Evening star., 1927-08-28


Members O. the force shall at all
times treat citizens. associates and
superior officers with respect and
clVllity, and shall, even in the face
OF provocation, refrain from the
use OF harsh, profane or abusive
ianguage.-Chapter "a, Section 1,
Police Manual.
No one can be just and at the same
time expect that the experience OF
standing for long hours in the center
OF busy street intersection directing
the safe passage of armies of pedes
trians and endless caravans of motor
cars will tend to make of the traffic
policeman a paragon Of unfailing cour
tesy or equip him with a Sir Walter
Raleigh complex. The duty of traffic
officer Is an onerous one, subjectine
him to mental strain which begins
when he takes his post and never re
lakes until he quits his station. It is
small wonder that at times he loses
his temper in the stress of the tur
mol which surrounds him, leading
him to "bawl out" a careless driver
and to expostulate in abusive tones
with suicidaily minded foot passen.
gers. To make himself heard above
the demoniacal din Of impatient en-
gines and the frenzied clang Of street
car bells, he must yell, and, as his
words must be short. concise and tc
the point, his salutation is confined tc
the accepted form of address between
traffic policeman and automobile
drivers, which is "Hey.-Your'
"Hey.-You!' can be pardoned. 1t
attracts attention Immediately; il
penetrates a maze of tangled vehicles
and strikes home with unerring preci
sion; it singles the victim from the
crowd, makes him Immediately aware
OF his Wrongdoing, snatches him from
the anonymity of the mass and stamps
him with individuality. 1t serves al
once as warning and as a rebuke, a
caution and a correction. Having
Deen target for well aimed ''Hey!-
your the average driver, unless his
error be objectionable, win proceed
on his way chastened, shrinking fel
low, treading lightly on the accelera
tor and heavily on his brakes.
"Hey.-Your' Is all right. It is a
development Of the times, a necessary
evil of the period.
But there are other things which
cannot be so cheerfully overlooked
One OF them Is the insufferably domi
neering spirit with which many guard
ians of our traffic become afflicted
when once equipped with natty blue
uniform. shining badge, brass but
tons. a night stick, revolver, puttees
and a motorcycle. They are not con
tent with a stentorian "Hey-Youp
nor with few we'll chosen and EN-
ohatlc declarations anent the shortcom
lngs OF drivers in general. Theirs, on the
other hand, is the attitude of the cal
toward his mouse. They delight tc
toy with their prey, to bait their
catch. perhaps In the hope that the
mouse. anger quickened, will undergo
a sudden metamorphosis back to q
man again, fly off the handle and talk
back. Aye! There's when the fun OF
being traffic policeman really begins
the citizen; an extremely mild and
laW-abiding sort of person, was driy
ing slowly down Sixteenth street. His
thoughts were of varied and weiehty
matters. There was that first hole
Tor instance. Now, why was it, with
such a broad. inviting stretch Of fair,
way leading to such a boundless and
perfect green, did he always have to
dub his drive? Maybe he ought to
get a new driver. But there's that
Fellow who always uses a driving iron
OH that tee. There's an ideat TVr,, n r