It Can Happen Here
Probably the attitude that “It can’t happen here” causes more accidents then any other one thing. Now, during National Farm Safety Week is a good lime to dispell that idea. On the writer’s desk are compilations of statistics that indicate it can very easily happen here and especially on the farm. Farming is listed among the dangerous occupations from the standpoint of number of accidents.
The best proof that it could very easily happen on Northwest Iowa farms was the Aug. 20 issue of the Des Moines Register. In just one day it reported three farm accidents, all in Northwest Iowa. That brings it pretty close to home.
At Garner, Earl Wetlerling lost his right foot when his foot became caught in the mechanism of a combine.
At Pocahontas Barry Brent, 3 years old, was critically injured when he fell from a load of oats. A metal object on the wagon tongue pierced his head.
At Sibley. Waller Peterson, Jr., 12, suffocated when he was buried beneath a load of oats.
And those accidents all happened in one day—all on Northwest Iowa farms.
Only the day before an O’Brien county farmer, Raymond Bcthkc, 27, living near Hartley, lost his life in a tractor accident. The accident occurred on a county road north of Hartley.
Bethke, standing on the drawbar of a tractor, pulling a hay baler, was thrown off when the tractor struck a hole in the dirt road. The baler behind the tractor ran over the young O’Brien county farmer crushing his chest, breaking his back and severely injuring him internally, with death resulting.
It can happen here.

Seem Most Impressed by Variety of Power Equipment and Beef Cattle at Simm Farm.
Ten men of the 12-man delegation of visiting Russian agricultural leaders toured the R. L.
Simm farm three miles north of Paullina Tuesday afternoon. With them were three of their
interpreters plus John Strohm and Herbert Howell, directors of the trip, closely followed by a
battery of press photographers and newsmen.
The large Greyhound bus pulled into the Simm lane at 3:15 and moments later the visitors from the U. S. S. R. were shaking hands and smiling at their hosts, the R. L. Simm family.
Though they had alighted from their large air-conditioned bus into a sweltering 100 degree temperature they plunged immediately into the purpose of their mission—finding out how Iowa farmers produce so much corn and so many hogs.
The nearly 200 folks who had come to see and talk with the delegation at their O’Brien county stop, seemed to be almost entirely armed with cameras. Only with the aid of Howell and his occasional requests for room for the delegation was it possible for Simm to move from one piece of farm equipment to another Vladimir Matskevich, head of the delegation, and the interpreter led the way, followed closely by the entire delegation.
Despite stories of their waning interest in tall corn and Iowa hogs, the delegation seemed intensely alert to everything that Simm related and followed closely each question by Matskevich.
Matskevich, first deputy minster of agriculture in Russia, asked most of the questions. Seeming to be quite typically at Russian in personal appearance, he exhibited a keen mind and shot questions continuously at his host, via the interpreter. The latter was kept busy trying to fit Russian words to English and vice versa as well as keep the entire delegation appraised of each bit of information.
While the group was crowding around a seeder, discussing its various uses, Simm commented about the need for rain. Matskevich, without hesitation, wiped his brow and quipped something to the effect, “We may not have rain, but we’ve got steam.”
As the tour proceeded to the tractors and feed grinder the host was questioned even as to “Who made- this?” and “Where, was it made?” No detail seemed too small for further explanation if the men had not understood, completely a machine’s operation, or use.
The tractor-powered feed grinder was started up by Simm and its capacity described, to further amaze the visitors.
From the machinery, attention was turned to livestock which took the delegation to the feed yard where they all seemed especially interested in the feeding, marketing and breeds of cattle. Two trucks picked up delegation and photographers and drove to the hog lot and from there to the adjoining half section where the Wallace Simms make their home. Seeing a small herd of sheep they made certain they had the breed name correctly and enjoyed Simm’s remark that they “Kept the lawn mowed.”
This concluded the planned tour of the farm and the group returned to the R. L. Simm home where they were served cold punch and cookies by Mrs. Simm, assisted by her daughter,
daughters-in-law and other friends.
After a very congenial and spontaneous round of goodbyes, thank yous, and more picture taking, the Russian delegation returned to the bus for their trip to Spencer where they were to spend the night.