The Washington herald., 1919-06-10

New York. June a-Manhattan has
a Rich Mans Court 1t Is known as
the Traffic Court, and 1t represents
wealth. You have to own an automo-
bile or be trusted with one to enter
the courtroom. Some 5000 motor traf-
fic v.olators pay the State more than
s250.000 in fines yearly.
The Traffic Court Is down In the
Old Mulberry street police station. and
1t testihes to the truisms that hu-
manity's faults tend to change only
in kind. not quantity; that the refn-
ing influences of civilization at best
work but slowly. and that human
nature does not change.
In the same courtroom not long ago
the murderer and the thief skunk to
face their hccusers, and the Bowery
drunk sagged on his bench. and the
street woman raised her sin-scarred
face. Now a new type of defendant
nearly always rich--holds forth.
The Traffic Court Is three years old.
1t is the place where modern mis-
demeanor, borne with a smile and ex-
plunged with a bank note, proclaims
the growing respectability of the hu-
man race. The Trafic Court is the
Judgment seat of a new order of
things; specialized. democratized and
dignifed.
II Is democratic because the richest
offender. man or woman. In furs or
silks, must answer for offenses aga inst
the automobile traffic rules from a
seat next to the grocery clerk and the
taxi driver. More than 1000 cases a
month are disposed of.
Traffic Court officials say that prac-
ucally no one who attempts to escape
hne by putting up an excuse tells
the truth. This is a sad but true
statement, borne out by many exam
pies.
Old stuff does not go. II one didn't
realize how fast he was going or
was certain the old bus can't make
twenty-six." or was trying to make
a train" or reach "a sick friend the
court makes no comment, but always
administers a fine. One new excuse
got by for two days. And then every
body got to using it and it doesn't
go any more. 1t was that "the e1-
hilarator got caught"
In the old Broadway Central
Hotel. which forty years ago was
the last word in hotels. there is a
room which carries over the door
the sign: 'Trotskys." He is not a.
relative of Leon. the famous Red.
Neither is the place a hangout for
Bolsheviki For seven years Hyman
Trotsky has been serving kosher din
ners at the old hotel. From II to 8
daily-except Saturday, of course
the room on the second floor back
Is crowded with Jews and Gentiles
who have learned where to get a
good dinner for SIS cents.
To orthodox Jews Trotzky is
symbol OF honesty in New York.
And so it was that Leon Bronstein.
himself a Jew, though scarcely or
thodox, was impressed by that name.
He used TO go to Trotskys place.
Everybody knows that when he
lived in New York in 1917 he was
known as Bronstein.
As the man who was destined to
become Bolshevik minister OF war
used to go'over to Third street and
Broadway from the Office of the
"Novy Mir" the radical newspaper
which paid him SIS a week. he wish
ed to be as respected as the kosher
restaurateur. So when he went to
Russia he named himself Trotsky.
George Broadhurst, the play
wright, dropped into a gilded eatery
off Fifth avenue the other evening
and decided to tickle his palate with
sirloin steak. A smiling garcon
took his order and in due time the
steak was placed before the diner
When the check came Mr.. Broad
hurst saw that his sirloin cost $50
He called the waiter to point out
what was obviously a mistake. The
waiter explained that it was the
regular price.
|. mo wonder they're flying for Eu-
rope" said Mr.. Broadhurst, reaching
for his wallet.