Evening star., 1921-11-16
BRIDGE
URGENTLY NEEDED
Army Officers View Follow
ing the Armistice Day
Traffic Tie.Up.

Until the proposed Arlington Me-
mortal bridge is provided. the stag
ing Of great national ceremonials at
be practically an impossibility.
The Armistice day tie-up has fast
ened this conviction upon Col. Clar-
ence o. Sheriff., aide to the President
and officer in charge of public build
ings and grounds. and Gen. Harry H.
of Washington, who was 'the grand
marshal of the qcortege that conveyed
the body of Americas unknown soi-
dier frum the Capitol to Arlington.
The same impression Is held by
Justice Frederick L. Siddons of the
District suprems Court who has
written to the District Commission
ers about the matter.
ut is physical impossibility for
two bridges to accommodate such a
volume of traffic as tried to reach
Friday" Gen. Bandholtz
stated to a Star representative to-
day. You might as we'll try to put
500 people in a ten-by-ten-foot.r room.
If there are to be large gatherings at
Arlington in the future, the govern
ment cannot too soon realize the in
sufficiency of the present facilities
for crossing the river and provide an
appropriation for a new bridge"
Says Police Were Elective.
Justice Siddons followed the Aque-
duct bridge route in going to Ar
lington Friday. He has informed the
Commissioners that the police were
effective in handling the traffic from
Washington Circle to the bridge. but
that. after crossing into Virginia.
to conditions at Arlington growing
out Of the difficulty of the paraders
in finding their locations and the
parking of machines.
'The lesson of the experience is
perfectly clear, states Justice Sid
dons, 'and that Is. there are not near
ly enough river crossings to accom-
,modate such a crowd as sought to
reach the scene of the impressive
ceremonies within the limited time
prescribed for them.
vicarious sacrifices made to appease
the angry and disappointed or to
satisfy any other motive of police
critics.
Il am authorized by Justice Bailey
of the Supreme Court of the District.
who rode in the same automobile
with me, to state that he concurs in
the foregoing"
Col. Sheriff. believes that the traf-
fic congestion Armistice day could
not have been. averted and that a
repetition of the conditions may be
expected in the future when such
large crowds attempt to use the
Highway and Aqueduct bridges
within a limited period of time. The
only solution of the problem is in
the construction of new bridge, he
is convinced.
Congress now has before it an esti-
mate Of $25,O00 for the preparation of
plans for the proposed Arlington Memo
rial bridge, which would extend from
the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington.
linking north with south and memorial
Izing the obliteration Of sectional diff
ferences. The estimate was transmitted
by Budget Director Dawes at the di-
rection Of President Harding.
Several weeks ago the President ex-
pressed to Col. Sheriff. his desire that
this memoial project should be started
with the least delay possible, and in
structed his aide to prepare a prelimin-
ary estimate for transmission to Con-
eress through the budget director. The
project has been before Congress many
times without getting very far, but it is
believed that the Presidents active in
rarest in the matter, coupled with the
impressive demonstration Of the need
of such a, bridge furnished by the
Armistice day traffic tie-up, will bring
favorable action upon the estimate.