Evening star., 1939-02-25
200 Boy Scouts .
Help Pedestrian
Control Work
Youths Aid Police
At Dangerous
intersections

About 200 Boy Scouts took their
stand on District street corners thisf
morning to aid police in educating
the public to the new pedestrian
protection laws.
The boys were stationed on 20
dangerous downtown intersections
and on corners in outlying sections
Of the city. The first shift began at
10 am. and was scheduled to work
until 2 pm, when new shift was to
report.
The boys in the downtown section
reported their efforts to help control
pedestrian traffic were successful. :,
Most pedestrians. the Scouts said.
responded cheerfully when warned
that they were violating the new
regulations. The Scouts we're cau-
toned not to use whistle unless
they are instructed to do so by the
police officers, should the latter be
called away from their posts in an
emergency.
Maj. Brown Talks to Boys.
While the majority of 200 Scouts
reported to the city's various police
precinct stations for final instruc-E
tlons this morning. over Is attended
a meeting at police headquarters
where they heard short addresses
by Police Supt Maj Ernest w.
Brown, Washington I. Cleveland,
manager of the District Automobile
Club; Linn c. Drake, Scout execu-
tive, and other Scout officials.
Scouts will caution citizens who
fail to obey traffic laws, Mai. Brown
told the Scouts this morning. He
said their task would not be the
regulation of motor traffic but,
rather, to assist police in educating
pedestrians to obey the law.
1T is great opportunity to have
this addition to our personnel in
our educational program. The Bow
Scouts are held in high esteem and
are we'll fitted for their job While
their motto is to do good turn
daily, on this assignment they will
probably have occasion 10 do many
good deeds today.
Mr.. Drake urged the Scouts to
cooperate to the utmost with the
police during the educational CAM
palgn. William Armstrong. Scout
field commissioner for health and
safety, is in charge of the volun-
teers.
Don't Watch Signals.
Smallest Scout found in the down.
| town section was Marvin Marks,
l3, of 321 Emerson street NV. The
boy was stationed at Twelfth and
F streets N.W.-one of the worst
intersections-and was busy holding
back pedestrians who had difficulty
in understanding the rather COM
| plicated light system at the corner.
The trouble here is" the boy said,
THAT people don't watch the walk
signal. When they see the through
arrow and the right turn arrow.
they begin to walk, when they really
should wait until the right turn
arrow has gone off and the walk
signal has come on. When I tell
them about it, they say that they
hadn't noticed the walk signal"
| Police in the downtown sectior~
said that pedestrians showed wiling
ness in most cases to heed the
Scouts warnings. They said that.
OF course, the boys were not trained
to handle crowds, but that they were
of assistance in educating the
pedestrians.
Sound Truck on Duty.
The Star-N. B. c. sound truck,
which has been engaged in the work
of cautioning downtown throngs
against disobeying traffic signals
was to be at Fourteenth and Fl
streets NV. from HAS am. to AS
pm. today with Bill Coyle, The
Stars radio director, at the micro
phone
Between 1:3O and 1:45 pm. Mr..
Coyle was to go on the air over
WMAL.
Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzer visited Eleventh and G streets
yesterday afternoon to check op
progress of the Police Department.
safety education program, and was
interviewed over WMAL at 4:3O
o'clock by N. B. C.. Announcer Lee
Everett.
Mr.. Van Duzer expressed complete
satisfaction with the manner in
which both pedestrians and motor
lists were cooperating with police
officers. He lauded particularly in
creased respect Of drivers for those
walking across intersections since
approval of pedestrian control regu-
lations.
When Mr.. Everett called the traf->
nc directors attention to vehicle
which had stopped in the process of
making right-hand turn to permit
pedestrians to cross while the light
for them, too, was green, Mr.. Van
Duzer commented, Many drivers
used to plow through without even
sounding horn"
Police Note Changes.
Following the brief interview, the
mikeman touched the other three
corners of the intersection, and
listeners both to the broadcast and
ampliflers of The Star-N. B. G.
sound truck stationed at the corner
heard policemen reiterate the testi-
mony Of the traffic director that
Washingtonians were proving them
self willing pupils.
occasionally little girl will run
out into the street against the light"
said one officer. but she'll see us
and her face will get red and she'll
60 back to the curb"
When the l5-minute period on the
air had run its course, Mr.. Everett
discarded his pack transmitter and
stationed himself beside the sound
truck, where he remained until
O'Clock, reminding the crowds beri riel
on homes and dinners that the few
seconds consumed in waiting for
the lights to change might save a
| 1iy,oh 4