Evening star., 1939-08-12

IN The Star opposing the current drive
directed toward pedestrians, 1 am re-
minded OF similar drive in the city In
which lived some time ago. I. too re-
sented what we called nuisance tickets"
put can see now that was wrong.
am glad that the drive kept on. wear
after year. for within six or eight wears
the city changed from one which had
been listed as having the greatest num-
Der OF traffic fatalities per capita to one
with the least
The drive of which I speak started
Win education of the pedestrians. We
were not only promptly sent back to the
curb II we started against a signal, but
we also had the ghost car" radio
patrol which would broadcast such
courteous warnings as will the lady in
the green dress please return to the curb
and wait for the signal?" If you han
pened to be the lady in the green dress
you scampered back to the curb and
melted in the crowd as quickly as DOS
slole, but you were more careful the next
time. All in all it was accepted with
good humor and few were peeved
A campaign was next launched in the
schools. Children were taught to look
Doth ways before crossing a street, never
TO Jaywalk and at all times to obey
trafhc signals. Tunnels were constructed
under all wide boulevards or DANGEROUS
school crossings and the children COM
PEELED to use them.
A Junior police force was then organ
lied. Reliable school children were an
pointed junior police to serve at school
crossings. While these children did not
nave authority to make arrests. anv
motorlst who failed to stop on their sig
nal was Immediately arrested when his
license number was reported to the
ponce. A physician in one of the largest
cities OF the Northwest paid a fine of s25
Tor failure to stop at the command of q
junior policeman. venture to predict
that this organization, under the strict
supervision Of the local police, will, in the
future, rank with the Boy Scouts in
point OF trustworthiness and character
building.
The drive then turned to the motorists.
Tickets were given for the slightest traf-
nc violations. This was to make the
public trafic-conscious, and it certainly
did. Since drive a great deal received
four: First, for failing to come to
dead STOP at boulevard stop sign;
second, driving 80 miles an hour in a 25-
mile zone; third, parking before o'clock
in restricted parking area; fourth, be-
heve it or not, was one of 125 in one
day to receive a ticket for straddline q
button. After a few hundred received
tickets for this offense it was realized
that the button should never have been
IN that particular spot in the first place.
and 1t was moved.
To those who resent this drive and
others that may follow should like to
say, be a good sport and help. don't
hinder the police. They don't relish the
job. But if they stick with it, and I pray
they will, your own child may be saved
IN the future.
Wnen person says that pedestrian
control lis an arbitrary and selfish act
designed to deprive citizens of exercis-
Ing their own judgment as to when and
wnere IT Is safe to cross the streets" he
SIMPLY Goes not consider what wouo
happen II the same privilege were ac-
coroed the motorists, and each was to
disregard the red light and cross when
ana where he thought best. 1t is not
question OF personal liberty or personal
judgment, 1t is simply a question of
wnetner we are going to have order or
cnaos, safety or accidents and fatalities.
AUGUST 3. L. G. HARROD.