Evening star., 1927-05-15
NEW DIRECTOR OF TRAFFIC
TO TAKE OFFICE TOMORROW
William H. HarIand to AS
sumo Reins Without Pre-
conceived Ideas on Post.
Radical Changes Unlikely, as
Engineer Is Calm and
Deliberate.
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.

BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.
When William III. Harland takes
office tomorrow as director Of traffic
of the District of Columbia, local mo-
tordom will feel no particular reper-
cussion. Nor is It likely to feel the
effects of any sudden and radical de-
parture from normal as result or
Mr.. Harland's acquisition OF his new
post There may be changes In the
regulations from time to time. Un-
doubtedly there will be. for traffic
codes, like everything else. must keep
pace with progress. But there will be
no sudden and startling variation
from present practice.
For, Mr.. Harland Is calm and de-
liberate man. He takes his new posi-
tion with no preconceived panaceas
for moving the National Capitals
trafYic stream with greater speed or
greater safety. While making no pre-
tense of being trafiic expert or even
a particularly keen student OF trafiic
Mr.. Harland takes his new post with
a full consciousness OF the magnitude
of the tasks it imposes.
Has Valuable Assets.
In addition to approaching his task
with a calm, decisive engineering
trained mind. Mr.. Harland brings TO
it several other particularly valuable
assets upon which local motorists ana
pedestrians may look with assurance.
Among these Is the fact that ne
has been driving a car in washington
for Is years. Thus, he knows the
history of Washington traffic oy
actual experience throughout most Oh
it's formative years. He has seen the
city'a traffic regulations grow from
virtually nothing to their present
stature. He knows the present regu-
lations from the street users view
point. And. he says unhesitatingly
that he has found them. in the main.
quite satisfactory. At no time. has
he had any dificulty in understand
ing and abiding by them.
Judged by rather rigorous stand
ards, Mr.. Harland is q good motorist.
He thinks that common sense and
courtesy are two vital qualifications of
the good driver. He does not believe
in taking chances merely because the
law would give one an edge in any
case based on chancetaking on the
street. For instance. he. himself.
would not 60 out of his way to dispute
with another driver over the right Of
way. In other words. although he
does not say 1t just that way, Mr..
Harland thinks deeply enough to real
ize that 1t always takes two cars to
make collision.
Safety With Speed.
Undoubtedly his railroad training
Is responsible for this attitude. Mr.
Harland comes to the traffic directors
Office from the Interstate Commerce
Commission, where he has been q
signal engineer for many years, and
where the ''safety-first" thought. ever
is paramount.
But, and the motorist may count on
this, Mr.. Harland Is accustomed to
thinking in terms not Of safety alone,
but Of safety with speed. Railroad
training, again perhaps but q definite
advantage to MIR. Harland as director
of traffic In a large city in which traf-
flc cannot remain bottled up In q
small area without becoming danger
GUS to itself. Fast trains may HIT
harder. bat slow ones hit mulch more
often. Mr.. Harland knows this--and
knows 1t well. He will not apply this
knowledge in the form Of higher speed
limits. But. Ii makes him agree, al
least, with the present higher speed
limits and the trend toward even more
rapid movement of traffic where
1t serves the interests Of safety.
Another attribute Of Mr.. Harland
upon which local trafiic may count Is
his obviously keen sense OF fairness
revealed in decidedly informal inter.
view with him prior to his taking up
the reins where Mr.. Eldridge dropped
them"
Government by Conference"
He does not believe In snap judg,
ments under any circumstances. .he.
cause they may be hurtful to some in.
dividual or some group" Hence. he
will act slowly. He believes in .goy.
ernment by conference" So, when
any particular issue comes up, he will
confer with those interested. This
win be his plan of action regardless of
whether the question Is one Of a per.
NIT revocation or the-abolition of park.
ing In the business district. When he
knows the facts. Mr., Harland win act.
Whether Mr.. Harland will act de.
cislveiy In a question time will answer.
although one may hazard the guess
that the answer win be af1irmatiye
That he WIN act deliberately one NAV
know in advance. As a result. the
motorist who expects to see the traffic
ASAtS Oh oAAleeHth street suddenly
start dancing jig. or to see the sneed
limits radically altered upward or
downward as a result Of his taking
ONCE Is doomed to disappointment.
AS a motorist. Mr.. Harland has
driven by the trafic lights on Six.
teenth street since they were installed.
He approves Of them. As a nnotorist.
he has driven 20 miles in the 22,mile
speed zones and 30 miles in the 80.
mile areas. On the basis OF his ex-
perience, he sees no reason why these
limits should be revised. II
Fairly Strict enforcement.
He has made left turns on the
lights which involve two stops and.
as q n1otorist. he regards this system
as effective though not similar to that
practiced in many other cities. Driv-
ing around the city. Mr., Harland has
stopped at streets fntersecting with
houlevards and arterial highways, He
regards this regulation as sound, safe
and contributing to the speed of traf-
fc generally.
As every other motorist has done.
he has parked in the shopping district
where half-hour or one-hour parking