Evening star., 1923-12-20


necessity for more men the witness
pointed out that during the first three
hours In the morning the city was
practically uncovered as far as traffic
was concerned on account of police
men being in court.
He was asked what relief traffic
court would give to this condition.
Court Only Remedy.
1T is the only remedy" answered
Inspector Headley. / should say that
matters would be 100 per cent i'm
proved with the establishment Of
such court"
Why is it," asked Senator Bayard,
that the list which you submitted
showed only forty-eight men on duty
at the crossings when there are
jsixty-three authorized?"'
| 1T Is impossible to fill the vacan-
oies said Inspector Heaney, .'on
\ account OF the low salaries paid"
In connection with the street rail-
way company paying crossing police
men. the witness pointed out that If
| they were taken out of the hands of
the railway company and put under
| the exclusive control of the police de-
partment the services of these men
| would be much more beneficial TO the
community.
Il am not allowed" said Inspector
Headlay. ito shift these men around
according to traffic needs IL 7 had
the exclusive control / could take q
he was not needed at certain hours
and send him to some other point
where his services would be urgently
needed at that time"
Couzens Takes Stand.
Taking up the question of one-way
streets, Senator Couzens was called
to the stand, and asked his opinion
of their use.
Wide streets should not be one
| way" said Senator Couzens. I'm De-
| troit we tried the experiment of hav-
| ing broad thoroughfares run in op-
| posite directions. but the experiment.
did not work. There are some streets
| in Washington that / think should
| be changed from one-way to two
way highways
The principal phase OF traffic reg
ulation ip all large cities. In my opin-
| ion, is the indispensable longtime
| parking. In Detroit, where we have
! an impounding law, we find that this
nuisance to a large extent is eliminst-
| into effect here
At this point the witness was In
| terrupted by Senator Bail. who said
| that II had been stated before the
| not appropriated one cent for the reg
ulation OF the parking problem. the
establishment or police signs and the
| painting of crossings
Senator Couzens laughed and asked
Senator Ball how long he had been
chairman of the Senate District COM
mittee Senator Ball replied that his
term so far was four years.
/ What" said Senator CouZens. You
have been chairman all of that time
and haven't gotten any money for
| such important needs 2"
| well" replied Senator Ball. Il find
u g@ 4, I,r,r 11r. E,y- tI,1
ernment to legislate for a city than
to have the city legislate for itself"
Favors Local Government.
The answer to that is said Senator
| Couzens, that Washington should
have local self-government. Seri-
ously, though, there should be plenty
of men appointed on the police force
to properly handle the traffic prob
; lem. and the parking proposition
should be attacked vigorously"
In presenting his testimony to the
committee DR.. James said the bureau
| Of standards was trying to work out
| some reasonable brake regulation In
most cities, he asserted. the brake
tests required by the police depart
ment were entirely too seyere and
required that the hand brake should
stop the car as quickly as the service
or foot brake. This regulation, he
said, was not logical, inasmuch as
hand brakes were generally made
about half as powerful as the foot
brakes.
Manufacturers of brake Innings. the
witness said, were going steadily
ahead in the perfection of their prod
ucts A 200 per cent Improvement
has been noticed In the last year
Commenting on four-wheel brakes,
Or. James said that they were a good
deal safer for driving purposes, but
that brakes of this type had not been
prfected.