Evening star., 1925-01-15
DRAW TRAFFICB BILL
FOR D. c. SATURDAY
Members of Joint Committee
to Get Together-TWo
Measures Are Up.

Proposed traffic legislation for the
District of Columbia will be consid-
cred at meeting Saturday morning
of the joint congressional committee
on traffic, Senator Ball. chairman of
the committee, said today
The meeting will be executive and
for the purpose of drafting a bill.
Before the committee will be the
original traffic bill drafted by Sena-
tor Ball, the bill submitted by the
District Commissioners, and by DR..
John A. Harriss and Judge w. Bruce
Cobb, New York traffic experts.
Both bills provide for increases in
the number of policemen and in the
number of judges of the Police Court.
The bin to regulate traffic and to
enlarge the Police Department was
yesterday submitted by Engineer Com
missioner Bell on behalf of the Dis
trict Commissioners.
An outstanding provision of the bill
is the appointment of director of
traffic by the District Commissioners
This director of traffic is to perform
such duties as the District Commits
sioners shall require.
The Commissioners are also au-
thorized to appoint 900 additional pri-
Yates in the Police Department.
The bill also provides for two addi-
tional judges of the Police Court.
with six additional clerks: for four
more bailiffs and two additional as
sistant corporation counsels.
Got Experts Advice.
In a letter to Senator Ball the
Engineer Commissioner says that
the bill was prepared after con-
sultation with the traffic commits
sion, the corporation counsel and
others, and also after consideration of
the testimony taken before the joint
committee on traffic. Commissioner
Bell said that il was desira BILE to
have q flexible method of meeting the
ever-changing traffic conditions He
suggested that some of the streets
here might be widened, but called
attention to the fact that the wider
the streets the more quickly the
traffic moves and the more liability
of accidents.
Speaking of the proposed director of
traffic, the Commissioner said that he
considered the office as important as
the superintendent of schools, and as
the superintendent of schools must be
more than teacher, so the director of
traffic must be more than a policeman.
May Give Jail Terms.
Under the terms of the bill the Com
missioners would be authorized in fixing
penalties for the violations of the traf-
fc regulations to prescribe Jail sem
tences not to exceed one year in place
of or in addition to fines.
The Commissioners would be au-
thorized to revoke or suspend permits
to operate motor vehicles, at their
discretion, on conviction of driving
while drunk, on conviction of reckless
driving, on conviction of third or
subsequent offense of violation of
speed regulations, on conviction of
third or subsequent offense for viola
tion of parking regulations and at
any time after due notice and hear
ing when it is established to the sat
isfaction of the Commissioners that
the operator Is an unfit person, ire
spective of absence of conviction in
court The Commissioners are given
authority to refuse recognition of
permits in another Jurisdiction when
the holder thereof comes within any
of the classifications enumerated.
Right to Impound Cars.
Authority is given the Commission
ers to adopt regulations for the i'm
pounding of vehicles left on the
streets in violation of law or regu-
lation and to provide for the return
to the owner upon payment of such
fine as may be designated
The bill prepared by Judge Cobb and
DR. Harriss was at the invitation of
the joint committee
Cobb Harriss Bill.
The -Harriss bill provides heavy
penalties for conviction of homicide
or assault, driving while intoxicated,
driving while under the influence of
drugs and leaving the scene OF an
accident without making Identity
known.
Conviction for first offense on a charge
of reckless driving will mean a fine of
$40 to 500, or to so days in Jail;
second offense, $50 to 81, 900 fine, 10
days to one year in jail; leaving the
scene of an accident, without making
identity known, calls for a 800 to $500
fne with a 60-day to 6-month Jail SEN
tence on the first offense and 5000 to
$1,000 fine with months to one year
in jail.
The judge suggests a change in the
local regulation in regard to passing
street cars. The present regula tion
provides that motorists must stop 15
feet in rear of Il street car diScharg-
ing passengers, while Judge Cobb
suggests that an automobile must not
approach within eight feet of a street
car.
Suggestions by Judge Cobb.
With the additional judges the pro-
cedure on arrest. Judge Cobb sug-
gests, a S follow:
That the offender be Immediately
taken to court for trial, and if for
any reason the case is postponed
after reaching court. that the
Offender shall put up a large bond or
cola teral. In case he fails to ap-
pear at the time specified for the
trial bench warrant Is to be i'm
mediately sworn out and served.
Judge Cobb also recommends that
the summons systom he installed, that
all might parking be prohibited. that
public parking spaces be provided
and that super-streets be installed at
the earliest possible time.