Evening Star Newspaper, December 4, 1935, Page 6

REVOKING PERMITS HELD SAFETY NEED ‘Short Suspensions Termed Better Than Fines in Traffic Cases. By CAST. MILTON D. SMITH, Traffic Bureau, Police Department. There are various ways of killing a populace; by deliberate, cold-blooded murder; by pestilence, famine, floods, etc. There were 82 deaths by vio- lence, mostly by firearms in the Dis- trict of Columbia, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1934, termed murders. Of these murders, 78 Were “cleared” by the Police Department, that is in 78 cases, persons were ar- rested and held for the grand jury action, in six others the murderers are known and have been indicted but have not yet been apprehended. This is a very good record for any police department. Still when Mr. Average Citizen picks up his daily paper and reads, “Two Murdered in Holdup,” “Housebreaker Kills Citizen,” or some similar head- line, he is shocked and is likely to say, “This is terrible; something should be done about these mur- derers.” Well, from our records, something is being done, but what I desire to bring to your attention is the star- tiing fact that, while deadly weapons caused the deaths of 82 persons, dur- ing the same perlod of time, automo- biles were responsible for the death of 135 persons. I contend that under such a comparison, the automobile in the hands of the careless or reckless driver, is just as much a deadly weapon, as the revolver, or other ‘weapon. Double Violent Deaths. Now, although these deaths are al- most double the number of “deaths by violence,” it is very hard to arouse public sentiment to the point where something actually can be accom- plished. We read in the press such headlines as “Police to Stage Traffic Drives”; “Courts to Inflict Severe Penalties on Speeders”; “Citizens Condemn Lack of Traffic Enforcement,” and so forth and so on. Then what happens? For a week or so, every person un- fortunate enough to be hailed into court does receive a ‘“heavier sen- tence” than usual, in open court; later it is found that in numerous in- stances the “heavy sentence meted out in court” is set aside and either the person is placed on “probation” or the “execution” of the sentence is “suspended” and his “personal bond” is taken. This must not be construed as a criticism of the courts; it is merely a recitation of what occurs almost daily, not only in our own city, but through- out the nation. Then after a week or 8o of high-powered co-operation we drift back into the humdrum of “un- concern.” Now as far as the so-called “traffic drives by police are concerned, “there 4s no such a thing.” I honestly know from years of experience, month in and month out, arrests for speed and reckless driving, run along fairly equal; considering the law of aver- ages, weather conditions and other matters that must enter into such things, the figures for arrests after being analyzed are surprisingly con- sistent. For example, let us take through the three years of 1932, 1933, 1934. a Record for Three Years. The record reveals the following: 1932, reckless drivihg, 748; speed, 4210; total for all traffic violations, 53,568. 1933, reckless driving, 650; speed, 6.445; total for all traffic violations, 46,001. ¥ 1934, reckless 8,226; total for 63,846, The very slight variations in these figures can be explained by such facts as men being used for parades, driving, 724; speed, all traffic violations, ALL RAIL Fanos FLORIDA AND THE SOUTH ON SALE DALY FROM WASHINGTON TO JACKSONVILLE N s MIAMI Erae” | ST. PETERSBURG B0 | & 157 TAMPA Beq)” | . 15¢ - R Nl Rl IO o ey on sawie basie 7o all Eastern Cities o ail South ern resorts. THE ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL Begins Service Dee. 12, Ask your local ticket agent for low- ebt-fares from your home town to and the South, via Sea- E. PLACK, A. G. P. A, 714 14th S, N. W., Wash., D. C. Tel. National 0637-38 SEABOARD AIR LINE RAILWAy The Only Completely ~Air- Conditioned Trains to Florids “- 3 L ’ - THE EVENING BTAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3%, 1935, D. C. Life Underwriters Enroll Underwriters Join Drive Officers of the District of Columbia Life Underwriters’ Association are shown pledging themselves as safe drivers in The Star campaign. The association membership joined The Star Safety Council as & unit at a luncheon meeting yesterday in the Willard Hotel. -Left to right are: Joseph A. Barbeau, secretary; Charles W. O'Donnell, treasurer, and J. E. “Bill” McCombs, president. funerals, bad driving weather and the increase in number of automobiles. Now, I ask, what is the cause? there a cure? Indifference may be the cause; in- difference is the same as carelessness. Can we cure indifference? Indiffer- ence as to the rights of others will never reduce our accident toll. Then we have the so-called “expert driver,” who weaves in and out of traffic, drives on the wrong side of the street or white line, to get the jump on other drivers who are stand- ing waiting at the traffic light, who, although he may never be in an acci- dent himself, yet causes the motorists to stop or turn suddenly to avoid col- liding with him and in so doing have a collision with some one else, caus- ing what is erroneously termed an “unavoidable