The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1919-11-07
ACCIDENTS Cause.
WAVE OF ALARM.
increased Reports Of Automobile
Accidents Result in Order to
Curb Recklessness.

alarm, righteous indignation. and nre-
Ventlve activity is sweeping the coun-
Try as a result of the rapidly ~increas-
ing numbers of persons killed and
malmed 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
1sasures in order to curb reckless
ness and carelessness on the part of
ooth the motorist and the pedestrian
IS exemplified by recent developments
IN the following cities:
Chicago, where automobile speeders
are sentenced to make slow trips
through the morgue under the guild
ance of a deputy coroner;
Youngston, Ohio, where the auto
mobile speeder is sentenced to hold
watch beside the body of the person
killed by his machine or at the hos
pital bedside if the accident victim is
injured;
New York City, where a "rogue's
gallery" for traffic offenders is
maintained by the police department;
"a plan to photograph and finger
print chauffeurs has been proposed to
the Chicago board of aldermen).
St. Louis, where a grand jury after
being in session for four months sub
mitted a lengthy report two-thirds of
which was given over to the recon-
mendation of public safety measures.
The intensity of the contest between
st. Louis, Cleveland, Rochester, De-
troit, and a number of other cities for
the title "Safest City in America" is
revealed by a most unusual report sub
mitted 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
inquisitorial body, in the words of it's
foreman, Clarence Howard, president
Of the Commonwealth Steel company,
decided that it's good SHOULD not be
merely to indict someone for some
thing" but that a 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 n 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-
tions.
The jury called in Arthur T. Morey,
former president of the National Safe
ty Council; Carl L. Smith, public safe
ty field secretary Of the safety
Gil, and other local safety experts and
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 establish
ed rule, that of hearing only one wit
ness at a 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:
That additional traffic and motor
cycle officers be employed.
That police officers, other than those
of the traffic squad, be thoroughly IA
miliar with traffic regulations and
that they be required to make reports
Of all such violations observed.
That consideration be given to the
working out of a plan of one-way traf-
fic east and west, where there is great
congestion.
That an ordinance be adopted re-
quiring pedestrians to cross the street
at regular street crossings.
That action be taken giving news
paper publicity to the existence of var
ious associations promoting safety, and
that the public be requested to CO.
operate with such associations by re-
porting to them cases of reckless driv-
ing and violations of traffic laws, such
reports to contain the license number
of car, place, time and nature of viola
ton.
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.
That publicity be given the safety
in the Sunday schools,
churches and homes.
That necessary action be taken for
The enactment of Y state law requir-
ing that every employed person driv-
ing a motor vehicle pass an examina-
ton before a board.
That upon the enactment of this
aw, a board be created in the city of
St. Louis to instruct all drivers of
motor vehicles how to comply with
regulations and how to handle =,
vehicles safely. This board will +,