Evening star., 1935-11-03
BRIGHT
FOR D. c. MOTORING
Per Capita Ownership Of
Cars Here Is Largest
in Country.

Rejecting the leadership the auto
motive industry has provided in lift
ing the United States out Of its eco
nomic difficulties, motordom in and
around Washington today faces its
brightest prospects. In no other city
Is there a larger per capita ownership
OF automobiles, and to accommodate
this vast motor population highway
and other facilities are. steadily I'M
proving
Growing use Of these facilities is
proved by constantly increasing serv-
ice calls to the Keystone Automobile
Club. Concurrently, with substantial
enlargement Of Its membership, me
club this year has greatly expanded
also its activities in civic matters
touching the interests Of motor We
hicle owners and drivers in the Wash
ington area. Foremost has been mucn
more comprehensive participation IN
trafic safety movements. In some OF
these it has explored new territory lor
the general welfare Of the community
as we'll as for the benefit Of motorists.
More Play Areas Sought.
In the conviction that traffic casual
ties among children in large part are
directly traceable to inadequate play
spaces, the club recently has concen-
trated upon a campaign to correct
this condition in the Capital. Through
conference with all public officials and
others connected with Fairgrounds, a
special committee obtained fuli-
length picture Of what washington
provides its children as safe spaces
in which to play, why they are not
more fully utilized. what neighbor-
hoods now are inadequately supplied
with Fairgrounds and what plans are
going forward to increase facilities TO
the end that children will not have
to play in the streets. and thus sub
iect themselves to trafYic dangers.
As the result of a great mass OF
information thus gathered, the club Is
actively supporting the National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Commissions
request for an item Of 81 100000 in
the new District budget. This Is the
minimum sum needed to complete "a
existing Fairgrounds and provide land
and equipment for six new ones. The
club also Is seeking some conSolldatlon
OF administration of municipal and
school Fairgrounds to end conditions
| brought about by certain of them fire.
uuently being locked against the chill
dren they should serve because OF in
adequate personnel and other reasons.
District authorities have warmly
, welcomed the interest and assistance
given by Keystone upon problem 60
ing directly to the heart Of child life
protection in washington.
Always closely watching the trend
of legislation affecting District motor
lists and changes in trafhc regulations,
Keystone this year fought several pro-
poSals which its Advisory Board DEEM
ed detrimental to the best interests
Of motordom. On the other hand 1t
I warmly supported measures considered
to be in the public interest.
On Capitol Hill Keystone conducted
. successful battle against an ILL
advised legislative proposal for
periodic compulsory inspection Of mo-
tor vehicles and fought for the much
needed financial responsibility insur-
ance bill, which was enacted into law
At the District Building it campaigned
against all inclination to divert gaso-
line tax revenue to other than high
way purposes and proposal to in.