Evening star., 1934-07-14

A reader Of this paper recently
commended the driver of one Of The
Stars trucks for bringing his ma
chine 10 complete stop to permit
Scottie to cross Wisconsin avenue.
This Ia the sort Of incident which
delights the heart Of all those who
love the so-called dumb animals
which are mot so dumb, after all.
Thousands OF persons daily marvel
at the uncanny ability which our
faithful dogs possess in vending their
way across the city'S streets. particu-
larly those most-traveled avenues
named Wisconsin and Connecticut.
The hearts of the friends of dogs
are constantly leaping at the sight OF
some fine fellow trying to make the
crossing. mostly because no one, not
even the dog, knows what the motor
lists will do.
There are, thank Heaven. few men
so hard hearted that they will delib-
erately run over an animal. but no
doubt there are many motorists who
will not stop TO give the creatures the
right of way.
Hence it comes about that right
thinking people are glad to commend
the efforts of men and women every
where who not only will give thought
TO this problem. but also will go to
the trouble Of stopping their machines
whenever necessary.
1t all gets back. of course. 10 how
much of friend of dogs the driver is.
In any individual case
1t may be submitted that the prob
lem of safe driving and walking in
the National Capital and adjacent
territory is inextricably bound up,
there is no rule alone for human beings
and another for dogs. safe driving for
four-legged animals means safe driv-
ing for little two-legged animals, too.
The appalling slaughter of small
children in Washington during the
last three weeks ought to end, but it
will never end until children are kept
from playing in the streets and until
motorists, as a group. begin to realize
more fully the evil possibilities OF
speed.
The man who has his car so I'M
der control that he can stop to let
dog get across the street is the
man who, conditions being equal, is
able to stop when a child comes
bounding out between parked cars
after a ball.
The use of excess speed, beyond
the necessities of the case, is the very
heart Of the Safe-driving problem, and
until the individual driver, in all cases,
realizes this, and admits it to him
self, there are going to be totally
unnecessary accidents.
Dogs have a most disconcerting way
of leaving the curb and setting a
straight line for the other side,
neither looking to right or left.
Just how so many of them man.
aged to evolve the same plan, put
ting so much faith in human beings,
is difficult to say. Let us ascribe it
to canine common sense. At any
rate, they go straight across, largely
secure in the faith that motorists will
not hit them.
Their faith sometimes is misplaced
We saw poor old collie picked up
like limp door mat on Rhode Island
avenue about year ago. The driver
who did it seemed very much upset,
as he should have, because the dog
was not hurting him in the least.
People who genuinely like dogs are
always on the lookout for them. On
the other hand there are MANY per-
sons who profess to love dogs who
actually have little if any regard for
them.
To this category no doubt belonged
the motorman of a car aboard which
this writer happened to be some time
ago. Just as the car was about to
start a small Boston terrier, quite