Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-10
ENFORCE THE LAW


HNHE marked increase in automobile
and motorcycle accidents during
- the last year has caused some of
our best citizens to investigate this
evil and seek an effectual remedy for
It's prevention. 1t is a shameful fact
that on some of the principal thorough
fares of our city speed-crazy autoists
drive their machines at such a rate as
to jeopardize human life.
The question in every case of this
kind is: In what department of our
government does the fault lie, and hav-
ing found that fault, how can it best
be remedied?
That it does not lie in the leglsla-
tive department is quickly shown by
referring to the original ordinance and
an amendment which has since been
made fixing the limitations for diff
ferent rates of speed. For various dis
tances on certain streets, which prac-
tically embrace the business district,
the law declares that the speed of any
such vehicle shall not exceed IL miles
an hour; that over crossings within
those limits it shall not exceed miles
an hour; while at any place within the
city beyond this district it shall not
exceed 20 miles an hour. The ordinance
further declares that any driver turn
ing a street corner to the left shall
leave at least 10 feet between such
crossing and his vehicle
There are a number of other provi
sions, but these are the most impor-
tant. The law in it's entirety was con-
sidered so important at the time of it's
passage that in Section IL in the body
of the ordinance we find This ordi-
nance is urgently required for the i'm
mediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety :" A
violation of these sections is made
punishable by a fine not less than
one dollar, and not exceeding one hun
dred dollars, or by imprisonment in
the city jail of said city for period of
rot exceeding fifty days, or by both
such fine and imprisonment" 1t ap-
pearing that the law is in all respects
sufficient, our attention is naturally
directed to the executive and judicial
branches of our city government,
whose duty it is to enforce the ordi-
nance and apprehend and punish it's
violators.
Inquiry discloses that there are but
four officers constituting the automo-
bile squad, whose duty it is to arrest
offenders. 1t does not require argument
to convince the reader that in a city
the size of Los Angeles such force
is very inadequate.
There is still another feature that
has provoked public criticism, and that
is that the punishment that has here
tofore been inflicted upon violators of
the ordinance has not had the effect of
commanding respect. The records of
our police courts show that few in
deed of these offenders have ever
found shelter behind the bars of our
jails. On the contrary, the fines that
have been imposed have been such as
to be but slight punishment to the
men who are wealthy enough to main-
tain automobiles. And often when sem
LGDCc Is DdSSGQ QPOll thSii, diAu WAAN%A
their back is turned to the court, they
cast meaning smile to the officer as
much as to say that "the chase was
we'll worth it,"
1t is not more than week ago that
a woman alighting from a street car was
knocked down an run over by one of
these gentlemanly violators of the law,
hic
and left her dying where she had
stepped from the car. He disappeared
so quickly that no one could catch the
number of the machine, and the Off
GERS of the law are still baffled in their
attempts to bring him to justice. 1t
is too common thing to see some old
man, or child. jump quickly to one
side to escape a rapidly approaching
automobile and hear the mocking
laugh of the driver at his discontinue.
It is high time that these offenders,
not occasionally, but as body, were
brought before the bar of justice, and
when convicted be given sentences
that will make them realize that they
are not above the majesty of the law.
While we do not think that unbridled
criticism meets the best ends of justice,
we do believe that public attention
should be called to the fact that there Is
a sufficient law, and that that law, is
not enforced according to the intention
of the law-makers by either the police
or the judiciary. Notwithstanding the
fact that lawlessness of this character
and it's attendant menace to life and
limb are not on the decrease, and ac-
cording to some authorities, are actual
ly on the increase.
William Edward Banes of Matoaka,