Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-08

Increased safety In street and high
way traffic and enactment Of the uni
form vehicle code of the National Con-
ference on Street and Highway Safety
by the States that have not already
done so Is being urged by editors and
publishers in all sections Of the coun-
try as q part Of probably the most
vigorous and energetic safety campaign
in recent years.
have appeared IN the last eight weeks
in daily newspapers, magazines. trade
periodicals, farm papers and labor pub
locations. Almost without exception
they have decried the increasing death
and injury toll Of traffic and demanded
safeguards and changes in traffic laws
which will afford better protection, re-
move reckless and incompetent drivers
from the streets and roads and
strengthen the enforcement Of all
traffic laws and regulations.
Operator Licensing Urged.
In particular there Is an increasing
demand In editorial columns for the
enactment of laws by States that do not
vet have them for the licensing of all
motor vehicle operators by examination
and driving test It is pointed out in
many editorials that the rate OF acct
dent increase in the States which
license drivers by this examination and
test has been % per cent less than DUR
ing the same time in the States which
do not license drivers by this examlna-
ton and test.
The states which have the mandatory
examination and driving test for pros
pective drivers are Arizona, California.
Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Mas
sachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
New York, Pennsylvania. Rhode Island,
Vermont and West Virginia, as well as
the District of Columbia.
The States which prescribe licenses"
without the mandatory examination
and driving test, or making them OPP
tional with traffic authorities, or using
them chiefly for revenue raising pur-
poses, are indiana, Maine, Michigan,
Nebraska, South Carolina, Washington
and Wisconsin.
Drivers license bills have bsen In
troduced In the Legislatures OF n:arly
ali states in session this Winter Where
such measure Is not already on the
statute books
DETERMINATIONS and associations, in
GLIDING chambers Of commerce, motor
clubs, safety councils. labor unions ana
civic groups, are joining in the demand
for effective drivers license laws ana
other changes that will bring the tramc
statutes Of the different States into con-
formity with the unifor. vehicle cooe
Of the National Conference.
support Of Labor.
The Executive Council Of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, in its recent
session ct Miami, Fla, unanimously
adopted q resolution providing that:
1--WE approve the Uniform venice
Code formulated by the National Con-
ference on street and Highway SaIety
and any Improvement thereon that may
be advanced from time to time In the
interest of the public in general an9
wage earners in particular, and we cali
on state Federations Of Labor TO further
legislation, In States that have not
vet acted. designed to secure, as nearly
az possible. uniform standards, rules
and practices in the interest OF saleCy
and to reduce the accident hazard tnaG
now so generally menaces the well oelng
Of pedestrians, the travelling pubic;
children and operators OF motor ana
other vehicles on our streets and high
ways"
THE resolution states further that the
Executive Council believes that the
formulation and adoption OF q uniform
traflc code In every State will not
only reduce this great loss and suffer-
ing. but will make Tor aooeo Saiety III
every direction"
Journalistic Comment.
Marlen E. Pew, In Editor and Pub
Usher, New York City, makes the follow
ing statements: "At intervals ! have
commented, often in quite indignant
terms, on the ghastly toll OF life and
limb that the motor vehicle Is an
rually taking on American roads and
streets. To me 1t has seemed the great
story Of the age. Sometimes I have
felt 1t was inadequately covered, at
least in roundup form, due mainly
TO tiresome repetition and general cal
lous acceptance of the condition as
incurable. Not long ago one OF my
critics wrote that while seemed to
have much feeling on the subject, my
comments would be more impressive II
nuttresSed by reliable statistics.
I'm the year 1880 there were recorded
S35 $50 automobile accidents in the
United States, in which $4,000 men,
women and children were killed and
962.325 injured. If to be impressed
by figures you must have a comparison.
Il1eaga mite that fbia avarv wear toll