Traffic Violators Increase Here by 18,000 for 1952

Cambridge police yesterday reported the number of "non-criminal summonses" issued during 1952 increased by 18,000 over the 1951 figure.

"Non-criminal summonses" include minor parking violations like overnight parking in a restricted zone. Captain Patrick J. McCarthy, head of the traffic bureau, said 33,131 summonses were issued in 1952, compared with 15,201 it the preceding year.

In addition, criminal complaints rose by over 400 last year. In 1952, 2,834 such complaints were aired in court, while in 1951 only 2,400 reached court. Speeding and the more serious traffic violations fall in the "criminal complaints" category.

McCarthy noted that the congested streets of the factory districts through Central Square and East Cambridge accounted for the greatest increase in the non-criminal summonses.

A second factor in the increase was the periodic drives made by the Cambridge police to ease the traffic problem around Harvard Square. The most intense "no-parking" crusades followed directly after the first snowfalls of 1952, and the Pogo riot of last spring.