The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-04
SAFETY PRINCIPLES SHOULD BE TAUGHT
 IN PUBLIC SCHOOL
Children Should Be Impressed With Responsibility To 0th-
 CTS, Says Chamberlain
By PERCY CHAMBERLAIN

John A. McRae, member of the Charlotte (N. C.) bar and president of the Kiwanis club of that city re- gently made a significant statement during the course of short talk to the Civitan club of Charlotte.
 De deplored the great loss of life and limb being exacted today by the automobile driven in & reckless and careless mainner.
 This" hs said. Ifs happening in spite of the weath of legal regula- tions to control the traffic"
 becoming the custom for law making bodies to adopt any law they hear has been adopted in another city or state. Thus the books are becoming clogged with laws which accomplish little.
 Most writers and speakers on the subject merely point out tho trouble and content themselves with doing that much. Few have a practical suggestion to offer. Here is what MT. McRae suggestsi
 Let us set apart certain period in the schools when the children can be taught safety first principles and be impressed with their own respon- sibility regarding the safety of others.
 Lives will bo lost and injuries in- flicted until the man at the wheel realizes his community obligation 10 control his car at all times"
 
 Nothing to be lost by such s course and everything ito be gained. No in reference with present enforcement of traffic and safety first regulations In addition the education of the com ing generation as to it's community obligations"
 Times change. Recently a moving picture was shown, taken at the time of the San Francisco fire. Only 10 years ago. One has but to sec this picture to realize the change In trans portation in less than & score of years. Even in a large city pedes- trian could walk for blocks down the center of the street Is years ago, with Jess danger to himself than ne can now cross a busy thorougnfare.
 Nothing is going to change the fact that conditions have changed There is no way that any legislation df- rected at the automobile itself as means of transportation, can make the streets and roads as safe for pedestrian traffic as they were 2o- even 10-yearS ago.
 That seems to be much of the trouble. Conditions have changed but the mass of the people seem to re- fuse to accept the fact. The situa- tion is handled by legislation directed at the reason for the change-tne automobile itself.
 Some one has said-Roger Babson l think it was-that conditions will change only as mans attitude to- ward life changes"
 MT. McRae suggests that we start in to change mans attitude toward life. Taking the child in his early years he suggests that we teach him his responsibility to himself and others. When he reaches the age of driving an automobile he will drive 1t sanely.
 Latin and Greek are no doubt nec- essary in the schools But 1t would seem that the teaching of "commu nifty obligation" is just as important some might argue that 1t is more
 More than 100000 automobiles were manufactured and shipped in the month of April. There is every in- dication that each month and year will see an increasing number. This means more and more traffic con- gestion on streets built to take care of a comparatively few horse pulled buggies and wagons.
 At best, the coming years will pre- sent many traffic problems. The sane way would seem to be to recog nize the changed conditions and tackle them as such. Constant and continual and drastic legislation di- rected at the automobile itself will never accomplish anything.
 Copyright 1923 by Percy Chamber lain.)