The Washington times., 1925-07-14
Light Fines for Serious Traffic
Offenses.
By BILL PRICE.

In indirect and diplomatic manner Traffic Director
ELDRDGE hints that peeders and whskey drivers Of
automobiles getting off with light fines in the police
court when Congress and the law intends that volators
chronic especially shall be made examples Of for the
benefit Of the community generally.
Mr. Eldridge states that the new operators permits
there viii be blank spaces the backs Of cards
enter each traffic conviction These viii be available to
prosecuting officials and judges the courts for the purpose
of increasing penalties upon repeon of offenses Until the
nsw cards are ready Eldridge the court
records of traffic offenders searched and laid before the court
that reporters will not get off lightly
It is not possible of for judges and court attaches
offenses with which they charged Until permit cards
do show the court histories Of drivers the only to properly
Lenncy to speeder and drunken drivers is not going
aid in making this safer and children
Judge is in the best position to determine the degree Of guilt
nient he is disposed There question however
tina. & 1G m III bv s
sentences The old law and the sentences imposed under it
were SO light as to be entirely ineffective.
There isn't any having laws with teeth IN them de-
signed protect the public the teeth rendered useless
by puny sentences.
When you read in the columns that man was fined
$40 for making foryve miles hour in the streets Of Wash
ngon $40 for thirty miles hour another fined 500
for driving while drunk you wonder why Congress went
to the trouble of passing any laws read that
chap fined So for making twenty wentysx miles
hour understand that The boob may not have
realized that he going that much the speed limit
Drivers who make above thirty miles hour in the streets
of Washington peril to life and limb and they know It,
There extenuang circumstances for Of
They deliberately violating speed laws taking
chances which may the killing manning of somebody
wrecg of property Leniency to drivers of this kind
should be of question They ought to be punished the
utmost extent of the law.
only place for whkey soaked driver prison
hundred directors of traffic and five thousand traffic
policemen greatly diminish the killing of human
beings by unless serious offenders made to feel the
majesty of the law The stern hand of the law is not the
of violators It is quick trials and the imposition
for dangerous reckless deeds The fool
who his forty miles hour the streets of Wash
ngon gets off with light fine tells all his reckless
friends easy for him. He proceeds to do the
thing or worse again If he had been given forty days in
Jail he woudn It have had so much to gloat over.
If have less killing and njuring In Washington
the traffic and the traffic police must apply them
intensive campaign drivers who drunk
speeding recssy doing they please and the teeth put
the law must be used.
Failure of cooperation injury to the people Of Wash
ington be harmony between the director of tra
c police there must be harmony between these
two The people of Washington entitled to
everything possible done to make the streets of this city
safer and enjoyable to travel over.