Evening star., 1937-07-22
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL,

Dear Sir: o would that some power
give me the facile and trenchant pen
you possess! If so blessed would i'm
mediately sit down and pen scathing
denunciation of those many unmannerly
drivers who plague our city streets. But,
lacking such a gift, I must perforce
express my thoughts to you and ask
you will you not be SO kind as to pen
such missiVe for me.
''If you will not do that, then, through
the medium of your column, won't you
at least write a mild reproachment Of
that porkish slice of humanity that sits
behind the wheel of motor cars and
insists on usurping the civil human
rights of others?
The other day I tried to cross the
street and l started when the light was
green. But before got halfway across,
here comes one of those motorized hu-
man devils around the turn and removes
from me, almost, the last remaining
vestige OF a Waistcoat 1 possess. Not a
sign Of a horn, bell, or a peep.
Where, 0 where are those drivers of
yeSteryear who signed the safe driving
pledges and promised to love, honor and
sometimes obey the rights of the passing
pedestrian and other motorists?
They. like other good things, seem to
have drifted to the realm of forgotten
things.
Il often wonder how these same mo-
tOriStS would act if they were to meet
in the drawing room. Would they each
try to knock the other over as they
ho ~
the house?
And, if SO doing, they failed to get
complete possession of the chair, would
one OF them sit on one arm of the chair
and the other on the other both refuS-
ing to bulge, just as they do downtown
graphing for a parking space? Is that
what they would DO? 1t is only safe
TO assume that they would
But if they wouldn't, what is it that
changes the perfect gentleman in the
drawing room to Cutting hog the
moment he gets behind the wheel of his
motor car? Perhaps you can put the
readers Alright on that peculiar quirk of
human nature; I have, with my limited
mind, given up trying to fathom it.
However, the point I wish to make
is this: Won't you call the attention
OF these inSolent drivers to the true
situation that now exists? Some of US
are inherently mean, but great many
Of uS-1 like to think a great many Of
uS-merely do these diScourteous acts
because we do not realize We are doing
them, and little jogging Of the mind
would, to this group result in a decided
amehOration Of conditions. So if YOU
can see fit TO call the matter to public
notice you will be rendering a great
public service, and Of that there need
be no doubt. We need courtesy badly.
Ever your interested reader, J. D. A"
Thanks, Mr. A, but we don't believe
it would do any good. We have been
trying to jog them for years. A great
many people have tried. The lists of
dead and dying mount daily all over the
Nation. Thousands of persons have been
engaged in the business Of mind jogging,
in regard to national safety, and the
results are pretty discouraging.
The people who are careful, anyway,
read and applaud, and the careless and
the indifferent either can't or don't read,
or, if they do forget all they have read
the next second.
On April 10 last this column printed
dissertation on the subject. BE More
Careful!' 1t was one of the best articles
ever written on the subject, We do be-