The Wilmington morning star., 1946-05-21
Fair Enough
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright, 1916 by King Features Syndicate,

BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright, 1916 by King Features Syndicate,
Inc.)
AS one of the best automobile drivers in
the world, with a record of about $50, 900
miles and perhaps more, i'll 25 years, includ-
ing many months Of dangerous going on glare
ice and snow, and no accidents nor even a
ticket, I speak with authority and sincerity in
favor of President Truman's effort to abate
the slaughter on our streets and highways.
Mr.. Truman said that when he was in the
senate and trying to do something about this,
more of our people had been killed in automo-
bile accidents than we had lost by enemy ac-
ton in all our wars from the French and
Indian down through the first World War.
Mrs. Clare Boothe Luce whose own daughter
was lost in this shambles, put it another
way in a little talk to the Presidents Highway
Safety Conference. She said that more than
480, 600 had been killed in the last Is years,
which would be almost the entire population
of Minneapolis at the last census.
That sort of shock treatment has failed for
years and years and 1 am convinced that the
best way to cut the casualties is to sentence
to jail or prison the drunken, the reckless, the
lazy, careless, stupid ard incompetent drivers,
who wantonly endanger others. They are ac-
tually minority as any average days eX-
perience proves. If you were to count the
number of cars encountered on such a day
and note how mary drivers were guilty Of
dangerous moves vol would find that the bad
actors are greatly outnumbrered by the care
full and competent.
Some drivers who are a menace to naviga-
ton take q Sinking pride in their renown
among their friends as wild drivers. They all
insist that they are fast but expert, but the
truth is that they are just reckless. Seldom
do more than 4o miles an hour on the open
road because I have had many experiences
with dogs, range cattle and razorbacks whose
cratic conduct can be anticipated only on
the assumption that they will suddenly be
there any instant, out of nowhere, and run
you into an %oncoraing car or vice versa or
turn you over. I Will say, too, that no matter
what the rubber industry tells you, those SYM
thetic tires fall apart al high speeds which
generate heat and pressure in warm weather.
/ had a new one which threw off a patch
of sidewall and tread as big as your hand
when l hit so for a few hundred yards to
pass a big freighter and when I went to take
it off it was so hot I had to use gloves.
Other drivers in Arizona this winter had
blown as many as four new synthetics under
conditions that would MOI have bothered good
rubber tires at all. We will have to get along
with synthetics for some time, but as long
as they are no better than they are today
it is wise to hold your car down to a speed
which allows you 10 keep control if a shoe
explodes.
So l am a timid driver, then? You bet
your life l am. In my years and miles on the
road I have seen many miracles of dumb luck
that averted horrible wrecks and surely no
fewer than 20 Of those killings that the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Luce mentioned. l have seen
so many smashes with human blood mingled
with shattered glass and crank-case oil and
dead and wounded caught in the wreckage or
stretched on the ground that l am always
willing to make the effort to stick my arm
out and give the right signal to the driver
behind or wave him through at a clear stretch
if he seems to be in a hurry. That is more
than many others can say. including some
drivers who otherwise may be considered
good. And it does take an effort, which I'M
doubtedly is the reason SO few drivers give
signs, and one Of the reasons for bad col
lisions.
l discovered long ago that if I took my
eyes off the road to turn to speak to someone
behind me or in the rear seat there was a
split-second of uncertain vision when I re-
turned my gaze ard, moreover. that a child
or a steer coulo just materialize while l was
not looking. So l look straight ahead and
never crive with my left hand hooked in the
little gutter or the roof but keep it on the
wheel where it belongs.
Yet, with all my caution or timidity, if you
"NI1 = AoNC io0 AHN~V
escapes. Three times this winter l was run
right off the road at night by drivers who
may have been smoking marijuana or drink
ing that awful high-octa.le wine that Is sold
in the roadside Jukes and bum saloons or. if
it comes to that, martins or good, nutritious
bourbon. If I hadn't been cautious or tlnld,
and instantly alert, we would have met head
on. On a few other occasions I have made the
other fellow do the dcdging because In so
manv ho1rs Of irving eve, the best of drivers
is bound to make a few MISTAKES.
Mr.. Truman and Maj Gen. PM Fleming,
the states should tighten up the licensing laws
To sav that the automobile is a dangerous
uoLo 1ke saving that fire burns. Yet We
let Sa'l people j drive cars rs who S1,s.l have I've esnn1a shed
regulations as fools and aranKard Is, people mj1d d VINO
nav nd causing accidents, brats of high-school
age 70 who think it is cute to play wrinkie-fender
q &c en- miles an hour, a:d old men and women
a. ~ reactions arc too slow for safety and
can't see or hear hall as well as any driver
should. ~ drive. If sbo,,1s