Evening star., 1925-11-05
MOTORISTS HURRY
T0F|X HEADLIGHTS
AS DRIVE IS BEGUN
1900 Policemen Ready to
Open Campaign on 0ut-of-
Focus Lamps on Autos.
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.


Gla ring headlights soon will glare
no more in the District of Columbia.
Literally thousands Of motor cars
whose crooked lamps have been
spreading their evil rays throughout
the city's streets and highways for
many months now are crowding in
upon the auto service stations and
repair shops for tests and adjust
ment.
The present migration Of car own.
ers toward law complain is by far
the greatest ever witnessed in the Ma
tional Capital.
Police at Work.
The reason for this sudden and fer
vent desire on the part of so many de
linquents to become good motor citi-
zens may be found in the announce
ment In The star yesterday that 300
officers of the law, including every
branch of the Metropolitan Police
center their attention on sharp.
quick. effective roundup of violators
of the District headlight regulations
The force behind the enforcement of
observa ton of the non-glare and daZ-
zling auto lamp laws includes 900
patrolmen, 100 motor cycle officers,
125 crossing policemen and Is mem
bers of the bicycle division.
With this sizable army OF men bent
upon stopping light law transgres-
sions. and with public sentiment
sauarely behind their efforts, 1t Will
be either a very bold or very stupid
motorist indeed who ventures 1orth
with offending auto lights.
Public Supports Drive.
Jfthe countless mmendatory com
m,nications received by The Star may
he accepted as criterion Of wide ap-
nroval of the present campaign
against dazzling and life menacing
suto lights, then both Maj. Edwin b.
Hesse, superintendent of police, ana
Traffic Director NJ: o. Eldridge may be
assured of the. fullest public support
in their course. :.
Every law and safety interest in
the National Capital stands ready TO
aid official effort to rid the city OF the
public nuisa noes who motor through
the streets behind blazing and blind
ing lamps.
When the police dragnet is pulled in
there will be found no doubt, many
innocents who honestly believed their
lamps inoffensive. They probably will
protest their arrest for having glarlnS
lights as a glaring mistake. But trat.
fic officials believe that six months
time-three prior to August l, When
the regulation went into enect ana
three months grace-is quite sufn-
cient for even the most procrastinat-
ing individual.
Dealers Cooperating.
What we are after" said MIR. Ed
ridge. lis less glare and more light
on the subject of headlight glare.
II motorists would only understand
that II IS Just as necessary to give
recl,lar attention 10 their car =
lampS as il. is gas, oil and water.
they would take a long step forward
in giving the ira tfic office most help
ful co-operation in making the Dis
trict safer place to walk and I"
motor"
Mr.. Eldridse expressed gratitude e
to the automobile trade of Wash
instou for aid in his headlight prob
lem The automobile dealers. he
said are cooperating splendidly
with the traffic authorities in offer
ing a testing service to motorists
a visit among the dealers revealed
that q great many of their number
are now equipped to give light and
brake tests which will assure auto
mobiles equipment which complies
with the traffic regulations.
Tests Facilitated.
Arrangements for the installation
of this testing service were made by
the Washington Automotive Trade
Associa ton before the headlight
regulation became effective. While
many motorists have availed them
selves of it, greater number, 1t is
said, have been Indifferent
Cards stating the results of the
tests are given to car owners. These
cards were prepared by the trade
associa ton in conference with local
traffic officials and were based on a
standard card drawn UP by the Bu-
reau of Standards. They sre issued
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