Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-03-04
JUDGES WILL TAKE
STAND AT HEARING.
Police Court Reaction. May
Prove Valued Guide to
New Traffic Code.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Police Court judges handling trafic
cases, Commissioner Melvin G. Hazen
and Police Capt. Milton Smith have
been called as witnesses this after
noon before the subcommittee Of the
House District Committee holding
hearings on the trafic situation in
Washington.
One Of the most interesting sessions
yet held is promised by Chairman
Carpenter, Democrat, of Kansas, in
charge of the hearings. He said he
hopes to conclude this work next
week and proceed to drafting q new
traffic code and other remedial legis-
lation looking toward promotion of
safety on the streets of the Capital.
Maj. E. w. Brown, superintendent
Of police; e. Barrett Prettyman, COR
poration counsel; Richmond B. Keech,
a member of the Public Utilities Com
mission; c. Melvin Sharpe, executive
assistant to the president of the
Capital Transit Co.. and Edward g.
Merrill, president Of the Washing
ton Rapid Transit Co., were the wit
nesses yesterday.
Arrest Drive Pledged.
Maj. Brown notified the committee
he intends to "crack down" on reck-
less drivers of street cars, buses, taxi
cabs, trucks and all commercial We
hicles, and drive death off the
streets" He explained he is calling
in those in charge of drivers and
asking them to use the utmost suasion
to force these drivers to show greater
regard for human lives.
The police head said street car
motormen are fragrant violators of
traffic laws and daily ignore stop
lights, and he now proposes to bring
them into court. He was commended
by Chairman Carpenter and Repre-
sentative Schultz, Democrat, of In
diana for starting this new drive to
put fear into the hearts" of fragrant
violators Of the traffic regulations.
Representative Wood. Democrat. Of
Missouri, a member of the commit
tee, proposed that the color of the
light on fire alarm boxes be changed
and red advertising lights on the
streets prohibited so as not to cause
confusion with traffic stop lights. He
also insisted that it is the duty of
the District Commissioners to see
that more adequate parking facilities
are provided for drivers of private
cars.
Says Taxis Exceed Demand.
81
bring about a change in the color
Of lights which are now confused with
traffic lights. He said he thought
there are far too many taxicabs in
Washington. He advised the commit
tee that a study is now being made
to see what improvement might be
effected by providing skp-stop sys-
tenn for street cars.
Corporation Counsel Prettyman ad-
vocated adoption of a plan for four
lay magistrate courts in as many sec
tons of the city where minor traffic
violations could be Immediately dis
posed Of. He estimated that in this
way $4,000 such cases year could
be lifted out of the Police Court, thus
allowing the latter more time for more
important cases. He commended vio-
lators and witnesses would have a
higher regard for the court than under
the present crowded and turbulent
situation.
Sharpe and Merrill protested that
their companies are very strict with
motormen or bus drivers who drive
recklessly, and pledged cooperation
by their companies with the new
safety drive started by Maj. Brown.