Evening Star Newspaper, November 5, 1935, Page 8

A—S8 D. . PEDESTRIANS DECLARED SELFISH They Deliberately Disobey Traffic Signals, Says D. C. Woman. Declaring that nowhere are pedestrians as “audacious” as in Wash- ington, Mrs. H. N. Willlams, 1940 Biltmore street, in one of the hun- dreds of traffic safety letters re- ceived by The Star Safety Council, calls for education and control of the pedestrian as a means of promoting safety here. In her letter, which she refers to the attention of William A. Van Duzer, director of motor vehicles and traffic, Mrs. Williams told The Star Council: “Your safety campaign has been of great interest to me and I creatly admire its worthiness. “Now, how about educating the pedestrian? Tonight, as I left the Ambassador Theater, four fairly in- telligent people stepped from the curb to cross Columbia road against the red light. All seemed quite in- dignant that traffic continued while they tried to cross. Then the light turned green, permitting the Eight- eenth street traffic and said pedes- trians to travel on. All four stepped back to the curb to await, I suppose, the next red light. Saw F Street Accident. “Yesterday at F street and Twelfth, passengers streamed across F street | and cars held up all traffic awaiting | an opportunity to get through. A taxi hit a man who was sauntering casually along on a red light, confi- dent of his pedestrian immunity. As we drove on we could see this man angrily berating the taxi driver, who had the right of way in every | respect. “I see it and you see it daily— hourly—the indifference, impudence norance of the Washington pedestrian. “Tonight my impulse was to say to these people—'Come along as I do when we have the green light our way.! I didn't, but I wish that you would. “You have tackled the motorist— wisely. You have broadcast admoni- tions. Why not set up a set of loud speakers on & number of corners for a week at a time—move them along all over the city and educate these people? Some are certain of their immunity, I have walked with peo- ple who have said, ‘Oh, come along— at least they won't dare to run into us’ And I have watched the be- wildered expression on many faces— not knowing which light meant safety for pedestrians. You could easily broadcast a simple phrase— ‘Pedes- trians walk only when facing the green light—or you might figure out & far simpler one. “These Horrible Pedestrians.” “I have driven cars in most large cities in the United States and in several foreign countries and nowhere have I seen the pedestrians as auda- cious as in Washington. “And, since I have not owned a car for over two years, I feel that I am one of, and therefore permitted to criticize .these horrible pedestrians!” The letter from Mrs. Williams is only one of many received by The Star Council dealing with the pedestrian problem and other phases of the local traffic situation. Excerpts from some of these letters follow: “For joy and safety as you drive, This course you must pursue— Don't let the other driver be More courteous than you.” —A. F. ENQUIST. “If you really wish to make driving in Washington safe, add to your other windshielg sticker one that the Traffic Court would require all fined persons or cars to wear for six months after conviction for any ‘count.’ Just think it over and if you are sincere I expect this great forward step to go over.” —J. C. CAMERON. “You are promoting a good cause. I began to run an automobile in April, 1908, and am going along now as usual. | I am proud of my record. Why is | this? Because I take into considera- tion all of the other ‘feller’s’ violations and keep out of accidents. I am never in a hurry while driving.” —GEORGE W. TROWBRIDGE. “I inclose my safe driving pledge. T insert a most important pledge as No. 1: ‘T will not drive an automobile after drinking any beer, wine or liquor.’” ERNEST R. PERKINS, “I am glad to join in the safety drive and inclose my pledge. I feel that if the drivers of Washington will live up to the promises contained therein there will be fewer accidents. “The traffic situation in Washington is abominable and I place the blame on the drivers of automobiles. I did a considerable amount of driving before coming to Washington a little less than two years ago, but I know of no place in which I found traffic condi- tions as bad as they are here, or auto- mobile drivers quite so inconsiderate of others. “I also would like to go on record | Star, 1 promise to: Stop at all 8-T-O TfiE E\'fiNfYG STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1935. Park Heads Pledge Safety Leading the enrollment of 700 employes of the National Capital Parks in The Star safety campaign, heads of the office are shown watching Frank T. Gartside, acting superintendent of National Capital Parks, signing his own safe-driving pledge. Clark, Seated beside Mr. chief of the maintenance and construction division. Gartside is George E. Standing, left to right, are: Edward Kelly, administrative assistant to the superintend- ent; Capt. P. J. Carroll, head of United States Park Police, and William G. Trowbridge, chief of the transportation section. —Star Staff Photo. The General Assembly. Fourth Degree, Knights of Columbus, has joined with The Star Safety Council in the campaign against reckless driving and sudden death. Left to right, are: John F, Hillyard, faithful