"SIGNS" OF DISTRESS

BE A REAL DRIVER ALERT STEADY FAIR

From 1927 to 1931 the number of motor vehicles of all types involved in fatal accidents increased 32 per cent according to "Accident Facts," the annual summary of our national experience just published by the National Safety Council.

In the same four year period private passenger cars involved in fatal accidents have increased 50 per cent, although registrations have gone up only about 11 per cent.

The number of trucks involved in fatal accidents in this period has been reduced 7 per cent. But accident fatalities have been reduced 12 per cent while taxicab deaths have been cut 35 per cent.

Why is the commercial driver a safer man than the private car driver?

There are too many private car drivers who seem to consider each piece of highway a private race course; too many who are always thinking of their own rights; and too many who are plainly ignorant One of the simplest rules of the road. If the private car operator could be trained and controlled as are commercial drivers our national traffic death and injury toll would be reduced quickly.

Among the cardinal virtues needed by the motorist who would drive with safety, according to Sidney J. Williams, public safety director of the National Safety Council, should be listed alertness, a nicely balanced sense of confidence, and an appreciation of highway etiquette.

Confidence goes hand in hand with alertness, he says. It should be pitched to just the right degree. Too much confidence leads to disaster and too little means a dangerous timidity. Timid drivers slow up or stop at intersections when they should go ahead, which is just about as bad as going ahead when they should stop. To drive in heavy traffic requires a steady hand and an alert brain.

"Driving a car, says Williams, "is practical exercise in the application of the Golden Rule. Assuming that you know how to drive for no amount of good intentions will replace necessary knowledge and skill the rest can be summed up very simply. Just consider the other driver and the pedestrian, and behave toward him as you would like to have him act toward you if your positions were revealed. If a motorist will do that, he will be a safe driver."

By M. G. HOLT, Sign Foreman Did you ever stop to think how some of our rights of way must look to the tourist who comes to Arizona to enjoy the "World's Wonderland?" What an inspiration it must be to see all manner of rubbish-tire beads, toilet seats, and tin cans on our rights of way and actually hanging on our signposts. I have photographs to prove it.

You ask: Why do we tolerate commercial signs being supported by our signposts and fastened to our signs? Because the public, so far, has failed to give us any co-operation.

And have you noticed the condition of some of our signs? Terrible, are they not? Whose fault is it? I wish I knew. Evidently the public is so childish it thinks Santa Claus gives us the signs every Christmas.

Have you seen the two damaged signs on display in the basement of the Highway Department Building? Look them over. The taxpayers bought them, and some joker, in order to have some "fun"well, go and see them. Then ask Mr.

Road Building Program Will Encourage Business

Washington, August 15.Beginning a program of public works with increased road building as an essential part will serve as a "spark plug" to start business activities on the upgrade through the attendant stimulation of public buying. This belief was expressed by T. H. Cutler, president of the American Road Builders' Association, in discussing present business needs.

"Business recovery is dependent on the general resumption of trade, which will come about most quickly through increasing the purchasing power of the general public," Mr. Cutler declared. "With 10,000,000 people unemployed, according to newspaper reorts, and a general curtailment of sending through fear of further losses or plain lack of money, a bold move is needed to start things off. Otherwise if renewed business activity is left to some chance happening, the turn for the better may be postponed for an indefinite period.

"Public works construction, especially highway building, offers the brightest promise of an immediate stimulation of business without a counterbalancing production of goods and commodities for a market that appears to be glutted, as judged by commodity prices.

"The public works program recommended by the American Society of Civil Engineers is based on average estimates for the past six years, which show a comparatively constant volume of public construction amounting to $3,000,000,000 annually. Present indications, according to the society, are that in 1932 public construction will not exceed $1,500,000,000, about onehalf normal.

"The train of increased employment reaching back through many communities and many industries that will be started by a public works program is bound to have a beneficial effect on business," Mr. Cutler concluded.

Miller or Mr. Murray what the signs cost and it will set you thinking.

Let us have your co-operation; let us all assist and be on the lookout for the jug heads who are damaging and destroying these signs-the morons who are heaping the burden of replacement costs upon us. Then we can erect a sign and know that it will receive the proper attention, proper maintenance, and remain in good condition until destroyed by time and the elements,