Evening star., 1923-07-30

The public roads bureau of the De-
partment of Agriculture wants laws
passed abolishing all grade crossings
of railroads and highways because OF
the numerous accidents. The danger
has multiplied since the use OF auto
mobiles has become SO general. and
the department bureau asserts that
all attempts to avoid accidents by
systems of signals have failed.
trains now carry but small amount
OF the traffic that is borne on the
main lines. the bulk of the feeder
traffic being carried on automobile
passenger and truck vehicles; there
fore, 1t Is argued, il 1T be required
by law that automobiles must come
to a stop before passing over the
crossing, the branch trains ought also
to stop.
II is recognized that in congested
regions, where both steam and auto
mobile traffic are heavy, the only as
sured safety comes from non-grade
crossings, but since an automobile
Is so easily handled. when the chauf-
feur is attentive and sane, it is ar
gued that it is only reasonable that
upon approaching country railroad
neutrality-suspicious. once i'll three tc
ten miles--he should, for his own
safety look and listen before plung-
! ing ahead. when a train is liable &c
appear while he is crossing. The
same argument which requires non
grade crossings gard
| less of expense-would require them
at all street intersections In cities
so that the speeder could rush ahead
over intersections. at full speed.
| y y
Is the cross-country drivers speed
| business man In the city? Every
driver of a car Is facing engineering
| problems of momentum .mh cen
trifugal force more acute til, n those
| faced by the locomotive engineer, fol-
| the locomotive is guarded by it's rails
while the automobiles many tons Sc
hurtling along the road, unguardec
| except by the hand OF its chauffeur
If the control once leaves the steerer
/ the automobile is as dangerous as {
wild locomotive. for no one can for
soc in what direction it is going Il
Swerve. \ three-ton automobile
going at high speed has as mucl
momentum as a forty-ton locomotive
! at moderate speed.
Merely aboliShing grade crossings S
while desirable in congested regions
! were guards are at both entrances
| Will not eliminate, but rather aug
/ ment. the ignorant recklessneSs of tin
lspeeder. whose rushing car in the mar
| row undergrade crossing in fancieC
safety, is likely TO meet and side
! swipe an approaching speeder com
| ing from the opposite direction
! Under such conditions. therefore. Nh
under-rail crossing enhances dange
! by encouraging highway speeding.
| The chief remedy is to enforc'
! caution at all points, upon al
| speeders. stop. look. listen" is no
! a hardship on any driver when ap
! preaching a crowded street crossin,
or a country railroad crossing.
proves wise and humane caution.
1t Is a most welcome word of agri
cultural cheer that comes from tn
research director of the American
Farm Bureau Federation He ha
just issued monthly report which
points out that there has been s.
much said about the ruinously low
price OF wheat that the high prize
Of corn and other important farm
products has been overlooked. H
sums il all up BY saying that the tota
returns for the Areerican farmer will
be nearly $500, 100000 more this Yea
than last. If that be the case, !
| Will amount to an excess of 5000 an
$500 per farm throughout the coun
try: that is equal to a third of tn
average profits per farm year afte
year. aside from living-food an,
shelter for the farm family.
The headquarters of the Ame rical
Farm Bureau Federation is in Iowa
in the heart of the corn belt, and
naturally, the farmers there are NOR,
interested in corn and hogs than tn
farmers OF Minnesota and tn
Dakotas, where wheat is the chic
crop. Still, Iowa has her Brookhart
as Minnesota her Shipstead and Ma e
nus Johnson, North Dakota he
! Frazier and Wisconsin her La Fol
lette. Kansas experts are advising
farmers to feed wheat to hogs. Sen
EnTnDT