Evening star., 1932-01-10
Churchill Describes Crash


| the best speed he could, when suddenly
a dark figure appeared Immediately IN
front Of him. He applied all his brakes
and at the same moment, before they
could act, he struck heavy body.
The car shuddered and came to rest
in probably a few lengths Three or
four feet from the right-hand wheel
lay a black, shapeless mass.
Mario had driven for eight or nine
years and had never had an accident
He seems to have been overpoweringly
agitated and distressed, He heard a
loud cry: "A man has been killed."
The traffic banked up on either side.
People came running from all direc-
tions. Policemen appeared. One group
clustered around Mario, another around
the PROSTATE figure.
was hit as you would hit ball full
pitch with bat, and I started of with
the car as soon as I could take up lts
rapidly diminishing speed.
A friend of mine of mathematical
predictions has been kind enough to
calculate the stresses involved in sud-
denly setting me in this rapid motion.
Like 30-Foot Plunge.
The car weighed some 2,400 pounds.
With my evening coat on, could not
have weighed much less than 200 TAX
ing the rate of the car at 35 miles an
hour-I think moderate estimate
had actually to absorb in my body 5000
foot pounds. 1t was the equivalent Of
falling 80 feet onto a pavement. I do
not understand why I was not broken
like an egg shell, or Squashed like
gooSeberTy. l know that policeman
killed on the oxford road in London
was hit by vehicle travelling at very
much the same speed, and was COM
pletely shattered.
I certainly must be very tough or
very lucky, or very both
x X X
Meanwhile I had not lost conscious
ness for an instant. Somewhere in the
black bundle toward which the passers-
by are running there is a small cham
ber or sanctum wherein all is orderly
and undisturbed. There sits enthroned
a mind apparently intact and unShaken.
Before it is a keyboard or levers or but
tons directing the body. Above, a
whole series of loud speakers report the
sensations and experiences of the en-
pire controlled from this tiny headquar-
ters. This mind is in possession of the
following conclusion:
'I have been run over by motor car
in America. All those worries about
being late are now swept away. Here Is
real catastrophe. Perhaps 1t Is The
End"
experienced no regret or fear.
simply registered facts without the
power to moralize upon them.
Loud Speakers" Blare.
But now all the loud speakers began
to blare together their information
from the body. My mind was overpow-
cred by the hideous noise they made,
from which no intelligible conclusion
could be drawn. Wave upon wave of
conVulsive, painful sensations seemed
to flood into this small room, prevent
ing thought, paralyzing action, but I'M
possible to comprehend.
had, for instance, no knowledge OF
whether was lying on my back, side or
face How long this period lasted,
| cannot tell. I am told that from the
time I was struck to when l was lifted
into taxicab was perhaps five min
utes
Presently, however, from my head
quarters, see a swirl OF figures. They
gather around me like the swift turning
| of a skirt. I have an impression OF
| Crarnc arrested ana Oh QIdIIldIlCdllS
gathered crowds. Friendly hands are
laid upon me. I suppose ought now
| to have had some very pious and in.
spring reflections However, all thai
occurred to me was, II shall not be able
| to give my lecture tomorrow night ir
| Brooklyn. Poor A1ber (my agent
whatever will he do about it?"
Then more definite impressions. A
policeman is bending over me. MY
head and shoulders are being raised TO-
ward him. He has book, quite big
book, in his hand.
What Is your name
winston Churchill"
I protest I am no snob, but on this
occasion I thought 1t lawful and pru-
dent to add, THE Right Honorable
Winston Churchill from England"
heard distinctly respectful "Oh, Obs
from the crowd.
What is your age?" asked the of1-
GER, adhering to his routine.
How Very DID," He Thinks.
''Fffty-seven," replied, and at the
same moment this odd enough thought
obtruded itself upon my mind, How very
old to be knocked down in the street BY
|