New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-02
Casualties in City Streets
Like Battlefield, Says
One: 10 Killed in Month
Law Faulty, Says Hugo
Court 10 Draft Legislation;
Want Right to Revoke
Licenses of Chauffeurs


sre like those on the battlehclds OF
France said Chief City Magistrate
William McAdoo yesterday at meet
'ns at the Traffic Court. The meeting
was called to determine the possimbli-
ty of passing a law insuring strict ex-
animation of ali drivers of motor We
hicles and providing for the revocation
or suspension of incapable chauffeurs.
A committee was appointed with
Magistrate W. Bruce Cobb as chair
man to draft a bill
Edward s. Cornell secretary of the
National Highways Association. was
rot present. He announced few days
go that what we need now is action
There ought to be no more talk and
no more meetings" he said recently.
until d bill is introduced at this SEES
sion Of the legislature. Such meetings
do not lead to anything
The meeting was much like the one
year ago attended only by the mag
strates. Magistrate Frederick s.
House, Special Police Commissioner
John \. Harris. in charge of traffic:
Robert Grier Cooke. OF the Fifth Ave
nue Association; Jefferson De Mont
Thompson, OF the Broadway Assoca-
ion; Charles NJ Geiger OF the Motor
truck Owners Association Of America;
,lohN c. Fox. OF the City Club Fred "
Sessions. of the New York State Motor
Federation. and Melvin T. Bender OF
he New York State Automobile Asso-
cation. were among those in attend
ance The chief city magistrate pre-
sided.
when | stand at the corner Of
Blocker and Lafayette Streets" said
the presiding magistrate, in discourse
ihe upon his study OF traffic conditions,
with its enormous amount Of traffic
and the large number of people cross
ing. they somehow give you the i'm
preston OF chased animals who have
become quite expert i'll lodging We
hicles.
They have acquired sort of 'vehic-
,'lar elusiveness.'
The selfish. heartless. reckless or
careless driver, who was at first fined
later jailed, has not been cured. Yet
am frank to say that without less
Jealous magistrate than Judge House
1hc casualties in the city would have
been one hundred per cent greater
with 100000 in this city. we have
cot to do something.
The fgures released yesterday by the
National Highways Protective Associa-
ION showed an increase of appYoxi-
naately 30 per cent in automobile fatal
les in New York State in 1918 over
those n 1917.
Sixty weight Killed in January
According to these figures, automo-
oles killed forty mine; trolleys, eight.
-, md d wagon. one. in the City of New
ORR during January. During the same
period. outside the city. motors &C
counted for nineteen deaths and troll
'cys three. This record of sixty-eight
killed by automobiles is the largest
known for the month of January. In
the State of New Jersey seventeen per-
sons were killed by automobiles. four
by trollevs and two by wagons during
'he. last month.
During 1918 there We're 1889 persons
siiled by automobiles in the state as
against S37 in 1917.
"Elever hundred operators Of motor
vehicles we're involved in these fatal
ties" said Colonel Cornell in comment
ne on the figures yesterday, yet up
% the middle of December. 1918, We
Lad less than thirty licenses revoked
ny the Secretary OF States Office. This
j. ? proportion OF less than per cent
ia comparison with the number Of per-
sons killed.
Law Inadequate. Says Hugo
Secretary OF State Francis NJ Hugo
sxplaincd the "inadeouacy OF the pres
Ont law IN particular the insufficient
machinery for enforcement. Although
New ork State had o'Ie-ninth OF ell the
automobile in the United States. he
aid. but six inspectors arc appointed
% supervise 100000 cars and more than
5000 miles of highways. He asserted
that NAM courts do no. inform him
Z 3 20 disposition of cases which come
under their jurisdiction.
sS1 TctE lies in free anpllc2tIor of
he revocation ana suspension of
censcs." he said. ~ would like 10
make it possible that no man or
woman shall be killed" He said $4,000
fnen were turned sf&y from the Secre-
,ary of States Office because they did
rot pass the drivers license exami-
nation.
Dr.. Harris, speaking for the Police
Department assured his hearers of CO.
tperatioa. He approved of the univer-
~ license system az we'll as freer APP
rlication Of the revocation of licenses.
Magistrate Cobb pleaded that the
powcr 10 r"yoke licenses be vested in
he magistratey. However, this did
rot meet With the coinplete approval of
representatives Of the New Yorl; State
Automobile Association, since they
we're OF the opinion that "l,1o0 justices
e the peace outside New York City
ssould act be intrusted with such
s~eeping powers"
Another meeting will be held soon.