The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-10-09

Some indication of the with which the United
saes government viewing the nations traffic problem
revealed IN the names of speakers who this week
addressing the National Safety Congress assembled in
Chicago
Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox is the guest speaker
at the annual banquet which is being held this evening in
the ballroom OF the Stevens hotel His audience will
Der nearly 1000 and his address will be broadcast
to-coast network of the National Broadcastng company
In addition to Secretary Knox other headline
at the will be B. c. Heacock chairman of
board OF Caterpillar Tractor and assistant the
undersecretary of IT, Senator Alexander Wiley
Wisconsin member of the senate naval affairs committee
T. Girdler chairman of the board of Republic Steel
poration; Rear Admiral r. Waesche commandment of
T. s. coast guard and Leland Odds chairman the federal
power commission.
this time in problem which constitutes violent
brake the national defense program does the traffic
concerned with the bombngs of the British Isles After ALL
our traffic loss in 1940 greater than Engand bombing
losses we killed $4,000 our highways while she lost
but $4,000 as the direct result of Nazi bombings.
Those figures enough why the federal
ment is taking hand at improving condition which seems
to be steadily growing But let take look at the
dollars and cents loss which be cassed only waste
We viii have to use the 1889 figures to prove our
point because later figures not yet available Two
years ago land il is undoubtedly this year, the
National Safety Council charges direct costs against
motor vehicle accidents amounting to s1,5OO,OOO00O
OF at least not the writer visualize
how much real money that figure represents but
make it little something when know that would
build and for 231 bridges just like the Narrows bridge
Tacoma had for brief while remember?
In the traffic problem Uncle Sam another leak in
the National Defense program the loss of hours of
work the result of accidents which put valuable trained
mechanics hospital beds instead of factories where they
belong.
After all, there's just much money available and when
we spend for thing don't have it to spend for
other and and individuals going to find that
out when begin paying the tax bill which already has
it.
The government feels and rightly so, that the
$1,500,OO0,000 which the American motorists waste
every paying their accident bills will build a lot
Of airplanes and tanks and IL you and are half
smart well do everything in power to see that II
does
No is silly enough believe that the day will
when ALL automobile accidents will be eliminated
but it is not asking much of intelligent people to cut
the present accident bill right in half.
1t can be done by less speed and and it can't
be done any other way 1t individual problem your
problem and mine, and only be solved when you and
decide to solve it.
For some strange reason, the American motorist
has accepted the traffic problem his personal
responsibility and going to get anywhere
until he does 1t is the high hilltop" attitude Of
the behind the wheel which makes progress
difficult.
The things going this year will be the worst in
our history will kill more people and waste more
trying to put things back the they than
during single since the automobile into being
No wonder Uncle Sam has his to the safety key
hole he needs all the lives and all the dollars he get
his hands put his National Defense program and
the solution of the traffic problem will pay really worthwhile
dividends