accident.” No Accidents “Unavoidable.” ‘There is no such thing as an “un- avoidable accident”; all accidents don’t just happen. All are caused by indifference to the rights of others, indifference, even to one's own safety, caused by greed, the greed of trying to “hog the road.” Too much speed; a hurry to get some place and after we get there, a hurry to get back. Some few years ago, motor car builders laid great stress in their ad- vertising on such items as “six to 60 miles in ten seconds” and the like, which to my mind in itself cre- ated a mania for speed. Fortunately, lately this sort of advertising seems to have been discontinued. Every person interested in traffic safety agrees that up to a certain extent there is entirely too much speed for most of our present-day highways; that is especially true in our con- gested communities. Is there a-cure to the things referred to so far i this article? Will heavy fines cure this condition? Hawe they helped in the past? While 4t may appear to some that heavy fines do have effect in a great many cases, the “sting or hurt” of the fine soon dis- appears and I sometimes feel that some motorists look upon the pay- ment of a fine as a sort of license to go ahead and do the same thing over again. Especially persons who are wealthy enough to put out money without any real “dent” being made Is —Star Staff Photo. in their bank account. I really cannot say that I can recommend any “cure all.” Three E’'s of Traffic. ‘We have heard a great deal about the so-called three (3) E® of traffic: “Engineering, Education, Enforce- ment.” - Well, we have been trying all three here in Washington over a period of years; we have had “traffic education campaigns,” strict enforcement peri- ods, traffic engineers have invented and improved on signal and safety de- vices and like the little dog chasing his tail, we have been running around in circles. I believe that one of the best meth- ods of bringing home to the careless motorists his responsibility to other motorists and pedestrians is to sus- pend or take away from him his privi- lege to operate his automobile for a period of time according to the seri- ousness of the case and his previous traffic record. I believe short sus- pensions of permits from 10 to 30 days according to the facts, rather than fines, would have a better effect on some classes of our motorists. I believe that in all cases of sus- pension of permits, not exceeding 30 days, the order of suspension should be effective immediately and in case a person whose permit was suspended, demanded an appeal of his case, the filing of an appeal should not act as a stay of the suspension o»sder. Of course in cases of longer periods, or in full revocation, then and then anly RESEARCH HAS PROVED IT! mars wiy LUDEN'S Menthel Cough Drops now contain a natural ALKALINE FACTOR Same refreshing taste...Same quick cough relief Now, with Luden’s Menthol Cough Drops you not only get[quick, comforting cough relief—but also natural alkali to help fight acidity. There’s no change in the famous Luden flavor: But it pays more than everto Ludenize —for now it helps you alkalize! should an appeal be considered’ as acting as a stay on the order. Revocation Strikes Deeply. I have become convinced from my experience as an alternating member of the Board of Revocations and Restorations of Operators’ Permits that when you take away from & motorist his permit to operate his automobile, for even a short period of time, you strike deeply, and it brings home more forcibly than any fine can do the fact that the operation of an automobile is only a privilege and not any “God-given right,” and that the public has an interest as to how a person uses his permit, and if he abuses the privileges granted he can have those privileges denied him. I feel confident that in many cases a suspension of a permit for from 10 to 30 days would have more effect than a fine of $100, especially in cases where money appears to be no object to some motorists. While I do not offer this as a panecea for all our motoring ills, I do believe it is well worth serious consideration. Returning briefly to my former Teferences to the three E's of traffic, “Engineering, Education, Enforce- ment,” as I said, all have had their try. In Washington we are exceed- ingly fortunate in that we have progressive officials connected with our local Government and large utilittes who endeavor to educate their drivers and employes to obey the fundamental rules of safety. We have our own Department of Vehicles and Trafic working on the engineering program, and our system of traffic control, while not all that can be expected yet with a limited fund available, is far ahead of many other cities. ‘With a record of 8226 persons ar- rested for speeding last year, 724 for reckless driving and a grand total of 63,846 traffic arrests, no on€é can seriously charge we are lax in en- forcement. So we get back to the idea of taking the careless, reckless drivers off the streets. This can be done when we suspend the permit for a period of time. Even for a short period, I am sure will have its telling effect, and I believe it will help save lives and. protect the property of our citizens. S VILLAGE TOLL 27 DEAD Ecuador Reports 17 Hurt as Land- slide Buried Verde Cocha. GUAYAQUIL. Ecuador, December 4 (#).