Evening star., 1917-01-21
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING

| One Of the most interesting Of the
many duties as provided by law. Of the
! interstate commerce commission IL that
Of the investigation Of railroad acci-
dents. During the past year. the latest
statistics available show that ofncials
Of the commission Investigated fifty-hvs
collisions and thirty derailments. These
accidents. eighty-ive in all. resulted in
the death Of 20s persons and the injury
Of 1.441 persons.
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In recount1ng their work experts Of
the commission say that twenty-six Of
the collisions
Investigation Of occurred on
Railroad Accidents. by 'I the u''es block
system, eleven in automatic block Sig
nal territory: and Of the collisions
twenty-nine occurred where no block
system was in effect and twenty-five on
lines operated by the train-order sys-
tenn.
Those experts Of the commission under
whose direct charge these Investigations
occurring in automatic block signal ter
ritory has demonstrated the imperative
need of revision of the railroads rules
and change in tho practices pertaining
to the observance Of caution signal in.
dications. At the present time 1t is said
that when a distant signal displays a
caution indication an engineman is not
positively required to reduce the speed
OF the train at once, the only require
ffof hn 0ho1 oh krA
next signal with his train under control
and prepared to stop.
1t is said that frequently. at the pres
ent time. no reduction Of speed Is made
played. Only recently. 1t is pointed out,
an investigation was made Of a serious
rear-end collision which disclosed the
fact that the following train had been
running under caution signal indications
for a considerable distance without any
reduction in speed. and the preceding
train had stopped only a short distance
In advance of another signal, and by
the time the danger signal was recog-
nized by the eng1neman Of the following
train he was too close to. the signal
to bring his train to q stop before pass
ing It or in time to avert tho collision.
1t Is insisted by those who have
given much time and study to this one
problem that the Indication of a so
called distant signal should convey an
order to the engfneman as positive and
definite as the indication OF what is
called the home" signal. instead Of
time. The home signal always requires
an engineer to stop Immediately
The experts are Of the opinion, they
say, that immediate reduction Of speed
danger Of collisions similar to the one
described. as well as the danger Of
shock and injury to passengers result
Ing from emergency applications Of
the brakes. The enforcement Of such
requirement would. 1t Is believed by
these interstate commerce officials. also
create a different habit Of thought on
the part Of engineers. relieving certain
nervous tension and insurfng that the
train could be stopped safely II the
next signal was in danger position.
1t Is interesting to note in connec-
ton with these wrecks that during the
past year six Of the collisions which
occurred in automatic block signal
by the failure of the engineers to obey
the signal Indications. Five of these
six occurred on multiple track road
where the block signal equipment was
modern and Of the most highly ap-
proved type.
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An interesting study has recently
been made by Uncle Sans experts Of
the bureau Of educa-
The MINIMUM ton into the question
cchool To,r, Of minimum school,
term regulations
| throughout the United States.
It was found. after considerable
study Of the question, that today forty
four OF the states Of the Union have es-
tablished by law q minimum term Of
from 60 to $50 days schooling for
each organized school district. The
men carrying on the investigation
found that. while the minimum num-
Der of days required Is almost invaria-
bly, much less than the actual average
number Of days in the school term Of
still report many schools unable to
meet even these low minimum require
ments. Within the past three years.
1t was found. twelve states have added
the legal requirement Of . minimum
school term.
According to the bureau some Of the
factors that have operated in favor Of
general awakening of public sentiment
are the phenomenal growth Of the pub
lie high schools. the development Of
state financial aid for weak districts.
not maintaining a minimum term re-
Qufred by law.
The principle reason given by those
studying this problem for some Of the
schools being unable to meet these
minimum requirements is, Of course.
lack Of provision for adequate sums Of
money. A majority Of the states. 1t Is
said, have fully realized the necessity
for more state financial assistance and
have enacted laws giving state aid to
weak districts to enable them to main
tain q minimum school term. These
laws are, as a rule. intended to help
only those who first help themselves
and therefore have a provision making
q levy Of a specified minimum rate OF
local taxation necessary. before the
states aid can be obtained.
The study has shown that numerous
bills have been introduced at recent
legislatures which show growing
sentiment favoring laws enforcing
higher rate Of taxation upon the local
districts in order that they may main
tain longer school term. However.
the state Of Ohio. for example. recently
appropriated a sum Of s50,oo0 to aid
school districts which could not by
the maximum levy permitted by law
maintain a public school eight months,
paying teachers $40 a month. Again;
the state of Tennessee for several
years set aside 10 per cent of the gen,
eral education fund (the education FUND
being one-fourth Of the revenue of the
state) for the purpose of helping the
several counties of the state to main
tain schools nearly equal in quality
and length of term. And SO the diff
ferent states are dealing differently
with this problem, but all tending to
~. ,apotb oS the achnol term