Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-23


good of anything. A part of this
group is classified because OF
SelfiShness. For them argument is
futile.
Unfortunately, there are some
people who actually are of the
opinion, and not through selfish
a hinderance to traffic and a
menace to safety. They hold these
ideas despite the fact that traffic
experts throughout the country
believe in them, and practically
all the cities. large or small, have
installed them.
Ignorance or lack of thinking is
the trouble with this class. For
them argument is helpful.
A Mechanical Age.
To begin with, today is me-
system. Therefore it takes mech
anisn to deal with mechanics.
In the age of horse drawn vehicles
this was not necessary and there
were no traffic light signals. But
today is in the automobile age.
With the thousands of machines
on the streets, system is needed,
and mechanics. The Boardwalk
at Atlantic City is one of the few
thoroughfareS where there are no
machines. So there are no traffic
lights. But block away, parallel
to this pedestrian highway, the
lights abound.
Critics of the traffic lights say
that the flow of traffic is slowed
lps by the signals. 1t is not the
lights that are to blame, it is the
great number of automobiles.
If, instead of the traffic lights
on one of the main thoroughfares
of Washington there were police
with SemaphoreS stationed at
many of the intersections, turn
ing the go and stop sign at no
regular interval, would traffic be
Speeded up? It is hard to believe
so.
It is true that traffic lights can
not think for themselves and size
up situations, but as it is human
to error, neither can all policemen
always size up situations-at least
accurately.
Critics Belief False.
Critics also say that the lights
are a menace to safety because
autoists try to beat the yellow
light, and so on. This is untrue.
The lights are not menace to
safety. It is the careless or reck-
less driver who tries to beat the
light that is menace to safety.
A record of the location of acct
dents in the Office Of the director
of traffic proves that most acct
dents occur on streets not con-
trclled by lights.
The installation of traffic lights
Is somewhat similar to the install
lation of the dial system by the
telephone company. One might
think of the operators as traffic
policemen, and the dial system as
traffic lights. Tt is the furtherance
OF SyStem-of mechanics.
In days to come the saturation
point of the number of girls to
be obtained by the telephone COM
pany, as the number of SubScrib-
terS grew, would be reached. Like
wise with the growth of the city,
the number of police to be OBJ
tanned would find a Saturation
point. The telephone company is
not thinking of turning off any of
its girls because of the dial SyS-
tenn. Neither are heads CT the
city'S government considering any
such plan with the installation of
the traffic lights. In both cases
those relieved of one particular
duty will be given some other line
of work.
If the traffic lights cannot think,
the officials who install them can,
and SO can the motoriSt who is
under their guidance daily.
Safeguarding Children.
william H. Harland again issues
warning to motorists and to
parents of children in being care
full of them on the streets of the
city, and in teaching care to the
little tots themselves. It is ap-
palling that Is children, all under
the ages of IA, have been killed
since January /. Rigid steps must
be taken to protect the lives of
future citizens of the National
Capital, now that the schools are
out.
Action by Inspector E. w. Brown
In planning to ban taXicab "cruiS-
ing" on F street between Fiji
teenth and Ninth streets, from 8
o'clock in the evening to mid
night, is to be commended. The
proposed ban has the approval of
Mr.. Harland and his assistant, M.
0. Eldridge, and should be favored
by the Commissioners without
delay.
During "theater" time the con-
geStion is bad on F street, and Mr..
Brown is correct in saying that
much Of it is caused by taxis look
ing for fares" One would think
that the present regulation
against cruising" would be Suff1-
cient if properly enforced, but
evidently it is not.
News that work has been COM
menced again on widening the
Baltimore ashington boulevard
is we'll received Although the
present undertaking is for only a
three mile stretch, it hastens the
time when the main highway be-
tween the sister cities will have a
40-foot width all the way. There
will be no interference with traffic
while the shoulders, 10 feet wide,
are being placed in position, it is
stated.
Agitation Against Billboards.
Agitation again is being raised
against billboardS near Washing
ton in Maryland and Virginia.
While the agitation may not mean
the entire wiping out of them in