Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-11-12
HOW TO CURB THE.
RECKLESS: DRIVER
A0AV
Interesting Review Of Measure.
Adopted to Secure More Safe
ty in Auto Traffic.

Chicago, ILL.,, Nov. 10,-A great wave
Of alarm, righteous indignation. and
preventative activity is sweeping the
country as result of the rapidly in
creasing numbers of persons killed and
MANNED in automobile accidents daily,
according to reports received at the
headquarters of the National Safety
Council in this city.
The tendency to resort to radical
measures in order to curb recklessnesS
and carelessness on the part of both
the motorist and the pedestrian is ex-
emplified by recent developments in the
following cities:
Chicago, where automobile speeders
are sentenced to make slow trips
through the Morgue under the guidance
of a deputy coroner.
Youngstown, Ohio. where the automo
bile speeder is sentenced to hold watch
beside the body Of the person killed by
his machine or at the hospital bedside
If the accident victim is injured;
New York City, where a "rogues gal
lery' for traffic law offenders is main
tanned by the police department.; GA
plan to photograph and fnger-print
chauffeurs has been proposed to the
Chicago Board of Alderman,
St. Louis, where grand jury after
being in session for four months SUBJ
mitted a lengthy report two-thirds of
which was given over to the recommend
alton of public safety measures.
The intensity of the contest between
St. Louis, Cleveland, Rochester Detroit
and a number Of other cities for the
title Safety City in America" is re-
vealed by most unusual report submit
ted to the Circuit Court at St. Louis a
few days ago by a most unusual Grand
Jury.
Deviating from the beaten paths of
Grand Jury procedure, the St. Louis
tnquistorial body, in the words of it's
foreman, Clarence Howard president of
the Commonwealth Steel Company de-
cided that it's good should not be mere
ly to indict someone for something"
but that a constructive consideration
of the causes of those things for which
people are indicted would make a con-
stantly decreasing number of indict-
mentS necessary.
On investigation the Grand Jury
found that one Of the principal sources
for criminal indictments was the auto
mobile accident resulting either from
the recklessness Of the motorist or the
carelessness Of the pedestrian. And
so instead of indicting someone for
something the Grand Jury set about
making a deep study Of traffic condi-
tons.
The jury called in Arthur T. Morey,
former president of the National Safety
Council Carl L. Smith, public field Sec
rotary of the safety council and other
local safety experts asked their advice
on how to make the streets of st. Louis
safe. On the suggestion Of Mr.. Morey
the grand jury discarded another long
established rule, that of hearing only
one witness at time and boldly called
in all the available safety talent, with
the result that the final report Of the
Grand Jury made the following recon-
mendations:
l. That additional traffic and motor
cycle officers be employed.
2. That police officers. other than
those of the traffic squad, be thoroughly
familiar with traffic regulations and that
that they be required to make reports
of all such violations observed.
3. That consideration be given to the
working out of a plan of one-way traf-
fc east and west, where is great con-
gestion.
4. That an ordinance be adopted re-
quiring pedestrians to cross the street
at regular street crossings.
S. That action be taken giving news
paper publicity to the existence of vari-
Gus associations promoting safety, and
that the public be requested to cooper
ate with such associations by reporting
to them cases of reckless driving and
violations of traffic laws. such reports
to contain the license number of car,
place. time and nature of violation.
s. That some plan be worked out in
all schools to impress upon the students
the Importance Of safety, daily talks
by teachers in the class rooms and safe
ty contests between schools are sug-
gested.
That publicity be given the safety
movement in the Sunday schools,
churches, and homes.
That necessary action be taken for
the on9cfmant If state Ia raOuirn O
that every employed person driving
a motor vehicle pass an examination
before a board.
That upon the enactment of this law
board be created in the City of St. Lou
is to instruct all drivers of motor vehicles