Evening star., 1936-03-22
CAR TEST
BILL IS URGED TO
PROMOTE SAFETY
"Spot" Examination Plan
Defeated at Citizens Fed.
GRAFTON Meeting.
SEEK TO AMEND ZONE
RULE CHANGES IN CITY
Consents" Feature Declared De-
sirable as Affecting Resi-.
dence Areas.

Enactment Of the bill for compul-
sorry, semi-annual inspection Of auto
mobiles at District Government test
ing stations was urged last night by
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions at the close of discussion that
had been carried through three
meetings.
In taking this action by vote of
81 to II, on motion of Harry S. Wen
der, the federation voted down
counter proposal that spot tests be
made by policemen in 10 additional
cruising police cars equipped with
brake e-testing apparatus.
The group also asked the Zoning
Commission to amend its proposed
changes in coming rules, which would
eliminate consents" Of property own
ers near the place of applicants for
certain uses. The commission had Of
fered the changes to end the buying
Of consents.
On motion Of Henry I. Quinn the
federation suggested that the consent
features be retained as to residential
use areas, but that the Commissioners
be given power to veto issuance of
permits If they found proposed es-
tablishments were against public con-
venience, interest or safety. As to
certain first commercial uses the group
voted approval of elimination of con-
sent features If proposed stringent
mechanical rules we're applied and II
applicants for uses were required to
give due notices to adjoining prop
erty owners.
Constitution Amended.
In another action the federation
amended its constitution for the gen.
eral purpose of restricting eligibility
to affiliation to those bodies whose
primary object is advancement OF
Its neighborhood and the District of
Columbia"
There was long debate over this
subject which has been before the
federation many times before. Rob-
ertS' Rules of Order were resorted to
numerous times as motions, substi-
tute motions, amendments to motions
and points of order were filed. After
the resolution passed, debate. contin-
ued, as some claimed the vote illegal
because President Thomas E. Lodge
had omitted a roll call. This point
of order he ruled out of order be-
cause it came after the vote was
taken.
Late in the meeting Harry N. Stull
moved reconsideration to satisfy all
hands the vote was legal, but this was
rejected. Stull supported rulings by
the chair.
Compulsory Tests Urged.
Wender made an eloquent plea for
approval of the compulsory automobile
inspection, declaring, There is no
solace given the stricken families and
friends of seven persons killed here in
1894 because of defective brakes and
headlights, by reason that those were
only ST. per cent of the total killed" ="
He said in 1885 there were I'll acci-
dents attributed to faulty equipment,
and that there were nine such fatal
tiles that year.
Edwin S. Hege declared the results
would be small compared to the cost
of the public stations. Long and lively
debate ensued when A. F. Scheer
moved to substitute plan which
would have the 10 rowing" police
automobiles stop cars here and there
and make immediate tests. Hege
urged that plan. Thomas j. Llewellyn
denounced it, declaring the 10 police
cruisers would spend their time look
ing for a needle in a haystack."
Fred S. Walker insisted accidents
were caused by defective" drivers
rather than defective machines.
Giving of free inspections to auto
| mobiles of the Federal and District
governments and the representatives
of foreign countries should be elimi-
mated from the bill as passed by the
House, the federation decided in
adopting a motion by James G. Yaden.