Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-07
ALL PARKING BAN
LOOMS downtown
May Be Only Solution of Mud
die Following Shipping En-
trance Decision.

Prohibition against all parking In
the downtown congested area prob
ably will result if the Court of Appeals
upholds the decision of Police Court
Judge John P Mcmahon that the
Director of Traffic has no authority
TO reserve public parking space as
exclusive shipping entrances" for
business establishments. it was pre-
dicted today by Traffic Director NJ. Q
Eldridge.
Philadelphia which is confronted
with virtually the same, problem az
Washington, the traffic director
pointed out, is now attempting to
solve it by proposing a ban on all
parking in the business district ex
cept for the loading and unloading OF
vehicles. An ordinance to this effect
is now before the city council.
While the Commissioners and the
corporation counsel. Francis II
Stephens, were completing prepare
tions to appeal from Judge Nc
Mahon's opinion, Mr.. Eldridge te.e-
graphed to score of the larger
cities in the country to ascertain
what steps they had taken to pro-
tect the shipping entrances of the
business firms from parkers. Re
plies received from nine of them in
dicated that such protection is
afforded with the exception of Phlla =
delphia. where the courts have held
that the designation of special ship
ming entrances" showed discrimina
ton between commercial and pas
senger vehicles and is therefore
Illegal.
Plan i'm Los Angeles.
Mr.. Eldridge also learned that Los
Angeles has adopted a unique plan
for solving a similar problem. Spe-
cial loading zones have been desig-
mated in each block in the business
section where commercial vehicles
are allowed to park for 90 minutes
to load and unload. Passenger We
hicles also are permitted to use these
zones for the same purpose under
3-minute limitation.
While Mr.. Eldridge is not in favor
of banning parking in the business
section at this time, he said such a
plan would be inevitable if Judge Nc
Mahon's decision is upheld in the ap-
pellate eout. Otherwise. he explain
ed. business would be paralyzed in
Washington.
A careful check up on the permits
Tor SHlpplIS CIti dllIS SiS HS was
made today by Mr.. Eldridge. which
showed that 141 have been issued.
Glass to Sponsor Bill.
Taking issue strongly with Judge
McMahon Senator Glass of Virginia
plans to introduce a bill in Congress
to provide for such open spaces.
Senator Glass told the Senate Dis
trict committee yesterday afternoon
that if no other member of the com
mittee takes up the question he will
sponsor an amendment to the traffic
act which will insure to business
esta blishments the right to obtain in
gress and egress to their stores.
Senator Jones of Washington sug-
gested that the judge may have been
right under strict Interpretation of
the existing law and that it is a mat
ter Congress should have provided
for Senator Glass said he knew of
no law which would deprive a mer-
chant of the right to get his goods
into and out of his place beca use
passenger cars were parked for long
periods of time in front of his door
Senator Harreld of Oklahoma said
he could not park in front of his home
on sixteenth street because there are
white lines painted, indicating that it
is a bus stop.
The committee had expected to
take up the nominations of Commits
sioners Dougherty and Taliaferro. but
Senator King, Democrat, of Utah re-
uuested that consideration of the ap-
pointments be delayed until he can
he present. The committee will meet
a gain naxt ThurSdaV