The Daily Banner, Greencastle, Putnam County, 16 October 1968 — Page 1

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INDIANA STATE UIBRART INDIANAPOLIS. INDIANA

Burnt toast or quarreling wife can cause high traffic death rate

By Stephen A. Franzmeier ‘Special to the Banner’ The breakfast argument could have started with burned toast, a grumpy husband, a frumpy wife. In any event, as Dr. Frederick L. McGuire, a Los Angeles psychologist, tells the story, the husband fled in his car with his wife in hot pursuit in hers. She caught him at an intersection and rammed his car. Then she backed off several times and rammed the car again and again, as if she was competing in a demolition derby. The terrified husband finally escaped his crumpled vehicle and ran down the street. But his loving wife sped after him and chased him up onto the sidewalk where she tried to drive over him. This woman was emotionally disturbed. So are millions of other “normal” drivers every day as a result of personal experiences on or off the highway. These drivers currently are being exposed for their complicity in the death of 1,000 people

a week on U. S. highways. A recent survey quotes authorities who estimate that up to 80 per cent of traffic accidents are caused mainly by the emotional conditions of drivers. People even commit suicide with their cars, says J. Stannard Baker of the Traffic Institute of Northwestern University. Baker wrote the first textbook on traffic accident investigation and has investigated thousands of fatal accidents. He estimates that five per cent of traffic fatalities (2,655 people in 1967) are suicides or victims of suicide drivers. Exactly the same estimate was made, independently, by Dr. Rob. ert Litman of the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center. He has interviewed thousands of suicidal drivers. Motor vehicle suicide rarely is mentioned publicly because few traffic officers know enough about engineering and physics to distinguish a suicide crash from an accidental crash, the Northwestern National Life survey found.

National attention was focused on emotional causes of traffic accidents by the Second Annual Traffic Safety Research Symposium. A third Symposium is scheduled for January 27 to 29, 1969, in Chicago. The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1968 requires states to evaluate drivers suspected of emotional instability. Driver licenses could be denied unfit applicants. A driver’s emotions.-anger, depression, fear, elation and others-impair his perception and delay or block his reactions. He may look directly at a stop light, then drive through it, or fail to see a car merging with his traffic lane. Emotion is a drug. It inhibits the brain’s decision-making and risk-taking processes. Drugged by anger, a driver bent on revenge will take risks a Grand Prix racing champion avoids, Dr. Ward Edwards, University of Michigan psychologist, found. One California driver whose judgment was paralyzed by emotion aimed his car for a head-

on collision. Everyone but him, in both cars, was killed. Why did he do it? “I wanted to teach the $+$ to dim his lights when he sees a car coming toward him,” he said from his hospital bed. Drivers arrogantly seize the right-of-way by using the threat of collision as a weapon; their cars explode from crosswalks, bumper to bumper with challengers, trailing a blue haze of vaporized rubber and exhaust fumes; and they leapfrog from lane to lane, white-knuckled, hunched over the steering wheel, for the sake of two or three carlengths advantage. What makes people act this way? “Normal individuals” under stress usually are antagonistic, impulsive and openly aggressive; despondent; or absorbed in their problems, reports the American Medical Association’s Committee on Automotive Injuries and Deaths. Near Los Angeles recently, a 30.year.old man whose girl friend

jilted him tried to sideswipe a car, screaming at the driver, “What's the matter-are you afraid to die?” The car lunged into the opposing lane. Traffic parted and flowed past the car like water around a ship’s bow, until the head-on collision. The driver of the other car died. In the hospital the jilted lover, broken jaw supported by wires, scribbled on a scratch pad, “Let me die.” The assertion that suicide accidents occur is supported by Dr. John F. Edlund of the University of Missouri School of Medi. cine. Four drivers in 11 fatal Kansas City accidents that he studied had histories of suicidal threats and attempts; and three drivers threatened suicide short, ly before their fatal accidents. Forty patients who attempted suicide or homicide, or both, by auto were discovered by Dr. John M. MacDonald, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

