The Washington herald., 1920-11-19

who in turn will Sc
Iect committees representing the
public utilities. commercial. civic
and all other bodies OF municipal
The educational campaign will
consist of addresses to employe
groups. circulation of printed mat
ter in office. factory and school.
and in general the awakening of
interest in pedestrian and driver of
vehicle to avoid accidents by strict
est obedience to traffic rules.
No Amendments Needed.
No new regulations will be writ
ten in the police books at present.
Maj Gessford holding that amend
ment of the code for operators and
pedestrians is not needed. The pro-
posal of a jay-walking ordinance he
dismissed by declaring that such a
regulation was practiced years ago,
but that the first two prosecutions
for violation were lost in the courts
and that II had become a dead letter.
Just how seriously and thoroughly
the police and council members in
tend going into the matter was
shown when Gessford promised 10
secure from London a full set of
the excellent traffic rules there in
force. A point of great interest in
connection with the British capital
was brought out by George NJ. Nc
Donald, representing the Board of
Trade; j. ]. Boobar, OF the kiwanis
Club, and others who called atten-
tion of the meeting to the ease with
which wriving permits are to be
secured in the great city. Practi-
cally anyone, their evidence showed,
can secure a permit. but its reten-
tion in case OF traffic violation is
another matter.
Lack of knowledge Not Mt Fault
Statistics were brought forward
to prove that investigation OF traffic
accidents shows in s5 out of loo
cases that lack of driving knowI-
edge is not responsible Several
speakers declared their belief that
In Washington examination for is
suance of a permit need establish
nothing more than that the appii-
cant IL not a cripple Hr of impaired
senses.
For the Washington Railway and
Electric Company. Vice President
Sinclair r. Bowen promised full CO.
operation in the accident elimina'
tion work.
But we must get every citizen
bent on the same work." he said
we want a reciprocal idea OF
safety. Now law can be enforced
successfully without public inter
est" Bowen said his company was
ready to meet its share of whatevei
outlay the campaign might neces.
state.
What accident prevention educa-
tion meant to the Motor Transport
Corps was instanced by Maj. James
NJ. Richie. U. s. A.. who said thai
out of all the automobiles operated
sSisinest lezliy, by the corps durtnt
the war only 1.6 per cent were in.
volved in mishaps.
.Bis village, Before War.
Roobar maintained that "respon'
sibility for street accidents in {
$3.50 proposition" He then descant
en- on the popularity of jay-walk
ing in Washington, which, he de-
clared, was a big village before
the war. and had yet gotten used tc
Delng grown up.
That his department is doint
everything In its power to checl
the increase in traffic mishaps wa:
shown by MAI. Gessford, who point.
ed to figures of 1S.675 arrests fol
traffic violations in the past tel
months, and revocation of l2S op
orators permits as evidence of po
lice activities.
The second important meeting IL
the interest of accident reduction
will take place at 10 o'clock mex
wednesda ymorning in the Boar
Room when the findings of the spe
cial traffic committee appointed re
Gently by the District Commission
will be announced.
Cooperation IL Sought.
Major Frank S. Besson. assistan
engineer commissioner and commit
tee chairman. yesterday invited tn
following organizations to send rep
resentatives:
Chamber of Commerce. Board o
Trade. Merchants and Manufac
turers' Association. Federation o
Citizens Associations, City Clut
Rotary Club. Kiwanis Club, Wash
ington Automotive Trade Associa
ton and the American Automobil
Association. Superintendent o
Schools Frank w. Ballou and off
cials of local traction companie
were also asked to attend.
The committee held what prob
ably was it's last meeting yester
day. completing more than thirt,
suggested improvements to tn
traffic laws. The views of tn
meeting will be compared with tn
already framed recommendation
and those changes deemed advis
ah will he made