Evening star., 1935-04-23
Menace to Life in
Alcoholic Driving

To the Editor of The Star:
As stated in The Star of q recent
date, according to the table from the
Office Of w. A. Van Duzer, director Of
trafnc. there was "a 40 per cent in
crease in accidents caused by drunken
drivers since repeal became effective
in the District Of Columbia"
Many Of us, particularly parents,
are appalled, by the 1852 traffic acci-
dents reported here in the Nations
Capital last year. Deducting from
that number the 256 accidents, includ-
irg seven deaths, caused by drunken
drivers 1t shows what q menace auto
mobiles are even when driven by those
who show no outward signs of intoxi-
cation.
Not often do persons in visible
stages OF intoxication attempt to drive
car. The greatest menace to safety
In the streets is those who have had
only one or two cocktails or a bottle
of beer, and who show no outward
sign of intoxication-able to drive
well-but whose judgment and cau-
tion are impaired by that slight
amount of alcohol, making them take
chances they would otherwise never
take.
One wonders how many Of all those
arrested for reckless driving had they
been given the alcohol test would have
been found "One drink drunk" though
showing no outward signs of intoxi-
cation.
One who wants to know how and
why alcohol In very small amounts
makes one a menace to safety in
the streets has but TO consult the
book What About Alcohol?" by Bo-
gen and Hisey. DIR. Bogen is inter-
nationally known as an authority on
the effects Of alcohol on the human
mind and body and his tests for de-
termining intoxication are accepted
as standard tests in the courts abroad
and elsewhere
The book is in all our public libra
ries. If it happens TO be out call
at the office Of Allied Youth in the
National Education Association Build
ing. This is the book to be used
next year in the Junior and senior
high schools.
In Berlin, Germany, the police de-
partment gives motorists a small
warning card, which Is translated as
follows:
Il The hard and important work
Of the motor driver makes 1t neces-
sary for him to keep away completely
from all alcoholic drinks both before
and during his work.
20. The smallest amounts of alco-
hol are harmful for the motor driver.
1t is mistake to think that small
amounts have no bad effects. On the
contrary they cause at first an in
crease in self confidence, followed by
early tiredness and weaken the power
of quickly seeing and acting in the
presence Of danger.
"3. A large number of accidents
are due to the use of quite small
amounts Of alcohol.
4. Larger amounts of alcohol in
crease the danger and lead to drunk
enness and rash and foolish actions.
IS. License to drive will be refused
to persons who drink.
IS. Driving while under the inf1u-
ence Of alcohol is strictly forbidden.
Any driver found to be drunk while
driving will be arrested and his car
taken in charge by the police and his
license taken away from him"
One cannot call this statement
propaganda" for 1t is what they do
in Berlin, Germany-the home of the
flowing beer stein-in order to make
their streets safer.
Were any Of your young people
among those sos youths between the
ages Of II and 81 who were arrested here
in our city last year for drunkenness?
There were 24,048 persons of all ages
arrested here for drunkenness last
year, which is 1888 more than during
the last year of prohibition when
struggling against much opposition
and unsympathetic enforcement.
GEORGIA ROBERTSON.