Milford chronicle., 1926-11-19
CITIZENS URGE MORE
SEVERE PENALTIES FOR
AUTO VIOLATIONS
CONTINUED from first page)

TIC GOUlIOl uGduGu ny ~
Douglas Buck, that a law be passed
specifying a set limit for minimum
speed of vehicles on particular Sec
tions of the main highway was the
only question of the day that requir-
ed a rising vote, the others having
been decided verbally, and this fol-
lowed two futile attempts on the
part of the chairman, Henry P,
Scott, to determine the will of the
delegates by the usual method.
Even this failed to settle the matter
in favor either of the affirmative or
negative sides, both of which SEEM
ed to be equally represented judging
by the volume of lung power eX-
pressed by their respective "ayes"
and noes, and it was finally de-
cided to let the matter rest in the
hands of the advisory committee.
1t was the reading of this section
that caused the deadlock:
"On highways of heavy travel, it
is obvious that one prolific source
of danger can be eliminated if all
vehicles in one direction move at
the same rate of speed, and there is
no overtaking. The excessively
slow vehicle on such road which
require all cars following to over
take it can only be regarded as a
serious obstacle to safe driving.
Therefore, of equal Importance, if
indeed not more essential than a
set limit for maximum speed, is the
need of a minimum speed for certain
times on particular sections of the
main highways"
A prominent State highway Of
fetal who asked that his name be
withheld, privately declared he was
in favor of a minimum speed limit
of twenty miles per nour. Heavy
congestion has been caused on the
highways by the driver who Oper-
ates his car at a speed of eight or
ten miles an hour thus holding up
long lines of machines, he said. The
highway police, he declared, have
taken it upon themselves upon
many occasions to speed up"
many of these slow drivers, par
ticularly on Sundays and holidays
when the roads are especially
crowded.
The section Immediately preced-
ing this one, and which is consider
ed by many the most important OF
the day, provided for the revision OF
the law permitting a maximum
speed of 35 miles an hour to allow
a maximum of 40 miles. 1t is un-
derstood that this regulation VIII
involve the creation of some sort
of system to be operated by the
State highway department regulat-
ing the driving of vehicles at this
speed only at certain hours of the
day and on certain highways. This
question will provoke much discus
sion in the Legislature as it is ru-
mored that the southern part OF
the State is very much opposed to
the amendment of the present law
governing maximum speed of veh1-
cles.
The other outstanding subject
which should also be the storm
center of heated discussion will be
the nature of the penalty to be Inn
posed upon the intoxicated driver
The recommendation made by the
Law Enforcement Committee, head
ed by Frank M. Jones to the effect
that "a compulsory Jail sentence
and revocation of license for the
first /offense while driving intoXl-
Gated" be imposed was greeted with
hearty applause by the delegates. A
bitter denunciation of the "intox1-
Gated driver" was made from the
floor by Magistrate Weldin Vining,
of New Castle, in which he declared
himself in favor of this proposal,
further specifying that this Jail
sentence" be one of six months.
An address depicting the evil re-
suits of carelessness as observed IN
his personal experiences and en-
phasizing the necessity of cultivat-
ing a caution complex" in the
child was delivered at the afternoon
session by Ernest W. Corn, of the
National Safety Council, Chicago.
He represented Sidney J. Williams,
director of the Public Safety Divis-
ion of the National Safety Council,
who was unable to attend
"The difficulty about this prob
lem" said Mr.. Corn, "is that it is so
scattered and that it's effects thus
are generally unrecognized. Every
four hours of every day OF every
week of every year we kill more
children in the strets and high
ways of the United States than were
killed at La Plata, Md, he said.
He told the deegates of what he
had seen at first hand in his many |
visits to industrial plants all over
the country and declared that more |
accidents occur in twenty plants
each employing 80 to so men than |
in one large plant employing 1000
men. This condition he attributed |
to the greater consciousness of CO.
operation that is present in a larger |
group of men.
Every driver in the United States |
must be impressed with the fact |
that he has an instrument of death |
in his hands," shouted Mr.. Corn. |
"a man cannot be an efficient driver !
and think of his business at the |
same time," he continued.
Mr.. Corn said further, "Too
many men driving cars leave their
heads at home. Upon reaching |
their homes after working at the |
office they take off their business
derbies, put on their automobile
caps, and leave their courtesy and |
consideration at home with the der
by.
His assertion after condemning
the lack of uniform laws governing
the qualifications of the applicant
for a drivers license that "the ma
ton has a perfect right to determine
the mental, physical and moral
qualifications of the driver" was
greeted with rounds of applause.