Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29


tional Capital. If this
number is not increased during
the few remaining days of this
month it will be the first time
since September, 1925, that such
a low minimum has been reached.
The minimum of two that month
was the lowest record in the last
six years for any one month.
The fatalities thus far this
month occurred on the 4th and
2lst, respectively, The first fatal
itv claimed a child 7 years old.
The second claimed. a baby 3
years old. In both cases the auto
mobile drivers were freed, it be-
ing the judgment that the deaths
were accidental.
Negligence Of Parents.
Although the parents of these
children. one of whom was mere
infant, were never tried by the
courts, It was nevertheless their
negligence that resulted in the
two tragedies of the month, I'M
agine a mother allowing her g.
year-old child totter out into the
streets! Yet one did, The motor
list was not to blame. The baby.
certainly not. There is only one
place for the blame to fall. But
the tears and anguish of that
mother, her suffering and re-
morse. will never atone for her
negligence.
Traffic Director william H. Har-
land lends careless parents no
sympathy. He even wishes that
a law could be evolved that would
make them punishable. 1T is
outrageous" Mr.. Harland states,
that parents are so lax in pro-
tecting the lives of their children
! have advised. time and time
again, that they set apart a few
minutes a day in inStructing their
children concerning the perils of
the street. Lectures on safety
should be part of home training
as we'll as educational and reli-
giouS instruction. The schools
teach safety. the newspapers teach
1t, but that does not help the
child before he or she is old
enough to read or go to school.
1t is up to the parents. They must
do their part.
The director of traffic is thor
oughly right in his contentious.
The obligation of parenthood
should be met in this most inn
portant duty. May the record of
two fatalities stand for the month.
Regarding Stop Signs.
The regulation requiring all
traffic to come TO a complete stop
at boulevard and arterial high
way stop signs should be en-
forced to the limit. The regula-
ton is an important one and nee
eSSary to the protection of life
and property. Maj. Edwin B.
HeSSe. superintendent of police,
has promised full cooperation. It
is the duty of all the members of
his force to see that all violatorS
are arrested. The Traffic Court
judges will Go their part. Stop
signs do not mean slow down, or
almost stop There can be no
confusion as to what the sign
means. Stop signs mean what
they say on all streets. whether
one direction is blOckaded because
of repair work or not. The signs
are put up not only to permit an
even flow of trafflc. but for pro-
lection Of pedestrians as well.
What traveStry on common
sense has occurred in Arlington
County! Virginia in the past has
been slow enough in road build
ing. Happily this era has passed.
Now she is so quick that the COM
forts OF the motorists are SEEM
ingly overlooked altogether. A
short postponement of the repair
program until the Chain Bridge
route is reopened would have been
much wiser.
May the Chain Bridge route be
reopened soon.
-
How law enforcement has cut
down accidents In Detroit is pub
lshed in a news sheet By the
National Automobile Chamber Of
Commerce Of New York. Accord
ing 70 table published by them
for the first months of this year.
compared with the same months
last year, the number of fatalities
has been reduced from l28 TO 60
The report Of the chamber, i'll
part, follows:
Detroit Records.
Detroit has reduced its motor
fatalities n per cent as a result of
law enforcement, according to the
report Of the street traffic COM
nlittee Of the National Automobile
Chamber Of Commerce issued by
that body.
Law enforcement is the ulti-
mate move on which all traffic
progress depends" says Alvan
Macauley, president of the Auto
mobile Chamber. commenting on
the report Detroit has been ac-
tive in safety education, in traffic
engineering and in traffic re-
search. All this has contributed
TO the city's improved safety rec
ord. but unless thera is general
support Of the law without favor
itism all educational efforts can
avail but little"
Detroit for several years has
had safety education in schools.
The police department has also
been industrious in enliSting the
cooperation Of women and chill
dren. II has had 1888 showings
Of reels Of motion pictures. and
has held 1850 meetings with at
tendance Of approximately 1000
900 persons. 1t has sent out $780,
900 safety bulletins. In spite of
these activities the accident rec
ord. until the first Of this year.
had been steadily increasing
While it was true that the motor
registration Of the city had been
.,,~n#xysE0 the cffu onueYnp4eyst feIt