Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-28
Editorial Comment
The "Speed-and-D eath- AGE"
New Haven JournaI-COurler)

The killing of four-all who were
In the car-in Guilford resembles
other occurrences of the sort; it is
the terrible totality and completion
of the thing that makes it more
impressive. The group were young
people; the hour approached two in
the morning; return from a dance
joy. the recllessness of youth-sad,
infinitely sad. The hopeless feature
Is that it will occur again soon, and
again, and-with no change of pro-
gram in sight or even proposed, how
can there be a change? Youth will
not change-"let 'er go" is still the
slogan; the automobile is still fleet
one is now advertised that does
eighty miles an hour-two seconds
of time-one seconds intermission
in caution piles the mass of metal
and human flesh up against a tree
or into another car. How can there
be any cessation in these horrors?
1t is clear that this quarter of
century is to be ear marked in the
annals of civilization as the speed
and-death time" 1t will he so
known to posterty. There have al
ways been segments of time dis
tinctive by reason of forces and
movements. In happier way there
was the era of good feeling in
Munroe's administration. The dark
ages" covered some centuries. There
were the Saracen conquests, the
BLACK death and the Thirty Years
War. This automobile slaughter
taking it's place year after year, with
$4,000 fatalities annually and the
number increasing with fearful fas-
cination, every community con-
tributing its mathematically correct
quota, is doomed to rank with the
worlds gloomiest chapters. 1t is
not an incident, phase, but a well
defined chapter in the human story,
and thus far there is no cure.
Perhaps the profoundest harm is
not the death roll, but the dulling of
the communitys moral sense. The
public is indurated to violence and
tragedy. 1t is losing it's capacity for
surprise. One hears the --latest" and
provided it is not one of his fam
lily that is crushed or mutilated, the
topic is soon changed. Yet how
considerable is the factor of risk
how large the change that during
twelve-month someone of a small
group will figure in disaster-let the
insurance officers tell.
What to do does not appear. One
may counsel young people to be
cautious, but this is talking into the
east wind. Parents may exercise
care, especially the mothers of girls
but parents are said to have lost
control of their children in this hec-
tic age. Fathers of youths. it would
seem, would hesitate to equip boys
with these powerful devices; but it
is strange how able and wise a cit
izen may be in affairs. and even
human relationships. and yet con-
tribute to sons suicidal folly.
One could wish that these major
killings were marked by a day of
silent roads. idle cars, cessation of
all traffic. When a man or woman,
is highly wrought up. relief is often
obtained by a sharp, sudden shift of
environment. There is something
healing in quiet. To be solitary. to
be left alone, to look on a silent
world, will sometimes shock the
mind into sanity. Holy Writ has
the idea to the distraught to
those who run to and fro, to those
who are mad, the injunction is BE
still and know that l am God" a
group of people, community, a
generation may be inflamed, may be
beside itself. 1t is to this point that
our times are Fastening headlong,
as an automobile with rash. reckless
hand on wheel hurls It's cargo into
eternity. Something must bring
pause to the American people.