Evening star., 1935-10-22
A Sermon
Upon a Personal Friends
Loss and In Safety's
Interest.

| Interest.
The folloWino is part OF a broad
cast delivered today ouer Station
WJSV BY Req. Robert H. Hitler.
pastor OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church OF Vienna, Va. 1t is en-.
titled "The Unassailed Assassin"
He is dead. Death has silenced his
voice. He was my friend and / loved
him. He was fine young man, Just
turned 81. But the other day he
drove down the main street of our
little Virginia village. Another man
drove down that same street, in the
opposite direction. Someone was care
less, perhaps reckless. There was a
headon collision. And my friend did
not live TO see sunrise the next morn
ing.
Yet he was only one Of the So 900
who each year are assassinated by
these murderers who roam our high
ways. He was only one of the $4,000
who each year are offered as q bloody
sacrifice TO the twin gods-speed and
reckless driving. How long shall these
f1endish characters rove our streets?
How long shall We bow down before
the bloody altar erected to these un-
holy deities? You alone can answer.
Here and across the land the voices
Of protest are being raised, a protest
that is also a prophecy.
In Washington The Evening Star
is carrying on a praiseworthy safety
campaign, aided by a host of groups
from all walks of life. wish to avail
myself OF this opportunity to thank
WJSV for giving me this time in which
to speak on this subject of safety. The
efforts which have been, and are be-
Ing made. are good, but not good
enough. I say this because several of
the worst assassins and murderers are
as yet unattached and unassailed.
And it is concerning one of these
ma jor assaSsins that / wish to speak.
This person is particularly well known.
The police have his finger prints, Ber-
tillon measurements and photograph.
His method Of operation is common.
place knowledge. And yet no move Is
made to apprehend him. For years
he terrorized the land, and his record
is stain upon the pages of our ma
tional history. Finally he was cap
tured. tried, convicted and sentenced
to life imprisonment. For a time So
ciety breathed easier and life was hap
pier. But from the moment the doors
Changed behind him he protested his
innocence, promised TO reform il re-
leased. and after Is years Of imprison-
ment and in spite Of his former record
as confirmed criminal. he was par
doned and released on the promise Of
good behavior.
I speak of Andy Alcohol" alias
John Barleycorn." But wait! 1t is
not I that shall talk to you. In
stead, responsible. thinking, i'm
partial observers like you shall occupy
the center Of the stage They shall
speak-the National Safety Council,
the Travellers Insurance Co. and the
police departments Of this and other
cities. -"
The records Of the Metropolitan
police here in Washington show that
in 1884 (the first year of repeaD the
Of accidents in which drunken
drivers were involved, increased more
than 48 per cent as compared with the
previous year. The most recent sur
vey Of the Travellers Insurance Co.
covered four months of the present
year and the corresponding period of
last year, and showed an increase this
year of more than II per cent in the
of drivers under the influence