Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-27

A chorus that is growing louder as
the Summer season advances until It
threatens to drown the honk Of the
motor horn has found an echo in the
press from all parts of the country.
Public opinion is demanding a cure of
traffic ills in the interest of increased
safety for human life and improved
transportation conditions.
The magnitude of the problem, now
and in the future, is indicated by the
Birmingham News, with statistics
showing that there are more than
20, 100000 automobiles in use in the
United States" while "those who have
given the question study say the coun-
try can absorb another 10000, 900.
What will happen when the present
traffic is practically doubIed?" asks
the News, with the further sugges-
ton that 'if cities could be made
to order, the model community would
probably have streets 200 feet wide,
with a parkway in the center. and
about every three or more blocks
parking place reserved behind stores,
but the cities. are already here, and
values are so fixed that little or moth
ing can be done to change conditions.
These are becoming such that traffic
matters are coming to the front as of
major Importance. 1t is an interest.
ing field for speculation as to how the
situation Is going to be met" says the
News.
X X y X
THE city Of Detroit is in no small
degree responsible for the traffic prob
lens today vexing the world" admits
the Detroit News, which, however,
points out that the Michigan metrop-
al ftc I0x1a til "a,
as grave as any; has become, indeed,
so emergent that discomfort and
catastrophe and evaporation forbid
days delay in addressing the com.
munity's best energies to the solution.
1t Is too late" adds the News. ito
make over Detroit s downtown section.
What Detroit needs is base highway
Immediately adjacent to and a part
of the very heart of the city, stretch
Ing out east and west for 5, 10,
Is miles. super-highway on which
would be based all the feeding ar.
teries north"
1--WE are making grade crossings
of all our Streets" declares the
Rochester Times Union, land they
were never intended to carry any
such amount of swiftly moving traffic.
Perhaps the ultimate solution will be
side lines for main traffic. arteries,
with rigid restriction of automobile
speed on all other streets. Certainly
we have not yet even attempted to
cope with this growing menace" The
Pittsburgh Gazette-Times feels that
under present conditions, "a perma-
nent code of regulations, even though
there be admittedly bad spots in 1t,
would be more acceptable and be
more easily enforced than one which
no citizen could be sure he knew
1t is to be kept in mind" continues
that paper, that the purpose of any
regulation is to make our cramped
street space serve the greatest mum
Der conveniently. This will be most
certainly achieved by making the
traffic rules as rigid as is reasonable"
1.-THE facts of the present condition
| of traffic in this and every other
State in the Union," in the opinion
of the Nashville Banner, are
| obviously such as to demand improve
rnent. The death toll eXacted by
automobiles is fearful, and any move
ment which holds promise of reduc
| ing 1t deserves the attention and ap
proval of society as a whole" The
| New Orleans Tribune cites demand
| by the Association of Commerce that
| traffic ordinances be more strictly
| enforced, that all violators without ex
ception be fined, and that citizens
show more interest in upholding these
laws. Any challenge to the recorders
1 to fine every convicted violator Ii
timely" in the opinion of the Tribune
But the Portland (Oreg) Journal
suggests: Personal caution Is the
one fact that will control. If tht