Oxford Democrat., 1918-08-27
CarelessnesS.

In one of our large Eastern cities moi
long ago, man jumped from the tenth
story of an Office building to the street
The sensational papers played rather
strongly on the accident, which was wit.
messed by many Thousands OF people,
and claimed 1t to be one Of suicide., In
oil, perhaps there were rs, 900 or 100, ,0O0
people who read the account of the acci-
dent and had certain feeling of horror
at this method of ending ones life.
Over 5000 people in the United States
commit suicide In just as direct way
as did this man. Six thousand four
hundred and twenty-five people last year
were killed by automobiles, the deaths
in every case being directly traced to
carelessness.
These are the figures that have been
used by the Universal Film Manufactur-
ing Company of New York In their film
entitled "Careless America" which bas
been produced by the kindness of Mr..
d. s. Firestone In his campaign sgainst
needless loss of property and life through
carelessness. l speak OF the number OF
deaths as being over 5000. Approx
mately three times that number Of peo-
pie were injured, and when one stops to
think of 1t, this needless loss of life and
of people should be condemned
by every person In the United States.
HURRY EVERYWHERE.
An eminent French politician was
once asked what bis impression was OF
America, and be said that the one Eng.
lish word which came to bis mind, best
describing his impression, was the word
"hurry." Everywhere be went, he said,
he had that feeling of person being
out of breath. Everybody that he saw
seemed to have their minds intent upon
getting somewhere and getting there as
quickly as possible, without respect to
the feelings of their fellow men.
The old slogan of "Time is Money" is
carried out in this country very literally.
So literally, In fact, that thousands OF
people daily jeopardize their lives and
their health simply to save q few
seconds.
On the island of Long Island alone,
last year, 100 automobilists speeded
In front of railroad trains, de-
spite all warning. Mr.. Ralph Peters, the
President of the Long Island Railroad,
states that no less than 100 gates which
had been lowered because of approach
ing trains, were broken off last year by
automobile drivers on Long Island.
Which Is the better word to describe
such happenings as these? Shall We
term them "accidents," or shall we term
them ''criminal negligenoep"' .~
Not long ago chanced to be near q
place where an accident of this sort had
For over half mile in each
the track was in open view OF
the crossing. There were, perhaps, five
machines q minute psssing over the
tracks at the point in question. At the
time of the. accident, five automobiles
were drawn up at each side of the track
waiting for the passing ofa fast express
train which could be seen In the dis
tance. .l..
A BAD. ACCIDENT.
A small car driven at an excessive rate
of speed passed the standing machines
and ran directly on to the track In front
of the approaching train. The driver OF
this car paid for bis oarelessness with
his life, for the machine was hit squarely
In the center and carried Q distance OF
over 200 feet. Nothing was left In an
unbroken condition except one front
wheel. The rest of the machine had
been reduced to mass of bent iron and
broken wood. Even the upholstery bad
been torn into shreds under the train
wheels. .- S5
Strange as II may sssm, one, person
survived with q lew minor Injuries.
Three Others were killed. From the
survivor 1t was learned that tho driver
knew the train was approaching and de-
spite the warnings of the other passen-
gers, he had tried to save minute by
outing across the track. The party
was out simply for the ride and bad no
reason for saving time; $50 deaths were
caused In the United States last year
through lust this sort Of carelessness.
The speed maniac is just 40 much OF .
menace to this country as tuberculosis.
Upon his head rests the blood OF many
innocsnt people. Not only does he put
his own life in danger at all times, but
he is q menace to the community, and
the existing laws cannot be made toe
severe for his punishment.
Two thousand people last year were
killed directly through the results OF
accidents caused BY overspeeding. The
phrase "lost control OF his car" ID get
ting to be q common ono: Practically
all of tho state laws are worded In such
way that to lose control OF the car II
crime.
EXCESSIVE SPEED. ~
What does the phrase meanf In 81
cases out Of 100 1t means that the car Y
driven ct too high . rate of speed. II
does not mean that the steering mocha
nism IA 1t fault or that the car 10 tf
blame: Il means that the driver has los'
his hesd through his own carelessness
sHe did not know there Was . curve u
the roads or she did not know there M!
an embankment aheadn' has been sale
many times In tho case OF bad accidents
Granting that he did not know such
peril existed, Was there any excuse iol
the accident? ! answer emphaticail!
"NO." II he had been travelling st
normal rate of speed. he wonld hav'
been able 10 have stoppsd the car bsfor'
going over tho smbanknsnk Q. running
0ff the road st the curve. "ExoessIy'
spsed'' ID the answer In practically ever!
| cass Of this sort. ~.
n the old ldays OF horse-drawu yehi
oles. a aocidenf Of this sort was slmos
nnheard Of, unless the horse ran away
or the driver was intoxicated. -.
Only 108 deaths were caussd " lvl