The New York herald., 1922-02-26
Copeland and Commission Will
Seek Cooperation Of Large
Employers.
CROWDS MENACE HEALTH
Reduction in Efficiency on
Lines Because of Economy
Will Be Investigated.

The Transit Commission and Health
Commissioner Royal S. Copeland have
entered into an agreement to cooper
ate in the formation of a plan for i'm
mediate relief of rush hour subway
congestion.
1t is proposed that the Health De-
partment and the Transit Commits
sion. with the extensive powers inher-
ent in both bodies, enlist the assent of
large employers, labor organizations,
! theater managers and others to a re-
viEed schedule Of working hours. so
that enormous masses of passengers
will not be struggling daily to arrive
at and depart from their places of
employment at precisely the same
time.
What is proposed is, in effect, res
toration for permanent use Of rem
edy which was made effective as
temporary expedient in diversifying
hours of employment during the in
fuenza epidemic crisis of 1918 and
later
Daniel l.. Turner consulting engineer
OF the Transit Commission. has said
that the readjustment then effected by
the simple process of what he calls stag
gering the peak of the rush hour loads"
reduced by not less than 20 per cent. the
subway crush during those trying
periods. The commissions observations
have proved that in the workward rush
between Z 80 and 9 80 A. NJ. the sub
ways are called upon to carry II per
cent. Of the total traffic of the day.
Half Hour Rush PEAK.
A like percentage is carried in the
homeward rush hours between > and 7
P. M. But during each of those two hour
periods there is a certain half hour in
which is reached the actual acute peak
of the load. 1t is this maximum that
! it Is hoped to reduce materially by shift
! ing the hours of employment slightly
| for large bodies of workers.
Dr. Copeland sent letter yesterday TO
the Transit Commission in which The
Health Commissioner said
During the influenza epidemic of 1918,
| 1919 and 1920 the Board of Health
called together groups OF merchants, en-
! ployers of labor representative groups
| of laboring men and the theatrical in
terests to arrange a comprehensive plan
of opening and closing places of business
so as to lessen the peak OF travel over
! the transportation lines. This plan was
placed in operation several times. and
undoubtedly il resulted in lessening con-
gestion and promoting the ease of travel.
1t was the feeling of the public health
officials and of the transportation opera
tors that great good had been accom-
plished by this plan.
II know that your chief engineer, Mr..
Turner. has made careful study of the
passenger transportation on the sub
ways. He presented me with a chart
showing the hours of travel both work
ward and homeward. You have the ma
terial in your office to demonstrate the
practical difficulties of this problem.
Menace TO Health in Crowds.
"As the temporary administrator OF
health of this community I am much
concerned with the crowded condition
of the transportation lines. The respira-
tory diseases and other infectious con-
ditions can be readily transmitted by
this intermingling and crowding OF
our citizens. / wish in the interest OF
public health the Transit Commission
would expedite its studies of this prob
lem and try to work out some feasible
plan for the solution OF an uncomforta-
BILE and dangerous situation.
THE Merchants Association is inter
| ested, and my own experience in solving
the problem in other years convinces me
that II is possible to develop workable
plsn which might be adopted for perma-
nent use.
"T will place at your disposal the good
offices of the Board of Health tc assist
you in the formulation OF plans and the
development of public opinion which
would insure the successful operation
should IL seem wise TO adopt such a
schedule"
AT the office of the Transit Commits
sion it was authoritatively stated that
! the commission welcomes the coopera-
tion OF the Health Commissioner along
the lines suggested by him. T. regards
the proposed partial remedy % existing
conditions. however, as aug-iGry only
1 to whatever means the ,omfrt .-ion may
adopt in the immediate SI.arc 20 relieve
the situation by issuing orders for ser
vice hetterment on various lines OF
I transportation.
( AZ was explained by Trr NEW York
! HEEALp last Thursday recent reports OF
! the commissions inspectors have shown