The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-10
Leonard Will Enforce Motor
Car Light Ordinance.
In Strong Letter to State Jour-
nal He Defines Attitude.

NJ. J. Leonard, chief of police, laid
down the law on motor car lenses
today when he told The State Journal
that SO long as the ordinance requir-
ing ground glass headlights is on the
books it will be enforced. Further
more he states that the persons dis
regarding the ordinances will be
placed under arrest and If necessary
their driving licenses revoked.
Chief Leonard doesn't argue the
matter of headlights with the motor
lists He simply stands on his oath of
office to enforce the city ordinances.
His letter to The state Journal to-
day explaining his attitude follows:
Editor State Journal:
read in the State Journal last night
storm of protest. against the enforcement
of the binding headlight ordinance.
1t is 4 regrettable condition, but one
which is invariably met with, that the
innocent majority must suffer because of
forcement of them unpleasant
There has in the past been a serious mis-
understa nding among motorists-and 1
venture to say, among the police also-as
to just what constitutes a lawful light.
At one period this caused much discomfort
among the motorists. fhis department was
criticised for not arriving at a definite
standard and maintaining it. / want to
say that under the present administration
that standard has been arrived at and will
be maintained so long as this ordinanee
of just what the ordinance Eequlres-a
lense that is "etehed,- groand or otherwise
/ am convinced that the fathers Of this
ordinance had in mind. when they drew It
up, the elimination of the awful glare in
automobile headlights. They realized that
only tense which is etched. ground ttiT or
glare a few cross bars or fancy figures
will not do the work. That has been demon
the proper candle power behind it. ar.
1t is my desire to be perfectly fair and
IlT1f haNla
still to be convinced that bright. glaring
light on my own car will prevent me from
some motorists seem to think: As a matter
of fact, both of would be blinded under
such circumstances. l have also yet TO ne ,9
convinced that a ground glass tense VIII
not give sufficient light on the road ahead
to make reasonable driving perfectly safe
providing the proper candle power is used.
motorists who drives so fast after dark
that a ground glass lense with proper
voltage does not give them enough light
ahead to see where they are going shouId
have their drivers licenses revoked.
1t occurs to. me that the motorists who
are protesting against this ordinance are
doing so thru lack of experience with
vestigate the benefits Of the ground glass
lense and proper candle power, that they
costs very little to have the lense ground
and in this case 1t happens that the best
is the cheapest. l do not recall that the
police ever recommended to any metortst
that 1t is necessary to make heavy ex-
penditure for lenses in order to come with
in the law Nor can I imagine that any
motorists would care to risk their own
lives and the lives of others for the privi-
lege of driving with glaring headlights or
saving not to exceed one dollar. The pub
lie, the other driver and the pedestrian
must be considered in an unselfish manner
Until someone comes forward with a Det-
ter solution of the problem l wish to
reiterate my former statement that so long
as this ordinance remains in force and ef-
feet that all motorists driving with glaring
headlights will be arrested and, II neces-
sary, their drivers licenses revoked This
is a duty which l feel called upon, by
virtue of my oath of office, to perform
If the public wants the lid removed on
bright lights, it can be accomplished only
by having the law repealed.
NJ J. LEONARD,
Chief of Police.