There’s quite a bit of data in this installment of Ed Ainsworth’s series on traffic in Los Angeles. If I had the time, I would track down population growth figures to see how successfully the Southern California Auto Club predicted the future. Alas, there are so many stories, and only one Larry Harnisch. I’ll leave it to my interested readers to see how the Auto Club did.
 
But here’s the interesting material that should resonate 70 years later:

"… Los Angeles, above all other cities, depends upon the automobile for its actual everyday traffic needs.

"This is what Automobile Club engineers say: That if the streetcars were to stop, life would go on about as usual. San Antonio –a city of a quarter of a million — has led the way by being the first major American city to abolish the streetcar in favor of buses.

"If the buses were to stop, there would be hardly a flurry.

"But if automobiles were to suddenly to cease to function, the whole economic and social structure would be disrupted."

And the jury is out in the trial of Police Capt. Earle Kynette in the Harry Raymond bombing … Stay tuned.

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