Evening star., 1923-11-06
BALL PROPOSES
SOLDIERS REPLACE
TRAFFIC OFFICERS
Senator Declares Problem of
Inadequate Force Would
Il
Be Solved.

| Adjustment of Washingtons "inade-
quate traffic enforcement officers and
substitution in their place of enlisted
| men from the nearby Army and Marine
posts was suggested today by Senator
Ball to the Senate District committee
of which he is chairman and which is
making a special investigation of the
| traffic situation here.
| Senator Ball told the committee that
! Washington is government city, and
needs more traffic officers than any
other city in the country. He pointed
out that as it is almost impossible to
get sufficient funds from Congress for
additional traffic officers, it would be
| feasible to use the soldiers and ma
rines stationed near the city for this
| work.
The service men were used to aug
ment the traffic force during the
| Shrine convention, Senator Ball re-
| fiected, and as a result there was not
a serious accident, despite the greatly
increased automobile and pedestrian
traffic. The service men when train ed
properly, he declared, would make
good traffic officers.
Scientific Study.
A continuous engineering study of
the traffic situation was urged by
William F. Ham, president of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company. who appeared before the
committee as representative of the
Washington Safety Council. A thor
ough scientific study of traffic condi-
tions, he said, undoubtedly would give
tions, and improve materially the ex-
listing situation.
1.-The accident hazard that has come
| through increasing automobile use
| has been so sudden that a need has
| not been felt for protective meas
ures," said Mr.. Ham. The machinery
of today is not adequate to meet
| this hazard. / believe this is due to
the lack OF realization that the
hazard is here. 1t is great problem
| that calls for the urgent attention
| of Congress"
Some Regulations Unfair.
/ Present traffic regulations as a
] whole, Mr.. Ham explained. are rea-
sonable, but they do not exactly meet
! the views of the Washington safety
! council Some of the regulations he
| described as unfair, and warned that
| a system of regulation must be
evolved to meet the varied interests
! of the city.
Before any changes are made in ex-
listing regulations, Mr.. Ham said,
| there should be an impartial survey
! by traffic experts.
! Mr.. Ham denounced one way streets
as a hazard and recommended their
| quick abolition. With Intelligent
parking regulations and adequate en-
| forcement. he said, the streets of
| Washington are satisfactory for two
way travel.
| Among the many recommendations
| for improving traffic conditions sub
| mitted to the committee by Mr.. Ham,
| those outstanding were: Abolition of
| parking in the congested downtown
area during the morning and after
noon rush hours. better street light
ing, the appropriation of $4,000 for
the painting of white lines on the
streets, larger appropriations for au-
the traffic officers; jail sentences for
reckless drivers, and a police court
adequate to dispose of traffic cases.
More policemen for traffic duty, es-
tablishment of a traffic court or the
| magistrate system of trying cases,
immediate additions to the motor and
general equipment of the police de-
partment and sitter sentences for
fragrant violations of traffic laws
were urged by Inspector Albert j..
Headley, chief Of the Washington traf-
fc bureau, when he appeared as the
first witness at the hearings yesterday.
In taking the stand Inspector Headn
ley was asked to outline the policy
of traffic enforcement in the District
by Senator Ball. The inspector read
a lengthy report to the committee in
which he pointed out the tremendous
increase in population and number of
motor vehicles.
Needs Crossing Men.
despite the small police force, we
have made many arrests for various
traffic violations" he said. "Our great
est need to assist traffic to move
smoothly is more men to be stationed at
busy crossings. would recommend that
policemen be stationed for tn. entire
day at the following points: 9th, 10th,
11th, 18th, 18th and 18th and Pennsyl-
yania avenue. We are urgently in
need of four men at the last-named
point. Other points where we need
men are at intersections along F and
q streets in the congested sections
and at 14th and Thomas Circle, as
we'll :. as 18th and Massachusetts,
There are less than 1000 men on
the force, with only very small per-
centage Of them doing traffic duty.
ssWhat," interrupted Senator Bayard,
"do you mean to say that there are less
than 1000 policemen in city of nearly
$50. 900 people?"
"That's exactly it, SIR" answered the
witness. "And a good many of them
have to be in court to try the cases
they have made"
Motor Cycles Needed.
1--WE need a atwenty-four-hour motor
cycle patrol" continued the witness,
'.in order to curb speeding. We have
now only f1fty-one motor cycles.
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