THE THREE-LINKED CHAIN.

THE THREE-LINKED CHAIN.

In another column is published an interesting paper entitled “Fire Prevention Possibilities,” by T. Alfred Fleming, Fire Marshal of Ohio, which was read before the annual convention of the National Association of Fire Marshals held in New Orleans, La., on November 14-15, 1917. As the Fire Marshal expresses it so quaintly, “the possibilities of Fire Prevention are anchored in the bay of Hope by a three-linked chain whose units are so closely forged as to seem one homogeneous whole.” These three links are, first. Standardization; second. Co-operation, and, third, Conservation. In speaking of his first link, Standardization, he suggests the necessity of a uniform standard blank for interchange among fire marshals, and gives the form of such a blank, which we publish in connection with his paper. Another very important suggestion is contained in these words of Mr. Fleming; “I am of the opinion that some standard form of arson record would be of incalculable value to all of us. For instance, I am a strong advocate of an interchangeable rogue’s gallery, giving a picture of the arsonist, his finger prints and Bertillon measurements, together with his record, and, in case of incarceration, the date of his release. In this way, by interchanging these pictures and records, we could keep an accurate record of the man who follows the henious crime of arson, for gain. We should know whether the culprit was safe under lock and key or whether he had fled to a sister state, there to pursue his nefarious work. From this could grow a National gallery, and with it would come the death knell to organized arson hands. Arson laws, too weak by far, should be made standard. For instance, in our state the extreme penalty for arson is 20 years; and yet the burglar who enters an inhabited dwelling goes up for life. How much more serious, more dastardly, is the fiend in human form who lights his pile of shavings and paper under the tinderdtox stairway of a frame tenement. Above sleep mothers and innocent babes; sleep workingmen, wearied from work in mill and manufactory. The monster who lights that funeral pyre thinks only, perhaps, of getting square with some one. It is true that, in this case, murder can and is charged; but what if the tenants escape? The motive to kill if necessary to accomplish burning is there. Even if there is no intent of murder, the arsonist who fires an inhabited dwelling is no more than a murderer at heart. Make this form of arson imprisonment for life!” Under Co-operation he suggests the necessity of personal responsibility laws, whereby fires resulting from gross carelessness are brought home to those responsible for them by adequate punishment by law, and the co-operation of the Fire Marshals’ departments to check irregular insurance practices and prevent the jumping from one state to another of crooked agents who have been barred from their field by State Insurance Departments. A list of names and qualifications could be sent from one department to the others and the desired effect could be secured by hearty co-operation with the State Insurance Departments. Under the third link, Conservation, he refers to the inspection work done by co-operation of the Fire Marshals’ Departments with insurance inspectors working for the National Board of Fire Underwriters and the National Council of Defense, and tells of the alarming conditions that were discovered and remedied by this joint work. Thus, he says, eventually with the trinity of standardization, co-operation and conservation, we will attain to the condition contained in the phrase "America Conflagration-proof !”

In another column is published an interesting paper entitled “Fire Prevention Possibilities,” by T. Alfred Fleming, Fire Marshal of Ohio, which was read before the annual convention of the National Association of Fire Marshals held in New Orleans, La., on November 14-15, 1917. As the Fire Marshal expresses it so quaintly, “the possibilities of Fire Prevention are anchored in the bay of Hope by a three-linked chain whose units are so closely forged as to seem one homogeneous whole.” These three links are, first. Standardization; second. Co-operation, and, third, Conservation. In speaking of his first link, Standardization, he suggests the necessity of a uniform standard blank for interchange among fire marshals, and gives the form of such a blank, which we publish in connection with his paper. Another very important suggestion is contained in these words of Mr. Fleming; “I am of the opinion that some standard form of arson record would be of incalculable value to all of us. For instance, I am a strong advocate of an interchangeable rogue’s gallery, giving a picture of the arsonist, his finger prints and Bertillon measurements, together with his record, and, in case of incarceration, the date of his release. In this way, by interchanging these pictures and records, we could keep an accurate record of the man who follows the henious crime of arson, for gain. We should know whether the culprit was safe under lock and key or whether he had fled to a sister state, there to pursue his nefarious work. From this could grow a National gallery, and with it would come the death knell to organized arson hands. Arson laws, too weak by far, should be made standard. For instance, in our state the extreme penalty for arson is 20 years; and yet the burglar who enters an inhabited dwelling goes up for life. How much more serious, more dastardly, is the fiend in human form who lights his pile of shavings and paper under the tinderdtox stairway of a frame tenement. Above sleep mothers and innocent babes; sleep workingmen, wearied from work in mill and manufactory. The monster who lights that funeral pyre thinks only, perhaps, of getting square with some one. It is true that, in this case, murder can and is charged; but what if the tenants escape? The motive to kill if necessary to accomplish burning is there. Even if there is no intent of murder, the arsonist who fires an inhabited dwelling is no more than a murderer at heart. Make this form of arson imprisonment for life!” Under Co-operation he suggests the necessity of personal responsibility laws, whereby fires resulting from gross carelessness are brought home to those responsible for them by adequate punishment by law, and the co-operation of the Fire Marshals’ departments to check irregular insurance practices and prevent the jumping from one state to another of crooked agents who have been barred from their field by State Insurance Departments. A list of names and qualifications could be sent from one department to the others and the desired effect could be secured by hearty co-operation with the State Insurance Departments. Under the third link, Conservation, he refers to the inspection work done by co-operation of the Fire Marshals’ Departments with insurance inspectors working for the National Board of Fire Underwriters and the National Council of Defense, and tells of the alarming conditions that were discovered and remedied by this joint work. Thus, he says, eventually with the trinity of standardization, co-operation and conservation, we will attain to the condition contained in the phrase "America Conflagration-proof !”