Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-07
INCREASED SIGNAL
L|GHTSARE URGED
Chamber OF Commerce DireC.
tors Postpone Action on
Insurance Matter.

Postponing final action as TO their
attitude on the proposed enactment OF
a compulsory automobile liability in
surance law for the District of Column
bia after a vigorous debate. the board
of directors of the Washington Cham
Der of Commerce last night recon-
mended the esta blishment OF electric
traffic signal lights at all downtown
street intersections as means or
enforcing control of pedestrians as
we'll as of vehicular traffic.
This action. taken in adopting the
report of the committee of the cham
Der on police and fire protection and
public safety, of which Charles w.
Darr is chairman, was accompanied
by recommendations urging that regu-
lar and official inspection and adjust.
ment of the brakes and lights of
automobiles be enforced and request
ing the District Commissioners to call
q conference here of the traffic direc.
tors of all the larger cities of the
country to draft a code of uniform
traffic regulations.
Final Decision September 10.
All three recommendations of the
committee, adopted by the directors.
are u NC u the 1ull pOUN
Of the Chamber of Commerce for final
decision at the first Fall meeting, Sep.
TENDER 10.
In urging The installation of auto.
matte traffic signal lights at all in.
tersections in the congested section,
the Darr committee declared that
only by such a method could there
be an effective control of the move
ments of pedestrians. Describing
present conditions under which
throngs of pedestrians swarm across
intersections in the face of traffic and
the signals of traffic officers. endan-
gering life and limb and delaying
traffic movements, Mr.. barr asserted
that now traffic officers "pay no at
tention whatever" to the crossing of
pedestrians.
Pedestrian Control.
The uncertainty regarding the con.
troll of pedestrians, he believed. would
be obviated with the installation of
automatic traffic control lights, which
would not only make better control
of automobiles possible, but would
make sure the effective control of the
movements OF pedestrians. as the po-
lice would be free to give their at
tention to the pedestrians
While strong sentiment developed
among the directors for the com.
pulsory liability insurance which is
designed to provide indemnity for per.
sons or property injured in traffic
accidents. action on the matter was
postponed and the report of the Darr
committee was recommitted for fur.
ther study when letters from the
American Automobile Association. the
United States Chamber of Commerce
and the National Association of
Finance Companies were filed with
the chamber opposing the proposed
law.
The opposition of these organiza
tons drew fire from Mr.. Darr, Harry
King and Charles J. Stockman. who
declared they resented" the implica.
ton in communications from these or
CARNATIONS that the public safety
committee of the chamber had recon-
mended the law without thorough
study of all phases of the matter.
Clash at Meeting.
1t develops. following publica.
ton of the action of the Darr COM
mittee early last week in recommend
Ing enactment of the insurance meas
ure, that voluminous documents list !
ing arguments against such a law
were sent from the United States
Chamber of Commerce" to members
OF the board of directors of the local
chamber. This propaganda" brought
bitter denunciation from members of
the chamber. and Mr.. King declared
the arguments in this literature to his
mind were IAN insult to the intel
ngence of business man.
When Isaac Cans, member of the