New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-10-17
ROBERT 7. HURLEY
EXCHANGE SPEAKER
Discusses Motor Accidents at
MONDAY Luncheon

Lack OF self-control. the inability
to concentrate At the right moment
and the state of bewilderment the
human race Is still In. We're given
as the prime cause Of the thousands
Of automobile accidents and motor
vehicle law violations in this coun-
try in an address delivered last eve
ming before the members of the Ex-
change club at the Burritt hotel by
X. +. Hurley, commissioner of state
police.
The one great social crime in
this country is the lack of uniform
traffic rules" he said. "A person
does not feel confident driving d
machin. in one city as in another
because OF the differing traffic rules,
whereas If the conservative people
got public people behind them a
uniform rule could be passed and 4
man driving a car In New Britain.
where he is acquainted with the
traffic rules, would feel just as con-
fident of driving in any other city
OF the state. Uniform motor vehicle
laws would cut the number of acci-
dents by 35 per cent and you can do
this by exercising your public opin-
ion. After all 1t is public opinion
which counts. The traffic situation
Is SO muddled that at times one
does not feel at home even in one,
own CITY,"
IF the human race could only
concentrate 4 hundred per cent for
more than five minutes there would
not be SO many accidents and so
many crimes" he continued. But.
the trouble is that the human race
is lacking In this respect: the aver
age man finds 1t too hard to concen-
trate and leaves 1t to the other fell
low to do it. And that Is another
great social disease. letting the
other fellow do the thinking and the
other fellow leaves it to you, the re-
suit being that one looks upon the
other as the wrongdoer, whereas In
reality We all are wrong-doe be-
cause we won't concentrate, use our
common sense or stop to think be-
fore we go ahead. We act before
We think, and generally lose out in
the proposition.
Crime after all is human be-
haviour. divided into two classes,
the normal behaviour and abnormal
behaviour. Normal behaviour Is
self-control regulated by common
sense. whereas abnormal behaviour
Is doing something without first
thinking. Fully ninety-five per cent
OF wrong doors don't know they are
doing wrong and when asked why
they did 1t. explain it that some
scb-conscious instinct pushed them
on to 1t. To exercise self-control Il
the most difficult thing a man car
do. Man Is just 80 strong and nc
stronger In his will and it doesn',
take much to break this self-con
troll"
Speaking OF fngerprint records
Commissioner Hurley stated that so.
ciety looks upon this form of idcnti.
tication as the most obnoxious thine
ever invented by man. and the aver.
age person dsspises this means OF
keeping a record.
People started off WE'LL" he said
but soon divided socially. disagree.
Ing more and more as time went on
until 1t was necessary to create three
classes, society. anti-society. or tn.
wrongdoers and finally the police
who we're designated to protect the
society from the wrongdoings o.
those who broke away. Today thu
ravines between society and anti-so
ciety are deeper than ever. Their
Is no path between the two. and tn
police. whose duties are often mis-