Evening star., 1924-10-31
UNIFORMS AND PLAIN CLOTHES
APPEAR SAME TO SPEEDERS
Reporter Finds, HO,Ceuer, That ''ViLage COnstable
System, Makes LaU Violation
Trife More Difficult.

Uniformed traffic police VS.. the
civilian clothed, alias spy system
or town constable, system. That is
the controversy that has been wag-
ing warm in police and automobile
circles for some weeks, ever since
the mounted traffic officers have been
pnt out at certain periods with civil
ian clothes. The "outraged' motor
lists who have been caught have been
protesting, backed by the auto clubs
presumably because when a uniform
ed man falls in behind them they can
see them in their mirrors. When he
is in mufti, nobody notices him.
Whether the police themselves like
it or not, they have to do it. and
this matter will not be discussed here.
Two Sides of Controversy.
The Police Department points out
the good results in cutting down
speeding, and the motorists protest
that it has been found ineffective in
other communities.
To get the inside Of the situation
Star reporter selected Milton d. Smith
of No. 4 precinct. president of the Po-
licemen's Association, and after the
necessary formalities of getting per-
mission from the head of the Police
Department to accompany a police
man in police vehicle. started out.
Well" said Smith, as he started
out, we've had a lot of complaints
about the speed of these big trucks.
They have governors on the carbure-
tors, and they can't go faster than II
miles an hour. They beat us in court
time and again on that. But just
keep your eyes open, and the first
truck we get just listen"
Smith turned into Third street
southwest and there ahead was a
big truck. Smith was knocking out
is miles. but the truck was leaving
him. He set his recording hand.
Across B street, 20 miles; across
Maryland avenue, 20 miles; Maine
avenue and Missouri avenue. Smith
stopped him before he crossed the
heavy traffic at Pennsylvania avenue.
Didn't know speed Limit.
Do you know the speed limit here
for this size truck asked the Of
ficer?
No"
How much is it in Maryland?"
Fifteen miles an hour. How much
was | doing?'
Just 20 miles an hour" said the
officer.
Il don't see how [ could be doing
that" said the chauffeur. This
truck has a governor and it won't
go more than II miles an hour"
The policeman smiled and direct
ed the man to No. 4, where he put up
$50, and the truck was laid up a
couple of hours while arrangements
were made to get it.
Leaving the station and heading
west to Eighth street at II miles an
hour. the officer saw a fine-looking
automobile shoot past the intersec-
tion of D street at Seventh.
Smith stepped on it, sped up Vir-
ginia avenue, then north on Seventh
street. By the time he had covered
that territory the speeder was well
toward B street southwest. Thirty
miles an hour the recording hand
reads At B street, where the market
traffic is heavy, the speed hand drop
ped back to %. He caught the
speeder, gave him an invitation card
to No. precinct and left him.
We headed southwest again, jog
ging along. A two-ton truck, coal
laden. almost jumped a crossing.
Smith caught him and took him
$50 and the load of coal remained out
side the station house for several hours.
Everybody caught said he wasn't
going that fast" but the tell-tale
speedom meters of the police, check ed
up regularly, say differently. Per-
haps the drivers never read their
own speedometers, or else there is a
lot of them that need repairing and
celebrating.
And so it goes on through the day,
until both reporter and policeman
turn in at o'clock, dust-laden and
confident that a few speeders will
Tighten their feet on the accelerators
in the future. They all forfeit,
except one who stands trial. But
the judge fined him $40 and warned
him, the Maryland truck driver, that
he can't come over here and dash
through the streets.
Next day is Civilian Clothes day.
Automobiles are dashing around.
We head for Pennsylvania avenue,