Evening star., 1935-05-07
ROOSEVELT SIGNS
AUTO SAFETY BILL
Driver Responsibility Aim in
LegisIation-Center
Fund Bill Signed.

President Roosevelt today signed two
bills Of genuine interest to the Dis
trict Of Columbia-the automobile
safety responsibility bill, intended to
curb reckless and irresponsible driv-
ing on the highways of this city. and
the other permitting the use Of un-
expended loans from the Public Works
Administration in the construction Of
the first units of the proposed munic-
ipal center for the District.
BY attaching his signature to S-402,
the so-called automobile safety re-
sponsibility bill, the President has
given the District of Columbia what
Is looked upon by trafnc experts as q
model bill. It aims to put q stop to
reckless and irresponsible driving with
out placing burden on the shoulders
of careful drivers.
Specifically this bill provides that,
upon conviction for q serious traffic
ofense or upon failure to satisfy a
judgment, the registration certificates
and driving privileges of an automobile
owner will be suspended until he has
established proof Of his ability to re-
spond in future damage actions from
o traffic accident. It Is effective 80
days from today.
A law similar to this one Is in effect
in Is States. The sponsors Of this
measure, including the American
Automobile Association, feel confident
that there will be an improvement in
the traffic situation in Washington in
the future.
The pen with which President
Roosevelt signed the bills today was
afterward presented to the A. A. A.
District of Columbia Motor Club. It
will constitute q permanent exhibit
beside the pen with which Woodrow
Wilson signed the first Federal high
way aid bill.
The signing by the President Of
s. r. 2035 makes it possible to extend
the act permitting the District to
borrow P. w. A. funds to build the
small courts buildings Of the NUM-
cipal center which will house the
Juvenile, Police and Municipal Courts
as well as the recorder of deeds.
It also permits the use Of 100000
for needed repairs and the operation
of q District child's clinic at Childrens
Hospital.
The cost Of the three buildings to
house the small courts has been esti-
mated roughly by District officials at
$3,000,000.
Architects at Work on Plans.
Members Of the staf of Municipal
Architect Nathan c. Wyeth already
are at work on preliminary sketches of
the three structures. As soon as the
Public Works Administration has ap-
proved use Of funds for the project, on
the 10 per cent loan basis, money will
be set aside for necessary architectural
drafting work. It was estimated to-
day about eight months would be re-
quired to complete working drawings
and specifications for the buildings.
The National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission Informally has voiced
agreement with the proposed layout for
the buildings in Judiciary Square. The
new building for the Juvenile Court.
which would include quarters for the
recorder of deeds, would be built to the
north and east of the District Supreme
Court to form balance with the home
of the District Court of Appeals Build
ing. The new Municipal and Police
Court Buildings would face each other
across a court directly to the north
of District Supreme Court.