In a five-year study supported by theU.S. Public Health Service, Dr. Alfred E. Moseley of Harvard Medical School found that in 14 of 124 fatal accidents selected at random evidence pointed to suicide or attempted suicide by automobile. What can be done to reduce the number of lives lost to emotion? A promising option is being tested by two University of Michigan professors. Dr. Donald C. Pelz and Dr. Stanley H. Schuman have prepared a series of twominute film clips that depict emo-tion-charged driving or predriving situations. These “trigger films,” produced by the University’s Television Center, are shown to groups of normal young adults who might find themselves under temporary stress. The films “trigger” discussion of safe ways to handle emotion. Discussion leaders ask for alternative reactions. Instead of accepting a challenge to race, a driver COULD accelerate for an instant, then leave his errant

opponent to speed off into the sunset, alone. Drs. Pelz and Schuman feel it’s pointless to tell an angry person to walk instead of drive. But, they believe, you can help him realize how to drive more safely despite the temporary handicap of anger or another emotion. The films help drivers make deliberate choices instead of blind ones. A split second delay could be the difference between life and death. A nationwide safety communications campaign with the same goals as the Pelz-Schuman films, and employing tried and proven principles of mass persuasion, could reduce highway fatalities. So could the Federal Highway Administration’s requirement for psychological certification of drivers. Drivers suspected of being emotionally unqualified already are given special attention by the California, Oregon and Washing, ton departments of motor vehicles, and by the courts in Chicago, Detroit and Cincinnati.

The Daily Banner

It Waves For AH

VOLUME SEVENTY-SIX

GREENCASTLE, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1968

IOC Per Copy UPI News Service

No. 297

GOP Rally around Ruck’

They all came to hear Ruckelshaus.

Party workers serve at GOP rally.

Ruckelshaus keeps rapid pace

Political campaign no game for tired candidate

Three Greencastle men in fair condition

by SHAUN HIGGINS AND DENNIS ABELL A candidate for senator does not lead an easy life. Everyday is strenous and filled with speeches endorsing local candidates and attacking opponent’s points of view. Such is the case with Bill Ruckelshaus, Republican Candidate for the United States senate in Indiana. Yesterday alone Ruckelshaus spoke in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Crawfordsville, Lafayette and Greencastle. Everywhere the format is the same. Introducing local candidates, such as Indiana representative for Clay and Putnam counties, John J. Thomas, and presenting his views on Indiana and the Senate.

Ruckelshaus introduced Spiro Agnew at a dinner in Indianapolis and then went to Purdue University to speak to students. Property tax deadline nearing Roland Lane, Putnam County treasurer reminded county taxpayers today that the Nov. 4th deadline for paying the second installment of personal property taxes Is only three weeks away. He said his office will be closed after Nov. 4 until Nov. 18 and that a penalty of eight per cent of the required tax will be collected for those who fail to meet the deadline.

IBM employees rank first in county

At Wabash and DePauw he fielded student’s questions and addressed major rallies, where he was guest of honor. The candidate himself says he puts in an 18 to 20 hour day and has been working at the job for nine months, five, six and even seven days a week. Accompanied on some of his trips by his wife, Jill, Ruckelssaus stomps the state looking for support in his uphill battle against incumbent Birch Bayh. Campaigning for senator is no easy job, but Bill Ruckelshaus has a store of energy which never seems depleted. Telling jokes and attacking his opponent’s record in the Senate the Republican candidate moves from city to city, always ready to shake hands with the voters and answer questions from interested youth. The traditional “showboat” hats decorated the heads of Continued on Page 7

Three Greencastle men are listed in fair condition today at Robert Long Hospital in Indianapolis following an early morning single auto crash north on Ind. 43. Identified by State Police as being involved in the accident Richard Layman, R.R. 4, Greencastle, Richard A. Wood, 312 Elm Street and Timothy Baynard, 600 Apple Street. All suffered from lacerations. Police said the three men were in a 1967 Camaro when the auto went out of control and crashed into four different trees. Police reported the auto was

Weather watcher Mostly sunny today. Fair tonight, partly cloudy Thursday and continued warm. Chance of showers Thursday. High today 82 to 86. Low tonight 60 to 66. High Thursday mid 80s. Precipitation probability 5 per cent today, 10 tonight, 30 Thursday.

traveling a t a high rate of speed when the 3 a.m. accident occurred four miles north of Greencastle. The auto was estimated as a total loss. It now rests in a trailer. The damaged auto was owned by Layman. Police first listed Layman and Wood in serious condition. The hospital later reported all three men were in fair condition. Postal rates increase this Saturday Postmaster C.T. Albin reminded postal customers today that higher parcel post and catalog rates will go into effect Saturday Oct. 19th. The rate increase will average 10.5 per cent and in most cases will mean an additional ten cents postage per parcel. The higher rates were approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission in July. Under the new rates the miniContinued on Page 7

