Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-22
v " YITH STRENGTHENING pro-
M grams almost hopeleSSly
Wv In the ruck in the race
xxyi%1A %Iaa Urn OF ,1~nIl,,okio,o

with the vast production
schedules OF the motor factories of
the Nation, the results of this con-
dition are Strikingly presented the
public in the statistics just issued
by the Census Bureau of the De-
partment of Commerce, showing
An increase of 8 per cent in the
automobile death rate in the year
ending September z as against
the rate for the year ending Sep
TENDER 8, 1928, in IS leading cities
Of the country.
with the cities Of the Nation al
most hopelesSly lost in their eff
forts to absorb the tremendous
output OF the motor manufac-
turerS and no let up or Saturation
point in sight, the indications are
that the year to come will see an
even greater increase in the auto
mobile death rate.
The largest four-week death toll
for the past year, according to
the Census Bureau figures, was for
the week ending December 20.
1928, and presents a picture OF
forlorn homes in sorrow at the
most festive season of the year.
A total of TIL persons lost their
lives in that gay month of Deem
Der last year principally because
the cities they lived in did not
have adequate facilities for safe
and sane travel of the motor pop
ulation.
Regulation piles upon regula-
ton as the traffic officials of the
population centerS of the country
strive to cope with the situations,
but they admit, unanimously, that
their problem would be greatly
Sinplified, and the regulation
books would be vastly deleted if
the cities caught the pace of the
automobile makers and absorbed
their output with wider, safer
streets and city approach high
ways.
Death Toll for Year.
The total deaths for the year
Just reported were 8,074, against
a total of 7,348 in the year just
preceding it. For the past year the
death rate was 24.5 persons per
100000 population, against 22.4 in
the year preceding.
Practically all these deaths oc-
Cured within the city limits of
the cities reporting, although
some of the accidents which re-
suited in fatalities were outside,
but near the corporate limits.
Here, however, there was a dis
tinct downward trend in the au-
tomobile deaths, as against the
year preceding. In the city in the
past year there were 14.7 deaths
per 100000 population, far below
the general average of the coun-
try, against 1872 per 100000 popu-
lation in the year preceding, a
figure also we'll below the average
for the country. Washington has
greater proportion of wide streets
than scores of cities, and there
fore presents a good example OF
the need for thoroughfareS capable
of handling the heavy flows OF
traffic safely.
These figures, however, are for
deaths within the city only. Add
the deaths occurring outside the
city. but credited to the city in the
Census Bureau figures, and the
total death rate per 100000 for
the past year becomes Oil, and
for the year preceding 22.6. not
so we'll below the total average for
the country.
The addition of the nearby
death figures to the city's total Is
In a large measure, although not
altogether, explained by the bot
tle-neck highway approaches
which take a tremendous toll of
lives every year just outside the
cities.
Majority Unavoidable"
While the figures are not avail
able, it is assumed, on the basis
of past statistical reports, that a
great majority of the accidents
which took lives in and about the
reporting cities, and particularly
in and about Washington, were
what the traffic officials have
come to regard as unavoidable"
accidents. That is, they are &C
cidentS where no criminal pro-
cedure can be taken, and where
the drivers of the cars involved
are not at fault. In only about
S per cent of the fatal accidents
Of the District are convictions OF
a criminal character obtained.
This holds true to practically the
same extent in the other cities OF
the country.
OF great interest to the motor
lists Of the country in this connec-
ton is the bill just introduced in
the House by Representative Will
liam p. Holiday, Republican, OF
Illinois, calling for construction by
the Federal Government of a
gigantic network of hard-Surface
roadways stretching seven ribbons
Of smooth highways from the At
lantic Coast to the principal CEN
tiers Of the Pacific Coast, at a cost
estimated at $4,000, 100000. Rep
resentative Holiday announces he
will press the bill for passage at
the next session CT Congress. The
Holiday bodybuilding program
would supplant the present system
of Federal highway aid. admin
istered by the Department of Agri-
culture. Under the Illinois Repre-
sentative's plan, it would be
financed by Federal taxes on auto
mobiles and gasoline.
"Present Program Inadequate"
Representative Holiday says:
"The present Federal aid program,