Evening star., 1928-05-13
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.
@HE circles planned by Len
fant to safeguard the Ma


fant to safeguard the Ma
tional Capital from attack
a In times of war will be
made now safe for pedestrians.
according to william H. Harland,
director of traffic.
The French majors plan OF the
circles was to allow the placing or
cannon that could be turned
around to face any street or ave-
nue. and thus ward of invasion.
But since the birth Of the auto
mobile and the density Of present
day traffic, these circles have
come to be regarded as a menace
TO pedestrians. Many accidents
have occurred at these spots while
persons on foot were making their
brave effort to get across the in
terSectionS, with the machines
coming at every angle.
will Eliminate Accidents.
Following the approval by the
Commissioners to install the new
lights that are due to arrive here
next week. Mr.. Harland has de-
vised a plan which he believes will
eliminate accidents. Lights will
be installed at Dupont, Thomas
and Iowa Circles. They will con-
troll every intersection All the
lights will be green for 40 to 90
seconds. Then the red and amber
will show and all traffic will be
stopped for 90 seconds. It will be
during this time that the pedeS-
trians will be able to cross in safe
tx. During the last 5 seconds Of
the 20. the amber will go out and
the red will serve as a warning
that vehicular traffic will start
again.
Traffic lights will be installed
on Thirteenth street. E. G, Sixth,
Seventh, K and Tenth streets. in
addition to other points already
designated. This will be the first
e0oortunity of finding out how
the lights will work in the COLI
gested business areas.
The gates have been removed
between the White House and the
State. War and Navy Building.
The posts remain. The gates
themselves were not a source of
danger. The posts are. 1t is hard
to understand why the bill provitl-
Ing for the removal of the gates
cid not include the removal OF the
posts. The posts are not a thing
Of beauty. and are of no use at all.
White Paint on Hand.
The 1,500 gallons of white paint
which recently arrived has been
tesJea by the Bureau Of Standards
and found to meet the specifi-
cations. The formula was orig
inally made by the bureau, in ef-
fcrt to find a paint that would not
immediately wear out. This paint
will be used at once in painting
croSSwalkS and safety zones.
What should prove a benefit to
the motoring world is the release
Of The Wheels of Progress" a
new educational motion picture,
produced for free distribution by
the United States Department of
Agriculture. The film compares
highway transport conditions Of
80 years ago with those of today
and shows the tremendous strides
that-have been made toward rapid
and individualized transit as a re-
suit of road Improvement and the
development of the motor vehicle.
The departments report, Ia
part. is as follows:
"Oldsters will chuckle over the
road and street scenes of the 90s.
The sedate young society belle, in
chip bonnet, puffed sleeves and
trailing skirts, paying afternoon
calls IN her victoria. Bicycle girls
In boomers and tarn-o' -Shanters
-,1ew women they were called
and the more serious male dew
otees OF the wheel in their caps
and sweaters. Workingmen walk
ing 70 their places Of employment,
their full dinner pals swinging
High hated and frock : coated
big-wigs Of business entering a
marvellous new eight-story sky
gcraper. The farmer with his
truck~laden wagon on his way 70
bAsC A3kg oil utdIAEk Adys
Suggestion of Change.
"And then the first suggestion
OF changel The farmers SOM
rolent progress is disturbed by a
gnortlng. plunging monstrosity, a
'e0 acknowledgement on the
third syllable, If you please-and
there Is re-enacted the turbulent
little scene Of familiar memory TO
those who lived in those wonder
ful days at the turn Of the CEN
tury. The footing horn, the shy
ing horse, the irate driver and the
exchange OF lurid compliments as
the motor car passes I'm a cloud
Of dust.
The wheel Of progress is turn
ing, and as the picture proceeds
II turns faster and faster. TIE
gedate young lady Of the e0s is
now a modern, short -skirted me-
tron who brings her sport model
roadster 10 stop before a spa
cious suburban home and trips
lightly up the stepg The work
man enters his small. closed car
AZ his comfortable little suburban
home and quickly reaches the
factory In the congested city. The
farmer also has learned 10 drive.
and his home, % miles from ...c
city. is less than sn hours ride.
Everywhere everybody rides,
reads one title, and then the mic
OLE L. ~zas. n