Evening star., 1941-10-02
Miller Pledges
Efforts 10 Cut
Traffic Deaths
Off-Street Parking
Action Will Be
Sought in House

Inspector Arthur E. Miller, in
charge Of traffic in the Police De-
partment, announced today that his
force would redouble law enforce
ment efforts in an attempt to check
the rise in the number of fatal acci-
dents in the District
Meanwhile, in Congress two Repre-
sentatives announced they would
take action Monday to speed legis-
lation to relieve traffic congestion
here.
Representative Dirksen of Illinois.
ranking minority member of the
House District Committee, an
nounced he would urge immediate
action by the House on the District
Commissioners recommendation that
facilities be provided for off-street
parking in crowded areas.
Representative Smith, Democrat.
of Virginia said he will seek to have
the House Committee on Public
Buildings and Grounds act on his
bill for bridge or tunnel traffic out
let's across the Potomac River to
Virginia
PriOrities a Problem.
In announcing the new drive
against traffic violations. Inspector
Miller pointed out that the deaths
were continuing despite Substan-
tial increase in arrests in August.
He revealed that the Police De-
partment had been confronted by
defense priorities in trying to obtain
19 new motorcycles. Funds are
available. but delivery has been de-
layed, he explained. Inspector Miller
said there is an urgent need for the
motorcycles.
Although 13 deaths made Septem-
Der a particularly black month, the
traffic division brought 316 more
speeding charges than in August,
Inspector Miller said. Increases
were registered in all types of traffic
cases except that involving failure
to give right-of-way to another
vehicle
Members Of the division said they
could not remember a previous
month in which enforcement in
creased substantially while fatalities
failed to decline.
Figures HIade Public.
inspector Miller made public these
figures for last month for the TTafdc
Division:
Passing red light. 81 more cases
than in August; passing stop sign,
II more cases; parking abreast, a
more: failing to give hand signal.
25 more; turning from wrong lane.
26 more, overtime parking, SO more.
driving on wrong side OF street, 28
more; failure to give full attention to
operation of motor vehicle. IA more;
improper or no lights. 20 more: vio-
lation of a m. TO $50 am. parking
restriction, more; violation OF
pm. to pm. restriction, "a more;
parking too close to intersection, 28
more, violation of pedestrian con-
troll regulation, 10 more; failure TO
give right-of-Way to pedestrian, 4
more and illegal use of horn. 3 more.
Relief of traffic congestion and
automobile parking have become
one Of the most important prob
lens before the House District Com
mittee-really a national defen-o
problem-due to the influx Of va
workers and the staggering increase
in the number of automobiles US
ing the streets of the Capital City"
Mr.. Dirksen said. An early solu-
ton of this problem is most de-
Sirable, both as regards parking
facilities and the moving of traffic.
! 1 will bring this matter up at the
committee meeting on Monday and
ask the members to give it i'm
mediate consideration"
Seen as Imperative.
With the new Navy Department
Building soon to be occupied and
/ the new building for the War De-
/ partment under construction in Ar
lmgton County. Va, which will
house many thousand war workers,
providing quick transportation ia
/ cllitieS between the District and
/ nearby Virginia becomes impera-
/ tive as an important aid in national
defense Representative Smith said.
He proposes to press his bill for
early action as an emergency meas
ure next week before the House
Committee on Public Buildings and
| Grounds.
Chairman Lanham of the House
/ committee. which held hearings on
the Smith bill more than eight
months ago. said the committee
had expected to take some action
on the measure long before this, but
that its attention had been switched
to more pressing needs for defense
housing.
Introduced Two Bills.
Representative Smith introduced
MS bill last January providing
Tor survey with preliminary esti-
mates of cost for the proposed con-
/ struction of railroad and automo-
bile truck tunnels across the Po-
tomac. In that bill he suggested
the sites for the combination bridge
/ ana tunnels. AS a result of hear
lngS, he introduced another bill on
June 25 to meet some of the OBJ
| Jectlons raised during the hearings
ana expected that early action
would then be taken. favorably re-
| porting the bill. But national de-
fense legislation intervened and the
measure has been temporarily pi-
geonholed in the committee until
the press of defense legislation
! slackened a bit.
The new Smith bill would create
a commission to investigate and
report to Congress on constructing
a vehicular crossing of the Potomac