The Washington times., 1925-01-17
Congress and Traffic Regulation
in the District
By BILL PRICE.


joint of Congress charged with the framing
Of more drastic traffic laws for the District proceeding
slowly surely toward the presentation Of bill that Will
pass that body.
In the meantime careless headstrong motorists ping
up evidence that laws here an urgent necessity
They impressed with the slaughter and manning
Of human beings this city They have not given moment
to reflection their failure be thoughtful and con-
sderate that bringing the majority OF Washington
and regulations that should not have to be put
into force
When the snow and ice lay heavily upon city and
motorists compelled be careful to their own
skins bones there comparatively few accidents AS
away the number of accidents has largely
increased ephacay demonstrating that the burden Of
wrong doing and wreckage to be placed squarey upon
motorists and not upon the Of many machines.
Serious voator of the law still lodging being brought
prompt trial and punishment by demanding jury trials in
police court which is congested that such trials are nm
possible for many months The records Of these volators are
confront them when Congress passes legislation which will
give additional police court Judges both of whom may
traffic judges, in night traffic court.
Swift rerbution will materially aid in betteng conditions
in this city and rendering human life and limb here lfer The
need of these judges and Of additional traffic policemen were
attention Of Congress by this newspaper before
the traffic hearings were begun
All other legislation will be purely supplemental TO the main
needs here pointed
It is to be hoped that night traffic provided
for The accidents night when the tapping
bootleg poison begins and Joy riders
opportunities The criminal element Of the city nocturnal
and out after the fall Of darkness.
will be soft for speeder drunks and careless
drivers when they that arrested for violations they
viii not be allowed to give collateral and win be taken direct
before Judge and jury if they desire one, and in all
probability 60 straight from there to long prison sentence
besides having their licenses revoked
No matter what else Congress does should certainly make
swift punishment the foremost element Of the legislation it
win pass When witnesses be summoned at night the
could go until the next day, but longer
Lenency toward auto killers and manners and the whole
tribe Of reckless and drunken drivers be thing Of the
past The consequences of their utter disregard Of law and Of
fairness dreful Washington should be made the
hottest place in the United States for them The Congress
committee has had plenty Of information to how these sort
Of maefacors dealt with elsewhere and shouldn't tarry
In arranging red hot treatment for them at the hands Of the
law
Traffic experts who with Secretary Hoover time
ago estimated that 5000 people will be killed in the United
States this year. and 100000 injured The life Of the
pedestrian daily becoming perous Of the 1880
people killed in the United States last year. 5000 were
children in the public schools while many thousands were
MANNED for life.
Liability insurance has jumped % cent in cost through
out the country and in New York city whose traffic experts
here to tell Congress what should be done In Washing
ton, the rates went up 100 per- cent.