Evening star., 1923-12-31
NEW BOARD NAMED
TO. SOLVE TRAFFIC
ISSUES IN DISTRICT
Permanent Body Co-0rdi-
mates Various Agencies.
Headed by Maj. HoIcomb.
BALL TO SEEK REMEDIES
IN NEEDED. LEGISLATION
Will Introduce Bill for More Po-
lice, Better Lighting and Crossing
Squad Under Full D. c. Rule.

Two decisive steps toward finding
solution of Washingtons traffic prob
lem were taken today.
The first was the appointment of
permanent traffic board by the District
Commissioners composed of Maj. w. III.
Holcomb, assistant engineer commits
sioner, as chairman: Inspector Albert
j. Headley. in charge of the traffic bu-
reau. and ,Ringgold Hart, assistant
corporation counsel. The board CO.
ordinates the District agencies ham
ding traffic. namely, the engineering
department. the police department and
the legal department
The second step was the announce
ment of a tentative draf: of a proposed
report on traffic conditions in the Dis
trict, prepared by Senator Ball, chair
man of the District committee. This
report will be submitted, when COM
plete. to two other members of a Sen
ate subcommittee which has been in
vestigating traffic conditions here.
Engineer Commissioner Bell, in an
nouncing the appointment of the per-
manent traffic board. declared that II
will become branch of the District
government and is being created with
n we" " DIlhs dDOul
and concerted action between the
various municipal agencies in better
ing traffic conditions.
VIII Make Thorough Study.
Maj. Holcombe will be relieved of
some of his other duties, if necessary.
to make a thorough study of the
traffic situations. the Engineer Com
missioner stated. He added that the
chairman of the new board already
has begun the task and from time to
time he will be sent to other large
cities of the country to keep in, touch
with what those centers of popula-
ton are doing to facilitate the move
ment of traffic and to reduce the
death toll of the streets.
All the suggestions recently
brought out at the Senate committee
investigation into local traffic mat.
ters will be given careful considera-
tton by the new board, Mai. Bell said.
The handling of traffic" said Mai
lures. such as the widening of streets
and the provision OF ample lighting
equipment. Maj Holcombe already
sits with Maj. Wheeler and Capt.
board which deals with such chm matters
and he will be able to keep the traffic
board informed of everything the en-
gineer department is doing that may
have bearing on traffic"
Urges More Police.
Among the recommendations which
Senator Balls report will contain are
the following:
An increase in the number of po-
licemen employed by 100, as recon-
mended.
Better lighting of streets in Wash
ington.
All crossing policemen to be paid
by the District government instead Of
by the street railway companies, thus
giving the District full authority to
assign these men to whatever duty
may be necessary.
One feature of the report which is
being given very careful considera-
tion has to do with parking of auto
mobiles in the congeSted area. Sem
ator Ball has in mind a plan whereby
automo biles shall he parked no longer
than fifteen minutes in an area run
ming from K street to F street. in
elusive, and from 7th to 18th streets
northwest. The same plan contem-
plates a shorter period of parking
In Pennsylvania avenue. In the opin-
ion Of Senator Ball. some such plan
must be adopted or else all parking
in the congested area must be pro-
hibited.
Would Change School Hours.
Senator Ball today received from
Capt. Julius l. Peyser. president of
the District of Columbia Public
School Association and a member of
the board of education, letter re-
questing the senator to give his views
on the PROPOSAL that the public
schools shall be opened hereafter at
900 o'clock instead of 9 and shall
close a half hour later in the after
noon. Capt Peyser said that this pro-
posal vas put forward to relieve con-
gestion on the street cars and to bet
ter safeguard the children from traf-
fic accidents and from disease, which
is more easily spread in congested
street cars. He said that the views
of the chairman and other members
OF the Senate District committee on
this question would be valuable in
giving it further consideration.
Senator Ball said that he had not
fully made up his mind in regard to
this proposal. While he admitted the
dement's to be derived therefrom, he
said, there were arguments against
the plan For example, he said un-
doubtedly many of the children are
employed in the afternoons selling
or distributing newspapers or doing
other work to help their parents. To
extend the school hours half hour
later in the afternoon might work
hardship on these children and their
families.