Evening star., 1938-12-29

more responsible than the driuer.
Principal difficulty seen By some
Leading officials is proUision to
giue the pedestrian his due rights
and safe crossing Uhen he obeys
signals, police direction and rules.
pictures on Page BID
The pedestrian control hearing
at the District Building today
brought many pleas for improved
pedestrian protection by lights and
bells and more stringent "motorist
control"
While the parade of witnesses in
the boardroom of the District Build
ing who presented their views to
the Commissioners for the most part
favored some sort of pedestrian
regulation, many of them urged
amendments to the two-point anti
jaywalk code which the Commits
sioners had before them.
l.. A. Carruthers, president of the
Federation of Citizens Associations.
said he was for pedestrian control
in principle, but added that the
present light system would have to
be changed to make the control plan
workable.
The most persistent opposition to
the proposed code was directed at
the proposed section B, which reads:
NO pedestrian shall cross or at
tempt to cross any roadway between
street intersections at any place ex-
cept within a crosswalk" Spokes-
men for citizens associations in
outlying areas repeatedly insisted
such rule would be unenforceable
in thinly settled sections.
Limited Rules Backed.
The consensus of the morning ses-
sion-which adjourned at 1890 pm.
for luncheon recess until 2 pm
seemed to be in favor of some sort
OF limited pedestrian regulation, al
though not in favor of the compre-
hensive full-fedged regulations as
now drawn.
The influence of the Traffic De-
partment was thrown behind the
pending comprehensive proposals.
with general support coming also
from officials of the Keystone Auto
mobile Club and American Automo-
bile Association. Outright objec-
tions to any form of control came
from several citizens represent
atives, with support for the plan
being voiced by others.
Some of the champions of pedes-
trlan regulation, however, suggested
systems far different from the pend
ing proposals. Harry Wender,
spokesman for the Federation of
Citizens Association, urged that any
system Of regulation be instituted
gradually and that at first it be
limited to walk" and don't walk"
light system.
Mr.. Wender asked that as neces-
sary corollary to pedestrian regula-
ton that the police be trained to
consider the pedestrian first and the
motorist second. He said he did not
think I'VE would get very far" with
the regulations as now adopted.
1T seems that it's going little
FAR, Mr.. Wender said, ito give us
regulation to make us pedestrians
stand at corners waiting for the red
light to change and then make us
keep on standing there while the
automobiles make turns on green
lights.
why, under these regulations I
could imagine a pedestrian having
to stand at Fourteenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue for, say, three
or four hours. We have to take into
consideration the problems of the
pedestrian from the standpoint of
the right and the left hand turn"
The hearings in the boardroom Of
the District Building, where most of
the seats were taken by persons
anxious to express their views and
other persons anxious to hear what
was to be said. began with an expo
sition of the traffic problem and its
relation to the pedestrian by Maurice
0. Eldridge, assistant traffic director.
Proceedings Broadcast.
The proceedings during the first
half of the hearing were broadcast
over Station WMAL, which picked
up first the opening remarks of
Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen, pre-
siding, and the remarks of Col.
David McCoach, Engineer Commits
sioner. Mr.. Hazen had Geoffrey M.
Thornett, secretary of the Board of
Commissioners, read the proposed
regulations, which were drawn up
after several meetings this fall of the
Commissioners Special Safety Com
mittee. The regulations provide:
A. No pedestrian shall disobey
the signal of any police officer di-
rectlng traffic at intersections or
crosswalks. No pedestrian shall en-
ter or cross a roadway at intersec-
tions where traffic is controlled by
traffic control devices against the
signal given unless directed to do SO
by a police officer. Police officers
shall have full power to regulate
traffic.
B. No pedestrian shall cross or
attempt to cross any roadway be-
tween street intersections at any
place except within crosswalk.
THE Commissioners will be large
(see PEDESTRIAN, Page A-4J