The Detroit times., 1916-10-24
Millionaire Becomes
Leading Authority
On Traffic
WOULD REPEAL
ALL STREET LAWS
Hopes for Time When
One code witt Pre-
vail All Over World

has furnished he systems of trait
regulation FOR New York. Paris ar
other large cities. aud according p
traflc men ls e2crrlGE p poNert
influence toward The rs'ah1shuer
OF uniform regulations thracgt tH
United States
For few days about IS year
ago. this man - millions jas
dabhled with The perpleXiug prob
lem OF making vehicles and peoes
triAns move over streets with safe
". Then The work seemed so gres
and so interesting that no cast as.d'
his large business interests ant
since then has been devourF al
bis time 10 what was once ha
hobby. He admits that q is largely
labor Of love. FOR most - hi.
suggestions have been recommend
ed and placed In operation BY h'u
free ~ charge
william p, Emo r. ne man. Hs
halls from Saugatuck. Conn. Bat
spends most OF his time IN places
where he NAV learn Or teach some
thing about trsfrc. He came 70 De-
troit TO attend the hfth annual con.
gress OF the National Safety coUn-
cr. which ended Friday. He toured
thru The city with Inspector WI
liam p. Rutledge. studying Detroits
intricate traf1c problems.
Thirteen years ago Friday. 20 q
day, Mr.. Emo presented 20 the 20
Noe commissioner OF New York the
6ryt list Of traeac regulations print
ID IN the world. He asked the com
missioner 20 sign them
The commissioner die not think
- had the authority" commented
Mr.. Emo In the Hotel statler. ~
showed him be did have e, and
that afternoon be signed the regu-
lAtions.-
Tho be has seen and learned
much about the regulation OF trafic
since that time. Mr. Emo still hotcs
90 the theory that the work saouli
not be conducted thru a series OF
sntangliug ordinances, but BIZ 4
public board or official.
mot only should there be no new
specific traflc laws or ordinances
said Mr.. Emo. "but all
existing laws or ordinances on the
subject OF street traHlc everywhere
should be promptly repealed. and in
kheir place. each city or town should
cause 10 be enacted the following
sfmply-worded statute which, II is
hoped. may later become state
hen a national. and finally an In
Iernationsl law:
THE police department for "a I
towns which have no police depart
ments, tho board OF selectmen. town !
or other proper suthori- |
tiesl. is hereby authorized. empow-
cred and ordered:
70 adopt znf enforce ths stand
ard police street traffic regulations.
and 10 direct. control and regulate !
and. when necessary. temporarily d.
vert or exclude On the interest %
public safety. health and convent
encel the movement of pedestrian.
animal and vehlruisr tramc o. every
Kind In streets, roads parks and OF
bridges
Mr.. Emo believes rat bureau
Of trafic should handle the street
regulations in each city. Thar this
bureau should be free from politics.
and organized solely on basis Of
efficiency
"Greenhorn' who arc appointed a.
The head % a police department
with each change OF administration
certainly can't he expected 70 handle
a big problem Ike tho regulation ~
trafic as well "a mer who have
given years % their LIE 20 the
work. That "a the ore great fault
With our American system In ~
ropesu cities they have thelr Public
carriage ONCE. which fixes ali regn.
iations and Il free from any omcia.
Interference.
There r. no question but tha'
trAric regulation is as vet in q
crude stage But In tho end. ! look
forward 20 an international code
that will save iife, time and money
don't think that the system al
stopping AZ each street will live
thru the advancement % trafic
rules A slow-moving continuous
plan will De evolved. by which the
rights OF pedestrians and vehicle
drivers alike viii be protected The
rotary system IL bui one evidence
OF this trend"
Mr.. Emo formerly was one % the
defender OF the near side STOP. but
recently. after long study he de
clArcd he could SEQ where the far
side stop for street cars was the
safer plan. he praised the work
that had been done by Inspector
Rutiedge in Detroit. but limited that
the Job OF directing a trafnc squad
was quite hig enough to engage an
the time OF tho traffic director In
spcctor Ru,ledEc has numerous
other duties besides bis trafic
vc~k