---
title: 'Fire Slogan Contest, 6th Week''s Winner: Oily rags, a heap o'' trash'
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/oily-rags-fire-slogan-contest-6th-weeks-winner-1941/
description: 'Fire-safety contest poster in a stylised red, black and blue print: a man sits at a typewriter, holding a sheet that carries a winning slogan signed Geo.'
section: Collection
---

1. [Home](https://propagandaarchive.org/)
2. [Collection](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/)
3. Fire Slogan Contest, 6th Week's Winner: Oily rags, a heap o' trash

[![Fire Slogan Contest, 6th Week's Winner: Oily rags, a heap o' trash, 1941 US poster: Fire-safety contest poster in a stylised](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/oily-rags-fire-slogan-contest-6th-weeks-winner-1941.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/oily-rags-fire-slogan-contest-6th-weeks-winner-1941.jpg)

# Fire Slogan Contest, 6th Week's Winner: Oily rags, a heap o' trash

Fire-safety contest poster in a stylised red, black and blue print: a man sits at a typewriter, holding a sheet that carries a winning slogan signed Geo. L. Hunt, Patrolman, with 'Carelessness causes fires' below. The slogan reads 'Oily rags... a heap o' trash, A lighted butt... a pile of ash!' The tell is testimonial: a named winner's words carry the message. Fear-appeal is faint, in the ash image.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Testimonial](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/testimonial/) [Fear appeal](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/fear-appeal/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
FIRE SLOGAN CONTEST
6th. Week's Winner
Oily rags...
a heap o' trash,
A lighted butt...
a pile of ash !
GEO. L. HUNT
Patrolman
CARELESSNESS CAUSES FIRES
```

[← Oh, Yeah?](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/oh-yeah-today-germany-is-ours-1941/) [O.K. Soldier! We'll do our part! →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/ok-soldier-well-do-our-part-1941/)

## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

- [Behistun (Bisotun) rock relief and trilingual inscription of Darius I: the king, two attendants and the bound rebel leaders beneath the winged figure of Ahuramazda](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/behistun-relief-darius-and-rebels-521bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Card stacking, Name-calling, Testimonial). Content note: Shows bound captives before the king, and the inscription records the mutilation and public execution of rebel leaders, as the king's own account.
- [Tomb of Darius I at Naqsh-e Rustam: the king in relief beside his inscription DNa, c. 490 BCE](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/dna-inscription-darius-i-naqsh-e-rustam-490bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Testimonial, Card stacking)
- [Seated limestone statue of Hatshepsut as king, with feminine royal titles on the throne, reassembled from fragments broken up at Deir el-Bahri](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/hatshepsut-seated-statue-limestone-met-1458bce/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Transfer, Testimonial)
- [Bronze sestertius of Gaius (Caligula), reverse S P Q R P P OB CIVES SERVATOS in an oak wreath](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sestertius-caligula-ob-cives-servatos-0037/) (Roman Empire · 0037 · Testimonial, Transfer)
- [Bronze sestertius of Trajan, reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S C, the emperor on horseback riding down an enemy](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sestertius-trajan-optimo-principi-0103/) (Roman Empire · 0103 · Testimonial, Glittering generalities)
- [Seljuq gold dinar of Sanjar, dated 493 AH, with the Abbasid caliph named on one face](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/seljuq-gold-dinar-sanjar-caliph-name-1099/) (Great Seljuk Empire · 1099 · Testimonial)
- [Estoire d'Eracles page with Bernard of Clairvaux preaching the Second Crusade in the initial (Walters W.137, fol. 180v)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/eracles-bernard-preaching-second-crusade-w137-1275/) (France · 1275 · Testimonial)
- [Opening page of the Estoire d'Eracles (William of Tyre in French), with the Crucifixion and Pope Urban II preaching the First Crusade in the initial (Walters W.137, fol. 1r)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/eracles-urban-ii-preaching-first-crusade-w137-1275/) (France · 1275 · Testimonial, Transfer)