New Britain herald., 1921-04-16

of state assistance.
 Enforcement of the antf-jay walk ing rule in other cities could be imi- tated by New Britain with improve ment in our traffic and a decrease in the risk of injury to pedestrians and minor automobile accidents. Hart ford, in particular. is enforcing this rule in a splendid manner and street crowds are handled more easily and with better results all around
 Although it would not do to iff- crease the number of traffic police men, as has been done in Hartford where as many as five are on duty at one time at the intersection of the principal thoroughfares, it woud be an inexpensive undertaking to paint foot-trafhc lanes from curb to curb at crossings radiating from Central park, where the greatest congestion is apparent. Pedestrians would be required to cross between the white strips and not walk diagonally from corner to corner. It is recalled that this has been tried on a small scale at some corners but the suppression of indiscriminate crossing has never been attempted. .a
 The rapid growth of New Britain
 makes it imperative that we improve
 our traffic regulations, not only for
 horse drawn and motor driven vehl-
 cles but for those who travel on ''Shank's mare." It might be neces- sary to adopt new ordinances on this subject but before any such action is
 taken 1t would be advisable to study
 the codes in effect in Hartford and other cities where traffic problems
 have become so acute, that special study has been given to their solu- tion. --, }. r...
 With the increase in the number of
 pedestrians the advent of the jitney
 busses, the revised trolley schedule
 which sends cars out of the transfer point every few minutes and the large number of automobiles Everybody has 'em), New Britain must give more attention to it's traffic situation and find remedy for existing condi- tions. .,-,... : What proved to be a very informa- tive document was the report of Miss Noble, secretary of the Y. w. c. A., printed in The Herald this week. It proved to. be a revelation to many. as it also proved to be revelation to the writer. that the association offers comfortable and permanent homes to so many young women. ..s. It is essential for any city which has pride in itself to provide living accommodations for girls who are out in the world to earn a living. Not only are accommodations" needed a home-like atmosphere, suitable companions, and regulations which bar out undesirables should be part of the broad plan to make it a real home. These are provided by the +. w. c. A. which is helping to fulfill it's mission and to justify it's existence. Noticeable in the report IS the statement that the residents of the Y. w. C. A. dormitories are granted a minimum of supervision from out side sources. Every effort IS being made to extend self-government to the girls Of course the arrangement did not work smoothly at first-govern- ments are not built in a day-but the machinery is working more smooth ly and self government is becoming a fact instead of a theory,
 In many other respects the associa- tion is earning the gratitude of the community. Its athletics help to de-
 ve1op the body as we'll as personas character and afford an t/it for sur plus energy that every red-blooded,
 normaI-m minded human being has.
 An advantage that New Britain cannot yet boast of is portable voting booths such as are used in many other cities The old-fashioned idea that any vacant store is suitable as place for men and women to cast their votes must soon go into the discard.
 The chief benefit to be derived from the purchase of portable booths would be their location in a perma- nent spot. every election. Under pres ent conditions voters know not where they must go to exercise the right of franchise until the list of places is published in tho newspapers.
 As an example of radical change in location the Sixth ward could be mentioned. Heretofore votes have been cast in various and sundry places along Hartford avenue so that the veteran Sixth warder simply headed for "the avenue on election day Those who followed that course this year were disappointed, because the voting place was switched to the Bur ritt school
 In the Second ward many women found voting disa greeable experi- ence because the voting place was To- cated somewhat off Park street and it was necessary for them to tread their way through a lumber yard before %ho,, oo,,ld oniav the music of the