Evening star., 1925-11-04
HeSSe Warns Men to Keep on
Lookout for ViOIat0rS
of Regulations.
QUICK, SNAPPY CAMPAIGN
Is PLANNED BY ELDRIDGE
Drivers Rush to Put Lamps in
Focus-Dealers Asked to Place
New Cars in Condition.
BN WILLIAM III.MAN,
Automobile Editor OF The star.

Adjustment OF headl5htS to con
form with the District regulations
relating to auto lights thar glare and
dazzle would seem L" be an early
duty of all local motorists whose
cars carry lamps that are out Of
focus. and are. therefore. hazard
to the life and property Of other
users of the street and highways.
This conclusion is drawn from as
surances that within very short
space of time the entire strength and
power of the Metropolitan Police De.
partment will he directed toward ap-
pretending violators of the District
headlight laws.
Hesse Takes Action.
Yesterday. following publication in
The Star of an article pointing out
the growing menace of binding motor
lamps, Maj. Edwin Il. Hesse, super
intendent of police, in the official
daily bulletin of his departme mt .
directed the attention of his men to
the very prevalent and persistent
violations of the regulations prohibit
ing binding and dazzling headlights, ="
while this morning he declared him
self TO be in full sympathy with The
driving in the District
Carrying out his announced inten.
tion to seek the cooperation OF the
entire police force in curbing the evil
of misdirected auto lights. Traffic Di-
rector NJ. o. Eldridge this morning
went before Maj. Hesse and requested
the desired aid. urging that the / 900
patrolmen of the Police Department
not engaged directly in traffic work
ha LA zf a.,
for technical training in detecting mo-
tor lamps out of alignment
Favors Training Plan.
While disinclined to make snap
decision. Maj. Hesse expressed him
self as being favorable to the plan.
The superintendent's hesitancy to say
Yes" at once was due, he said, to a
desire to ascertain first some of the
details of sending the patrolmen to
the Government experts for the
schooling proposed.
Meanwhile the remaining members
of the traffic force who have not vet
taken instruction in detecting and ad-
tusting out-of-focus lights will be sent
out to Uncle Sans experts for train
ing.
In case Maj. Hesse finds himself un-
able to send all his patrolmen to the
p,
has been suggested that enough of
them be trained to act as instructors
for the others, and that instruction be
given while on night duty. This plan
is favored because of the twofold ad-
vantage of practice on actual violators
and their apprehension.
Quick Drive Urged.
Both Maj. Hesse and Director
Eldridge believe that a quick. sharp,
intensive drive by the entire Police
Department against violators of the
headlight regulations would result
in the prompt adjustment of the
lamps of every car in the District
and that the benefits to all would
be so apparent that little trouble
would be experienced in the future.
With 1900 officers of the law on
the lookout for tilted and generally
"cockeyed" light. roundup, it
is believed. can be effected quickly,
after which the misdirected beam
would be so conspicuous that it
couldn't last an hour on any trav-
eled highway.
communication to members of the
Washington Automotive Trade Asso-
citation asking their further cooper
alton by making certain that the
lamps of all the cars they sell.
whether new or used, be tested for
accuracy.
New Lights Often Wrong.
Many owners of new cars" Mr..
Eldridge said, believe that their
lights are perfect because their cars
are new. This is a mistake, for new
cars are showed about quite a bit
between purchase and delivery get
ting them ready for their new own
ers. and in this process lamps are
frequently thrown out of alignment"
1t was also indicated at police
headquarters today that henceforth
arrests rather than lectures would