Evening star., 1920-03-15
MADE
FOR TRAFFIC COURT
Board of Trade, City Motor
Dealers and A. A. A.
90.
Are Represented.

Spokesman for the washfuetou
Board OF Trade. for the Washington
Automotive Trade Association and
for the District branch OF the A. A A.
strongly urged creation Of a traffic
court in Washington distinct from
the Police Court, as model for the
ientire country, at the hearing TODAY
on the Zihlman bill before sub
mittee.
Odell Smith. chairman OF the traffic
committee of the Washington Board
OF Trade. said that that Organization IL
very anxious for a traffic court as
proposed in the Zihlman bill. He said
to the citizens. and that 1t should be
distinct from the Police Court.
ne also urged that in the granting
OF licenses to drive automobiles she
applicant should be examined as to
an automobile
In reply to a question from Repre-
sentative L,anham Of Texas Mr.. Smith
described the Board of Trade as q
civic organization with a membership
or nearly 1000. devoting itself to the
| betterment of Washington along all
lines.
Use OF Parking Privileges.
l ooiu tiidt III COnSlupT1nK tne
problem brought about by the con-
| troversy between the drivers for tho
| corporation -owned taYicabs and the
individuals who earn a living by
renting their cars as nearly as possi-
Bile equal rights should be given to
all He recognized. however. that
hotels. the Union station. etc, have q
preference over private individuals
in the use of parking privileges near
these places of general assemblage.
He discussed in detail with the COM
mittee pamphlet OF suggestions con-
tained in a report BY the Board OF
Trade committee. He suggested the
bonding of drivers OF public vehicles.
Conrad Sy1ne, former corporation
counsel Of the District, appeared as
Legislative chairman for the District
branch Of the A A. A. He said 1t was
very important locally and to the
states which looked TO the DistricL as
a model. to have a model traffic law
for the National Capital. He urged
that q traffic court be established with
la Judge who would devote his entire
time to a study of traffic conditions.
| Mr.. Syme disagreed with Judge
Hardison that the decrease in liquor
cases will relieve the Police Court
handle the traffic cases. He pointed out
There were 34,354 informations on
ltrafflc violations in the District branch
OF the Police Court last year. an aver
age OF almost 110 each working oay.
Bnsis for TaxatieR.
He urged that the present horses
power tax be increased to 50 cents
per horsepower such increase to be
in lieu Of the present indefinite ana
unsatisfactory personal property tax,
and all money collected from the
registration taxation be turned over
to the Engineer Commissioner Tor ex-
ipenditure on roads and streets In the
District.
Mr. Syme ccntended that the pres
ent division of the tax on a so-called
horsepower schedule. which divided
vehicles into three classes-those un-
between twenty-four and thirty
horsepower. and those more than
thirty y-horsepower-had been discard
ed in most of the states. alonE with
an abandonment of the personal
property tax whenever possible un-
Ger the constitutional law OF the
1 state.
Automotfse Trades Position.
W Pearce Raymer. chairman Of the
\ traffic committee Of the Washington
Automotive Trade Association and Vice
ichairman OF the Washington Board OF
Trade tdaffic committee, also strongly
urged that traffic court should be dis
ltinct from the Police Court.
Mr.. Raymer thought that the com
missioner of motor vehicles. as proposed
in the bill. would duplicate the work
iof the police. He argued that authority
should better he delegated to some po-
lice officer He thought the police de-
partment is doing better work. in regard
to traffic. and will eventually regulate
lit effectively at less expense than by
establishing an independent branch OF
the District government.
Mr.. Raymer thought that under the
:law thieves and jov riders should be
classed the same as menace to the
community and that more rigid
penalty should be enforced.
A G.. Betchelder. representing this
district of the A. A. A.. said that in
the District of Columbia. which In
really a subdivision of the govern.
ment. there might we'll be established
a missioner of motor vehicles. He
laid before the committee a compila-
tion of the automobile laws of differ
| ent states,