Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-05
1'ssnlne''1 Evening" Yesterday aeTtz 138O1
Stop I

STOP
With back and ribs broken, with only
fighting chance for life and the prospects
Of remaining hopclcssly cripple if spared
for lifelong suffering, a 20-year-old girl
once a resident of Wilmington, lies help
less in the Underwood Hospital at Wood
bury, y. J. A month ago she was strong
and well with her life before her. Then
came the automobile collision.
We turn the page of the paper and
learn that five-vear-old boy riding his
toy tricycle. in Union Park Gardens has
been struck and injured by passing
motor truck Assuredly he should not
have been driving among 'grown-up'
traffic on the street et-and yet one would
have thought that kind-hearted motorists
would have given such mere tot the
right Of way for child Is still child.
Last week. at the corner of Van Buren,
street and Pennsylvania avenue, was to
~ seen a stone wall torn apart. with its
heavy blocks thrown a distance Of 20 feet.
4 young motorist. driving presumably
"ata moderate rate Of speed had after
locklng his brakes in futile effort to
.void collision with another car. slid
fun hundred feet and still maintained
sufficient headway TO strike and demolish
the solid masonry. The other car. struck
q glancing blow. came TO rest against a
trolley pole and one Of its occupants.
again a Young girl. was taken to the hos
pital. badly injured Some days elapsed
before police action brought these motor
drivers into City Court. and though testi-
mony has been taken as vet no fines
have been imposed.
Half way across the street from this
wall Is a so-called isle of safety" Soon
after erection, its original lighting standard
was demolished by a too-energetic mo-
torist and only last Saturday its name
was again cast into ridicule when no less
a person than the chief Of police himself
was bumped by speedingmotor vehicle
while standing within its sacred precincts.
Few Of us. perhaps. have leisure. to
more than glance at these daily catas-
trophies; but let US consider a moment:
Are we not justified in asking ourselves
what are we about that we should permit
such happenings within civilized COM
munity? Should we complacent-y go
about our business. literally stepping from
our dwellings in the morning into the un-
certainty of traffic conditions on our
streets and permit our wives and children
90 do likewise-at the mercy of those that
wilfully and with utter disregard for the
safety Of others use as they see fit what
might be, and normally is, safe and
useful method of conveyance? Must we
continue to read, day after day, this
chronicle Of children injured, young per-. !.
sons manned and the infrm stricken down
by the motor driver who suffers perhaps
only the loss of a few dollars and the in
of a City Court trial, and
then goes on his way 10 drive as he drove
before?
The Delaware Safety Council. in its
against reckless driving, has
our moral support; the careful driver has
our good will and sympathy. but are the
police and the court authorities doing all
that can be done, feeling. as they should |
feel. that they have behind them the |
great force Of public opinion? or are they,
perhaps, too conscious Of being bound by /
rules Of procedure. by questions of |
by limitations of office? Do |
they realize that IN their hands is placed /
the safety Of the public upon the streets
md the power to apprehend and deal with
he violators of public safety?
Surely the injury Of person upon the
highway or the collision of two motor
vehicles is prima facie evidence of negli-
genoe, and if a summons is wrongly
erved, the driver is at least warned. And
IS for evidence. why not call upon the
agents Of automobile insurance COM
,anies who examine the wreckage and
eport the cases in great detail-and vet
eldom appear IN court as expert wit
Iesses. Have our authorities exhausted
he means at their command and are they
Wiling 20 say TO the public "Alas! gentle
nen, we have done all we CAM"
No Much effort has been expended in
warming the reckless motorist by the
Delaware Safety Council and by others
nd perhaps much has been accomplished.
sut the accidents continue. and if we are
0 hold our faith in the protection afforded
r by the police and the judiciary we must
ear asserted by them-in no uncertain
ones-in the voice of authority that can
OF be mistaken and must be heard-the
gord "STOPr
Let US have done with warnings -suffi-
lent have been issued. 1t 10 time for
ction, for we must be suffered to 20 about
ur business in peace and security; our