Evening star., 1935-09-27
BUSINESS BACKS
SAFETY CAMPAIGN
Board of Trade Traffic
Committee and KiWanianS
IndorSe Drive.

Urging that no stone be left un-
turned to end the death toll on
Washington streets, the Traffic Com
mittee of the Washington Board of
Trade at q luncheon meeting yes
terday in the Harrington Hotel
adopted a resolution recommending
that the board put its full weight
behind the Safety Council of The
Evening Star in the campaign for
safe driving.
The Star campaign was vigorously
Endorsed by several speakers and a
number of committee members signed.
copies of the safe-driving pledge as
a feature of the meeting.
The Kiwanis Club of Washington,
at luncheon meeting yesterday in
the Mayf1ower Hotel, also took a
stand in support of the traffic safety
campaign and members signed in
dividual safe-driving pledge cards.
This organization cannot help but
lend its moral and active support to
a campaign which is so closely tied
up with the safety and welfare Of
every person in Washington" Harold
N Marsh, president of the Kiwanis
Club, said in calling up the safe
driving question.
III Kiwanians Enroll.
In voting the active support of
its members in the safety drive of
The Star Council, the Kiwanis Club
enrolled in the fight for curbing of
traffic violations and careless driv-
ing it's whole membership of 1T
members, embracing men represent
ing virtually every line of business
and profession in the city.
In voting to support The Star Safety
Council in its drive for safer streets,
the Board of Trade Traffic Commit
tee adopted a number of resolutions
calling for concerted effort to elimi-
nate specific traffic hazards and to
improve the safety of motorists and
pedestrians.
The Star is deserving of COM
mendation for its work to cut the
death toll in Washington" declared
Thornton w. Owen, chairman of
the Subcommittee on Education and
Publicity, who sponsored the resolu-
ton calling for the support of the
full Trade Board. II am glad to see
that The Star is now stressing the
gruesome side of every traffic crash
through the publication of pictures
and stories accenting the horror of
the sudden death which comes to the
careless driver. This is an un-
pleasant aspect, it is true, but it is
one which every thinking person
must face and The Star is increasing
the force and value of its campaign
by calling attention to the bloody and
terrible details of traffic deaths"
Film Showing Sought.
Mr.. Owen pointed out that the
Capitals radio stations are co-operat-
ing with The Star in the most ex-
has obtained a motion picture film
dealing with the necessity for sane
driving and will seek to have this
film shown in motion picture houses
which now are cooperating with The
Star Safety Council and at meetings
of citizens associations and other
civic bodies.
The subcommittee is planning to
spread the demand for safe driving
through the medium of newspaper
advertisements, street car posters,
placards and other channels of pub
lie information.
I'VE hope to see Washington in the
position of a model safety city," Owen
said.
Recommendation that the District
director of vehicles and traffic be
given legal authorization over street
car loading platforms and zones
was made by Maj. S. D. Ashford,
chairman of the subcommittee on
automatic signs and signals. There
is crying need for greater protection
of pedestrians and street car riders
using platforms and safety zones,
especially on the outlying streets,
where automobile speeds are higher
than in the downtown section, Mai
Ashford said. He advocated that
the minimum protection for zones
be high Illuminated metal buttons"
or streamlined concrete islands.
He advocated that instead of es-
new traffic lights, emphasis
be laid during the coming year en-
scientific rearrangement and co-ordi-
nation of existing lights to smooth
out traffic flow and increase safety.
He also urged that increased amber
light intervals be provided for pedes-
trian crossings at such dangerous