Evening star., 1941-12-12
Traffic Council
Study High
Collateral Issue
Miller Sees Plan
Bringing Drop in
Number of Arrests

A review of the effect Of the Com
missioners' recent order drastically
increasing collateral charges for GER
tain traffic offenses will be under
taken by a special committee of the
Trafic Advisory Council to deter
mine, among other things, to what
extent the higher fees have con-
tributed to congestion in Traffic
Court.
The council authorized the study
last night after hearing several
members charge that the new col
lateral system is forcing policemen
to spend too much time in court
appearing against traffic law viola
tors, and has not had the desired
effect of reducing violations.
Harry S. Wender, chairman OF the
councils Law and Legislative Com
mittee, declared that in most in
stances the Traffic Court judge levies
small fine and returns the rest
of the collateral to the violator who
elects to appear. AS a result, Mr..
Wender said, the court Is crowded
with motorists who are willing TO
pay SO or IS for violation, but
who balk at forfeiting the high col
lateral now required.
Miller FavOrs "Sure Punishment"
Inspector Arthur E. Miller, chief
of the Traffic Division OF the Police
Department, agreed that policemen
have been required to be in court
too much since the new fees became
effective. and he contended that "a
sure punishment rather than a Sc
we're one" might be more effective in
reducing the number OF violations.
Inspector Miller admitted that
some policemen probably are pass
ing up" some violations because they
don't want to 60 to court. More
time Is being spent, too, in obtain
ing warrants for the arrest OF motor
lists who refuse to post collateral
when they find the charge is $40
or $40.
The inspector pointed out that
traffic arrests during November,
during most of which the new fees
were in effect. dropped some 1000
below the figure for October. He
added that there was little change
in the number of arrests for park
ing abreast-one of the violations
for which collateral was increased
to s2O-but said there appeared to
have been fewer violations of park
ing restrictions during the morning
and evening rush hours.
The council authorized the special
committee to make recommenda-
tions regarding the handling Of
trafic cases, with particular atten-
ton to be given to the collateral
question, the time consumed by Of
ficers and citizens in court and the
expediting of hearings in court.
Holidays Restrictions Backed.
After a long and. at times, bitter
argument, the council also recon-
mended to the Commissioners that
all parking be banned during busi-
ness hours for period beginning
tomorrow and ending December "a
on r street below Sixth and Four
teenth streets; the east side Of
Seventh street between PennSyl-
vania and Massachusetts, avenues,
and on Market place. The Com
missioners had requested the coun-
cil's view on the matter.
Arthur ]. Sundlun, a council men,
ber and president of the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association, led
the fight against the proposal, con-
tending it would work a hardship
on F street merchants. He said
there are other streets just as con-
gested as F street, and that he
could not see why such restriction
should be placed on F street if
other heavily-traveled business
streets were not similarly restricted.
Mr.. Sundlun made an unsuccessful
effort to have the proposal made
effective on Saturdays only, and
George E. Keneipp also lost in an
attempt to gain approval of sub
stitute proposal to permit vehicular
traffic on F street to move on the
left of street car loading platforms.
Further Staggering Urged.
After hearing Traffic Director
william A. Van Duzer report on the
operation Of the staggered hour sys-
tenn, the council recommended a
greater spread in the staggering of
hours at which Federal employees
report for work. The traffic director
said that, as a result of the longer
work-day for War and Navy De-
partment. employees, severe conges-
ton has resulted at certain periods
in the morning and afternoon.
Mr.. Sundlun, reporting on the ac-
tivities of the special committee ap-
pointed to confer with the Com
missioners on suggestions for better
cooperation between the city heads
and the council, told the group that
the Commissioners were favorably
impressed with their proposals. He
said the committee laid special en-
phasis on the councils request for
a full-time executive secretary and
a budget of its own. The Commits
sioners are studying the suggestions,
he said.
A series of parking proposals af-
fecting streets in Tenleytown in the
vicinity of the new Sears-Roebuck
store received the councils approval.
mendations for parking restrictions
on streets throughout the city also
were approved and forwarded to the
Commissioners.