The Washington herald., 1912-12-14
A Proerastinating Commissioner.

GU Can always Trust ule pCOpLS.
Tons and miles of fervid oratory
along this line have been thrown
broadcast over the land by not only
waivers of the Stars and Stripes, but
by real statesmen and patriots. 1t
sounds good, but to the practically
half a million people in the District it
is simply a joke, at least under our
present regime.
For two months, following a much
longer campaign two years ago, an eff
fort has been made to secure proper
traffic regulations for Washington. In
that period there have been many Sc
rious accidents. some fatal, a part of
which we believe might have been
averted had there been the right kind
of rules of the road in force.
Who is responsible? As far as The
Washington Herald knows, Commits
sioner Johnston is the one who has
delayed the contamination of any &C
ton on this much-needed measure.
We are informed that Mr.. Johnston
is working on a set of regulations. We
have been informed from time to time
Of the progress he is said to be max
ing. Granted that the preparation of
a new and complete set of traffic regu-
lations is not a task TO be completed
overnight, it would, seem, with the in
formation Mr.. Johnston has had at his
command, with set of regulations
prepared especially for the District by
the acknowledged world authority on
the subject, the problem could have
been solved and ready for the iufor-
nation OF the public before now We
are encouraged to know that Mr.. John
ston is spending great deal of time
and thought over the question-or
rather we were encouraged by that in
formation a month or so ago. But
while this continued study may have
beneficial effect upon, Mr.. Johnston'S
grasp of the situation, it does not serve
TO prevent the accidents which are oc-
curing daily in the District and which,
we are creditably informed, might, in
many instances, have been prevented by
competent traffic regulation. Mr.. John
ston's course would seem to be nothing
short of procrastination, particularly in
view of the carefully prepared and as
sembled information he had to work
on when he began.
Two years ago the same problem was
taken up, and a tremendous lot Of
work done by citizens who are inter
ested in the welfare of their own city,
notably by w. P. Emo. whose traffic
plans have been adopted. in part. by
New York, Paris, London, and other
large cities. Mr.. Emo is probably the
best posted man in the United States
on how TO regulate traffic in a large
city.
Commissioner Johnston knows this,
knows, that he has the best advice pos
sible in formulating the right kind OF
regulations for city the size of Wash
ington.
Yet he is public servant, receiving
5000 a year from the District; and
listen, the budget shows that an in
crease to $500 is asked for.
There are many Representatives in
Congress who know what traffic regu-
lations have done for their cities, know
that they have helped solve the very
problems that are confronting this city,
who would undoubtedly give Mr.
Johnston the benefit of their knowl-
edge. They know that the police must
have great powers to enforce any ordi-
nance that is adopted The District
should not have TO go as a supplicant
to get the much-needed ordinance
They have the right to demand what
they believe will be for the best inter
ests of all, and their demands should
be grained.