navigator; A. W. Neale, faithful sentinel, and Carmine Garafalo, faithful admiral. —Star Staff Photo. as favoring a curtailment of the horn | Department, such as the Division of blowing so prevalent here. Is it not | Government possible to enlist the co-operation of automobile manufacturers in devising and putting into use softer toned signals to replace the harsh horns found on most of the present day automobiles? The elimination of the horn-blowing driver would be a solu- tion to the problem. but I am afraid that is hardly possible.” LAURENCE E. SKEES. Sat:ety (Continued From First Page.) back to the source and requiring the1 manufacturers of automobiles to re- dice the rate of speed. He believes | that this will come about through control by the Federal Government, in time. When Congress steps in and requires the makers of automobiles to reduce the high-powered machines they create, as & move in the direction of safety, the number of accidents will | be materially slashed, Mr. Gartside believes. He conceded, of course, that many traffic accidents are caused by | slow-moving machines, but he thinks that the speeders contribute more than their share to the fatalities and serious accidents. A reduction in the number of traffic accidents will be speedily reached, in i Mr. Gartside's opinion, when weaving in and out of traffic lanes by busses and large slow-moving vehicles is nalted. He suggests that such vehicles remain in the lane nearest the right- hand curb. This, he says, would eliminate much confusion, for his personal observation is that the busses and other large vehicles shift their course from lane to lane, causing much annoyance and delay and in- creasing the likelihood of grave ac- cidents. Operates Many Veéhicles. ‘The National Capital Parks is one of the largest operators of motor vehicles in the District of Columbia, says Mr. Gartside. In addition to the park organization's own traffic service, it handles and maintains transporta- | tion for other agencies within the National Park Service of the Interior Safe Driving Pledge N THE interest of accident prevention and safer conditions on the streets and highways and in co-operation with the Safety Council of The Evening Never operate at reckless speed, Drive on right of highway. -P signs. Space Control; the Buildings Branch: the Branch of Engineering; the Branch of Plans and Design, etc. Altogether, there are about 400 per- son authorized to operate motor ve- hicles under the cognizance of the National Capital Parks. Mr. Gartside makes it clear that'these are not all park employes. Because of the transportation hook-up, however, the park authorities supervise them and render service. In the Central Repair Shop at Fifteenth and C streets southwest, where the storeyard and shops are under the direction of Mr. Clark, the park authorities furnish gas and oil and clean and grease the motor vehicles. One car, in con- nection with the White House operat- ing torces under the park system, and two for the National Capital Parks and Planning Commission come un- der the eye of the park authorities. In all, the National Capital Parks has supervision over 154 trucks and Joins Drive J. H. EISENBEISS, President and generai manager of Schneider Baking Co., is shown as he signed the first of The Star safe-driving pledge cards obtained for officials and employes of the t. $4.25 Adantic Ci 26 passenger cars, including those used by the United States Park Police and cars belong to the other agencies, which are in the pool serviced by the park group. The National Capital Parks is. reimbused by these other encies, when the books are bal- anced. In addition to these, the Na- tional Capital Parks operates 16 tractors; 60 power lawn mowers, and 25 park police motorcycies. Few Accidents on Record. Mr. Gartside emphasizes that his organization has very few motor ac- cidents and that when one does occur, a thorough investigation fs made to determine the cause. The park au- thorities will stand for no such thing as “driving while drunk” or negli- gence. With the signing of The Star safety pledges, Mr. Gartside believes that his drivers will be doubly care- ful. Of course these Federal auto- mobile drivers must comply with the District's regulations and each must have his operator's permit, issued by the District authorities, Mr. Gartside declared. In addition to having jurisdiction of the civilian personnel in the parik system, the National Capita! Parks works with the 800 Civilian Conserva- tion Corps young men in the four camps in this area. These camps are located at Fort Dupont, the National Arboretum, Columbia Island and at Fort Hunt, Va. At the National Arboretum, 9 trucks are operated; at Fort Dupont, 13; at Columbia Island, 7, and at Fort Hunt 10. Mr. Gartside points out that these motor vehicles frequently have busi- ness in the downtown part of the District, coming in for supplies n.ndf equipment, and that they form part | of the traffic picture here. These vehicles are under the supervision of the various camp superintendents. But during the work day they are operated in the park system, under | the superintendents, on projects ap- proved by the National Park Service. At each camp, the National Capital Parks has its own supervising staff, consisting of an average of seven men at every one of the four camps. Private Car Owners Sign. Now