New-York tribune., 1922-11-18
McAdoo Calls
For l,5OO More
Traffic Police
Additional Men at Hazardous
Crossings and Drastic
Changes III License Laws
Seen as Immediate Need
Holds Early Action Vital
Plans of El,right and Harriss
Wise, He Says, but Will
Not Give Relief at Once

Radical changes in automobile IL
censing provisions and more traffic
patrolmen at street intersections were
advocated yesterday by Chief City
Magistrate William McAdoo as meas
ures which might Immediately relieve
traffic congestion in Manhattan.
The chief magistrate issued state
ment from his office at 500 Mulberry
Street dealing with recent utterances
by Police Commissioner Enright and
Deputy Commissioner Harriss on the
traffic problem. The Police Commits
sioner has admitted that the traffic
Commissioner Harriss has advocated
as solution extensive and radical
changes in the way of new streets and
double roadways.
Chief Magistrate McAdoo supports
the ideas of police officials on the mat
ter, but insists that years would be re-
Quired to attain relief through the
changes which they propose.
"The physical changes suggested by
Commissioner Enright and Deputy
Commissioner Harriss," Mr. McAdoo's
statement reads, radical and far-reach-
ing as they are, would appear to be
necessary, but i'll the nature of things
they would require years to be carried
OAC. Hdt We HSGu more avenues
north and south, is obvious. That an
is highly desirable is to my mind in
disputable. But all of these projects,
practical as they may be, even with all
legal obstructons removed and large
sums of money appropriated, would
take years to be carried out
Sees Need of Proper Relief
"In the mean time we are confronted
with situation of danger, which is at
once acute and requires immediate at
tention. Of all questions now confront
ing the public, this one of regulating
vehicular traffic in Manhattan Island
is to my mind paramount, because it
involves not only life and limb but the
public convenience.
What are the things we would i'm
mediately do? First, convince Gov
ernor Smith and the Legislature that
radical change must be made in the
whole status of licensing machines;
establish a central authority at Albany
that will do nothing but regulate
Licensing, with an ample clerical and
field force to do the work. Not a
revenue producer but life saver is
needed. If the state cannot do this,
then give the licensing power to the
ollSe department. III new Ork ClCy,
or if it is deemed desirable, create a
licensing zone for New York City
which will include all of Long Island,
Westchester and Rockland counties,
and give the police power to include
all hack and taxicab licensing.
Wants $500 More Police %
"Most important of all, put at least
l,50o policemen on dangerous cross
ings. There is no substitute for the
individual policemen. Most of the
children who are killed are at cross
ings without police protection If moth
ing else can be done take the post man
and put him on crossing where he
can always be found. The crossings
must be policed if the present slaugh-
ter is to be stopped. This cannot wait
Tor any physical improvement.
There are 10000 taxicabs and sight
seeing vehicles now licensed. There is
no limit to the number that can be
licensed. If it keeps on there will soon
be 10000, and after that we may as
well take all the other vehicles off, re-
membering that the licensed public
carrying vehicle is used about five
times more than the private one The
Board of Aldermen has the right to
limit the number Of licenses"