Evening star., 1926-01-24
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.
Automobile Editor OF The Star.

When traffic is made simple ana
safe, when the thousands of make
shift and Inadequate regulations
have been replaced by a precisely
scientific code, the traffic engineer will
have been responsible. Then a diff
cut scientific problem will be solved
as it never could otherwise have been
solved by science.
Traffic is a mental problem as we'll
as physical one. many believe.
Scientific investigation and scientific
solution must follow as natural con
sequences.
The traffic engineer will be All auto
motive engineer. psychologist. illumi-
rating engineer chemist and physicist
combined, according to the new view
Of the situation. This will offer at
least some idea a < to the apparent
shortcomings of The average so-callel
traffic expert.
Engineers Turn Now
Virtually every one has his panacea
Tor traffic ills. Motorist and pede=-
'rian with their poleS-apart perspe,.-
ives are willing at a. moment $ notice
70 rectify the whole deplorable Situa-
iion. Still. accidents are increasing
and the range of automobiles in cities
- becoming more and more restricted
The so-called expert has had his ShoI
= | the problem. The conviction is
growing rapidly that iG'S the ensi-
neer's turn now
The physician attends 10 the Ma
lions bodily ills. The chemist create.
lis dyes and solves its problems with
regard To the composition OF sub
stances. Now the traffic engineer
enters the arena to tackle the trat-
fic problem
To hasten progress in this direc-
tlOn, leading motor car manufac-
turer recently end0Wned two fellow
snlpS for traffic study aJ the Cniver.-
SltN of California. The fellowship
VIII pay $1,000 Il year. each 10 two
graduate engineering students o1 the
estern university. The plan is to
encourage traffic engineering as q.
profession.
Speaking before the Canadi;t4l Cool
Roads Association at a recent con.
vention. Robbins T. St,crkel. commits.
siohef Of motor vehicles for Cunrec-
tCut. SAID:
Ih1 principles OF safety engineer
Ing as applied To read huildin- must
'akN INTO account all paTriciparts in
tlafhc. They must include direction
ior the good man: foresight. SO ia :.
as possible. for the careless man and
FLouSh OF background Of walnin.
ana obvious safety 50 that Criminalitv
may not mask Itself as caralesSness. 20
Need for Scientific Solution.
This view is cited as e1idencin. the
great need for scientific solution, 10
traffic problems. Psychology IS quite
as important in this process as the ap-
picatlon or engineering principles
IN this new era the policeman viii
junction merely as an agent Of d sy-s-
tenn that is tremendously more effec-
i've than ne. no matter how proficient
ever could hope 10 be This should
eliminate some Of the more Grass in
consistencies now apparent in mos,
cities where the individual policeman
Is given too wide powers in direction
of traffic
Many automobile drivers al!ead,-
have observed that the average traf
hc officer is MOI sufficiently familiar
with the handling Of automobiles to
know when he is complicating matters
by stopping and starting traffic uu-
scientifically. One officer calls Upon
the driver To strain his brakes to the
utmost to avoid running past u sign