Evening star., 1936-04-11
Measure Includes Act to
Permit Mechanical
Parking Devices.
ATTACHMENT AT RIDER
TO D. C. BILL EXPECTED
Commissioners Also Will Request
Passage of Four Projects
Now in Congress.

counsel, today began the draft OF
new bill to grant additional powers to
the District Commissioners to give
them complete control over traffic.
The measure, which will include
three specific grants, authority for a
congressional study Of Government
working hours, and an enabling act
to use mechanical devices to charge
for parking on public space was asked
by Senator Thomas, Democrat, OF
Oklahoma, chairman Of the Senate
District Appropriations Subcommittee.
Senator Thomas is expected to attach
it as a rider to the 1887 District supply
bill.
At the same time the Commissioners
will ask enactment of four bills al
ready pending in Congress that affect
traffic.
Task Begun by Trio.
West, assisted by E. w. Thomas
and Leo Fee, assistants, began their
task today so the proposals may be
approved by interested governmental
agencies before the measure is sub
mitted to Senator Thomas Wednesday.
The four new powers to be asked
are:
/. Authority to compel removal Of
snow from sidewalks in the business
areas by abutting property owners,
and control of parking on all main
thoroughfares in anticipation of snow
storms in order to expedite cleaning of
| the streets.
2. Power to reduce the number Of
taxi cabs from the present 4,200 to
1000 within three years, eliminating
drivers found to be unfit and refusing
to replace licenses when drivers VOL
unfairly give them up.
3. Authority to license parking
lots, regulate the number of cars per
lot, and to enforce fire and Other
safety regulations.
Joint Committee Plan.
T. Creation of joint Senate
House committee composed of two
members from each branch of Con-
gress to be named by the Vice Presi-
dent and Speaker, to study the pos
Sibility of staggered system of work
ing hours in the Government depart
ments to reduce the concentration of
traffic during peak hours. The COM
mittee will be charged also to study the
possibility of changing the hours Of
the public schools to have classes
convene at $50 am. instead Of 8
o'clock as at present.
In addition to these four new grants
of authority, the Commissioners will
urge enactment of these pending bills:
l. A requirement for semi-annual
mechanical inspection of all motor
vehicles.
| 2. Establishment of magistrate
courts to dispose of all minor traffic
offenses.
3. Power to suspend drivers per-
mits of non-residents who violate
District regulations.
4. Increased penalties for reckless
driving.
Other Contingencies Covered.
The Commissioners announced,
after a lengthy conference late yes
terday that with the enactment Of
the eight proposals they will have
ample power to meet any situation
that may arise. Virtually every other
traffic contingency is covered, it was
said, by existing law.
The new bill. however, also will
include a provision that will make
the use of parkometers, or other SIM
liar mechanical devices, permissible
in the District, but will not compel
the Commissioners to adopt them
now.
West said that under present law
the District can not collect fees fol-
parking on public space. which would
be the object of the parkometerS
Decision whether to use them would
he left with the Commissioners. who
first would make study Of the ma
chimes and their possible effect on
traffic and parking here.
Arterial Parking Ban Continued
A dozen officials conferred with
Commissioners Hazen, Allen and Sui
tan yesterday. They agreed to continue
the ban on parking on arterial high
ways during the peak hours, but
reached no decision on prohibitinE
deliveries of packages on restricted
streets during that time.
The Federation of Citizens Asso
Citations has asked that deliveries b.
banned during the rush hours be
cause the halted trucks hold up th'
flow of traffic. The Merchants &
Manufacturers Association, on tn,
other hand, declares merchants neeC
to make deliveries from freight sta
tions and warehouses during the earl!
hours in order to meet the demand
Of the day.
The proposed new limit on tn
number of taxicabs has been sough
for several years by the Public Utih
ties Commission. The Commission
has contended there is no public justi
fication for so many cabs and tina
the vehicles make the traffic problem
more difficult.
Among those at the conference wert
Maj. Ernest w. Brown, police super
intendent: William A. Van Duzer
director of traffic; NJ o. Eldridge, as
sistant director; j. B. Gordon, direc
tor of sanitation; William A Xanten
acting supervisor of refuse; Capt. H
c. Whitehurst, director of highways
Thomas Settle, executive secretary o
the Park and Planning Commission
, and w. j. Frick of the National Parl
, Service.