Evening star., 1937-10-31

| n m ely, n
| greatest IL
months Of men,
| bership gain in
the clubs history.
In a period so replete with hap
penings the complete, detailed story
cannot be told But in setting forth
the high lights enough is said to
indicate the complexity. the interest
and the Importance of the whole
picture.
or outstanding note was the expose
by the keystone Automobile Club of
an alleged bonding and towing racket
in Prince Georges County, Md. Fol-
lowing announcement Of the results Of
an investigation, hundreds Of motor
lists presented to the club information
dealing with their own experiences.
The Keystone Automobile Club is
happy to state that since that time
the club has received not single COM
plant from any motorist with respect
to suspicious circumstances surround
| ing arrest for traffic violations i'll
Prince Georges County.
Peace Cross Congestion.
During the past year keystone has
continued to wage campaign to bring
about elimination of the dangerous,
wasteful, costly bottle neck at the
Peace Gross intersection of the De-
fense Highway and the Washington
Boulevard in Bladensburg. Through
out the Summer Keystone motor pa
! trolmen made first-hand, on-the-
ground surveys of traffic congestion
there on Sundays and holidays. 1t
was found that traffic frequently backs
up along Defense Highway for dis
tance Of more than miles; and that
traffic frequently is delayed up to an
hour and half.
keystone will press its campaign un-
til the Maryland authorities adopt one
of several plans put forward for the
elimination or alienation of this
| hazard.
Directly as a result of efforts by the
Keystone Automobile Club. an appro-
priation was secured for the repair
and use of the lights on the heavily
Travelled Mount Vernon Memorial Bou-
| levard
Among the most important events OF
the year in Washington motordom was
the formal presentation to the District
! Commissioners of the Keystone Auto
mobile Clubs book of protests against
diversion of gasoline tax funds to other
than highway and directly allied pur-
poses. The book contains the names
of more than $4,000 Washington car
owners who signed the Keystone Pc
tition. The volume was accepted by
Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen on
behalf of the Commissioners, and
presentation was made by the Ad-
visory Board of keystone.
Outpouring of Motorists.
The clubs annual meeting brought
a record outpouring of motorists to the
| Central High School auditorium, where
the members adopted program of
club activities and objectives for the
| ensuing year. Senator William H.
King, chairman of the Senate District
Committee, spoke, discussing numerous
questions of interest to motor car
owners. The meeting was concluded
with an entertainment program.
During the last session of Congress
club officials appeared before House
and Senate Committees in the interest
| of motorists. especially with relation
to the questions of taxation, highways
and traffic.
Widespread support has been voiced
for the plan for a District of Columbia
Traffic Commission, proposed by Key
stone to enlist the cooperation of all
agencies interested in traffic and safe
ty matters.
An exhaustive survey was conducted
and reports were received from numer-
Gus cities in which the parking meters
have been installed. These data were
placed before the board, which, after
studying them in detail, adopted a
resolution urging that the parking
meters be given trial in limited
area in the congested downtown dis
trict. The board has neither praised
nor condemned the parking meters;
but on the basis of the factual and
statistical evidence in hand the board
felt, and still feels, that the meters
are at least worthy of trial.
Backs Highway Building.
Keystone also has adopted reso-
luton supporting in principle the pro-
posed five-year highway building pro-
gram for the District, making certain
detailed notifications set forth in
communication to the Engineer Com
missioner.
OF definite interest to all District
motorists was Keystone's campaign to
eliminate conflicting parking and
other traffic signs. With the Cooper
alton of the authorities, long step
forward in this direction has been
taken.
keystone has continued to fulfill the
requests of various communities in
this territory for warning and direc-
ton signs erected and maintained by
the club. Hundreds of these signs,
W, ich serve both the communities and
the motoring public, already have
been put in place, and the work OF
installation is going forward in re-
sponse to steady stream of requests.
1t is noteworthy in this connection
that not emily does keystone erect the
signs, but it also provides for regular
maintenance of them, special de-
partment of the club giving its entire
time o this important work.
OF wide interest was the appear
ance in Washington of the Keystone
safety trailer, which is completely
equipped for the giving of various
driving tests. This trailer is part of
Keystone's comprehensive safety pro-
gram.
Advisory Board Members.
| NHor,h harc of tho Kevstnne Advisory