The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-10-22
ARE WAKING UP
At WASHINGT ON
Courts and Commissions Again
Getting BuSy-Preventlng
Railway Accidents.
BY Ernest G.. Walker.

(Mail Special to The Advertiser)
WASHINGTON, October THE ju-
dicial department of the government is
resuming, The several courts and semi
judicial bodies that have headquarters
in Washington are converting and TAX
ing up their annual duties. Most JUS
tices of the Supreme Court have been
in town for several days. That great
tribunal will soon be hearing arguments
and grinding out decisions in the never
ending labor of clearing big docket.
The customs court, the commerce
court, the court of claims and mum.
Der of District of Columbia courts that
have some jurisdiction over federal
matters are also getting to work. The
interstate commerce commissioners are
also back in town and resuming their
duties. Nearly all these officials quit
the city early in the summer. before
congress adjourns or department Off
cials start away on vacation. But they
return little. earlier and are well set
tied down to their tasks long before
congress is in session and generally be-
fore the cabinet officials are again at
their desks for the winter.
The interstate commerce commission
is constantly bulking larger in its work
of supervising the regulation over rail
roads. 1t is just moving into enlarged
quarters. Its offices are now larger and
employ more people than is the case
with some of the executive departments
of the government.
Practical Work Doine
An example of the growing efficiency
of the interstate commerce commission
is a statement from Commissioner c. C.
McChord on the work of the federal
government for the prevention of rail
road accidents and its results. He is
the member of the commission who has
had charge of collecting that data and
has also built up the orga nization for
obtaining such data promptly and in a
comprehensive way.
OF long experience in railroad mat.
tiers, Mr.. McChord has brought it about
that reports of railroad wrecks and dis
asters are now quickly reported to the
commission. In the old days such in
formation was exceedingly difficult to
obtain and furthermore could be had
only after long delays. The commits.
sioner has brought it about that the Of
ficials of railroads now cooperate in
producing the information and approve
OF the commission Is policy in getting it.
The statistics of railroad accidents
are appalling. Commissioner McChord Is
tables compiled for period of twenty.
four years show that in that time
lsS,037 perscus were killed and 1885.
6ls were injured.
"This is an average of 1885 persons
killed and $3.50 injured each year or
an annual total of nearly 10000 killed
and injured says Commissioner Nc.
Chord.
He says that surprisingly large
number Of these casualties had to do
with trespassers upon the right of way.
For n twenty'year period, sixty.hye per
cent. Of those killed were others than
passengers and employees. A majority
of that percentage were trespassers.
Commissioner McCbord points out the
interesting fact that "fhe highway
crossing casualties are extremely few
ns compared with those occurring al
other points along the truck -
The federal government has displayed
nlmh activity Ia recent years 70 pro.