Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-10-20
STAGGERED HOURS
FOR j. s. EMPLOYEES
OPPOSED BY |CKES
Cabinet Member Says Plan
Would Impose Hardship
on Many.
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
IN CAPITAL ASSAILEO
Palmisano Announces Conference
Has Been Arranged to Pre-.
pare Relief Program.

Traffic conditions in Washington
were vigorously condemned by Secre-
tary of the Interior Ickes today in a
letter to Commissioner Hazen in which
he also opposed the theory of stag
gering the opening and closing hours
in the Government departments as q
means of alleviating congestion.
Secretary Ickes particularly objected
to a proposal to require Interior De-
partment employees to report for duty
at 8:l5 am. throughout the year. In
the short days of the Winter, he de-
clared. the plan would work undue
hardship on employees, particularly
those who live in the suburbs.
Conference on Traffic.
Meanwhile Chairman Palmisano OF
the House District Committee an
nounced conferences will be held with
District officials to develop a compre-
hensive and continuing program OF
traffic relief as soon as the special ses-
sion of Congress convenes.
1t is daily emphasized. PalmisanC
said. that the traffic situation is grow
ing worse and that definite steps must
be taken toward a permanent relief
for the future. At the same time. he
expressed belief the problem will not
be solved by underground parking
areas in the business district or by
subways or elevated structures. He
q no IL 10 \,
the subject with an open mind"
Special attention was called by
Ickes to number of traffic violations
which tend to snarl traffic and in
tensify congestion. He mentioned
specifically lettering by drivers. cars
occupying two traffic lanes, motorists
making turns from the wrong lane,
the blocking of intersections at traffic
lights. dirregard of stop signs. the re-
fusal of slow drivers to heed the signal
for passing and the common disre-
gard of one-way traffic during the
congested periods"
There is never an occasion during
my travel to and from the Office he
said. that do not see numerous vio-
lations of regulations or the tenets of
good driving"
Hits Double Parking of Trucks.
Secretary Ickes likewise pointed
out that one of the more common OBJ
structions to traffic is the double park
ing of delivery trucks. 1T would seem
to me-" he declared, that this privi-
lege might be withdrawn if parking
by passenger automobiles we're pro-
hlbited in front of business establish
ments and other places where deliv-
cries are necessary. This would per-
NIT the trucks to draw up to the curb
instead OF stopping in the middle of
the street. You will find fragrant ex-
amples of this practice on Seventeenth
street between P street and Florida
avenue"
Il believe that, if the main thor
oughfares were pstroled vigorously
traffic would be greatly accelerated
and the need for staggered hours
would be less apparent" Secretary
lckes added. Il do not mean a pro-
gram Of wholesale arrests. but a CAM
paign Of education for drivers by the
police whose warnings
would be observed. 1t has been my
experience that in many of the north
and south thoroughfares there is only
one traffic lane in some sections due
to authorized and unauthorized park
ing and double parking"