Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11

some OF the outlines OF the new deal IN
the Districts traffic control situation
are beginning to clear up, and specu-
lation is now turning to the question
of how long it will be before the first
major changes are made. Traffic has
supplanted the Baker murder case as
fodder for conversation at the District
Building, and the turnout of District
officials at the tea and traffic discus
sion at the home of William Phelps
Emo yesterday afternoon has done
nothing to set the wagging tongues at
rest.
Mr.. Emo is one of the foremost pri-
vate traffic authorities living. He has
been consulted by municipal authorities
on control of traffic in New York, To-
kio, Berlin and Paris, and it is begin
ming to look as though some of his
ideas are going to be tried out in
Washington. His ideas are radically
different from those represented by the
present system of traffic control here.
He does not believe in traffic lights. He
does not believe in prohibiting left
turns. He does not believe in signs
with printed instructions stop, turn
left, etc.. He believes in giving the
right-of-way to the car on the left, in
stead of the right He believes in abol-
ishing the entire SET of traffic regula-
tions now in force and substituting
few guiding principles in form compact
enough to be printed on a small card
He believes traffic should be controlled
by the police department and that a
traffic engineer should be hired by the
department to lay out traffic lines and
so forth.
Officials Hear Lecture.
In the audience that listened intently
to Mr.. Emo as he expounded his views
yesterday, illustrating them with Ian
tern slides, was the entire board OF
District Commissioners, two-thirds of
the Public Utilities Commission, the SUI
perintendent of police, both of his as
sistant superintendent, two inspectors
and three captains, as well as those
identified with the American Automo-
bile Association and civic interests gen.
orally. The director of traffic was in
vited, but sent his regrets.
What really brought traffic control to
the foreground last week was a report
by the Bureau of Efficiency submitted
the week before. charging the Commits
sioners and the Public Utilities Commits
sion with usurping the functions of the
traffic director. This was sent to Traf-
flc Director William H. Harland for re-
port. and he replied with brief note
stating that the views expressed were
in accord with his, and that, If desired,
he would prepare additional regulations
to bring about the desire of the
Efficiency Bureau that he be given full
control over traffic here.
Report Sent to Pratt.
The report was also sent to Mai.
Henry G. Pratt. superintendent of po-
lice, and to the Public Utilities Com
mission. Last Tuesday Mr.. Harland
was reappointed traffic director for a
term OF three years. Last Wednesday
Maj. Pratt wrote a report pointing out
that the traffic act, which created Mr..
Harlands job, had stated that the traf-
flc director should be subordinate to the
superintendent of police. Maj. Pratt
said that the Commissioners themselves
had prevented this by their executive
orders, and left the strong inference that
he would like the present Commissioners
to undo the work of their predecessors
and put the police chief back in control.
On Thursday the Utilities Commission
came through with truly savage at
tack on the Efficiency Bureau, accom-
panied by the inferential statement that
the present control of traffic was not in
telligent On Saturday was the Emo tea,
with del. I'd earlier in the day from
the Taxicab Drivers Union that the
on the ground that 1t is waste of the
taxpayers money.
Some of these moves were Of vital
particularly the report of
the Utilities Commission. Engineer
Commissioner William B. Ladue is a
member of the Board of District Com
missionerS and also of the Utilities Com
Acting as member of the
Utilities Commission, he writes, in the
report: This commission desires to 60
on record as believing that traffic control
in this city needs study, and that con-
ditions can be greatly improved by in
telligent control" This was written
two days after he as member of the
Board of District Commissioners had
reappointed Mr.. Harland traffic direc-
tor The inference is unacceptable that
as Commissioner he is not satisfied
with the intelligence of Mr. Harland's
control.
Crosby Dissatisfied.
Another member of the Board of
Commissioners is Gen. Herbert B. Cros-
by. He is Maj. Pratt's immediate supe-
rior, and also dissatisfied with traffic
conditions here. He has accumulated a
mass OF data on some of the pressing
traffic problems. He has sought a con-
ference with Capt. Herbert C. White
hurst, chief engineer of the District
on the subject of traffic, which has not
yet taken place.
The probable outcome of all these
moves is not difficult to forecast The
indications point to new lineup some
thing like this:
The Office of the director of traffic
will be put back under control of the
head of the Police Department. Some
kind of a traffic board will be set up
in order to tie in the work of controll-
ing traffic with the work of the Public
Utilities Commission in routing traffic,
the work of the highway department In
opening and closing streets, widening
and so forth. This board will
secure expect advice on its problems,
either from the Emo Foundation for
Traffic Research or some similarly or
gained body. The recommendations
coming nominally from the traffic d.
rector, but actually from the board, will
involve some new departures in traffic
regulation, including probably some of
the ideas outlined in Mr.. Eno's talk yes
terday.
Mr.. Emo did not spare the feelings of
his guests when he launched into his
speech. He said he believed Washing
ton had the worst traffic control system
In the world. In order to straighten 1t
put he advocated termination of inter-
terence by the Utilities Commission,
of the division of authority
between police and traffic engineers,
of the traffic regulations
and less traffic lights. He said that
should be done about the
parking situation, but offered no con-
crete suggestions. Most of the noise due
10 traffic, Mfr Emo said, could be elm
mated, and he hoped some attention
would also be given to this.
Predicts Passing of Lights.
He said that the main reason why
cities purchase traffic lights is that there
IS an enormous profit in them, and that
he manufacturers employ high-pressure
,alesmen IN sell them He nredicfad that