Evening star., 1925-01-06
Poor Lights and Fen Policemen
Blamed for ID. e.. Traffic Trouble
Nep York Expert Tells Congress Committee 500 Men
Should Be AraIable for Duty at Crossings
and Regulating Motorists.

Believing that the fundamental evil
in traffic control in the National
Capital lies in poor street lighting,
lack Of sufficient policemen, and mig
gardly" appropriations for the de-
partment and city Or. John A. Har-
riss, special deputy commissioner of
New York City, and an International
ly known traffic expert, told the joint
committee of the House and Senate
District committees yesterday that un-
less these things were remedied moth
ing could be done for the betterment
IF conditions.
DR.. Harriss, who with Judge w.
Bruce Cobb, also of New York. was
invited to appear before the com
mittee to discuss a model traffic law
for Washington, urged complete
change in the attitude of Congress
toward Washington. pointing out no
Improvement could be hoped for
until an adequate number OF police
men were on duty and the police de-
partment had sufficient money avail
able to experiment In traffic reforms.
Urges 800 Policemen.
Five hundred policemen, for traffic
alone, should be put on the streets
Immediately and any sum up to
$25, 900, 900 should be appropriated, in
the opinion of DR.. Harriss. This
money, he said, would go to better
lighting, proper equipment of the city
with traffic towers and for mobile ap-
paratus for the Police Department
II can best describe Washington S
ira ffic situation" said DR.. Harriss, as
a chronic disease. There is nothing
to cure IL other than to take care or
the complications, and the main com
plications, ! believe, are two in num-
ber-lack of police and lack of funds
to experiment with
'I understand that there are now
only Sc policemen ayailble for cross
ing duty. That is a ridiculous num-
Der for a city with practically l25,OOo
automobiles. In order to adequately
handle the situation there should be
at least 500 policemen appointed i'm
mediately for traffic. OF these men,
200 should do crossing duty and l5o
of them should be equipped with the
latest type motor cycle. Small au-
tomobiles should also be furnished SO
that sergeants and lieutenants could
oversee the work of their men
Duty of Congress.
"I understand that this committee
is seeking to frame a model traffic
law. 1t is fitting that the National
Capital should have such law. The
world in traffic matters but it can
not do it unless appropriations are
large enough to make it possible. 1t
behooves Congress to be up and doing
for the District instead of standing
still.
Congress. should be willing to
spend up to $25, 100000, il it is neces
sary to teach the rest of the world
the lesson of traffic control. Much
more can be accomplished by the
addition to the police department and
the tools with which it must work
than by the making of laws.
1.-The street lighting in the Nation
al Capital is the worst that 1 have
seen in any city in the world. Con-
gree should not hesitate to install
an entirely new system of illumina
ton"
Senator Copeland of New York at
this point asked Senator Ball of Del
aware, chairman of the Senate Dis
trict committee, the reason for the
''pitiably" inadequate lighting system
in Washington.