The Washington herald., 1915-09-19

Editor of The Washington Herald:
The speed limit for automobiles in this
city should not be raised. Let us have
safety first" The loss o. a ssngre
human life which may be caused by
increasing the speed limit would far
outweigh any possible advantage to the
owners and drivers of automobiles. No
unnecessary restrictions should be
placed on the automobilists. but there
are a few others-say 30 per cent OF
the population-who are interested In
this question from the pedestrians
viewpoint, and whose safety may be
worthy of some elight consideration.
The children of our city are virtu-
ally compelled to play in the streets.
to public Fairgrounds or parks to en-
JOY the luxury of playing without
danger Of being killed or MANNED.
Superintendent Thurston to the con-
trary Notwithstanding. we cannot get
away from the fact that machines
running at the rate of fifteen miles an
hour are more dangerous to the chill
dren than the same machines limited
to twelve miles an hour. Any increase
in the rate of speed will inevitably in
crease the percentage of accidents.
This Is also true of pedestrians in
general. At place like Dupont circle,
which is intersected by streets and ave-
nues from eight different directions. II
requires some degree of coolness and
physical agility to dodge the street
cars and automobiles successfully. One
frequently sees aged and infirm people
attempting to avoid vehicles a, oanger-
GUS crossings and evidently suffering
from fright and apprehension. No
doubt tl.eir mental sufferings are real
enough. even II the physical danger is
sight OF course these people have no
right to be old. or they should stay at
home. But We must accept conditions
as they are. and as a matter Of fact,
we are not quite ready to say that the
aged and infrm. or the boys and girls.
have no rights in the city streets. 1t
is difficult enough now to avoid col
lisions. II the speed limit is raised to
fifteen or twenty miles an hour. it may
be necessary to start schools to teach
auto lodging
What will automobilists gain by
having the speed limit raised from
twelve to fifteen miles an hour? They
may be enabled to leave home five or
six minutes later than they do now
and still get down town on time. Is
this SAVING of time more important
than public safety?
Washington is less a victim to haste
and rush than other American cities
Is 1t really necessary for Washington
to emulate New York and Chicago in
nerve-racking speed and noise?
1t is understood that the Public
Utilities Commission will soon take up
this problem of speed. If they hold
public hearings. few of the grand
army OF pedestrians. as well as the
automobilists should be gwen a near
ing. provided that any Of US are left
10 tell the tale. W. D. NJ.
4 Canny Ffnancier.
Editor of The Washington Herald:
Your editorial under the caption.
FINANCING on a Huge Scale" fur
nished highly interesting reading
Your statement to the effect that the
first intimation that our financiers
would be asked to lend $1,000. 900. 900
merely upon the notes of the bor-
rowing nations caused big surprise,
is unquestionably true. 1t is espe-
cially surprising in view of the fact
that similar obligations are being sold
at a discount over ONE" Your
remarks further on lead one to infer
that the credit will have to be ex-
tended so that We may retain the al
lies as customers. buying literally in
our markets. They would otherwise
probably obtain ammunition from
such well-known manufacturing GEN.
ters IS Liberia and the Malay penin-
sula. / also learn from your editorial
that 1T is necessary to our CONNER
cial interests that the sterling ex-
change situation be adjusted and
maintained upon stable basis"
while heretofore l had blissfully sup
posed that the pound sterling could
drop to a point represented by the
same figures used to indicate the bat
ting averages of some of our WE'LL
known ball players, without causing
us any serious inconvenience. The
fact that none of the billion dollars
will be taken from this country" of
course protects the bankers as well
as their depositors fully In the
event that England and France are
unable to meet their obligations. the
lenders will be promptly reimbursed.
because none of the money will have
gone out Of the country. As YOU
have SO enthusiastically pointed out, the
chances of such a happening are prac-
tically nil, and 1 suppose are fast be-