GREAT BRITAIN: Night Without Hoots

One of the brightest young men in the present British Government is dapper, self-confident Major Leslie Hore-Belisha. With a fine record as Financial Secretary to the Treasury under Neville Chamberlain, he was made Minister of Transport in June when Press and Government began worrying about the alarming number of fatal automobile accidents in Britain. During most of the summer they have averaged about 150 a week.

Minister Hore-Belisha installed many a new traffic light, many an extra safety island for pedestrians. Then he issued a clarion call to the public:

“I appeal to every woman in Britain to say to her husband or son every morning: ‘Be careful, come home alive!'”

Accessory manufacturers promptly appeared in the market with little picture frames to be screwed to automobile dashboards, ready to hold the picture of wife, mother, or sweetheart. The frames were inscribed: “Please Be Careful for My Sake.”

Lately Minister Hore-Belisha, who is a light sleeper, has turned his attention to the problem of what to do about motorists who insist on sounding their horns, or hooters, late at night. Last fortnight Leslie Hore-Belisha sent bobbies out on their beats with orders to warn all motorists who hooted their hooters between 11:30 p. m. and 7 a. m. within a radius of five miles of Charing Cross. Last week he sent them out to arrest. Magistrates were told that it will cost scofflaws just $10 a hoot.

“We recognize, of course,” said the Minister of Transport, “that at first some motorists may, in certain circumstances, sound their horns almost instinctively. … As a general rule however, if a pedestrian suddenly steps off the pavement in front of a car, the motorist must stop without sounding his horn.”

Fourth night of the new order Leslie Hore-Belisha spent driving up & down the streets of London with his ears pricked. He was delighted. Even taxi queues at the theatres were hootless. Home to a bath and breakfast, he announced to the Press that effective Sept. 16 the hootless night will be extended to all London and other urban areas throughout Britain. Explained he:

“I desire that the priceless boon of sleep and rest be conferred as quickly as possible on as many as possible, and that the sick in particular shall be freed from the torment of the motor horn at night. . . . The caution which a motorist instinctively displays when he no longer has recourse to his hooter is a contribution to the measure we are takingto increase public safety.”