Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-26
D, c, DRUNK DRIVER
INCREASE TRAILING
OTHER BIG CITIES
Jump in Cases Since Prohi-
bition Viewed With Alarm
by Police Surgeon.
SYSTEMS OF UNIFORM
TRAFFIC PLANS ASKED
Chicago Public Safety Expert
Says Signs and Signals Could
Check Carelessness.

Although lIleIe Has Uttll Il pei
cent rise in driving -While-drunk cases
in Washington since repeal OF pro-
hibition, this increase is small in COM
pariSon with similar cases in some OF
the country's other principal cities
DR.. Theron Wendell Kilmer, police
surgeon of Hampstead, N. Y, told the
International Association of Chiefs of
Police at the third days session OF its
forty-firSt annual convention today at
the Mayfower Hotel.
DR.. Kilmer pointed out the increase
amounted to 479 per cent in Los An
geles, $50 per cent in Cincinnati, 300
per cent in Philadelphia. l22 per cent
in New Orleans and 100 per cent in
Rhode Island. Connecticut, he said,
showed the smallest increase, with is
per cent.
In view of this situation, DR.. Kilmer
urged prompt action and enforcement
of the law against driving while in
toxicated before the number of acct
dents rises to such heights as to bring
about an increase in the penalties
against it and the rousing of public
sentiment to the extent where it may
endanger repeal"
Driver Potential Murderer.
1.-THE modern automobile, designed
for quick starting and high speed on
the highways" he declared, makes
the intoxicated driver potential muir
derer."
DR.. Kilner advocated a physical eX-
animation of every driver taken into
custody on suspicion of being intoXi-
Gated to definitely determine whether
he is drunk or sober He said it was
often hard to ascertain when a man
who has liquor on his breath is intoXi-
Gated In some cities, he pointed out,
this Judgment is left entirely to the
aresting officer, and 1T seems wrong"
because 1T gives neither the driver
nor the municipality square deal"
DR.. Kilmer explained that unless
there is some definite routine physical
examination by a physician imme-
diately after the driver is arrested. his
true condition cannot be determined.
He then outlined and illustrated test
given to drivers arrested in Nassau
County, N. Y, on suspicion of being
drunk.
Test Phases Cited.
This examination requires the
driver, among many other things, to
pick up a coin, touch his nose with
the end of his finger, and cross his
knees to ascertain whether there Is a
reflex DR.. Kilmer explained an in
toxicated person cannot pick up a
coin quickly or touch his nose quickly
with his finger, and that his knees
Jerk while crossed.
Warnings have been issued by
traffic experts all over the United
States" DR.. Kilmer declared that
unless people realize that they must
not drive while under the influence
of liquor, there will continue to be an
increase of accidents from this cause
until it reaches such a point that
severe measures must be taken to keep
down the number of accidents due to
this cause.
Not all the drunken drivers ap-
pretended by police are men, fire.
quently we see women in this de-
plorable condition, sometimes very
young women.
No Corrective Suggested.
ut is not my purpose to suggest
any method of preventing the grow
ing number of drunken auto drivers,
as too many economic factors would
be injected into the subject. I am,
however, convinced that were it i'm
possible for judges to accept the lesser
plea of reckless driving from a driver
who had been arrested for drunken
driving, and pronounced drunk by a
physician. an immediate dimunition in
the number of drunken drivers would
be seen"
A plea for uniform system of traf-
fic signs and signals throughout the
United States was made by Sidney
Williams, director of the public safety
division of the National Safety Coun-
Gil of Chicago. He pointed out that
'autocide" killed more than three
times as many people every year as
homicide, and said there had been 20
per cent increase this year in auto
mobile fatalities.
Police Aid Held Needed.
"Our Army trains men to obey Ger
tain rules" Williams said, land it is
equally possible for police departments
to give instructions to officers so the
motorist will know what to do when
he travels from city to city. The
average driver has only vague idea
of the traffic rules. If he gets an
idea that the handling of traffic in
certain community is stupid and awk-
ward his reaction is to hell with all
traffic rules and policemen. I'll get
away with anything can If the Of
ficers direct him sympathetically and
help him he is much more ready to
cooperate with the police and the
courts"
Patrick Dolan, chief of police of
Hudson County, N. Y, also advocated
uniform traffic laws and regulations
and pointed out the difficulties of the
average motoriSt in strange cities. AS
a veteran motor cycle traffic officer,
Dolan touched upon some of the prac-
tical sides of enforcing traffic regula-
lions, and declared that the safety
experts should give the motorist more
practical information instead of sta
tisticS.
I'VE can't track an elephant in the
snow with statistics" ne declared.
"And we don't track elephants in the
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