The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1921-08-26
Automobile Wrecks Galore

NiCAkS
The real news features OF the Mon
day papers, however were the auto
mobile wrecks, in which from one to
hall dozen were killed. The really
good" ones, from reporters point
of view-which, of course. were really
very bad ones from a humanitarian
standpoint-occurred. as a rule, be-
tween : and 4 a. m. on Sunday or
Monday mornings. Overindulgence
in liquor was unquestionably respon-
siblc for a large proportion of them.
1T is not to be thought, however. that
the chauifeurs were drunk. In the
majority OF cases no Judge or jury or
even ambulance surgeon would have
pronounced as intoxicated the driver
of wrecked car. As matter OF
usual fact, the motorists drank lust
enough to feel reckless. Then they
would step on the gas" The later
it was the harder they would step.
And the police, in trying to determine
why two cars, running in opposite di-
rections on clear road. should sud-
dendly plunge at each other with dis
astrous results to the occupants laid
the direct blame upon excessive speed
But without the internal stimulation of
the chauffeur there would have been
no reckless acceleration OF the car.
How do know it? Because that sort
OF accident doesn't happen now.
Look back, ii you can, and try to
recall how long it is since you have
been Mortified to read i'll your Mon
day morning newspaper a headline
featuring a Embarrassing automobile
smash. Naturally there arc still COL
lisions between motor cars--lots Of
them. And some result in deaths and
serious injuries. In addition. many
pedestrians arc struck by machines.
But that is due to the enormous in
crease in the number OF cars III use.
The grade crossing wreck was due.
almost invariably to the presence OF
too much alcohol in tie tank that was
bringing the automobile, for no man
in his normal senses would deliber-
ately try to beat u railroad train over
crossing
The drunken brawl is another fea-
ture OF alcoholic activity abolished
by the Prohibition advocates. These
ARRAYS, save when accompanied by
gun or knife play, were not prolific
sources OF news, so even the police
reporters do not grieve at their pass
ing.
Drownings Decrease in Frequency
As for drownings, they. too, have
decreased in frequency. Bathers are
more cautious in their Aquatic sports
now that they no longer become al
coholically superheated, and. although
bigger crowds than ever are throng-
ing the beaches this hot summer, the
swimmers arc better able to take care
of themselves in the water. Conse-
quently there are fewer calls Tor the
pu1motor. Youths made reckless by
a few drinks used to help both the re-
porters and the undertakcrs when
they rocked the boat. But the boat
rocker has vanished with the fisher
men who tried to change seats in
midstream after sampling the bait
they carried on their hips.
On Monday mornings. in that an
cient period of few months ago, the
news writers in Queens were accus-
toned, provided they hadn't been up
all night, to arise much earlier than
usual, for they invariably needed the
extra time to collect the tragedies of
the hours just preceding. But now it
doesn't make any difference whether
they get up on Mondays or not. for
there's never anything doing on Sum
day nights.
In these days they stroll into police
headquarters on Monday mornings,