New-York tribune., 1902-08-17
PARIS.
APPEALS FOR STOPPING OF AUTO
MOBILE SPEEDING.

PARIS PAPERS POINT TO FAIR TRAGEDY AS
wARNING-sCENEs IN BRITTANY RE-
CALL MEDIEVAL TINES.
Especial 10 The New-Tork Tribune by French Cable)
fCoryrirht: 1902: BY The Tribune AssociationD
Paris. Aug 1e.-Nearly all the leading papers
to-day publish editorial comments the fire.
quency of automobile accidents. While the
deepest sympathy is expressed for the victims
OF the latest catastrophe there is a unanimous
demand that the speed Of automobiles on the
public highways be restricted and that the
owners Of motor cars themselves take the sub
5ect in hand in the interest OF their favorite
pastime The Figaro" in leading article
headed Speed Madness" says that It is re
marka bic that this epidemic is most prevalent
with persons Of great wealth. culture and leis-
ure, who are absolute masters Of their own
time, and who least Of all have any reason to
be in a hurry The Figaro declares that II
is ridiculous for man Of leisure to scorch
On the roads Of France at a death disseminating
velocity Of mile minute as il would be
for the owner Of the winner of the Grand Prx
de Paris TO gallop at a breakneck pace through
the Bois de Boulcgne on his mount.
Nevertheless, highly cultivated young men,
the moment they find themselves seated in their
forty-five horsepower motor cars. become in
toxicated with the irresistible speed OF a vertigo
The owners Of these powerful engines should be
put their honor not to consider them as toys
and 10 control their craving for speed, for If the
speeding continues as il does at present sport
which has great advantages will become dis
credited, and arouse the indignation Of the rural
population. II is possible to compel the OBJ
servance OF the police regulations. and prevent
unreasonab bic speed in villages and cities. but
NJ government control can be enforced on the
-
the habitations are few and far between, With
out mobilizing an army. The Figaro" ends by
asking whether the present tragic fatalities will
bear fruit: whether those killed will save those
who are st.n alive We hope so'' it says, but
nevertheless. We are forced to have misgivings
that the last road record has not yet been
broken and that there are still bad days ahead
for the chauffeurs-''
The Journal des Debats'' says that the first
sentiment is one Of sympathy and compassion for
those who are at once The authors and victims of
automobile accidents But" it continues this
does not prevent the public on second thought
from insisting on more drastic regulations for
automobiles. Scarcely q DAY passes without
automobile accident due TO the temerity or in
experience OF amateur chauffeurs. At first it was
possible to believe that these accidents were due
TO a few daredevils. who attached little i'm
portance 10 their own lives as TO those OF other
people but they have increased in such proper
tions that one is forced to the belief that the
most rational man has difficulty in defending
himself from a species Of vertigo when he dis
ports in machine OF colossal horsepower, and
can burn space merely by letting 1t GO
Kappel. in leading article. says public opin-
ion demands a reaction in autonnobilism against
the speed frenzy Rampant chauffeurs." he
goes on themselves are often the first victims
OF their own folly. VIII they now renounce