The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-03
WHOSE OK is GoRED?

with the town marshal and had en-
gagged him in conversation. As they
stood on one of the main corners of
the town. a motorcyclist went by.
That is to say. the visitor surmised
that it was a motorcycle with a rider
that had passed. 1t was a quickly
vanishing cloud of dust, a noise as of
several punches of cannon fire
crackers and smell of oil and gaso-
line.
Turning to his official friend, who
was seemingly imperturbed. he ex-
pressed establishment that the town
marshal had taken no cognizance of
the incident.
Have you no laws or ordinances
in this town against speeding or run
ming a motorcycle with the cut-out
open?" he asked.
The marshal turned away a mo-
ment while he expectorated into the
gutter and then Strengthening himself
again, ne made tbs reply:
"Ya-a-s, we hev some SIGH law, but
then the boys jest won't pay any az
tention to it"
That is just what is the matter with
the ordinances and state laws now on
the books for the regulation of auto
mobile traffic in Topeka. The owners
and drivers of motor cars just refuse
to pay any attention to them.
It is true there are some motorists
who obey the rules of the state and
city, as well as those OF common
courtesy, but there is large proper
ton who simply ignore the rights of
any but themselves when they are
Eat the Wheel
Just where is the fault7 Is it that
the officials who have the enforce
ment of the laws in charge are lax m
their performance of duty? Is it that
the number of motorists so far out
numbers the officers of the law that
they can laugh at regulations and
those who seek to enforce them? Or
is it that Americans are a lawless lot,
not caring for the public good out
side the rights and benefits as per
tanning to the individual as repre-
scented by the person who does the in
terpreting OF the law for his own
benefit?
In any of these cases, there is a
certainty that the laws are not en-
forced and that automobile traffic is
becoming more and more unsafe each
day. The rights of the citizen who
owns no motor car nor drives one, the
rights of the property owner demand
that the state or, more properly, the
municipal government enforce the
traffic regulations as they were in
tended to be enforced when they were
drawn.
Granting that the present police
force is unable to attend to its multi
tude of other duties and at the same
time look after the traffic on the
streets. then why not reorganize the
city police force so that this one
phase. this one most dangerous phase
of our city growth, can be taken care
of?
A board made up of citizens who
are representative motor car drivers,
sane. conservative autoists, who have
the good of all drivers as well as the
good of the city at heart, could codify
the driving regulations for Topeka's
streets. Such a board could also at q
merely nominal fee license every per-
son who drives a car issue such IL
cences and see that the holders there
of were fit to carry the license GER
tificate, before it Is issued. Il
If there is one thing that is precious
to a motor car driver 1t is his privI-
lege to drive and operate his car. For
any slight infraction OF the regula-
tons. the driver could be warned.
For serious infraction. fine and a
suspension of the driving privileges
could be imposed and for repeated in
fractions OF the rules a complete can
collation. of a license could be made
as a drastic penalty added to a heavy
fine.
It is up to the drivers of cars them
selves TO see to it that automobile
driving. in the crowded districts at
least, Is done in a safe and sane man
ner. BY means OF such q traffic
board, officially appointed as a part
OF the city police system, regulations
could be codified In such a manner
that even the pedestrians could un-
derstand and could help keep the
street traffic regulated.
The expense OF the additional en-
forcement body would be amply met
by the license fees. The drivers would
dare not disregard the law for the
fear OF losing their privilege of driv-
ing their cars and in cases where the
cara were commercial ones, the
drivers license would mean his Job.
To be found in any sort Of an accident
or in any way brought to the atten-
ton OF the police, 1t would instantly
mean q fine II the driver of the car
or cars in question had no license.
Such plan is simple. It would
force the careless citizens to pay some
attention to the law. Something must
he dana som ara @ba soo-o- ea,,,.