—The first official reports on a landslide which buried the village of Verde Cocha in the Andes region said today at least 27 persons were killed and 14 injured. Some - of the bodies of residents were found a mile or more from the village as the government pressed its relief work. The fall of a mass of earth and rocks, mearly 2 miles wide, from the mountainside onto the village yes- terday, was attributed by authorities to subterranean infiltrations. In Star Campaign for Safety Association Seeking to Inspire Nation- Wide Drive Through Affiliation * With National Body. I Traffic Deaths to December 4—105; Same Period, 1934—119 | Declaring that the “appalling number of fatal accidents in this city should challenge every one of us to ing and walking, through the National Life Under- writers' Association, is seeking to in- spire a Nation-wide drive, based upon the principles of The Star campaign. Chester O. Fisher of St. Louis, vice president of the national organization, who was the guest speaker at the safety luncheon yesterday, took a copy of The Star safe-driving pledge with him to New York, where he will submit it to directors of the national associa- tion for their consideration at a meet- ing today. 300 Associations Affiliated. The District association is one of 300 similar associations affiliated with the national association, which has an affiliated membership of approximate- ly 25,000. The District association has a membership of 219 and is headed by J. E. Macombs, president. Other officers are: Laurance H. Riggles and Earle W. Sapp, vice presidents; Charles W. O'Donnell, treasurer, and Joseph A. Barbeau, secretary. “Washington,” President McCombs sald, “is often looked up to to set an example for the rest of the country, and the Life Underwriters of this city have récognized their responsi- bility in setting an example of the highest standards and ethics. “Members of the association are not only interested in furthering the ben- efits of life insurance and elevating the standards and ethics of the life insurance business, but they are also vitally interested in every move for the improvement of conditions gener- ally in this city. “It is only right that we should set an example for the rest of the coun- try. Washington is one of the finest and cleanest cities in the world. It is famous for its healthful working and living conditions. Among all of the fine points that we strive to excel in, no | one point can be more important than | that of safety. Washington should also be the safest city in the world.” 51,000 Killed in 18 Months. . During the last 18 months, the as- | sociation pointed out, 51,000 people | have been killed, 1,300,000 have been injured and 141,000 have been perma- Try throwing a hand ful of bills into the street . . . . . you might as TAKE a big handful of bills and silver— all you can hold in your right hand. Go to the window, open it, and throw this money away. Now, don't you feel fine—NOT! Few people could drive themselves to commit such an act of waton waste. But here is a good one—just listen: If you are using oil for fuel in your residence or anywhere else, you are in fact, grabbing up a handful of currency and silver at least once a week and throwing it away. he: hand-fired coal or gas or Furthermore, we can tell you just how often you are throwing this money away and how much you are throw it. Wouldn’t you like to kmow? - . Already we have done this job for well over a thousand matter of fact, 1200 of them have done something about it. They have had us in- stall an Iron Fireman automatic coal burner throwing each time you Washingtonians. As a decrease automobile and pedestrian accidents and make our streets safe,” the District of Columbia Life Underwriters’ Associstion joined The Star Safety Council as a unit at a luncheon meeting yesterday in the Willard Hotel. In addition to pledging its support locally in the movement for safer driv- the amoclation,p—mm————————— enlist in The Evening Star's drive to nently disabled in automabile accidents in this country. “These figures,” Mr. McCombs said, are all the more astounding when you realize that only 50,310 Americans were killed and 182,000 were wounded in the World War. The appalling number of fatal accidents in this city should challenge every one of us to enlist in The Evening Star’s drive to decrease automobile and pedestrian accidents and make our streets safe, “In line with its policy of getting behind -every progressive movement for the improvement of conditions in the Nation”s Capital, the District of Columbia Life Underwriters’ Associa- tion pledges its 100 per cent support to The Evening Star in its safety driving campaign.” The Business and Professional Women’s Club, composed of women representing & large cross-section of the business life of the city, bas Joined the Safety Council as an or- ganization. Under the leadership of its president, Miss Mae R. Murray, | the club indorsed the campaign -and | the individual members took the safe- driving pledge. The Capital Society, Children of the American Revolution, also - has | Joined the campaign as an organiza- tion, under the leadership of Mrs. Henry Fenno Sawtelle, 6200 Connecti- cut