Evening journal., 1914-08-15


stepped Of the curb and into the street before he has
entirely faced about and codes with big truck
horse. Only the effort Of the animal to avoid colli-
sion saves him from serious injury.
How many times day in every OF large
cities is that enacted in its essentials Of
essness lack cooperation and absence Of fairness
n the assumption OF responsibility? Statistics tell
only the number Of times per day similar result
IN serious injury death We have record Of the
CLOSE calls" and minor injuries
Safety first has been taken up by transportation
lines and other large industries with much yigor Men
work surrounded by safeguards, constantly reminded
by signs that they must be careful In the performance
OF their duties, not alone in justice to themselves and
their families but 10 the other fellow and his family
Glasses Of instruction in the proper OF doing
the days work are held in almost all large plants
The wonderful results already accomplished by this
movement for safety are scarcely appreciated.
But while railroads and industrial institutions
proudly give us their safety records showing
slant deerease, the number Of accidents our high
ways continues to increase Why2 Because the fore
man, with the record Of safety in his department
rushes headlong the tracks TO beat the
ing freghtthe superintendent who directs the safety
first effort Of his plant darts suddenly In front Of
vehicle to catch departing street carthe president
late in starting for important meeting, steps into
nus car ana DDS ms chauffeur make haste All three
are taking chances rushing into accidents Once ont
side the plant, they part Of THE general public"
and safety first is forgotten
i is obvious then that campaign for safety
highways must be based systematic education
Those OF adult age must be reached through various
ageneies-elubs fraternal orders unions social
business and civic organizations Employers OF labor
can 10 large extent enforce the observance OF safe
plant practice teach the general public TO use
the street saney and to force IT. by eithor or
law, 70 follow rules that make for safety Is quite the
hardest task OF all.
Let us for moment watch our traffic pass In what
varied forms do we users Of the highways appear?
People riding on bicycles. motorcycles and horses;
people in an assortment OF horse-drawn and power
driven vehiccs people foot, absent-mndedly
threading in and out or lodging here and there
through this Of traffic Add TO this street
cars, the only user with defined course of travel
statistical report appears in our newspapers, show
ing the injured and killed during the month. We read
II mechanically and forget It. On go, in haste.
totally indifferent to the slaughter about us-until
Of loved figure IN the list Not until
then, do cry out against the earelessness or de-
iberate reckessness Of the other fellow. Not even
then do mend ways.
That 6a7 people were killed injured IN the city or
Chicago during the month Of February last is perhaps
not startling announcement; yet fully one-half Of
this suffering and loss might have been avoided by
more careful observance o. individual and
sponsibility BY those concerned IN the accidents.
Motor-driven vehicles form class that has most
recently become factor IN our traffic problem Be
Ing switter in movement and usually more deadly
in effect and incidentally being the minority auto
mobiles have been The first TO receive condemnation
and strict regulation Much has been done to curb
the reckless autolst We have ordinances a plenty
designed TO hold this class IN check and they be-
ing enforced with certain amount of yigor and JUS
tice None will deny the wisdom Of the restraint
placed upon the motorist but until equally
efforts made TO control other traffic factors
place upon them like regulation and responsibility
this must remain "class" legislation
II is safe to say that wagons violate more traffic
rules In day than automobiles do in a week. Teams
Of coal and similar uncertainty down the
where they so and being totally unprepared TO check
their progress change their direction in emer-
gency Light delivery wagons IN charge Of boys stl
in their teens turn suddenly left or right with
look nor care for automobiles that may be passing
alongside In downtown district we find express
wagons and more particularly the wagons Of daily
papers rushing at gollop from TO with
less regard for the right of others and safety than
expect of our fire departments. Along main arter-
les of travel along the carlines throughout the city
the wagons and motor deliveries OF newspapers
violate daily every ordinance on the books
wagons
streets frequently with lights at all They are
never sufficiently lighted to give fair warning to auto
mobiles and pedestrians
And now We come to that class to which ali belong
in more or less degree Behold the poor pedestrian
So beset by the sins Of the others he that very dis
tnet lanes of travel have been provided for him. OBJ
serve how consistent he is.
Remember how careful Mr.. Brown And
there Jones out into the street from behind that
bread wagon at the curb, up in the middle of the
block. chauffeur jams on mis- brakes to keep from
running him down while the pole of a big brewery
crashes into the big back panel of the limousine
The two drivers crossing policeman and the ever
present crowd block traffic while names, addresses.
employers and probably few words exchanged.
Meantime Jones' having successfully lodged street
and push cart crowds through the closing gates
of ascending elevator where the watchful eye Of
the operator prevents his overcoat from catching in
the gates of the second Safe in his office
Jones Indignantly reflects upon the carelessness of
drivers chauneurs, motormen and boys.
The merest child knows that sidewalks made for
observation-disclosures for vehcles-whe crosswalks
ground Let driver direct his vehicle
the curb onto sidewalk turn shortly
and. though accident occurs. he is fortunate
to escape with condemnation only. "The street is the
place for hml Why doesn't he stay there? How fool
ish TO expect pedestrians to be dodging wagons and
automobiles that take sudden notion to left
or right across the walkl"
We all know the delinqnencies OF the motorman and
SO It seems that we all might be careful. The
pot and kettle to be OF equal blackness The
golden rule Of safety first must be guide. Place
upon no other man responsibility for your safety
that YOU will not assume for his
With the right to use the highway goes respon-
sihity-the careful and commonsense observance OF
traffic rules and the rights of others Until we all
realize that this responsibility rests upon ndivd-
ually safety must take the short end OF the odds
That is an article clearly based upon wide exper-
fence and acute observation. The conditions discussed
found in all communities and the remedies sug-
gested applicable to Wilmington and to Della
generally they to Chicago or any other
thictly-populated and muehtraveled section Of our
country.