- Seventy fourth Street He was injured fa fa- fa- fa tally Bliss was alighting from a trolly car when he was down and run over by an automobile in charge of Arthur Smith of West Sixty second Six second Street More and more such stories be be- began began began gan to appear in newspapers In Inthe Inthe Inthe the last two decades the automobile accident story probably has been printed more often than any other newspaper item except such fix fix- fixtures fixtures fixtures tures as weather forecasts The annual toll of fatalities passed the mark in 1925 pushed beyond the level in 1929 It peaked at in 1941 19 declined during World War II and amI then began a climb that reached a war post high of last year The Safety Council says sas if the slaughter continues at the present rate it will take only 30 years to kill the second million Who will be the millionth victim In all probability no one will ever know but it should not be allowed to happen in this home town own Of all aU the possible promotions promo ons the home town merchant business or or- organization organization organization or civic club could un un- undertake undertake un- un undertake for the Christmas season the prevention of M Day seems as important as any an Such a campaign may mean a happier Christmas for this com I Prosperity Week November 26 Nine hundred and fifty two mil mil- million million million lion dollars will be distributed to about Christmas Club members by approximately banking and savings institutions during National Prosperity Week which started November 26 The estimate was made by Ed Ed- Edward Edward Edward ward F. F Dorset president of Christ Christmas Christmas mas Club a corporation of New York The distribution of across the naton in time for fer Christmas will mean a great economical shot in the arm for forthe forthe forthe the retail merchants of the country Approximately 38 per percent percent percent cent of the total or will be used for Christmas pur pur- chases A cross section survey indicates the he remainder will be used as fol- fol follows lows Vs Permanent savings 2 00 insurance premiums mortgage payments year end bills taxes axes education 19 and miscellaneous The total distribution this year is 34 per cent ahead of last year and represents an ap all time high for the 41 years of Christmas Club operation The average per mem mem- member member member ber distribution is about for forthe forth forthe th the entire country as against 84 57 last year In the large metro metro- metropolitan metropolitan metropolitan politan areas the average per mem mem- member member member ber distribution is approximately The total number of indi indi- individual individual individual vidual members participating this year is approximately the same as asa asa asa a year ago Christmas Club officials officials' be be- believe believe believe lieve that this continuing in in- increase increase increase crease in club savings shows a definite trend in the public thinking toward individual fi financial fi- fi financial financial security which is the ultimate financial security of the nation In the distribution of funds this year New York state leads as it has for many years with about 20 per cent of the entire fund |