Evening star., 1920-03-11
OPEN COURT URGED
FOR TRAFFIC CASES
House Committee Hears
Lieut.. Shelby Plead for
Safer Streets.

Recommendations for relieving traffic
conditions in Washington and making
the streets safer were made before a
subcommittee of the House District
committee today by Lieut. W. S. Shelby
of the police department.
Lieut.. Shelby said that the system
whereby those who have violated traffic
regulations are allowed to forfeit coll
iateral really is the cause of indifference
on the part Of drivers to traffic regula-
tions. He said that he believed every
traffic case should be tried in open court
and this will do more than anything
else to do away with reckless driving
in the District of Columbia.
Union station Remedy Favored.
In regard to the situation at Union
station he recommended that the public
thoroughfare in front Of the Union sta
tion, by thorough condemnation proceed
ings. should be put back under govern
ment ownership and that the District
Commissioners should be given authority
to make regulations covering the use
of this space by the public. He said
that he believed this is the attitude OF
the Commissioners. He advised the
House committee that Commissioner
Brownlow would like to testify later on
the Zihlman bill to establish a traffic
court in the District.
Lieut.. Shelby also recommended. as
regards the use of streets in the vicin-
ity Of hotels, places of amusements
and other places of public asse mblage.
that the Commissioners should have
absolute and unqualified authority to
make regulations to suit the particu-
lar condition at each place.
Says Court Decisiens Confuse.
A series Of decisions by the courts
tends to confuse those who are exc
cutting the law in regard to traffic.
Lieut.. Shelby said. On the suggestion
of Representative Lanham of Texas
Lieut.. Shelby said that what is needed
is some fundamental legislation that
will work out all controversies and al
low the public hackers to earn liv-
ing in fair competition with the cor
poratioh- owned taxicabs.
He discussed with the committee
the details of traffic regulations and
the difference in license fees paid by
the taxicab companies and the hack
ers, He said the taxicab companies
pay only a garage license for as many
cars as they wish to operate. They
are not allowed to solicit business on
the street, and the court has ruled
iect to regulation by the public util-
tiles commission.
Lieut.. Shelby disagreed with the
proposal in the Zihlman bill that one
Of the present Police Court judges
should be judge Of the traffic court.
He said he thinks that the traffic court
should be a separate and distinct
branch Of the Police Court, with origi-
nal Jurisdiction. The judge should be
a resident of the District. mot perhaps
as learned in law as endowed with
good common sense" He advised the
Committee that the traffic cases should
be brought in the name of the District
on information signed by the corpora
ton counsel or one Of his assistants.
In reply to questions regarding the
present automobile board which the
Zihlman bill proposes to abolish and
replace with a trafhc commissioner,
Lieut.. Shelby said that an automobile
board exists in name only. He strong
ly favored the appointment Of an au-
tomobile commissioner and approved
the very broad authority and powers
proposed in the Zihlman bill,- to which
Representative Lanham, democrat,
called attention.