Evening star., 1940-04-28
a. A. A. Preparing for Annual School Safety Parade;
Keystone Club Plans Huge Expansion Program

Two important events Of the week
are the preparations being made
by the two automobile clubs here.
The American Automobile Associa-
ton Is planning for the 9th annual
meeting and parade Of the school
safety patrols which will be held
here May 10 and IL. respectively.
The Keystone Automobile Club is
getting under way g. sweeping ex-
pansion plan in this territory.
The A. A. A. parade, according
to Washington I. Cleveland, man
ager of the District Division, will
see some 1900 youngsters, bedecked
in their white Sam Browne belts
and badges. in the line Of march on
Constitution avenue. Twenty States
will be represented. Floats and
banners bearing safety slogans will
be included and prizes will be
awarded for the best efforts in this
matter and also in drilling merits
OF the various outfits.
In the reviewing stands will be
District officials and members Of
Congress.
The splendid work done by these
school safety patrols throughout the
Nation Mr.. Cleveland states, is
reflected in the lowered traffic acci-
dent toll involving children of ele-
mentary school age. Local safety
patrols are part of this great peace
time movement aimed at saving
lives which daily protects 100000
children en- route to and from
school.
Educators from whose schools
the patrol members are selected to
make the Washington trip see in
the National Capital visit splendid
educational opportunity. In addi-
ton to the parade other highlights
Of the Washington demonstration
include an entertainment the pre-
vious evening on the grounds OF
| the Washington Monument, COM
petitive drills by elementary, junior
| and senior high school teams OF
patrol members: visits to the Capt.
tol, Mount Vernon. Annapolis, Su-
| preme Court, F. e. I. headquarters
and other interesting buildings and
national shrines in the Washington
area"
The Keystone plans call for in
creased personnel, enhanced travel
services and an aggressive campaign
in behalf of traff1c safety.
Details of the program, declared
by keystone officials to be by far
the broadest ever undertaken by the
club, were made public in state
ment issued by J. Borton Weeks,
president; j. Maxwell Smith, gen.
eral manager; George E. Keneipp,
Southern Division manager, ana
Luther c. Steward, chairman of the
washington Advisory Board.
Recognizing that travel will reach
record proportions during the next
several years, and that the Greater
Washington area will be a center of
extraordinary travel activity, the
Keystone Automobile Club is taking
definite steps to meet this situation, :"
| tAAS ctotNhiClit OCSldl Gu. luGTs
more, it is recognized by the club
that traffic conditions generally in
the Greater Washington Area are
becoming increasingly acute and
that motoring needs have grown and
must be met more adequately by
progressive. long-ra1ige action.
Concrete plans are being formu-
lated by Keystone in both of these
connections, portions of which al
ready have been effected.
Specifically, the club is increas-
ing its personnel, widening its travel
functions, expanding materially the
number of its authorized service
stations and enlarging the Keystone
| Motor Patrol in the city and sur
rounding counties of Maryland and
Virginia.
The club has directed its chief
| engineer, William S. Canning. to
undertake several extensive surveys
of serious traffic situations in WASH
ington, in Arlington County, Vir-
ginia. and in Prince Georges and
Montgomery Counties, Maryland.
These surveys will 60 exhaustively
into the engineering aspects of the
problems and. when completed. will
include specific recommendations
/ for remedial action.
Further important emphasis will
be given to the Keystone clubs
safety activities, and an intensive
campaign will be undertaken i'm
mediately for the purpose of safe
guarding children during the forth
coming summer vacation.
"A committee of the Advisory
Board already is at work upon the
tentative draft of a traffic and safety
platform for adoption by the board,
| and subsequent submission to the
entire membership of the club for
| approval and suggestions. This
platform, as finally approved by the
individual members of the club, will
form Keystone's objectives for the
ensuing year. 1t can be stated now
that every phase of the local traffic
and safety problem will be touched
upon, including taxation, adminis-
tration, signs and signals, safety
education, revision of regulations
and many others. Upon adoption of