Evening star., 1922-10-27
SAFETY COUNCIL
| MAY Be FORMED
Washington's Civic Leaders
Plan Move to Check Street
Accidents.

oISdHlZdtlOH OF u OIduCu VI tuo
National Safety Council in Washing
ton probably will result from the con-
ference Of civic leaders held in the
District building yesterday afternoon
to find some way Of checking the
number of street accidents.
The meeting, composed Of delegates
from virtually all of the clubs, cit
izens' associations, trade bodies and
jautomobile organizations, authorized
William F.. Ham. chairman, to appoint
committee to draft plans for q per-
manent safety association and present
them to the conferees next week.
The meeting also indorsed the suE-
gestion for an intensive safety-hrst
week In Washington, as proposed in
The Star several weeks ago.
| c., H. Httes. secretary of the Amer
I lean Automobile Association, revived
| the proposal for a jay-walking or
| dinance when he declared there
giving the motorist the right Of way
between intersecting streets and Pc
destrians the right of way at inter-
sections.
Refers to Courtesy Drive.
Mr.. Hites also called attention to
the fact that the American Automo-
bile Association now Is conducting a
courtesy campaign to induce all
drivers to be courteous to their fell
trian.
Col. Charles Keller. Engineer Com
missioner. was selected by Commits
sioners Rudolph and Oyster to speak
for the board Of city rulers. The COL
onel urged the citizens Of Washing
nm On a@ h
organization followed in Detroit.
where the safety committee turns its
attention to fire and disease preven-
tion. as well as to tho reduction Of
street accidents.
He told the delegates that II they
ton 1t will be a big step forward.
He added that he would regard the
conference as an mgnominous fall
ure" If it merely agreed to hold q
safety week.
Pledges CO-OperatiOn.
The Commissioner pledged the sup
port and cooperation OF the Com
missioners in any constructive move
ment undertaken by tho citizens.
The colonel warned the gathering
that, II permanent safety movement
is to be launched in Washington. it
will cost money to make 1t a sue
cess. He asked the conferees to con-
slider whether this expense should be
met by popular subscription or out of
taxpayers funds.
One of the delegates said he had
experience with a safety council in
Syracuse, which produced remarkable
results. He estimated that q one
year safety campaign in that city
cost $1,000. of which the city con-
tributed $500 and the citizens the
balance.
William J,llman. renresentinR the
National Motorists Association, also
advocated a jay-walking regulation
and opposed a reduction in the speed
limit. He said:
ut should be clear to every think
| ing man that in Washington. consid-
| ering the large number Of pedestrians
| on the streets. together with nearly
| 10000 automobiles. a lowered speed
| limit would result in congestion and
| confusion that would unQuestionably y
| produce more rather than fewer acci-
| dents.
Would Regulate Pedestrian.
I'VE also believe that the pedestrian
| should be regulated: that pedestrians
| should be required to cross at regu-
/ lar street crossings. and that in do
| ing SO their rights should be pro-
tected and their lives safeguarded;
| that collisions occurring between
! automobiles and pedestrians between
streets would place the presumption
of guilt upon the pedestrian. and at
street intersections upon the motor
| ist."
John H. Hanna, vice president Of the
Capital Traction Company, expressed
the belief that nearly all accidents
are the result Of thoughtlessness
| rather than criminal negligence. He
argued, therefore, that II the dangers
of thoughtless driving or walking
! could be kept constantly before the
| public many accidents would be
averted.
He said his company would readily
contribute its share toward a fund to
further a street safety movement.
DR.. Frank w. Ballou. superintend-
ent Of schools. told the citizens that
the public school teachers of Wash
ington have been waging a continu-
Gus safety first campaign among the
| 60 900 school children since 1920.
! The school superintendent said the
teachers would continue to cooper
ate in every way possible to bring
home to the children and their par
ents the dangers Of street trafic.