Evening star., 1924-11-16
CAUGHT IN ACTION, TRAFFIC
VIOLATORS PUT INTO FILMS
ID. E.. Motorists and Pedestrians Before The Stars
Camerd-Scenes Sho,u Menace to
Life and Limb.
Life and Limb.

The thrilling story of Washington's
grim traffic problem is to be told in
graphic fashion on the screens OF
five of the ctty's leading motion pic
ture theaterS for week, beginning
next Sunday, and moro than one reck-
less motorist, or thoughtless jay
walker, will have a rare opportunity
to see himself as others saw him.
The motion picture, filmed under
the direction of The Star. with actual
scenes OF congestion and recklessness
in Washington's traffic, is to be shown
throughout next week at the Colum :
biar Palace. Metropolitan and Rialto
Theaters. and on Sunday and Mon
day az the Tivoli, the last mentioned
always changing its program in mid
week.
The film is to be screened 10 show
pedestrians and motorists alike how
hopelessly impossible II will be ever
to rid the National Capital Of its
menace to life and limb In its own
we'll guarded streets until both real
ize the danger of their customary
ways and help the police department
to prevent unnecessary accidents.
Managers Amazed.
gers Of a number Of Washing gton mo-
ton picture houses and other per
sons, they were amazed at the things
they saw-men and women fighting
with relentless machines for the
right of way. each taking the others
passage unlawfully; fire engines and
ambulances alike blocked by heed
less motortsts-and eagerly agreed to
give it space on their screens in the
hope that 1t will drive its dread les
son home.
The pict,re ebore potbt,1 h,x -
tual scenes in Washington traffic Not
a single incident in the entire film
which runs. something over 800 feet In
length, was staged. 1t Is a true, ami
mated story, told In the eloquent Ian
guage that Is only possible through
the infallible eyes of the reliable
camera, the eyes that cannot be ques-
toned or contradicted.
When The Star sought the motion
picture as a sure means of letting
Washington's pedestrians, motorists
and policemen see themselves as
others see them, it placed the camera
man and a reporter at the city S
busiest corners and told them to
shoot" Just what they saw. The re-
suit was startling.
Late Afternoon Rush.
First they caught the late afternoon
rash, pushing it's way across Penn
sylvania avenue. men and women,
machines and wagons, street cars and
cyclists, fighting their way from curb
to curb. They mounted the camera
In the tonneau of an automobile and
took actual pictures of how the mo-
torist must elbow" his way through
pedestrians who refuse to heed or
watch the traffic policeman's sema-
phore.
1t can truthfully be said that not a
scene was prearranged. even includ-
ing the accident" whereby the cam
era man happened to catch" Presi-
dent Coolidge finding his way through
traffic jam.
Turning momentarily from the mo-
torists old battle with the pedes-
trian, the camera man and the re-
porter sought the assistance of
| George S. Watson, chief engineer of
the District Fire Department, and
borrowed company of engines
Mounting their camera atop one, they
photographed the other trying to get
passage. 1t was a real run, with bells
ringing and everything, but 1t meant
| nothing in the lives Of some motor
| lists.
Ambulance Delayed.
Then tho aid Of Emergency Hospi-
| tai was sought, and the camera man
caught motorist after motorist driv-
Ing blandly ahead Of the ambulance
that was trying to get an injured
| man to the hospital before his life
might ebb away. Finally the assist
! ance Of Inspector Albert J. Headley
| director of the traffic bureau, was
| asked and cheerfully given.
| He assigned two policemen to helr
|
| teenth and G streets to show how
| safe Washingtons streets might be
made II he were given enough mer
| to station the necessary number a,
| the busiest intersections at the peal
Of their rush hours. 1t was during thiI
| experiment that President Coolidge
and his party hapQs4ad elopE. ant