Mrs. Shirley Tresner, IBM Club President and Mr. C.W. Grabowski, Personnel Manager at the International Business Machines Corporation in Greencastle, were presented on behalf of the employees, the UJS. Treasury Department’s special awards citation yesterday. The Citation was awarded in recognition of the outstanding achievement of attaining over 60 percent participation of employees in the payroll savings plan for U.S. Savings Bonds and the new Freedom Shares. Of the total number of employ, ees at the Greencastle plant who are participating in the plan, there are 117 new savers with 67 employees increasing their Savings Bonds allotments. The presentation of the special citation was made by Ward Mayhall, Putnam County Savings Bonds Chairman. A.V. Boutwell, Treasury Department representative and Area Manager, attended the cere-

monies at the Greencastle plant. Mayhall pointed out that over 56 percent of Putnam County’s 1968 goal had been attained at the end of August. Further commendation was paid to the employees at IBM Corporation by Mr. Mayhall for their high percentage of participation and being the highest in participation of Payroll Savings units in Putnam County. The IBM Club Committeemen at the Greencastle plant also received a Treasury Department citation for their outstanding volunteer service tothe U.S. Savings Bonds program. Mrs. Tresner emphasized that the results attained at the local organization was a tribute to the interest and cooperative efforts of all IBM Corporation employees and their desire to participate in the U.S. Savings Bonds-Freedom Shares program. The presentation ceremony was held in the Lobby of the local plant.

WINS AWARD-From left are Ward Mayhall, county chairman, Mrs. Shirley Treasner,

IBM club president and Chet Grabowski, IBM personnel manager.

TB tests continue in schools Putnam County school children are receiving tuberculin skin tests during the month of October from Putnam County school nurses, Mrs. Carroll Hammond R.N., Greencastle; Mrs. Ralph Bee R.N., North Putnam; Mrs. William Hurst R.N. South Putnam; Mrs. Virginia Myers R.N., Cloverdale. Mrs. Peggy Saucerman R.N. Putnam County Health nurse has been assisting with the testing at Cloverdale School. The program of case finding through tuberculin skin testing of all school children is one of the programs sponsored by the Putnam County Tuberculosis Association and is supported by Christmas Seal funds contributed by citizens of Greencastle and Putnam County. Some other programs which Christmas Seal funds pay for include, education to help people protect themselves from tuberculosis and other respiratory disease...rehabilitation for Putnam County patients... and to provide research funds for better drugs and a vaccine. House number anyone? Does your husband have trouble finding your house after dark? Are you lonely at night because friends cannot find your house ? Does your soft-water man install your tank in the wrong house ? Does your friendly pizza man deliver your pizza to the family Continued on Page 7 Youth struck by car Brian Jent, 5, of 613 S. Jackson was struck by a car at 12:55 p.m. yesterday at the corner of Olive and North College streets. Driver of the auto was Mrs. Don York of N. College. The boy reportedly ran from the sidewalk into the path of the auto. No charges were filed. Jent was taken to the Putnam County hospital with head lacerations.

by SHAUN HIGGINS Banner Staff Reporter Republican Senatorial candidate William Ruckelshaus addressed a capacity audience of over 600 persons at a rally at Putnam County Fairgrounds last night. Ruckelshaus addressed the group on the topics of law and order, Vietnam, and the nation’s economy. Ruckelshaus told the Republicans that, “It’s time we stopped playing politics with our men in Vietnam.” “Everyone wants peace,” he said, “but how are we going to achieve it.” We shouldn’t be reccomending stopping the bombing. Whether our policy is right o r wrong, we have to protect those men we’ve sent over there.” In referring to crime Ruckelshaus pointed out that there were more troops in Chicago during the Democratic convention than the United States had in Vietnam four years ago. “We need a re-affirmation of the principle that an individual will be held responsible for his

own acts,” the young candidate said. “We won’t stop lawlessness by tying the hands of the police,” he told the audience. “When an individual in this country does something wrong he has to expect punishment.” Ruckelshaus spoke on the economy and attacked his Democratic opponent, incumbent Birch Bayh, by saying the senator was voting on extended appropriations while advocating fiscal cutbacks. Ruckelshaus finds such views inconsistent and misleading. The candidate said priorities must be established in government spending. Speaking on foreign aid Ruckelshaus said, “I think we should solve the problems of America before we attempt to solve the problems of the world.” “Before I spent $18 million on highway beautification in Indiana, I’d construct the highways,” he told his listeners. Ruckelshaus also attacked Bayh’s stand on federal farm supports. He said Bayh voted against a bill in 1965 which was Continued on Page 2

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VIETNAM BOUND - Members of the Putnam County chapter of the American Red Cross assemble ditty bags which were mailed to California yesterday enroute to servicemen in Vietnam. The bags, 200 of them from this county, contained items such as shaving cream and tooth brushes. From left are Mrs. Richard Beams, Margaret P. Nelson, local director, and Mrs. Kenneth Knower. Thousands of similar bags were sent out from central Indiana to the service men. -The BANNER Photo, Dennis Abell.