Evening star., 1929-12-15
More Policemen!


has been completed and the report of
the subcommittee submitted to the Dis
trict committee. Intended originally
as q study Of the parking problem in
washington, the subcommittee's work
has been carried into all aspects of this
important problem. The subcommit-
tees findings are exactly what might
have been foreseen. Drastic and far
fung changes in traf1ic control in the
District were not expected to be con-
tanned in the report despite the fact
that one witness testified that he would
do away with all automatic lights, and
another that he would change the sys-
tern for q new basis of timing. Accord
ingly. the subcommittee did all that 1t
was expected to do, praised Trafic Di-
rector Harland and urged the need OF
an addition to the police force.
Washington is gratified that Director
Harland has received deserved praise
for his efforts. He has performed q
thankless job well. Washington is like
wise gratfied that the need of addi-
tional policemen is recognized by the
subcommittee. This recognition is
rapidly reaching the unanimous stage
since subcommittees, committees, COM
missions and. in fact, most all persons
in the National Capital have at one
time or another admitted the pressing
necessity for more policemen. So 1t
must be so. washington does need ad-
ditional trafFic officers and the subcom-
mittee's action is calculated to bring
the city closer to the ideal Of an ade-
Quate force.
Now that everybody is agreed on the
matter, 1t would seem to be time to
replace words with action. Washing
toms small trafIic force Is doing valiant
duty In the face Of heavy handicaps.
Crossing men are well trained and do
their best to avoid the dreaded conges-
tion Of motor vehicles, but there are too
few Of them and many of the crossings
are manned only for q small portion of
the day. With Washington's concep-
ton Of how q laft-hand turn should
be made, this fact makes it difacult for
the niotorist to reach the proper lane
Of trafic for the maneuver.
Nor are there enough policemen to
supplement the trafac ofIicers control
Of = busy intersection. In probably no
other city but Washington is the officer
at the semaphoFe left unaided at con-
gested points. One, two and sometimes
four policemen are generally on duty to
assist In Synchronizing pedestrian and
motor trafflc. Even when the District
experimental in It's enforcement of the
pedestrian regulation which still takes
up space in the trafic code, only four
men could be spared in the downtown
section.
Thirty-two motor cycle men operate
out. OF the TrafHc Bureau augmented
by about ten more on speedy bicycles
that is, speedy If the lung power of the
policeman is functioning we'll. Imagine
1t! city OF nearly six hundred thou
sand persons with more than q hun
cred and twenty-five thousand motor
lists controlled by a handful of motor
cycle and bicycle policemen!
Washington will indeed be grateful
10 the men in Congress who, realizing
the state Of affairs, will push for action.
Ihe subcommittee members or commit
tee members or individuals In the Sem
ate or House would be doing the Dis
tr1ct q distinct service If they urged
at the present session that a reform
pc assured by proper appropriations.
inc time to talk and make recon-
mendations has long since passed. The
time for action has arrived.