MODERN KILLER HOLDS STEERING WHEEL Herods Slaughter of Innocents Was Nothing Compared to Cars of Today By BOB CONSIDINE NEW YORK (INS) (Editors note The National Safety Council reports that more than 600 Americans lost their lives in traffic accidents over the Christmas weekend. It estimates that some 420 more will die the same way during the New Years weekend. Here, a famed reporter and columnist, asks all of us to take stock of the horrible carnage on Americas highways and to do something to prevent the National Safety Council prediction from coming true.) Then Herod, perceiving that he was deluded by the Wise Men, was exceedingly angry, and ordered killed all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all the borders thereof . . . Matth. 2.1318. When it comes to the Slaughter of the Innocents, Herod was a crude amateur compared to the American motorist. Herods men went by foot or springless chariot, needed many swings of their twoedged swords, probably had to take some punches from outraged relatives of the victims. Not our slaughterer! He prowls about behind the protective armor of a heavy steel envelope powered by the equivalent of upwards of 150 horses. He doesnt need a second swing with his 20th Century version of a Herod sword. He can wipe out an entire family of innocents while speeding at a rate which would cause Herod to faint from fright. The modern slaughterer goes Herods troops one better. He generally makes the slaughter complete by killing himself, too. The grisly death rate of innocents and slaughterers exceeded 600 over the Christmas weekend. Death, whose shroud and cackle now are as much a part of the holiday season as Santa and his stomachy chuckle, asks you a question on the brink of the next scheduled Slaughter of the Innocents. With the knowing leer of a TV quiz master, Death asks Want to try for 700? Well, do you? Its the easiest quiz on the air or on the road. You can get the answer the grave, disfigurement, lost time and money by beating a traffic light, taking a long chance to save a short time, taking just one more for the road, insisting you can drive with a snootful, venturing out on icy roads when you could stay put, driving though inattentive or exhausted, etc. etc. etc. etc. Heres a far from complete list of experiences the dead of the New Year weekend will miss as victims of a national disease that surpasses in utter horror most of the great maladies Mr. Eisenhowers decision on whether or not he is going to run . . .the campaigns for the presidency of the United States. . . The outcome of the great crusade for world peace . . . The 1956 Olympics . . . The baseball races and World Series . . . The true dawn of atomic energy and the advance of the commercial jets . . . The spread of color TV . . . The daily miracle of opening your newspaper and seeing the whole world and what its people are doing spread before you. And love . . . children . . .church . . . friends . . . fun . . . fame . . . food . . . Jackie Gleason... a steak ... a cold beer ... a good nights sleep . . .More Americans were killed for preposterously small reason last weekend than laid down their lives for the United States Navy in the Revolutionary War (342) or the War of 1812 (265) or the Mexican War (1). Imagine! More people winding up bashed against trees, without cause, than died in the creation of much of our history. John Paul Jones lost fewer men commanding the Bon Homme Richard and beating Britains Serapis off Flamborough Head, and putting into our heritage the likes of, surrender? I havent even begun to fight! Benedict Arnold, of all people, won a Navy staying action on Lake Champlain that saved Washingtons Army. Degrasse, with American aboard, beat Adms. Howe and Graves. Cornwallis had to give up at Yorktown. Arnold and Degrasse suffered fewer casualties than the New Jersey Turnpike. In the War of 1812 the Constitution, then the United States, then the Constitution again whipped the Guerriere Macedonia and Java in vital battles. Freeways cost us more in 24 hours. When Lawrence was wounded aboard the Chesapeake and was being taken to Halifax aboard the Shannon, in his delirium he repeated, Dont give up the ship! But modern Americans give up more than that. Perrys victory in Lake Erie drove the British from the Detroit area, ended the chances of an Indian state under British patronage. MacDonoughs triumphs over Sir George Prevost, achieved at a cost of perhaps an hours U. S. auto travel New Years Eve, more or less created the Canadian border as we know it today. Organist! Play Adeste Fidelis for those now living wholl never know another Christmas.