Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-01
Would Welcome Assistance.

Inc commissioner Sald tnat he ana
his colleagues on the board would well
come assistance by automobile owners
and drivers toward bringing about
strict and uniform enforcement of the
traffic laws.
THE statement made in an afternoon
newspaper yesterday that a number OF
Washingtonians, all owners and drivers
of cars. have been gathering evidence
to the Commissioners for fair and
uniform enforcement Of the traffic reg
ulations is news to me well as to
Maj. Pullman" said Commissioner
Brownlow. Il am very glad. however.
to see that the automobile owners are
beginning to realize the necessity and
propriety of endeavoring to assist the
police in the strict and uniform en-
forcement of the traffic regulations.
In my personal experience hitherto
to be exempt from the enforcement of
the laws, and while these are but an
insignificant minority Of the motor car
owners and drivers in the city, I am
cooperate with the authorities they
will tend to lessen such appeals for
special privileges.
"In justice to the automobilists, I
may say that such appeals for exemp-
lions are constantly diminishing in
have ever been. So far as the police
department is concerned, the regula-
tions are now enforced uniformly,
without discrimination. and there are
no automobilists in Washington who
are exempt from or above the law.
Trucks Evidently Referred To.
noon, the statement was made that the
drivers of pleasure cars are being
forced to bear the brunt Of the occa-
sional enforcement of the regulations,
while the most persistent offenders
seldom feel it's effect. Presumably the
drivers of automobile trucks and deliv
cry wagons are referred to as the most
persistent Offenders
"On March 2. this year, for the first
time in Washington, a classification of
the character Of cars whose drivers
were arrested for infraction of the
speed laws was begun. 1t is fortunate
that the police department is thus in
possession of information WHICH abso-
lutely refutes the statement that the
pleasure cars are being Disseminated
against.
ming with the I'd and ending with the
31st, inclusive, the tabulation shows
that arrests were made of drivers of
PA pleasure touring cars. 81 pleasure
roadsters, 81 automobile trucks, 81 light
delivery wagons, 10 taxicabs and 20
motor cycles. In other words, drivers
of 301 pleasure cars were arrested, as
against drivers of 146 commercial cars,
leaving out of account the % motor
cycles.
Disputes Discrimination Charge.
These figures disclose that practical
ly one-half as many commercial cars
as pleasure cars have been held up,
notwithstanding the fact that the
number of pleasure cars in the city as
compared with the commercial cars is
greatly more than two to one.
The Commissioners and the police
department will welcome the assistance
of any organizations Of citizens in
bringing about the enforcement of the
laws and regulations. 1t must be ap-
preciated that the speed limits are set
up by an act OF Congress, which the
Commissioners have no power to
change.
las for there being evidence of dis
crimina ton of classes Of cars or classes
of drivers. it is apparent that some
gentlemen are drawing upon their i'm
agination. and are not in possession of
the facts"