Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-04


LAngnaen ~ Geneva.
LIE Matin, Paris.-.It Is q remarkable
fact that though English Is often
credited With being the most wide
spread and generally understood lam
guage OF the world, and also that Span
isa-epeaktng nations far ontnu2nber the
French and Those Of French descent,
nevertheless, ct the conferences Of the
League Of Nations ct Geneva, where
only speech ineligible to them all is
French. According to the constitution
of the League, both English and
French are official channels Of com.
mupicatio but during the latest ses-
sion OF Its delegates only those from six
countries could either talk or under
stand English. For this reason. French
has been universally used by speakers
ut League Of Nations conventions.
which would tend to disproye the theory
French is declining. Il Is clear that
French is the tongue acquired in al
most all countries after one has ac-
quired proficiency in his own. And
so 1t is that delegates to European con-
ferences Of any sort are qualified in an
important respect when they have
knowledge OF Our eloquent historic
speech.
%Et
Increased Traffic Accidents
Inspire New Laws.
81 Concrete. Lima.--With the new
means of transportation now the COM
mon phenomena Of life, particularly in
the cities, and possessing the general
qualification, whether automobile,
omnibus or truck. Of attaining great
speed and impetus as may well have
fAl
increase In the number OF urban
tTafHc accidents. These latest dangers
Of civilization oblige those to whom is
intrusted the responsibility for public
welfare and safety with the devising CT
methods to control these vehicles for
the reduction to the minimum of ever
present perils to life and limb.
With us. since the Introduction of
the motor car. and especially motor
vehicles in city service, tRafic acci-
dents have kept pace with those In
other important cities Of the world on
the basis Of population. So, while
these mishaps have not, perhaps, ex-
ceeded what Is considered an average
or logical percentage, nor thelf results,
upon the whole and in the past, tran
seended IN tragedy and horror the holo-
causts suffered from these causes In
other parts Of the world. stu the gTiefs
driving have created locally such an
atmosphere OF discomfort and resent
ment that the authorities have
awakened TO the necessity Of still more
stringent measures TO safeguard the
public from the menace OF carelesS
driving. Within IL days casualties
have intensified themselves In . man
neF most alarming, and q civic clamor
has arisen in consequences
Five deaths and IL persons severely
injured as the result Of trafhc acci-
dents in. ~ days, regardless of how
such statistics compare with the aver
age OF other cities t. certainly SUM
cisnt to direct the Attention of the
population to the necessity 81 enerretic
Efforts on the part Of the authorities
to determine the frequency OF such
catastrophes. It Is not enalela that ne
have tFRfic laws--they must be most
rtgidly enforced. II 1t takes the fun
complement of our police agents to DO
30, 70 y scRnt comfort to any hereavad
family 70 know that their loved one mat
his death by accident, and not AZ the
hands Of some intentional criminal AZ
the class against whom the e0nntahtl-
larry have more generally directed Their
The alliance between the drinker Of
pptent liquors cad the motor. ear e one
that should esnRcially be broken up.
and, until these adhesions nre ex-
tirpated. the seVerest penalties should
be visited up0n al such unsoelal de-
iinQuentS, The retributions visited
upon such offenders must be made
both ponderous and unacceptable.