The Columbus dispatch., 1921-11-23
UNIFORM LAWS
FOR THE AUTO
Owners Are Trying To Get Traf-
fic Regulations HarmOnized
Everywhere.

Before we get through with the
automobile a set Of uniform traffic
laws which will apply and be observed
the country over viii be necessary.
Whether these will come through Fed
eral regulation or State cooperation
will make little difference; but the
general rules and regulations govern
ing street and highway traffic should
be understandable in every State
With every community making ordin-
anees of its own any m0torist may
develop into a highpcared law breaker
without knowing a thing about it.
The automobile clubs of the country
are urging a general agreement or
understanding which shall be crystal
lized into the law Of the land and
which shall penalize an offender in
Maine the same as one in Texas.
The automobile is a great machine.
Long ago it escaped from the luxury
class and joined the necessities. But
it has to be regulated 1t cannot be
allowed to usurp all the rights that
are enjoyed by mankind Just be-
cause man falls heir to money and
buys. an automobile, or earns money
and buys a car, or goes in debt and
gets one, he does not Immediately be-
come the owner OF the streets, ave-
nues and highways Some men will
take a position at the steering wheel
of an automobile and go honking
through space as if the air above and
the earth beneath were their exclusive
property. Other men, driving horses
or mules, must turn to the side of
the road for the automobile, A man
on foot must scamper to a fence cor
ner to escape death under the wheels
Of the cars. Hens, roosters, ducks,
geese, turkeys, dogs and pigs are
shown no mercy. Get out Of the
road or get run over is the slogan
Courtesy is a splendid thing to be
used by the man at the wheel and
the man ON foot or in the wagon. Let
the automobile owner be courteous
enough to drive his machine carefully
where people are walking, and let the
pedestrian be courteous enough to
cross the street or the road as rapidly
as possible. Neither should curse the
other, but they Should cooperate each
with the other to the advantage of
all.
A clear road and clear sailing is
very desirable in running an automo-
bile. It is very desirable in any
thing we undertake. But there are
many people in the world, and they
have many temperaments. In order
to promote peace and harmony, in or
der to make the world pleasant place
in which to live, we all have to give
and take. 1t viii not do for us to
ignore or forget the rights of the
other fellow A man in Houston last
week went tearing home at mile-a-
minute clip in big touring car. He
whirled around corner and crashed
into smaller car. When the wreck
age Nas cleared up, he stood looking
upon the dead body of his wife and
the mangled and lifeless form of his
little golden haired girl.
The automobile driver should con-
slider the length Of eternity, the price
less value of limbs, the intensity Of
suffering, etc, and then resolve to
drive with care. For his own sake,
he should drive with less speed, for
the speed maniac is not only a menace
to the general public but may at any
moment break am axle, the steering
gear, or run his irresistible force into
an immovable body