Evening star., 1936-03-31
TRAFFIC
LAW
TO Be ADVOCATED
House Subcommittee Also
to Recommend Increase
in Police Force.
"JAYWALKERS" SCORED
BY SCHULTZ AT QUIZ
Chairman Carpenter Would Act
Against Speeders, Drunks
and Reckless Drivers.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.


"Strict enforcement of sensible traf-
fic regulations" and substantial in
crease in the metropolitan police
force will be among the salient rec
concentrations of the special Traffic
Subcommittee of the House District
Committee. which has just concluded
comprehensive study Of Washing
tons complex traffic problems.
Chairman Carpenter Of the sub
committee made this disclosure today
as he assembled the mass Of testi-
mony and statistics submitted dur.
ing the long series Of public hearings,
preparatory to drafting report for
the full District Committee.
The hearings were brought to a
close yesterday with blast from Rep
resentative Schultz, Democrat, Of In
diana against "jaywalkers" and critics
of the traffic "ticket-flxing" practice
Schultz believes pedestrians should
be controlled like the motorist and
not be permitted to cross in the mid
die of a block. Likewise, he is Of
the opinion that "ticket fixing" Is moi
an evil in the District and that it
is a good policy sometimes to cancel
q ticket for minor traffic violation.
Report to Be Brief.
Carpenter said the subcommittee
report would be concrete" and as
brief as possible, and aside from va
rious recommendations for improving
traffic conditions and increasing traf-
fic safety it would contain information
that would be useful for several years
in the future.
How many additional policemen will
be recommended is question the sub
committee has not yet decided. Car
penter Is firm in his belief Police
Supt. Ernest w. Brown should be given
an adequate force to cope with exist
ing trafic conditions. which, he
pointed out. are continually coming
more serious as result Of an in
crease In population, coupled with a
corresponding rise In automobile reg
ttration.
Carpenter, however, does not believe
the additional men should be used to
harass motorists who violate some
trivial traffic regulation. Sensible
regulations, on the other hand, he
declared. should be strictly enforced.
With a larger force, he explained,
Maj. Brown will be in a position to
concentrate on the drivers who cause
or contribute to accidents-the speed
ers, the drunks at the wheel. and
those who are reckless.
Study Beneficial.
Since Carpenter feels the subcom-
mittee should make a thorough study
of the record of the hearings before
a report is drafted, he Is unable to
predict when it will be completed
Neither Is he able to forecast how
many recommendations will be en-
bodied in the report.
Nevertheless, he Is confident the
traffic study has been beneficial and
that it already has produced results
that have saved lives. He mentioned
particularly the Police Departments
action in cracking down" on speed
ers and reckless drivers, and the per-
NIT suspensions of drivers convicted
in court. In addition, he gives credit
to his subcommittee for abolition Of
the curtailed street lighting program
When the District Committee holds
its next meeting the subcommittee,
according to Carpenter, will make IA
vorable reports on two bills aimed at
traffic safety. One, recently passed
by the Senate, would raise the PEN
atty for first-of1ense reckless driving
from a fine Of 500 to 80 days i'm
prisonment to a fine Of $3.50 and 90
days Imprisonment. The other would
give the traffic director authority to
revoke the privilege Of nonresident
drivers to drive in the District upor
conviction of offenses for which Dis
trict operators lose their permits.