Evening star., 1951-12-16

'~H W SCHtHS 10 oO Tu0e AZ
least two days, with the mercury
expected to drop to Is above zero
by this morning, and to go no
higher than 26 during the after
noon.
BY tonight, it was expected to
get back down to 18. Skies were
expected to be sunny most Of
today.
Although the chill winds dried
many of the main thoroughfares
yesterday, the less-traveled roads
still were expected to be hazard
Gus for motoring. Even the main
routes were expected to contain
icy spots which might trip up
the uncautious driver.
New Perspective on Traffic.
Some more snow might come
next week. Forecasters mentioned
snow in the long-range forecast
for Tuesday or Wednesday. How
ever. no repeat performance Of
the rush-hour traffic tie-up Of
Friday was expected.
The weather-born traffic snarl
of Friday night brought these de-
velopments:
Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue. in his weekly radio broad
cast, indicated the three-inch
snow might bring a new perspec-
tive in studying emergency traffic
situations. He said he would be
surprised if some measures were
not taken to "re-assess" the whole
problem in the light of Fridays
slippery nightmare.
Traffic Director George E.
Keniepp said he is calling a special
meeting this week of a long-exist-
ing committee formed to study
snow emergencies in the highway
system.
Store Business Catches Up.
I Downtown merchants. expecting
!; their biggest pre-Christmas Sat-
urday. saw only a trickle of shop
pers in the stores before noon.
But the flow reached expected
;, proportions by afternoon.
] Mr.. Keneipp. his ears still ring
ing from dozens of caustic tele-
phone calls and personal visits to
his home yesterday. laid the blame
on the motorist. He declared:
Tire chains-that would have
been the answer. But only a few
of the thousands of drivers had or
used chains. People will not make
themselves ready for such an
emergency. it seems"
One of the chief purposes of the
proposed meeting, he added, is to
get legal opinion on massing the
city's towing trucks to clear the
highways of stalled and aban-
doned vehicles.
Inclined to Favor Pool.
!, He said the idea of pooling all
District and privately owned tow
trucks for a snow emergency is
generally regarded with favor by
the committee.
THE first thing" he pointed out,
"is to keep the highways open.
How can the sand spreaders and
snow plows do the most good when
they're caught in the middle of a
traffic jam themselves?"
4 Mr.. Keneipp said William A.
Xanten, Sanitation Department
director, and John N. Robertson.
highway director. had told him
that the best use possible was
made of available equipment Fri
day.
Despite his remarks about
IchainlesS motorists, Mr.. Keneipp
said he sympathized with the
drivers plight.
J COmmends Doctors idea.
There has been no major i'm
provement in car chains for as
long as I can recall" he declared.
"As it is now. it's a major opera
ton, especially for women, to in
stall chains. And when a crisis
has actually arrived. it's almost
impossible to get into a gas sta
tion to have the job DONE"
He said he liked the idea of
one OF his visitors yesterdays
physician who is trying to perfect
a snap-on type of chain that can
be attached in few minutes and
with minimum of exertion.
The Board of Trades second
general membership luncheon at
l2:l5 pm. Tuesday in the May
(See WEATHER pooo A0\