Evening star., 1935-01-14
PRESIDENT URGED
T0STACCER HOURS
AS TRAFFIC BOON
Report Submitted Today
May Bring Order Chang
ing Schedules.
ROOSEVELT WILL INSIST
PRIVATE FIRMS ALSO ACT
Conference Of Police Officials
Seeks Means of Tightening
Up Enforcement.

lens, President Roosevelt has assumed
the task Of helping to solve Wash
ington's traffic troubles.
The possibility of staggering work.
ing hours of Federal employees has
been suggested to him as means
Of leSSening rush-hour traffic. AS
Chief Executive, a decision on this
will have to be made by him.
Commissioner Hazen meanwhile has
called conference of all police in
spectors and captains to meet at the
District Building tomorrow at 10 am.
to discuss means Of tightening up on
traffic regulations. Corporation Coun-
sci E. Barrett Prettyman at that time
will outline just what the police can
and cannot do to reduce the heavy
District traffic toll.
Others May Act Also.
Indications are that the President
will not put the Federal employees on
staggering hours unless the business
houses and Offices OF Washington CO.
operate.
A report on the subject by William
A. Van Duzer, traffic director for the
District, was to be sent to the Presi-
dent at 1890 today. This report is ex-
pected to serve as basis upon which
the President will arrive at a conclu-
sion.
1t has been intimated that while he
probably would disapprove a plan
whereby only the Government would
adopt the plan, if the report convinces
him that a combination of the Gov
ernment and commercial houses and
offices of the District would help re-
lieve the problem, he would agree to
the proposal.
Some weeks ago the matter OF
Washington's traffic problem was
brought to the attention Of the Presi-
dent by Commissioner HaZen. The
latter. in appealing for assistance,
pointed out that staggering hours for
the Government, particularly in con-
nection with those employed in the
neighborffood of Pennsylvania avenue
from Twelfth to Fifteenth street,
would be a great help.
The President was told that the
trafhc jams during the rush hours
are worse in that area, especially in
the vicinity of the triangles between
Thirteenth and Fifteenth street. In
answer to the Presidents inquiry
about private business concerns Of the
District, Hazen requested Traffic Di-
rector Van Duzer to make the neces-
sary study.
Many Staggering Hours.
1t is understood the report ill in
clude the information that many Of
the commercial houses of the District
lave had staggered hours in effect
for some time and that there could
be no further improvement unless the
Government puts its thousands Of
employees in the congested area on
staggered hours. 1t is known that
department store clerks do not go to
work until 9:15 in the morning and
that the bank stats report at $3.50
in the morning and that many busi-
ness houses open at am. and others
at $50 am.
The possibility of ending or limit
ing the practice of jaywalking will
be considered at the District Building
meeting tomorrow. At present the
District has no regulation against
jaywalking. The only mention Of it
in traffic regulations is that pedes-
trians crossing streets at places other
than cross walks shall yield the right
of way to vehicles.
Hazen said today he is in favor
of some law requiring that pedestrians
HIxayr frn eir o1r %I,1
ner that vehicular traffic is now
handled. He would fix a small pen
atty, possibly a 81 fine, for persons
crossing in the middle of the block,
and would empower policemen to
summon such persons into court with
out necessarily placing them under
arrest.
Would Educate Walkers.
The Commissioner also said he IA
vors launching an educational drive
to impress pedestrians that they are
taking their lives in their hands when
they cross the street in the middle of
a block. He cited statistics to show
that more jaywalkers figured in traf-
fic accidents than pedestrians using
marked cross-walks.
The Commissioner expressed his
doubt that the regulation to impound
automobiles improperly parked could
be enforced.
There is some doubt" Hazen said,
that if we had an impounding regu-
lation we could enforce it. Further
more, we have neither equipment nor
facilities now for enforcing such a
law. As it stands at present am op-
posed to the proposal. I want to
know first whether such q law Is
worth while"
Attending the meeting, in addition
to the police inspectors and captains,
will be Engineer Commissioner Dan I.
Sultan, who said he wants to get
better acquainted with the Police De-
partment, and Trifdc Director Van
DUZer.