The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-03-05

Some day future generations OF
Americans will read in their history /
books something like this;
During the early decades OF the
twentieth century murder and carnage 7
stalked the highways of the United
States. Yes, sir, PLAIN MURDER!
Men. women, and children were
slaughtered by the thousands, millions
were manned. Respect for Human Life
| PLAYED second fiddle to the Lust for
Speed.
in 1894 alone, more than $4,000 per-
sons were sent crashing into early
graves Babes in arms, school children,
the flower of youth, others IN the eve
ming of life were massacred and many
Of them left to die in their tracks.
Whole families were wiped out. Death
did such a thorough job of mutilation
that most dead could only be identified
bv the numbers on the license plates.
And this same year, 100000 other
persons escaped death, but they we're
severely injured, thousands lost arms,
legs, eyes, faces were Scared. others
knocked forever senseless and IN 3tner
ways crippled Tor lie.
yet think of it, That san.c year
some 100 persons died in fire at sea
Newspapers blazed details OF this
tragedy to the country in screaming
headlines The public was aroused to
eaFever heat. Investigations, including a
se>atorial inquiry, kept public indlgna-
q ton yflame Here was catastrophs.
Y Yet few persons, if any, knew OF
;, seemed tscare that during the 40 hours
before andsfter that sea disaster more
persons were Killed on the highways by
: automobiles. Ahs( that more were killed
: and manned on or highways this same
year than by the bison gas, liquid
flame and gunfire Of II. Great War
9 A hard boiled people, ~. nost
q Americans didn't even bother Mem
: selves about it and those who did sft7s
callous from continually reading tina
Il old cold newspaper phrase, 2 Kille'
and Injured, when describing al
IT auto tragedy. Americans OF that Ga.
! hadn't any too much sense OF aprrecta
!. ton for murderl At least they hadn
ie sense enough to drive an autolaoblls
= but millions Of them insisted on 90
II ing it g..
And such a summary OF our neN
qa,illotine" would be quite modest,
ANYTHING. The 1884 automobiles Wer
h,ilt stronger and safer, roads Wer
wider. straighter and better surfaced
traffic warnings were everywhere an
! MANY laws passed to curb ahls menac'
% PIT in spite of all these the 1884 cas-
1T lalty list shattered all past recote
for highway murder. Whose fauit
or it them rrpr, Na;thf
strons-ears good roads, warnings Nc
10 laws can keep an incompetent ass ifol
IS feeling like "bully" behind steerif
Wheel. He may be only mug In pus
an ,aee > dub at golf, bust at every
th;rg else even worm when his WI
nh cr.eks the whip, but put him behir
steering wheel and he becomes III
t. snorting savage with blood in his eye
An5 sooner or later, with some II
or nocent victims blood on his nahos'
The most careful driver N the Wof
in h.s M way Of finding out lust Whe
ID h,natic will beat traffic light wne
moron may come dashlng out 81
bv s;da street at so miles an hour Wne
eorne idiot may cut corners at tne =
,rt of a hill or some imbeclle tear ilieo ~
baad-on while passing from behind al
cd cher car. And when the poor so
ice doas find out what is going on II
nd too late to do much about II eAce
he send for the ambulance and shower
the remains
We Americans are suckers for spec
Modern advertising about fast cars D
conc ~ our noodles" The fellow WI
lle hits IN a mere fifty miles an hour
=. oalled sissy We cuss and SEQ
!. when another car passes US We no'
ei1e even stop for railroad trains OF stIe
up carsl And the end Of the road IS OF.
a.; o. the end of the speedster. Some Wil =
IL killing anyone to save three secoll
~ and then sit around for three not
80 80 wondering what to do with themseiv
1n Some who drive cars are SO uuI
~ thew should have been born tWn
Va a. They can't get it through their "
" haadsp that any car will kill or nj
LIZ somebody if it hits another car, ra
g.. road train or telegraph pole, ev
- - while going only Is miles an hour J.
owe when you hit something while go'
he So 60 or 10 miles an hour there IS OF
nor one thing left to- do-scrub up
of grease spots
,;J Then we have another army
ice Grave diggers" who drive as thou
e &C. thew didn't know that there arc
on 100000 other cars uueNo' = -,
any on the roads. lhey pun ". -.o- -
are without warning; turn corners az
ling miles an hour, stop seiuue1ny =.
and -----------------