The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-17
Recommendations for Traffic
Law Amendments
By BILL PRICE

By BILL PRICE
good and thoughtful consideration OF public
interest in the recommendation of Traffic Director Edrdge
to the District Commissioners that the law requiring annual
renewal of permits for driving autos be repealed
The Commissioners seemingly unanimous support OF
Mr. Edridge in this recommendation the combination
by overwhelming public sentiment should Con-
gress wipe provision of the traffic law that will
compsh little good and be unnecessary and irritating
burden upon the public is important that Congress be
asked make this repeal before provisions of the present law
become effective.
Annual renewal something like 10000 permits out
standing the District would be huge and costly under
takng-cosy the public the large number of persons
employed in doing this work and still costly to
the time lost in seeking and obtaining new
permits
Standing in long lines for hours waiting to get permits
repetition of the each year when machine tags
being issued, is upon the good will of the
public and should be avoided in Congress
refuses to make repeal
Mr. Edridge quite right his view that the wise thing
to do spend whatever money available in efforts to de-
prive mentally physically and morally unfit drivers of per
m Mr. Eldrdge thinks that the number of these is rea
lively SMALL but those who drive daily through the streets
Of Washington of the opinion that the number is not so
small after all and that the community and public safety will
be far better off if the undesirable refused permits
The director authority revoke suspend drivers
permits pending trials of offenders in the courts instead of
having wait until convictions obtained This would put
IN the hands of the director arbitrary but there are
many circumstances which justify his having such The
pOSSeSSor
and is known the police dangerous at wheel
should not be allowed hang to the right to drive These
of frequently conviction in the courts through
technicaies and failure of witnesses testify against them
With the director having authority to revoke suspend
n drivers for relief would be to the
courts and then it would be possible to establish their bad
records.
It is also good recommendation that the law should be
require notation the back of permits of
vcion for major inractons of traffic regulations The value
of this that ransgressos could deny convictions and
of drivers would be before judges and
cutting officials whenever arrests made
Certificates Of title important in showing the ownership
of Without them thieves frequently detection
and conviction.
There is much that annoying to owners in having to
certificates of title and comply with many other red
tape regulations for the community should
prevail. -9
Director Edridge be commended however for his
apparent desire free automobile from
ing requirements and petty regulations included among them
being the renewal of permits he will continue to
in mind that the great OF and drivers
abiding who should be subjected to hun
of small nhibons he will popular approval he
in intoxicating in the minds of the traffic police
that it the major nfracons of traffic laws that dan
public and that attention should always be
upon offenders of this kind he will have public
support He will not have the support of good citizens if the
traffic police get the idea that their chief business to make
critics