Evening star., 1941-10-10
Traffic Council
ksSurveysby
40rgdnizdtions
Claim Thot City Heads
Ignore Body Is Heard
In Lively Debate

fTOpOSdlS llldI washington lIdlllC
surveys be made by at least four ma
tionally known organizations were
advanced by the Commissioners
Traffic Council last night after a
heated debate during which charges
were made that the city heads had
been ignoring the council
At the conclusion of a session that
lasted until midnight, the advisory
group urged the Commissioners to
invite the National Safety Council,
the American Automobile Associa-
tion, the keystone Automobile Club
and the National Conservation Bu-
reau, an insurance organiZa ton, to
delve into the Washington trafflc
problem and offer advice.
One of several specific recon-
mendations made by the council-in
a session which had been made
tense by earlier threats of mass
walkout" unless the Commissioners
attended-was that the Commits
sioners, Interior Secretary Ickes and
other affected officials be urged to
make Rock Greek and Potomac
Parkway available to use by busses
during rush hours.
Another adopted proposal called
for a ban on left turns by motorists
leaving or entering certain parking
lots or garages in the downtown
congested area.
No designations Announced.
Not single announcement that
any member or group Of members
were resigning from the council was
heard at last nights meeting, al
though a council spokesman" had
made such a prediction following
recent meeting of the body's Com
mittee on Legislation and Enforce
ment, headed by Harry S. Wender.
There was. however, extended dis
cussion of the agencys proper po-
Sition in the traffic situation and a
resolution finally was adopted pro-
viding that a select committee
bring in an agenda of subjects in
answer to the Wender Committee
question as to how the Commission
ers could best use their Traffic Ad-
visory Council.
Decision to invite the four Speci-
fed groups to make traffic analyses
was reached following an executive
session. late in the evening. When
public session was resumed, shortly
before midnight, Council Chairman
Whitney Leary announced that the
Executive Committee had approved
a proposal by w T. Cameron that
the Commissioners invite the Ma
tional Safety Council to make
survey and report on Washington S
traffic situation, without cost to the
District government.
At this point Washington l. Cleve-
land. manager of the District Motor
Club of the A A. A, moved that
the plan be broadened to request the
A. A. A. to have one of its engineers
make a traffic analysis. This was
followed by a move by Howard NJ
Startling to further broaden the
plan to have studies made also by
the Keystone Automobile Club and
the National Conservation Bureau,
"and any other agency interested in
the subject"
Questions Sincerity of Vote.
These amendments provoked per-
sonal discussion and when Mr.. Star
ling remarked that his ANY other
agency" phrase was somewhat IA
cetious, E. D. Merrill, president OF
the Capital Transit Co, arose to
demand whether the vote was Sc
rious or not. BY this time, vote on
one of the amendments had been
taken and after some discussion the
vote was continued. During this
collouuy, however, Mr. Cleveland
asked that his amendment be with
drawn. but objection was raised and
finally the council voted to ask that
surveys or studies be made by all
four groups.
Charges that the Commissioners
had been ignoring the council. par
ticularly during periods OF traffio
crises, were outlined principally by
Mr.. Wender. Col. Lawrence C. Craw-
ford. Mr.. Cleveland and Mr.. Startling
all members of the Legislation ano
Enforcement Committee
George E. Keneipp. manager OF
the Keystone Club, during this dis
cussiOn, declared that perhaps the
council members themselves had
been at fault in not going to the
new members of the Board of Com
missioners to say in effect: What is
it you want your Traffic Advisory
Council to do?'
Reporting that he had invited the
Commissioners to attend the coun-
ellis meeting, Mr.. Wender said he
had received a letter from Com
missioner John Russell Young say.
ing he could not attend because
of a previous engagement and add
ing: The Commissioners are giving
particularly careful attention to the
traffic situation and desire tnt
views of the Traffic Advisory Coun-
Gil on this important problem. They
plan to request the members of the
council to meet with them at an
early date to discuss the matter and
in the meantime, will welcome any
suggestion which will improve the
present conditions"
During the tense debate on the
report of the Committee on Legisla-
ton and Enforcement, Mr.. Wendel
complained the committee had beer
given good going over" by the
councils Executive Committee aftel
his committee had invited the Com.
missioners to attend last night!
meeting if it wanted the council tt
continue to serve. He declared hi
committee had been ''unjustly
criticized"
Col. Crawford said he had no in
tention of criticizing the Commis-
sioners or their predecessors, but
added: The fact remains, however
that during the past several years
the council has been largely ignored
when traffic crises have occurred"
Mrs. SponeIer Gets Divorce
ROCKVILLE, Md, Oct. 10 (Spe