that this far-flung transpor- tation system of the park authorities has been brought within the scope of | The Star's safety campaign, the offi-' Buyers of new General Motors models are already taking advantage of the new ‘GMAC 6% Time Payment Plan an- nounced only last week. is convenient, economical and easy to cials believe that a great step forward has been made. For not only are the chatiffeurs and truck drivers signing up, but the operators of their own private cars, who do not come within the official definition of perk drivers, are pledging themselves to safe driv- ing in an effort to reduce radically Washington's traffic toll in life and limb, Street and highway safely will be the subject for discussion at the No- vember meeting of the Washington Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers at 8 p.m. next Monday, November 11, in the University Club, Fifteenth ard I streets. Dr. H, C. Dickinson, past president of the Society of Automotive Engi- neers and chief of the Heat and Power Division, Bureau of Standards, will be the speaker, and will diseuss the subject of safety engineering as applied to traffic. “Dr. Dickinson will point out some of “the things which are wrong with our efforts to promote safety and sug- gest how some of these faults may be remedied,” it was explained in the announcement of the meeting. “During the past 10 years efforts have been made by numerous or- ganizations and individuals to reduce traffic accidents on streets and high- BEFORE Don’t buy oil heatin, ways, but without apparent success.” it was further stated in the an- nouncement, General Discussion Slated. Following the address, waich will be illustrated by sound riotion pic- tures, there will be a general discus- sion of street and highway safety. Among those scheduled to partici- pate in this discussion are E. D. Merrill, president of the Washington Rapid Transit Co.; F. A. Moss, pro- fessor of psychology, George Wash- ington University; E. §. Pardoe, su- perintendent of bus operations, Cap- ital Transit Co.; John L. Rodgers, director of the Bureau of Motor Car- | riers, Interstate Commerce Commis- sion; John A. Sterret, president of Sterret Operating Service; William A. Van Duzer, District director of ve- hicles and traffic, and W. O. Wheary, director of safety, Works Progress Administration. An informal dinner in honor of the speakers is to precede the meeting, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the University | Club. Drivers of the General Accounting Office, joining The Star campaign as the safe driving pledge and become one of the 100 per cent units on the drive honor roll. YOU BUY equipment blindly. Know about oil burning before you buy. This FR EE booklet gives you full details in non-technical language. It will enable you to guard a ment, and to assure the finest kind o gainst mistakes in selectinghequ_ip- eating results at lowest fuel expense. The coupon below will bring you a copy. Mail it—now. FITZGIBBONS BOILER CO., Inc. District 2037 Phone: OFFICE and SHOWROOM: CHANDLER BLDG., 1427 EYE ST N.W., WASHINGTON Send me a FREE copy of your booklet giting the facts about oil burning. They find that it NAME.. ADDRES a unit, have, without exception, taken | Howard University, active in the safety campaign, has sent back a batch of signed safe driving pledges to The Star Council, with the fol- lowing memorandum: “We are forwarding today safe driving pledges, signed by officers, faculty members and students of Howard University. Nearly all de- partments of the university are repre- sented and we are continuing the campaign in an effort to secure pledges from every person who drives a car.” grounds of the university, who is leading the drive within the college. - Northern Ireland Loyal. ‘The government of Northern Ire- |land is determined never to agree to separation from Great Britain. This demonstration at Comber, Northern | Ireland. He said that the inevitable | sequel to removing the boundary be- between Ulster and Great Britain. TABLE E‘E .Made to Measure to Fit Any Shape ® Liqu Whi The memorandum is signed by E. 8. | Hope, superintendent of buildings and | any step which would bring about a | was stressed by J. M. Andrews, North- | | ern Ireland minister for labor, at a | tween the Free State and Ulster would | | be that the boundary would be placed | PAD 4-H Officers Named. LINCOLN, Va,, November 5 (Spe- cia) —The Lincoln 4-H Club has elected officers as follows: President, James Titus; vice president, Ruthanna Smith; secretary, Patricia Shoemaker; treasurer, Norman Lloyd: reporter, Katherine Newton: cheer leader, Rosalie Costello; song leader, Elizabeth ;n!;:ny. Mrs. Lawrence Taylor s club leader. 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Further details are available now from dealers in General Motors Cars, $6.55 Navy-Penn Feethall Game at Frankiin Plold, Philadelphia Saturday, Nevember 9 Tiekets good moon, el d Suvurdery retutming v 18’ Mondey mdnighe. st bl Bl bt Pty ARMISTICE DAY—4'% day reduced round Cood oaoing. angtins from . Returning --J:.Tr-dq‘:v-*u' A redened shaping oo fort. ¥ PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD Offered only by dealers in CHEVROLET CARS & Tl"fi“' PONTIAC-OLDSMOBILE-BUICK LA SALLE-CADILLAC 5 A Sign and send above coupon to The Evening Star Safety Council, Room 600, Star Building " 1 >