Evening star., 1923-11-25
BY THEODORE p. MOVES.

With the Senate traffic investigat-
Ing committee drawing to the end
OF It's hearings. and with practically
all testimony given, the question is
heard on all sides, What will the
committee really accomplish by these
hearings, and what will be the result
OF its recommendations to Congress? ?"
The first part of the question can
be answered easily. The committee
has accomplished a great deal. With
the greatest patience and tact, even
when irrelevant testimony was being
offered, Senators Bayard and Ball of
Delaware have taken the time to go
painstakingly into the local traffic
situation. with the result that they
are today probably the best informed
men in the body that legislates for
the District on the traffic evils here
They have been told. and in no
uncertain terms, that regulations are
set at naught without an adequate
enforcement squad. As Milton d.
man SO aptly remarked. Senators.
you can sit here and make recon-
mendations and Congress can enact
legislation until the Angel Gabriel
done until we have more policemen"
On the question of one-way streets
they have had explained to them by
unprejudiced experts. just why this
type of highway speeds up traffic
and is necessary TO the code of any
G. Kelley. W. Pearce Rayner. Dr..
James Inches. and others equally
well known have testified that the
one-way street system Is right, that
IT protects lives. and that il is not
AN experiment. but has been used in
many cities. DR.. Inches, former po-
nee commissioner Of Detroit. Mich.
and highly regarded throughout the
country as an expert on traffic mat
ters made this statement:
In Detroit. where We have a city
Council, there was opposition TO the
diced people In Washington. where
there are no politics 10 be considered.
nothing should be allowed TO inter-
tere with one-way street system
In the congeSted sections"
When the urgent need for d traffic
court in the District was explained
TO the committee amazement was ex-
pressed that the lax collaterial Sys-
tenn had been allowed to remain here
for SO iong a time. A traffic court,
where all violators of the law could
receive speedy trials, with the mini
mum ci time wasted ~ ac III police
man and citizen. is one of the crying
needs OF WASHINGTON, and this fact
was placed before the committee by
Inspector Albert Headley, chief of
the traffic bureau, and others familiar
with the situation in this city.
One-Way Plan Permanent.
The writer believes that both Sena-
tor Bayard and Senator Ball are
sound or the District traffic question.
The one-way streets are in force here
now, and IL indications count for
anything they will stay In force, with
possibly a few more added as traffic
needs demand.
The same indications hold good for
an increase in the police personnel, a
need that was emphasized at the first
day of the hearings, and the eStab-
lishment of traffic court. which the
committee seems to regard favorably.
Other recommendations such as
an impounding law, d title law, ar
terial boulevards, increased speed
limit on certain streets, better equip
nent for policemen. onehour park
ing in the congested section, a model
headlight law, reversing one way
streets morning and evening will un-
doubtedly receive their full share of
attention.
The committee has shown a keen