Evening star., 1941-01-15
Schultz Charges
in
Traffic cCases
Judges Weak Link
In Safety Program,
House Member Says
BY JAMES Z. CHINN.

are the weak link in the traffic
safety program here were made to-
day by Acting Chairman Schultz Of
the House District Committee.
The judges, he declared, are not
cooperating properly with the
Police Department and not imposing
sufficiently severe penalties on traffic
violators
Representative Schultz made the
accusations at a hurriedly called
conference with traffic and police
officials at which various proposals
were discussed for curtailing the
ever mounting toll of traffic deaths.
Those who attended included Mai.
Ernest w. Brown, superintendent Of
police; Capt. H. C. Whitehurst di-
rector of highways, and William A.
Van Duzer, director of traffic.
Favors Jailing More Drivers.
'I want to see more fellows go to
jail" declared Mr.. Schultz. That
may seem-Serious; but death also is
serious"
Maj. Brown agreed that uniform
enforcement of the traffic regula-
tions and uniform penalties for vio-
lations might serve to reduce traf-
flc accidents.
For more than an hour Mr..
Schultz discussed the seriousness Of
the traffic situation with the Off
cials. and arranged to call another
conference next Wednesday at which
the Police Court judges, representa-
tives of the Capital Transit Co..
business establishments operating
large fleets of trucks, and heads of
various taxicab concerns are to be
invited to pool their ideas for max
ing the streets of Washington safer.
Representative Mahon of Texas,
newly appointed chairman of the
House Subcommittee in Charge of
the District Appropriation Bill, and
Representative Stefan of Nebraska,
ranking minority member of the
subcommittee, and Senator Rey-
nolds. Democrat. of North Carolina,
who is slated to be chairman of the
Senate District Committee, also are
to be invited to the second con.
ference.
Insists on Careful Driving.
1--WE have got to insist that the
streets of this city belong to the
people and that automobile drivers
have got TO slow down." said Mr..
Schultz. Street car motormen are
jumping lights continuously The
truck drivers here are the widest
in the country. Bus drivers are
cutting corners recklessly."
Mai Brown told Mr.. Schultz that
of the four Police Court judges, the
Police Department gets the best CO.
operation from Judge Nelson.
We'll, believe the judges are to
blame for this situation here for not
cracking down on traffic violations"
declared Representative Schultz.
"A judge can do a whole lot" re-
marked Maj. Brown. II feel If the
judges make some statement that
they will cooperate with other
agencies it will have good effect"
Says Large Force Is Needed.
Maj. Brown also pointed out that
a substantial increase in the police
force is needed to patrol the streets
better. He said he had asked for 100
additional men in the 1912 budget
and that only 20 had been allowed.
In the last 10 years, Maj. Brown
explained, the population of the
District increased 38 per cent, and
in that period the Police Department
! personnel jumped only 13 per cent.
In other words, he said, there are
only 282 more men on the force now
than there were 10 years ago.
| Capt. Whitehurst told Mr.. Schultz
that in the same 10-year period the
street mileage had increased from
Gal to $50, thereby creating a greater
area for the Police Department to
patrol.
| Mr.. Van DuZer contributed the ipL
formation that there are approx
| mately 280, 1000 motor vehicles on the
streets of Washington every day
10000 registered in the District and
the other 100000 coming from Mary
land and Virginia.
Representative Schultz suggested
revival of the night traffic court to
provide cafeteria service" for
traffic violators by rushing them
into court for trial as soon as an
arrest is made. He also renewed his
proposal of a year ago that one
Judge be assigned to Traffic Court
instead of continuing the present
system by which all the Police Court
judges rotate on the Traffic Court
bench.
Maj. Brown and Mr.. Van Duzer
both remarked they had been adyo-
eating such plan for 10 years.
Speed Limit Increase Hit.
Maj. Brown described as a
"tlcklish spot" with him the regu-
lation which increased the speed
limit from % to 25 miles an hour
He explained that when the limit
was % miles an hour. a majority
OF drivers averaged from Is to %
miles an hour. Now with 25-mile-
an-nour limit, he said, a majority
OF drivers travel at a rate of 80
miles an hour.
In this connection, he told Mr.
Schultz Traffic Court Judge threw
out case involving a driver
charged with going 80 miles an hour
in a 25-mile zone because it was
held there is not sufficient "leeway"
in the regulations. In some cities
where there is a speed limit of 25
miles an hour, he said, conviction
can be obtained if the driver is
found guilty of travelling at the rate
of 26 miles an hour.