Evening star., 1943-09-07
Few Accidents Here
As District Observes
Quiet War Holiday

Government workers remained al
their jobs yesterday. and thousand.
of other Washingtonians stayed
home as the second Labor Day oil
the war passed almost unmarked
by holiday air.
Some of the District residents
who had a day off from their work
took advantage of the recent lift
ing of the pleasure driving ban and
motored to nearby beaches and re-
sorts.
An official of the American Auto
mobile Association reported that
travel on the roads over the holiday
week end was ION par with last
year" and that service work in ga
RACES and road service stations was
25 per cent heavier than last year.
All accommodations at resorts
within 200-mile radius of the Dis
trict were taken, he added.
The official attributed the "un-
limited driving" to the lifting of the
pleasure driving ban and said that
the increase in service was a result
of the storm Friday and Saturday,
plus the fact that cars which had
not been used for a long time be-
cause of the pleasure driving ban
were on the roads.
Buses and trains, however, were
little, If any more crowded than on
other week ends this summer. Trans
portation companies, totaling their
passengers for the Labor Day week
end, said the traffic was much re-
duced from the Labor Day crowds
of previous years.
- - Theater Business Off. -
Operators of theaters and other
indoor amusement places reported
that business failed by wide mar
gin to approach that of other La
Dor Days. This was expected, they
said, because closing in observance
Of the holiday was restricted largely
to Offices of the District government
and to banks and other establish
ments.
Railroad officials said the fact
that Government employees stayed
at their jobs kept passenger travel
out of Union Station at a normal
weekend level. There was some in
crease in the number of passen-
gers coming into and passing
through Washington, with most of
them servicemen on short furloughs,
the officials reported.
One bus company official said
that traffic to the beaches by bus
was lighter during the holiday week
end than on any week end in July
or August. He attributed this to
the lack of a holiday for Govern
ment employees, to the lifting of the
pleasure driving ban, and to wet
weather Friday and Saturday.
In the District parks and other
outdoor amusement spots played
host to moderate sized crowds, with
swimming pools popular because of
the 9o-degree heat.
No Traffic Deaths.
Although there were several acci-
dents, police reported that there
were no traffic fatalities over the
week end.
Mrs. Helen Thomas, 35, colored,
of 2518 Shows Court NV. was in
a fair condition today at Emergency
Hospital where she was admitted
after being struck by an automobile
last night in the 2400 block of Penn
sylvania avenue NV She is suf-
fering from a possible fracture of
both legs and lacerations.
According to police, Gunner's
Mate William T. Jordan, 20, of Rich
mond, Va, driver of the car which
struck the woman, has been a pa
tient at the Naval Hospital at Be-
thesda, Md. Police said the woman,
who was crossing the street, was
not in the crosswalk when she was
hit.
One OF four sailors who were
riding in the car with Jordan. Rob-
ert Zahw, 19, of New York, a hos
pital corps member, administered
first aid to the injured woman.
Child Hit by Auto.
Virginia Saul, 8, of 1902 Canal
road NV, suffered compound frac-
lures of the left arm and leg when
struck by an automobile in front of
her home. She was removed to
Georgetown Hospital, where her
condition today was said to be fair.
Police said no charges were
placed against Mary Ellen Swift,
25, Of Glen Echo Heights, Nd,
driver of the car which struck the
girl.
Late in the afternoon a Casualty
Hospital ambulance driven by Alloy
sius Smith, SO, colored, of 400 Fiji
teen and One-half street Sc, COL
lided with car driven by Joseph
l.. Moore, 1911 Fort Davis place
Sc. Neither driver was injured.