The Washington times., 1924-12-17
Is a Traffic Court Best for
Washington?
Nv BILL PRICE.

The Senate and House District Committees in Joint session
are reported to decided against the establishment Of
Traffic Court for the District although favOrng the creation
Of additional police judges bring speedy trials
Of traffic offenders.
Whatever legislation Congress passes that intended to
teach traffic killers and respect for the rights Of
others and regard for public welfare must provide for add
tonal judges Of the police court the benefits sought will
be comparatively small.
Passing laws imposing severe penalties for reckessness
speeding driving while under the Influence Of ntoxCants
and general cussedness handling automobiles will much
Of their effectiveness voators not brought prompt
trial while the events fresh and witnesses prepared
20 testify with clear recoectiOns of what occurred
The penalties under present and regulations are not
only light to impress deliberate and persistent
Oators but it is possible for these vators demand jury
trials and postpone being brought to justice until everything
is in their favor Swift punishment is the cure for
seriors traffic evils.
# Congress proposes grant additional judges and
larger prosecuting staff may not make difference
tho four judges Of that court agree assign Judge or
two judges exclusively traffic cases. so that the same
judges may keep close track and wacfu eyes upon the
worst offenders
IT, however the judges alternate in the trial Of traffic
the auto maniac who is often whose history
is bad will appear before different judges who may not be
familiar with the blacness of his record He viii naturally
get eff more lightly than he has previously appeared before
the same Judge and that judge remembers his case.
strictly Traffic Court is valuable in the fear some Of
lenders Will have Of facing the Judge often knowing
that The court familiar with their past records The
cutting staff Of Traffic Court would be equally informed
to the records of offenders better position to demand
maximum .punshments.
The weakness of present laws regulations court pro-
cedNre in the District is just this lack Of Capitalization Of
accurate information about traffic voators who have bad
records The collateral system is partly responsible for this
may be the intention Of Congress to establish traffic
bureau where it will be possible to keep records in addition
to those to be kept by police authorities It is highly
important that when dangerous offender appear court
the authorities shall know his history not only that the
judges may be guided in the imposition Of sentences but that
action may be taken in the revocation Of his registration
certificate and drivers permit, if necessary.
and falls add IN
District in obtaining drivers permits and auto registrations
IS so widespread to frequently deceive police and court
Officials police court judges alternate in trying cases.
with prosecuting stafs likewise alternating their court
duties will not be easy to expose these men Of many
aliases Traffic Court judge aided by same prosecuting
staff would not be likely to forget and Incidents
though and many bad man would come to grief who might
otherwise escape Fictitious may deceive where
before different judges They not long deceive the
Judge.