Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-06
NO-PARK|NG RULES
STILL IN EFFECT
Commissioners Order Laws
Be Enforced Despite
Judges Decision.

Taking issue directly with the ruling
yesterday of Judge John P. Mcmahon
in Police Court, that they had no
authority to set aside reserved park
ing spaces at the shipping entrances
the District Commissioners today de-
clared the regulation still to be in ef-
feet and directed that the Police De-
partment continue to enforce it.
AT the same time, the city heads
instructed Corporation Counsel Fran
els H. Stephens to file an appeal from
the decision of Judge Mcmahon. hold
ing that Congress, in the recent traffic
act, gave to the city government
ample authority to make necessary
regulations affecting the parking OF
automobiles.
Merchants Join Fight.
Determined opposition to the ruling
of the police court judge also de-
veloped today from another quarter
as merchants of the city joined forces
to seek to set aside the ruling.
A special meeting of the traffic com.
mittee of the Merchants and Manu-
facturers' Association was held at
noon and after hearing an explana-
tion of the confused situation by Traf-
f1c Director NJ. O. Eldridge voted
to tender their support to the District
commissioners in opposing the ruling
and TO seek to restore the provisions
OF the regulation granting shipping
entrance" parking bans. Merchants
declared the abandonment of the re-
served spaces would completely tie
up their business, handicap deliveries
and only add to the congestion of
downtown traffic.
In announcing that they had di-
rected that an appeal be taken in
the case on which Judge McMahon
ruled, the District Commissioners as
serted that the fundamental principle
of all regulation of parking was in
volved. They pointed out that the
traffic act gave to the director of traf-
t1c the power of making regulations
for the parking of vehicles. Reserv-
ing spaces at shipping entrances for
the loading and unloading of mer-
chandise falls into that classification.
they held
Commissioner Dougherty this
morning, following the announcement
that the ruling of Judge Mcmahon
would be appealed, informed Edward
ID. Shaw, secretary of the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association, that
the regulation still would be enforced.
With view to working out a solu-
ton of the problem members of the
traffic committee of the merchants
organization will meet Commissioner
Dougherty tomorrow morning.
In outlining the regulation to the
merchants traffic committee this
morning, Traffic Director Eldridge
pointed out that there are 100 mo
parking" reservations in the city for
the use of business concerns as Ship
ping entrances In each case, before
the permit was granted, he said. a
careful investigation was made to see
that the space desired actually was
needed.
Mr.. Eldridge explained that while
there are only 100 such shipping en-
trance" reservations, there is a total
of 512 similar reservations, where
parking sof vehicles is prohibited, in
front of theaters. hotels, clubs. hos
pitals, churches. apartment buildings,
etc, which also are provided in the
same Commissioners regulation and
which Judge Mcmahon did not de-
clare to be null and void.
Appeal Is Planned,
The District Commissioners today
decided to appeal from the decision
The appeal will be noted by Corpo
ration Counsel Francis Fl. Stephens
and it will have the effect of staying
the execution of the courts action.
Corporation Counsel Stephens is
now studying Judge McMahon's de-
cision preparatory to noting an ap-
peal. He declined, however, to COM
ment on the opinion at this time.