Evening star., 1925-02-24
TRAFFIC BILL DUE
TOPASS, SAYS BALL
Differences With House Are
Likely to Be Ironed Out,
Senator Holds.

Expressing confidence that diHer-
ences between the House and Senate
on the provisions of the traffic bill
could be speedily ironed out in con-
ference between the two bodlesr oena-
tor Ball of Delaware. chairman OF the
Senate District committee, who has
been in charge of the traffic bill III
the upper House, said today that there
was every probability that the bill
would pass.
Asked regarding his reaction to the
drastic amendments added to the Dill
in the House, the Senator said that
he did not believe any of them were
serious enough to endanger final pas
sage. He asserted that on most of the
amendments an agreement could
probably be reached, but said that he
and members Of the Senate commit
tee would stand pat on the 3o-mile-
an-hour speed limit which was re-
duced in the House to 22 miles an
hour.
Would Prefer No Limit.
"I have been in favor all along,
said Senator Ball, "of not setting any
definite speed limit. However, 1t was
the consensus of opinion that a
maximum of 80 miles an hour should
be fixed. There are numerous places
In Washington where this speed can
be maintained with safety-for in
stance, Connecticut avenue IRON
Cleveland Park as far out as Chevy
Chase Lake and Massachusetts ave
nue. from Sheridan Circle on out into
the country.
The speed limit set by the House
of % miles an hour, which is the
iS instead
of forward Motor experts have tes-
titled that the progressive way oil
handling traffic is TO get the cars
moving as rapidly as is consistent
with safety. The House yesterday
named eight streets which are to be
converted into arterial highways, and
that to my mind is one OF the In
congruous amendments, because they
made no provision for increased speed
on these fast-traff1c streets.
Hopes for Agreement.
ct am hopeful that the conferees
from the House will be members OF
the joint District committee which
heard testimony on the traffic bill. II
Representative Rathbone of Illinois
is appointed, I am sure that the con-
ferees will have no trouble in reach
Ing an agreement, because he was
present at all the hearings and has
made a thorough study of conditions
In Washington"
House Makes Many Changes.
The traffic bill, as passed by the
House yesterday. is not recognizable
as either the measure that was
agreed to by the joint District COM
mittee or that passed by the Senate
Changes made on the floor of the
House yesterday include:
Lowering of the maximum speed
limit from 80 to % miles per hour;
elimination OF the clause providing
for yearly operators permits; elimina-
tion of the impounding law; designa-
tton of eight streets as arterial high
ways; increasing the number of new
policemen from 100 to 200; restoring
mandatory Jail sentences for hit-and-
run and Intoxicated drivers; reduc-
Ing the rank of the new director OF
traffic; lengthening court hours sc
that the judges will sit from 9 in the
morning to IL at night; reducing the
number of new deputy police court
clerks from to 2; bailiffs from tc
and the number of jury trials.
BIanton Takes Lead.
Representative Blanton of Texas
took a leading part in the rewriting
of the act. He insisted that the court
should open at o'clock in the morn.
ing instead of 10 o'clock, that bailiffs
had little to do and not more than
two should be appointed, and that the
army of deputy clerks authorized
under. the Senate bill was "ridicu-
lous." He introduced every amend
ment except the one authorizing the
high-speed streets and the one sub
mitted by Representative Ayres OF
Kansas which provides that petty Of
tenders cannot be granted jury trials
If their fines are under $500 or three
months in Jail
Leod of Michigan the following
streets were designated as through
traffic arteries: Pennsylvania avenue
Connecticut avenue, Massachusetts
avenue, Sherman avenue, Brightwood
avenue. Rhode Island avenue, New
Hampshire avenue and Sixteenth
street
Speed Limit AsaaiIed.
The motion Of Mr.. Blanton to arbi-
tra,rily set the speed limit at % miles
per hour was assailed by Representa- a a
tive Begg OF Ohio. who said that even
members of Congress at times drove
their cars as high as 25 miles an
hour, and for the House to solemnly
slt ana nix speed limit of % miles
per hour was nothing short of a
scandal. The amendment, was ADOPT
ed, however, by a vote OF SO to IS
Although the proposed new director
of traffic was slated to occupy a posi-
ton equal to that of commissioners
Of motor vehicles in the States, the
Senate changed his rank so that he
should be an assistant chief of police.
The House yesterday went even
further and he will now be merely a
subordinate official under the chief
Of police. He will be shorn of all
real power and is expected to be only
q figurehead. Those who have studied
the needs of Washington predict that
no Improvement will be noted over
conditions prevailing here at pres
80 a, ~o.-ao. a. ~