Evening star., 1925-06-02
WILL ASK TRAFFIC
LAW AMENDMENT
Commissioners Want All
Prosecutions Not Criminal
Conducted by District.

The commissioners will ask Con-
gress in December to amend the new
traffic law in order to bring all pros
ecutions, except the use of a smoke
screen, under the corporation counsel.
They reached this decision today
after Corporation Counsel Stephens
had rendered an opinion pointing
out that as now worded the law di-
Vides the prosecutions between the
corporation counsel and the United
states district attorney. depending
on the nature of the penalty
AS me law now reads, prosecutions
Tor the following offenses must be
handled by the District attorney: No
operators permit: second offense of
reckless driving; third offense of
speeding; fleeing from the scene of an
accident; driving under the influence
OF hquor or drugs, and using a smoke
screen.
Inc corporation counsel states that
prosecution for the use OF a smoke
screen should remain under the Dis
trict attorney, because il calls for in
ulctment and trial in the Criminal
Sourt: he sees no reason why all other
sIola,lons should not be handled uni
lorhliN by the corporation counsel
Traffic Municipal Problem.
IN detailed report on the question.
assistant Corpora ton Counsel Ring
s"ia Hart made this observation:
IN my opinion. the enforcement of
.ranc regulations is a municipal prob.
rem. ana should be placed in the hands
oi municipal authorities. In anv event
.nefe ,LI's should be no divided response
plItE' There appears to be no sound
reason why operating without a per.
NM should be prosecuted in the name
VI the nlted States, or the first of.
tense OF reckless driving in the name
OF the District of Columbia and the
second offense in the name of the
nlted states: or the first and second
oHehse OF violating the speed regula-
.ioh IN the name Of the District and
ne ne tnIro ana SUBSEQUENT offenses in
the name of the United States"
Mr.. Hart expressed the belief thar
congress did not intend to divide
responsibility for enforcement. and
pointed out that in passing the traffic
Ia" they made provision for an addi-
uonal assistant in the corporation
counsels oflce for the purpose of
nanoilng the extra work resulting
from enforcement of the act.
Car Is Overturned.
of Ralph r. Shehyn, 2043 Rosenont
street, and Mrs. Caroline D. Hough.
So5 street occurred late yesterday
afternoon at Fourteenth and l streets
resulting In the overturning of the
latter vehicle and pinnins Mrs.
HouGh,s hand under it. She was
treated at George Washington Uni.
Versity Hospital
Bert W. Kennedy, doorkeeper of
The House OF Representatives. was
knocked down at Thirteenth and II
Streets Yesterday afternoon by a
plcNcie and injured about the shout.
ders. lie received treatment at
George Washington University Hos
pital.
Angelo Ferio. is. a. Decatur street
northeast, occupant OF an automobile
that was in collision with another
car at First and b streets Yesterday
morning, received a cut on his right
ankle and injury TO his left hip. He
was given first aid at Casualty Hospi.
tai
Eight.yes r-old William spicer $40
Elliott street northeast, ran from he
hind an ice wagon yesterday after
noon and was knocked down by the
automobile of Harry Switzer. 1349
Maryland avenue northeast. receiving
an injury 10 his face.
Man So Is Injured.
William Henry Weaver. 53 years old
li2O h street southeast. was struck bv
an automobile at Potomac avenue and
Eleventh street southeast fast night
and injured about the head and body.
He was taken to Casualty HospitsI
where his condition was reported as
being undetermined. Identity of the
driver OF the automobile was not es-
tablished.
Policeman Lewis r. Redman of the
seventh precinct was slightly hurt
yesterday as a result of a collision be-
tween his motor cycle and an auto
mobile driven by Oscar Orndoff, Grays-
vile, Pa, at Twenty-eighth and NJ
streets. He received slight bruises and
his back was wrenched.
Karl Sonneman. us Quebec place.
was driver of an automobile that
struck and knocked down Samuel
Walters, Is, 245S Eighth street, on
Sherman avenue yesterday morning
and slightly injured him. The injured
boy was taken to Garfield Hospital.
Julia y. Webb, So 1920 Twentv.first
street. crossing near Sixteenth and
Lamont streets yesterday morning.
was knocked down by the automobile
of Daniel j. Murphy, 1909 Fifteenth
street. and her left arm fractured. She