Evening star., 1923-02-06
PUNISH TRAFFIC
V|OLATORS, CRY
RAISED IN HOUSE
Congress Action Demanded
Against Alarming Condi-
tions in District.
WOULD BAR COLLATERAL
AND BRING TO TRIAL
Motorists Denounced for Speeding
and Careless Driving-Many
Accidents Scored.

I'VE never will have safety on the
streets of Washington until the
courts punish traffic offenders" said
House Leader Mondell today during
discussion on the floor of the alarm
ing trafio conditions in the National
Capital.
|, Representative Charles E. Fuller
OF Illinois, whose sister-in-law was
recently killed in a traffic accident
here, spoke vigorously regarding the
need OF protecting the people against
wild driven automobiles on the
streets of the National Capital.
Representative Fuller said he had
been told that traffic conditions here
are worse than in any city iE the
country. He declared that automo-
biles here go aa fast as railroad
trains.
Representative Fuller recommended
that no permits be granted except 10
competent persons and that the prac-
tice of allowing drivers to put up
collateral be abolished, SO that every
one guilty of traffic violations would
be brought into court.
Comments ON Arrests.
81 noticed in one of the newspapers
! OF the city last evening. an article
stating that there were 2sS more ar
rests made in this city in the last
month than in the month before"
said Representative Fuller. "On n
report from the superintendent Of
police, it is stated that traffic law
violations in this city in the month
| these s24 were for speeding, an in
crease of 29S over the previous month
In my judgment 1t is time that
Congress should take some notice Of
traffic conditions in the city of Wash
ington. They have become almost un-
bearaole. The number of arrests
( stated by the superintendent of police
| might indicate that something was
being done to prevent the daily AMI
| almost hourly violations of the speed
to nothing.
Against Collateral.
| The usual practice is to take a
| small deposit, and the person whu
violated the law never appears in the
Police Court at all. His deposit is
forfeited. and that is all there is Of
mits the same kind of violation
again.
Rep. Hicks OF New York, asked
| IL 1t is not fact that a chauffeur
obtaining his license in the District
/
never has to 60 before the Com
missioners again to show whether he
! Is qualified.
| Representative Fuller replied: 'T
| understand that to be the case, that
almost all that Is necessary in order
| to get a permit 10 drive an auto
mobile is TO make the application and
| pay the fee, and then it continues
year after year without any renewal
Representative Blanton asked ''is
not most Of the trouble due TO the
fact that irresponsible chauffeurs en-
ployed on salaries who do not own
their cars are permitted to drive and
they do not care whether they have
accidents or not as long as they keep
their own bodies whole?"
Wife's Sister Killed.
Representative Fuller replied: "Un-
doubtedly that is frequently the case
One reason that has induced me to
make these remarks this morning is
that a few days ago the matter was
brought home to me in such a way as
not to be ignored. A member of my
own family, the sister of my wife
visiting in Washington for a few
days, had an errand on the street only
block away. Fifteen minutes after
she left our home. her crushed and
mangled body was in the hospital
murdered by an irresponsible auto
mobile driver. who never ought to
have been granted a permit to operate
an automobile.
And I say to you. my friends now
that It is just as dangerous to give a
permit to operate an automobile to ar
incompetent or improper person as Il
would be to give him a permit tC
carry loaded revolver, because one
is a dangerous weapon as much as
the other.
! IT have been told frequently thar
| traffic conditions in this city are
| worse than in any other city in tht
I United States. I do not know whethel
| that is so or not, but ] do know that
in the past year / have had to jumr
for my life at least a thousand time.
| to get away from speeding automo.
, biles
what I would like now is to hav,
these facts made public, 80 that sont
remedy may be found to correct thes,
conditions. I know something of th'
speed at which automobiles go.
have watched the speedometers OF
> machines and l know when they ar,
! going beyond the proper limit. Nj
automobile upon the open streets o
,, !, | a city should be permitted 70 ruI
, more than fifteen miles an hour.
, automobiles in this city are oper
ated every day upon the public street
at a rate of speed as great as that o
, the average railroad train upon
track. and any one knows that that !.
: dangerous to human life.
Rigid Examination Urged.
! "In my Judgment, three thing
should be done: First. pern.S&g shoul,
> be granted only upon a rigid exam
= ination and only to proper person
and under proper conditions; second
the practice of taking a deposit from
: a person who violates the speed reg
! ulations and allowing him simply Z
: forfeit that deposit, should be abol
ished. A man who violates the Law
and Is arrested for that violation
{ should be compelled TO appear an
. stand trial and let 1t be public mat
ter. and let him not only be fined
= but IL 1t is willfui violation, lie
j there be a jail sentence. and whel
j life Is taken by man who Is violat
ing the speed law, the law presume
him to be responsible for the neces
sary consequences of his act, and h
ought to be indicted and punishe,
for manslaughter or murder, becaus
that Is what 1t Is"
II Members Applaud.
II Vigorous applause at this poin
4 interrupted Representative Fuller
/ showing that the House as a Who'll
III heartily indorsed what he had said.
II Representative Fuller then referre
II to a clipping he held in his hand fror
last nights Star as to the condition
in the city OF Detroit.
III House Leader Mondell interrupte
IN ask Mr. Fuller: Have there bee