Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-19
TRAFFIC MEASURE
REPORT RUSHED TO
SAVE DISTRICT DAY
House Committee O. KS II
With Water Bill to Get Pair
on Calendar Monday.
AUTO PERMIT RENEWAL
PROPOSAL is APPROVED
Would Raise $550,OOO in Five
Years to Be Used for Installa.
ton of Lights

Two bills were reported favorablv
by the House District committee 10
day at a special meeting that they
might be on the calendar in time for
consideration in the House next Mon
day. which is District day.
The committee, by a special vote.
instructed the chairman, or, in his alb
sence, the ranking ma jority member,
to confer with the House leader /"
make certain that time will be Giver
Monday for consideration of the three
District measures which have bee
reported The general welfare bill
already is on the House calendar.
The two measures reported today
are. one which embodies four amend
ments TO the existing traffic act and
the other the Moore bill 10 allow the
Arlington sanitary district TO securr
water from the Dalecarlia Reservoir
across the Chain Bridge. with all eX
penses borne by the Arlington district.
Traffic Amendments.
The four amendments approved I"
the traffic law are:
First. granting authority to the
director of traffic to suspend or re
woke d driving permit, on notice and
hearing, when the offense is against
the law itself as we'll as when it is in
violation of a traffic regulation.
Second to extend the time until
July /. 1925. for reissuinG drivers per
mits The new drivers permit would
be issued for five years at a fee of 81
a year, to be paid in lump sum OF
IS or annually at the rate OF 81, a,
the option of the driver. The FUNDS
from the sale of permits, which viii
amount to s550,000 during the five
year period, are to be used for COM
pleting the electric light signal sys-
tenn.
Third, to make New Jersey ave
nue. from the Capitol to W street an
arterial highway, TO be included in
the program of streets TO be equipped
with electric light signals.
Fourth, granting the traffic director
| control over street cars and mules IN
! order TO round out his control over
! traffic.
The first two amendments Were
adopted as the report of the Subcom-
mittee on streets, highways and traf-
fic, of which Representative Stalker
of New York is chairman.
Mcleod Backs Measure.
The third amendment for signal
lights on New Jersey avenue was on
the motion of Representative Mcleod.
Republican. Michigan.
The fourth amendment was on mo-
ton of Representative Blanton, with
the support of Mr.. Stalker and Repre-
sentative Reid, Republican, of Illinois.
Mr.. Reid lead a fight in committee
which resulted in making the drivers
permit good for five years, with the
optional payment provision.
+! The motion instructing the chair
man to negotiate for the preservation
of District day on Monday was made
by Mr.. Blanton.
Representative Gibson. Republican.
of Vermont. who was presiding III the
absence of AIr. Zihlman. said that there
was no excuse for the District officials
not being able TO issue new permits
on March 81. and requiring extension
of the time until July /. He said that
! in New York State 800. 900 permit
are issued annually. Mr.. Blanton said
that it would take 200 employees to get
the permits out in Washington by
. March 81.
Would Answer Citizens.
During debate Mr.. Blanton en-
phasized and agreed with a remark
made by acting Chairman Gibson
that the House District committee
! ought to pay more attention TO what
the people of the District want, than
what the District Commissioners, who
are not responsible TO the people, say
they want" When arguing that the
traffic director should be given control
over street cars as recommended by
the citizens advisory council, MI.
Blanton said he had positive know
edge that a former District Commits
sioner had protected the Black and
White TaXicab interest because
close relative was in that business.
He added. there Is in the District
Commissioners an interest and in
fuence protecting the street railways.
! l am going to find out what that in
terest is and expose it TO my col
| leagues"
Mr. Reed said this committee
! ought not to be rubber stamp Tor
the District Commissioners, and il
| we have an independent thought we
| ought 70 express it, He made this
remark when Representative Rath-
bone, Republican, of Illinois, was IN
! deayorinG to have Mr.. Phantom With
! 10, his ,ef1sctjopS against the DlS-