Evening star., 1920-01-17
TAKE
ACTION IN SUPPORT
OF TRAFFIC COURT
Committee on Public Order.
Board of Trade, Names
Subcommittee.
itself as strongly

Expressing itself as strongly in
favor of establishment Of a traffic
court in this city. or if this is not
set aside a certain portion of the day
for hearing traffic cases, the COM
mittee on public order of the Wash
ington Board Of Trade, at a meeting
last night, appointed a special COM
mittee of five members to investigate te
conditions for the establishment OF
such a court
should he adopted in the near future
to do away with the delays now ex-
perienced in the District court in the
hearing of petty traffic cases. Police
officers are held ct duty to go to
court. il is said, and when the hearing
is delayed it results in both the
'essening of the number Of policemen
on duty and wasting the time of the
business man.
The special committee appointed to
Investigate the matter follows:
Rudolph Jose. Harry W. Haynes.
Charles w. Morris. W. II. Lanham and
Dr. J. Il. Gregg Gusts.
CriticlsmS Of Rules.
The first part of the meeting was
devoted exclusively to members who
wished to state their criticisms Of the
existing traffic rules in Washington
and for the offering of constructive
measures for their correction.
DR.. Custis said that he was in favor
of the old law of north and south
having the right of way Instead of
the new regulations, which require
autoist$ to give the right OF way to
the driver on their right.
The consensus was that the new
regulation would be less confusing, if
tn" autoists would obey it, inasmucil
as it had been adopted in more than
- per cent of the cities that had
traffic regulations
Members believe that the same traf-
fic rules should hold good in every
large city in the country. Each city
having 4 different set of rules would
make it extremely difficult for tour
ing. it was said. because in each town
the driver would have to become ia =
miliar with a different set of regula
tons.
Stress also was laid on the need
that the police department enforce
rigidly the rule of having slow-mov-
ing vehicles keep to the right. In this
connection, il was pointed out, many
drivers have A tendency to drive
down the middle of the street instead
of keeping as far to the right as pos
sible. The result is that any one
attempting to pass is thrown nearly
over 10 the curb on the left side, en-
danGering his own life and putting
him in danger OF being struck by an
automo obile coming from the opposite
direction.
Members believe that the keep to
the right rule for driving on a street
should be rigidly enforced, especially
in regard to slow-moving vehicles
Elimination of the so-called Jay
walker" is desired by the committee.
This class. which is said to include
those who cross crowded thorough
fares reading newspaper. or who
step sublimely out in the heaviest
traffic without looking either to
right or left. or the defiant kind. who
walk directly in front of an auto
mobile as if daring the driver to
strike them, the committee believes
should be hauled into court and made
cautioned to use greater care. and it
is believed that with intelligent
walking and intelligent driving many
accidents will be averted.
Other traffic. questions discussed
were the central parking on Penn
sylvania avenue. which some mem
bers believe is a detriment to the
beauty of the city. besides being
especially dangerous in places: estab-
lishment of rigid examination for
all applicants for automobile drivers
permits, and more one-way streets
tor the congeSted SectlOnS OIL the city.
Capt. Headley. chief of the traffic
division of the department. addressed
the committee on the traffic rules in
this and other cities. He told of the
organization Of the traffic squad of
the police department. when it be-
came evident that conditions in this
city We're becoming serious. He
urged that drivers of automobiles use
as much care as possible in turning
around in the middle of the street,
and that in all cases where it was
possible the driver should go around
the square.
1t is expected that the special COM
mittee appointed will thrash out
these matters in the next few days
and report TO the whole committee.
The questions and recommendations
will then be taken up with the Board
of Trade and submitted to the Dis
trfct Commissioners OdeN Smith.
chairman, presided at the meeting
last night.