Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-03
RECKLESSDR|VERS
WILL Be CURBED
Easy to Be Detected Among
Careful Autoists During
No Accident Week.
BY THEODORE p. MOVES.

4
When mo Accident week" starts on
! Sunday. with it's lessons of care to the
| motorist and the pedestrian, the police
department should redouble it's eff
forts to apprehend all violators OF
| the law.
The careful motorist will undoubt-
eddy take the lesson to heart ano
strive in every way to observe the
law, especially with the public senti-
ment overwhelmingly toward safe
t. first" but there will be certain
class of drivers in the city to whom
the week will have no appeal, ant
they will continue along in their reck-
less and foolhardy way
These are the drivers whom the po-
lice should make particular efforts
to apprehend. They will be easy to
find. because the whole city will be
driving and walking carefully. and
these reckless drivers will be exceed
ingly conspicuous.
VIII Not Read PIacards.
This type of driver, in which a large
number of operators of trucks are
time reading the placards. posters and
stickers that are to be widely circu-
lated for the safety of the public. He
Will ridicule the idea of a mo Accident
week. and tell his friends that it
cant possibly do any good.
But he is wrong. If NO Accident
week will be the means of taking one
sep forward in the interests of safety
ii will be distinctly worth while
Iaking it all in all. it will be an ideal
opportunity for the police department
to separate the habtually careful driv-
ers from the habitually careless ones.
The week will be fine chance for the
motor corps of the Home Defense
aLeague to get in some good work also
Every motor corps member carries a
set OF traffic violation report cards.
These cards are filed in after a traffic
violation has been observed and sent to
the major or superintendent of police
who In turn gives them to Capt Albert
Headley, chief of the traffic department.
Can Watch for Violation,
There are now about 220 motor CORDS
members. Each one can take particu-
lar care to watch for all traffic VIOLA
tons during the week. This will be
practically an addition of 22O men to the
police force. all of whom are intensely
Interested IN the traffic problems and
who Will see that the man who drives
recklessly in spite of all the. propa-
ganda of safety that will be circulated
VIII pc turned in promptly and con-
scientiously to the police department.
II you are a pedestrian, don't think
ei'.. 'iiS "eeh VI safety Is beneath your
notice. 1t isn't all for the automobile
driver. it's for the walker, too. who can
be just as reckless as the motorist.
When you see an automobile with a
poster or sticker on it. stop a second
and read it. and see If it does not bring
home some lesson to you. II it does,
then that will be so much accomplished.
Walking by the notices with your
head up in the air. and muttering, 81
wish they would eliminate every auto
mobile from the streets" won't help any
One. The campaign is for education
for both the walking public and driv-
ing public.
Would Add to Force.
In connection with the meeting yes.
terday of the special traffic committee Of
the Washington Chamber of Commerce
it was suggested that the police be re-
moved from the White House AND
grounds and put on traffic work There
are about fifty men stationed there, in.
Guiding three sergeants and a detective
sergeant. These men, according to the
plan, would be relieved by soldiers
There is no question that an ad.
ditior Of nifty policemen to Washington.
INADEQUATE police force would do a grea,
deal Of good. They could be instruct.
ed in traffic work and. especially during
NO Accident week." could render valu.
able aid.
MAJ. GeSS1ord, however, points Out
that the policeman have been stationed
at the White House for a great many
years He does not think the plan prac.
| ticable.
When a citizen of the United States
comes to Washington to see the White
House and grounds" said Maj Cess.
ford yesterday, "he does not want to be
met on every side by a soldier with a
bayonet in front Of him. The idea O,
taking these men away and n1hsfif,1t.
| ing soldiers has been advanced before
| and I do not think the average Ameri.
can citizen wants a. change along these
| lines"