avenue, Chevy Chase, Md. Plea to Parents and Teachers. A plea that parents and teachers in Washington make a special effort to | teach primary street safety precautons | to children is made in & letter received | by The Star Safety Council from J. C. Bowen. “Concerning your most com-| mendable safety campaign,” Mr. Bowen said, “last week I was driving slowly through Tenleytown when a | little girl ran from between parked | cars, evidently intent on enteriry a| car on the left-hand side. By turning | hitting her, although risking a c2l- “I hope the woman in the parked | car awaiting the child was as badly ating plants. scared, as I was, for if she vas she will always load passengers, especially from the curb, never from the left side on a busy street. Teach~ ers as well as parents should so in- struct children. Why not safety in- struction in all schools?” Company A, 372d Infantry, of the District National Guard, has turned in signed safe driving pledge cards repre- senting the licensed motor vehicle operators in its personnel. The com- pany is commanded by Capt. Arthur C. Newman, who also is director of military training in the District col- ored public high schools. ‘Warning that virtually all traffic ac- cidents are caused either by bad driv- ing or bad walking has been sounded by the Motorists’ Protective Associa- tion. Of all the traffic fatalities in the District of Columbia this year, only a little more than 10 per cent were “actually taken by the Grim Reaper,” it was stated, the others being due to bad driving or walking. Carelessness to Blame. “When a motor car driver deliber- ately ignores a stop-light or sign and & tragic accident takes place, that is not the work of the Grim Reaper,” it is stated in the warning. “If is the result of a combination of carelessness and cussedness. “When a pedestrian walks through ‘s red light and throws himself in the path of a motor car that is not antici- pating any such move, that is not the work of the Grim Reaper. It is the result of a false education whereby the pedestrian has been: brought to be- lieve that all traffic talk is directed at | the drivers, and that he is immune to any such comment. “The only part the Grim Reaper plays in traffic accidents is when a tire blows out or a mechanical break occurs | that causes the driver to lose controi | of his car—and even in such cases a large percentage can be prevented by | frequent inspection of the car by a or highway and -exerciss comion sense in all you do—then leave the Test of your safety in the hands of Wwhatever gods there are that rule the Foaturing the “Harmony Vocalizing” Gus Edwards' “finds” late of Billy Rose’s Music Hall and the Capitol Theater, and JANETTE HACKETT Chiffon Bolero (dance) TOM BARRON and JANE LANE Dance elite MORAN and WISER “Their Hets Are in the Ring” (Comedy fugglers) EXTRA! Movie Night combetent mechanic. “Don’t blame any traffic accident on | a Divine Dispenser of Fate until you | have made sure that you didn't have some part in it wilfully yourself by your carelessness or indifference to the ordinary caution and good judgment with which you are supposed to be blessed by that Creator, ‘ “This is our traffic safety message | for the month: Drive and walk ac- | cording to all the rules of the street | | £5¢. /928 aae’ ewer, Box Semi-Precious Stones: Toilet Sets; Watches, ete. Gifts from $2.00 up. (¥ We Solicit Your Charge Account ¥ 615 12th}? Beimeen ¥ and G ! | lision on my left. I well have one! so that they can burn low-priced fuel on a high efficiency basis under automatic control with smoke elimination, labor saving, and an actual improvement in the quality of their heat and the performance of their These 1200 people have quit throwing away something over $200,000 a year in fuel costs alone. Besides stopping this tremendous leak, they are actually mak- ing money in many less direct ways such as time and labor saving, increased comfort and convenience, and better health. THIS FIRING SURVEY SERVICE I3 FREE. . . Just ask for it Just call us up and ask us to check your heating plant. That's all you need to do. We will take your actual present fuel costs, size up your plant, determine whether or not it is adaptable to an Iron Fireman install tion, tell you what an Iron Fireman installa- tion will cost, lay before you the easy pay- ment plan on which it can be purchased, and give you a reliable by which you can if you prefer. IRoN FiREMAN SALEs CORPORATION Exclusive Iron Fireman Dealer in Washington, D. C. . . . J. J. Beatty, President 1705 DeSales Street Nfi Washington, D. C. National 4240—9343 Friday, December 6 Real Movies of Guests Whe Wish te Participate. DANCING T45 to 2 AL M. MAXIM LOWE'S ORCHESTEA “Barnee” Directing Dinner Dancing 7:45 to 10 P. M.—Special Dinner, $1.75—including supper cover. Saturday, $2.00, including supper cover. Supper Dancing 10 P.M. to 2 A.M.—Sup- per cover, 55c. Saturday, $1, Midnight supper show. Hopper or Bin-Feed Models for Boilers up to 300 b.h.p. and for Homes estimate as to thn amount reduce your fuel bill. When you get this survey report, you cari- do something about it or not, just as your own judgment dictates. You are under no obligation to us. Could anything be fairer than that? Just telephone or drop us a line