Milford chronicle., 1957-05-03
HOW no Kill FELLOW cITIzENS

HOW IL hlLL FELLOW CITIZENS
If you are planning to kill some of your
fellow citizens in an automobile in the near
future, or even if you are not planning to, it
would be wise to heed the following facts,
which have just been made available in
timely booklet on highway deaths in the
United States.
The record for 1856 is not very pretty
one. There were 10000 deaths on the high
ways of the United States last year, 2,200
more than in 1855.
There were 2,368,00O injuries in 1856,
100000 more than in 1866. There were 233,-
$50 pedestrian casualties in 1856, $3.50 more
than in 1866.
An interesting addition to the statistical
list is the fact that almost forty-two per cent
of the 10000 deaths in 1856 occurred on the
week-ends. And, it should be noted that
eighty per cent of the accidents occurred on
dry roads, in clear weather, and better than
four out of five of them resulted from driver
errors.
The worst time for automobile accidents,
figured in the hours of the day, is apparently
between four in the afternoon and eight in
the evening. This is the time when many
people are going home from work, perhaps
in hurry, and, later on, when they are go
ing out for the night. In these hours, about
twenty-five per cent of the deaths and injur-
les occurred in 1856.
If you are interested in the manner in
which people are killed on the highways, you
will be interested to know that last year,
more than $4,000 persons were killed in au-
tOmobile collisions. Only 10000 died in nom
collision accidents. Almost as many, 5000,
pedestrians were killed.
n Accidents involving automobiles and
fixed object accounted for 4,120 deaths and
those involving a train accounted for 1890
deaths. 1t is somewhat surprising to learn
that 480 deaths resulted from collisions be-
tween automobiles and hicvcleS
And, finally, injuries in 1856 scared to
1,686,000 from automobile collisions, while
a considerably smaller figure, 260,500 were
injured in non-collision accidents.
Some 225,000 pedestrians were injured
and 125,500 persons were injured in colliS-
ions involving automobiles and fixed OBJ
ject. Over $4,000 persons were injured in
accidents involving automobiles and bicycles,
and some z, 100 were injured as a result of
a collision between an automobile and train.
IKE CUTS HIS BUDGET
President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who
only short time ago was quoted as saying
he had recommended the best possible bud
get to Congress, has come up with way of
cutting appropriations by 1858, 100000.
Mr. Eisenhower reported to the house
recently that a re-study of his budget had
been made and while actual spending would
not be Slashed, the amount named above
could be curtailed from authorizations.
The question this raises in our minds is
if almost two billion dollars could have been
saved from the requested authorizations,
why was this not done before the budget was
presented to Congress. 1t seems to show that
executive departments and agencies, COM
piling their requests for the year, do not
shave their requests as closely as possible.
Democrats are criticizing the Presidents
latest move, and Republicans defending it,
t.,,4 1,osv, hn
evidence that Federal budgets are unfortu-
nately "liberally" compiled. There is a ten
dency among some of the departments to
ask for more funds than they actually need,
because they anticipate cuts and they are
attempting to take no chance on getting the
basic necessary minimum.
Also, since the system OF bookkeeping IN
the Federal Government was changed several
years ago, allowing the big departments to
carry over funds from year to year, these
departments have another weapon in their
fight to control their spending, rather than
allow Congress to control it all together. They
are able to use carryOver to increase ex-
penditures during the year when Congress
refuses to give them as much money as they
request.
Evidently the use of carry-over funds,
which has been so often attacked by Senator
Harry F. Byrd, (D-Va) figures in the latest
proposed cuts from the administration 1t
would be in the interest of the country if
the carry-over practice was eliminated. as
far as possible, and if the budget requests
were pruned with sharper knife in future
years.
Another angle to be considered in the lat
est Presidential action is the fact that re-
duction Of 81 1856, 100000 in authorizations
might clear the way for Congress to vote tax
reductions this year and might allow greater
tax relief than had been heretofore antici-
pated.