The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-11-14
EFFORTS BEING MADE
TO LESSEN MOTOR
VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
ALARMING NUMBER OF ACCT
DENTS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY WILL RESULT IN
PREVENTIVE MEASURES.

OF alarm, righteous Indignation, and
preventive activity is sweeping the
country as a result of the rapidly in
creasing numbers of persons killed
and manned in automobile accidents
daily, according to reports received at
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 speed
ers are sentenced to make slow trips
through the Morgue under the guild
ance of a deputy coroner;
Youngstown, Ohio, where the auto
mobile speeder is sentenced to hold
watch beside the body of the person
killed by his machine or at the hospi-
tai bedside if the accident victim is
injured;
New York City. where a "rogues
gallery" for traffic law offenders is
maintained by the police department;
"a plan to photograph and finger
print chauffers has been proposed by
the Chicago Board of Aldermen).
st. Louis, where a grand jury after
being in session for four months sub
,,,it+nd n Ion otI1r ,a,,o,.+ +1,-o ~, ;,Je Of
which was given over to the recon-
mendation of public safety measures.
The intensity of the contest be-
tween st. Louis, Cleveland, Rochester
Detroit and a number of other cities
for the title "Safest City in America"
is revealed by a most unusual report
submitted to the Circuit Court at ST.
Louis few days ago by most unu-
sual Grand Jury.
Departing from the beaten paths of
Grand Jury procedure, the st. Louis
inquisitorial body, in the words of its
foreman, Clarence Howard, president
of the Commonwealth Steel Company.
decided that its good SHOULD not be
merely to indict someone for some
thing" but that constructive consid-
GRAFTON of the causes of those things
for which people are indicted would
make a constantly decreasing number
of indictments necessary.
On investigation the Grand Jury
found that one of the principal
sources for criminal indictments was
the automobile accident resulting Ell
ther from the recklessness of the mo-
torist or the carelessness of the pc
destrian. And so instead of indicting
someone for something" the Grand
Jury set about making a deep study
of traffic conditions.
The jury called in Arthur T. Moroy,
former president of the National
Safety Council; Carl L. Smith, public
safety field secretary of the safety
council and other local safety experts
and asked their advice on how to make
the streets of St Louis safe On the
suggestion of Mr.. Moray the grand
jury discarded another long establish
ed rule, that of hearing only one wit
ness at a time and boldly called in all
the available talent, with the result
that the final report of the Grand
Jury made the following recommen-
dations:
I. That additional traffic and mo-
torcycle officers be employed.
?. That police officers, other than
those of the traffic squad, the thor
oughly familiar with traffic regula-
tions and that they be required to
make reports of all such violations OBJ
served.
3. That consideration be given to
working out a plan of one-way traf-
fc east and west, where there is a
great congestion.
4. That an ordinance be adopted
requiring pedestrians to cross the
street at regular street crossings.
5. That action be taken giving
newspaper publicity to the existence
of various associations promoting
safety and that the public be request
ed to cooperate with such associa-
tions 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.
6. That some plan be worked out
in all schools to impress upon the stu
dents the Importance of safety, daily
talks by teachers in the class rooms
and safety contests between schools
are suggested.
Z. That publicity be given the safe
ty movement in the Sunday schools
churches and homes.
s. That necessary action be taken
for the enactment of a state law re-
curing that every employed person
driving a motor vehicle pass an exam
nation before a board.
9. That upon the enactment of this
law, a board be created in the City of
st. Louis to instruct all drivers of
motor vehicles how to comply with
+,.a ffic reorIlations and how To handle