Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-29
|SAYSC|TY NEEDS
MORE POLICEMEN
Maj. Gessford, Before Mid
City Association, also Dis
cusses Traffic Conditions.

Personally responding to tie vel
wishes for success In once extended
| to him by the Mid-City Citizens' Asso-
citation. Maj. Gessford. superintendent
OF police. addressed that body last
s.sst At tie Thomson School
| Nal. Gessso-6 6we.t o. tie need os
xens o. the District ard tie police
department and announced that ct
present tho force was In need OF ca
pablo young men, suggesting to those
present that II they knew of any ELI
gible subjects for the department to
send them to him and he would see
that they were placed.
Emphasizes Physical Fitness.
Physical fitness is the most essen
ftial requisite for a man to become a
useful policeman" he said. The
mental examinations are very simple.
In fact. young fellow who has gone
through the NTH or sixth grades in
school could easily pass them. Right
| now we need more policemen, and
| any young man between the ages of
| twenty-five and thirty-one will be
given every opportunity Of joining
He spoke Of the help that the aver
age citizen can give to the depart
ment. especially with regard to the
tramc regulations. and gave statistics
to show that even with the increase
of motor-propelled vehicles in the city,
accidents for the fiscal year closing
this month were less than those for
the corresponding fiscal year of 1919.
According to Maj. Gessford's figures
the tota! number of motor accidents
OF all kinds for the month of June.
1920 Qess two days.. were $50. as
compared to 397 for June. 1919. These
were classified as follows: 1919
killed. s: serious accidents. 9: mi
nor. accidents. 1873; property ac-
dents. 6: 1920. killed. 4; serious acct
dents. g.: minor accidents. "a: prop
erty accidents. 243. and no damage
accidents. II.
Gives Totals for Each Year.
Totals for fiscal year 1920 Cess two
days) included 81 killed, 119 serious
accidents. 1.449 minor accidents, ISIS
property accidents and 12I no-damage
accidents. while the totals for the fis-
cal year ending June. 1919, were
20 killed. 123 serious accidents, 1,84S
minor accidents. $500 property acct
dents and 119 no-damage accidents,
or grand total Of 1872 in 1920,
against 1861 in 1919.
Maj. Cessford stated that any motor
car or truck owner not familiar with
the District traffic regulations would,
on communicating with Capt. Head
ley. receive prompt instructions
-. DIioCOII pECoIuOu anu
duced DR.. II. Fisher of the District
health bureau. who told of the cam
paign that was being waged by the
government against venereal diseases.
| He gave War Department statistics to
show the prevalence of these diseases
in the United States, and made a
strong appeal for the support of the
clinic at 419 18th street. where all
/ afflicted may receive confidential
treatment free of charge.
Requests for improvements.
Resolutions were adopted calling on
the Commissioners to extend the i'm
proved lightning system on 18th street
from Thomas Circle north to Florida
avenue: Improvement of the play
| grounds at 7th and o streets: to re-
quest the Capital Traction Company
to make 14th and Rhode Island ave-
nue., both ways. a car stop instead of
18th street at N and P STREETS; to re-
pave the car beds on 7th street; to re-
G to Florida avenue; and that the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company do the same on 9Th and 18th
streets between G street and Florida
avenue
New members elected included w. Z.
Vermillion, Lewis Cohn, James w.
Reid. Joseph A. Forbes and Harry L
Koch.
Subject to special call of the chair.
the association voted to adjourn dur
ing the months Of July and August.