Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-08-08
Letters to The Star
Lessons Taught by Death
OF Mary Edna Robinson.
tn The Ehitor of The Star.

To the Editor of The Star:
1 wish to thank you and congratulate
you for publishing in Thursdays edition
the fairest and best report of the acci-
dent which caused the death Of my little
granddaughter Mary Edna Robinson.
Most of the reports left the inference
Of gross negligence on the part OF the
father and this coupled with the loss OF
their little treasure has added much to
their grief.
He did not send the children to make
the purchases, but left two OF them IN
the store with the manager as usual,
taking the smallest one with him. Inc
children stepped outside the store to
watch for his return from Twelfth street,
where he had parked his car before
making his purchases. He entered M
street going east and as that Is no
parking area, halted to have the pack
ages brought to him. Robert Alan
turned to tell the grocer to bring out
the packages and little Mary Edna. for
possibly the first time on such an occa-
sion. failed to wait for the man to go
across with her and her brother. AT
this moment the truck approached
across the Eleventh street car tracks.
Testimony at the coroners inquest
brought out the fact that she was
walking-not running-across the street,
eating from little package OF cakes.
Police pictures show that there were
10 feet of space between the parked
cars on the north side and the left side
of the truck which struck her. When
her father saw her start out. he called
to her. but evidently she did not hear
CT, HOWn a nOint
beside her fathers car so that he had
to run around the back of the truck
to get to her. 1t had been the invariable
custom for the children to cross the
street in company OF the manager.
friend of the father. feel that consid-
Grafton of these proven facts should be
sufrlcient to show any unprecedented per-
son that the father had exercised due
diligence In safeguarding the lives OF
his children and did not merit the In
ference of Major Brown that parents
were wholly responsible for the actions
of children under four years Of age. II
he Major Brown has been successful
in always knowing the whereabouts Of
all his children of that age. believe
he must be wonderful man.
Police are ordered to arrest speeders
at once, but OF the three accidents IN
vestigated on Thursday last at the
Morgue, not one of them was caused by
speed Evidently other elements enter
into this problem and I think one sug-
gestion might be worthy of at least
trial, i. e., instead of placing extra officers
on main arteries with orders to get
them" if they exceed the speed limit
one mile per hour, why not put more
men in the congested districts-men OF
courage and courtesy-courage enough to
get the big fish" and courtesy enough
toward all to inspire respect for law and
order? Drastic laws will not remedy the
situation, but proper education In regard
to safe driving will greatly help, in my
opinion.
AS a starting point in this process OF
education toward safe driving, suggest
Seventh street NE, the street on which
Mary Edna lived and where her life was
daily In danger had her parents not
striven diligently to teach her the danger
of crossing the street unaccompanied by
an adult or child large enough to
guide her.
Written by her sorrowing grandfather,
A. E. ROBINSON.