Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-27
FAVOR ENFORCING
AUTO SPEED LAW
ORDINANCE PROHIBITS CHILD
CHAUFFEURS
MINIMUM AGE IS Is YEARS
Councilman Edward Kern Says Police
Are Adeouate 70 Eneruencv and
MINIMUM AGE IS 1e YEARS
Councilman Edward Kern Says Police
Are Adequate to Emergency and
Suggests Method Of Coping
With Frenzled Motorists

The anti-speed ordlnanceS s4s but
one of the laws which the speed ma
MACS are violating daily in the city of
Los Angeles 1t will be remembered
that when millionaire Hancock rode to
his death his huge motor car was be-
ing driven by his 14-year-old son.
"These speed maniacs must be stop
ped" declared Councilmen Edward
Kern Of the Seventh ward yesterday.
"They tear through some of the streets
in my ward at terrific speed and sup
pose this is the case on every first class
thoroughfare in the city.
'I think the police force should be
called upon to enforce the law. 1t Is
possible that we need more policemen,
but we have lot of them and / don't
understand why they cannot put a
stop to this scorching which is get
ting to be a serious menance to the peo-
pie of certain sections of the city
Pasadena Officers Effective
"Out in Pasadena they have only
about ten policemen but they arrest al
most everyone of our scorchers who tr'
to go through that city after the mar-
ner of a lightning express. If they can
stop them do not know why our much
larger and better equipped force can
not do it.
"An automobile squad of three Of
ficers could do the trick. Let them be
in plain clothes and make a business Of
going from one part of town to another
selecting the favorite haunts of the
speed maniacs.
'Let these men station themselves a
block apart then they will cover three
blocks They should also have stop
watches and decide upon signal which
can be given without attracting the al
tention of the chauffeurs. When n
scorcher comes down the road the first
officer signals the middle man the mo-
nlent the machine passes him.
This is the signal to start the watch
, the operator taking the time of the ma
chine for the block, as is done in auto
mobile racing. BY little figuring be-
forehand the middle man with the
watch, can know just how many Sec
onds the motorist has to cover the
block and still be inside the law and If
he is ahead of time the man with the
watch simply signals the third man
who should Immediately step into the
street and halt the machine and make
the arrest
Identification Is Easy
1.-THE speed manacs would then oe
caught with the goods on. If b.
chauffeur refused to stop his machine
at the officers order it's number could
be taken and as it would have to pass
three officers there would be 40 good
( reason why the driver could not be, alb
solutely identified
Another thing, this law prohibiting
children from driving machines should
be strictly enforced, as it is of the
greatest Importance. 1t should be en-
forced strictly, both for the projections
of the children and of the general pub
lie. With a person of proper age and
Judgment in control of Hancocks big
touring car that fatal accident might
have be b averted. There is no reason
why thiA Jaw regarding children shou'd
not be taforced by the policemen on
their reg lar beats and it should not
require tf services of an automobile
squad"