Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-03
NEWS OF INTEREST
TO THE AUTOMOBILES

Chairman Charles Thaddeus Terry of the
legislative board OF the American Automo-
bile Association arrived in the city several
days ago to secure the introduction in the
present Congress of a bill entitled IAN act
providing for the regulation, identification
and registration of motor vehicles engaged
in interstate travel"
This bill, 1t Is stated he prepared after
a careful investigation Of the decisions OF
the Supreme Court, and the recent enact
ments OF Congress bearing on Interstate
commerce Chief Justice Marshall many
years ago held that commerce Included IN
tercourse and travel. and the decisions OF
the court since have not varied from MS
view.
1t is now said to be popularity conceded
that railroads operating in more than one
state may be regulated by the federal gov
lar regulation of automobiles by the same
central power. The bill does not, however
attempt to regulate the use OF sucn Nehlcies
save in the matter of registration ana num-
bering and affects only vehicles whlcn are
duly registered under the laws OF the state
where their owners live and whcn are
about to be used by such owners IN o'her
states.
The main features of the bill may be put
into three groups:
Exemption from registration provisions vi
state laws other than the laws OF the
state of the owners residence Thus: oh
compliance with the provisions or the act
with reference to previous registration IN
the state of the residence OF the appicahl
and on fling with the bureau createu Wy
the act of verified application, when ap-
plcation shall state among other things me
name and residence of the applicant, ms
state registration number, a Description VI
the vehicle, the manufacturers NUMBER, tne
character of the motor power ana the
amount of such power stated In ngures OF
horse power such bureau shall issue TO the
applicant a certificate of registration ana
federal number. Thereafter In traVehng
anywhere in the United States outside OF
the state of the owners residence; such
owner SHALL by displaying the 1ederai num-
Der on the front and rear OF his motor We
hicle be exempt from the laws OF otner
states regulating registration and the carry
ing of numbers. ,,,
The Identification number or sign: The
provisions of the act require that while the
vehicle is in a foreign state, such numoeI
shall always be displayed both In front anu
in rear; the number to be three lnches hSh'
with the initial letter or abbreviated oesis
nation Of the state where the vehicle was
originally registered at the left OF such
number and the initials of the United States
at the right of such number.
1t is thought that II the bill becomes q
law a motorist desiring to travel in foreign
states will have his state number on one
side of reversible number PAD ana ms
federal number on the opposite SIDE OF sucn
pad, thus permitting him to change from
the state 10 the federal method the moment
the state line Is crossed.
~
The motor vehicle bureau: The act will
create in the Department Of Commerce and
Labor a bureau In charge of a commission
er with q secretary and clerical assistant
To such bureau will be sent all applica-
tons and in 1t will be kept records OF the
vehicles registered indexed for ready REL
erence and the supplying of information on
all proper requisitions for the same. sal
aries are provided for the commissioner.
secretary and clerical force payable out OF
the fund created by the registration fees
Such fee will be IS in the case OF an In
dividual and SO in the case OF manu1ac-
turer.
Penalties: The act provides for the lodg
Ing Of complaints with the bureau by any
person or corporation, for the investigation
OF complaints and the inhicuon OF PUNISH
ments. the latter consisting chiefly In a
suspension or loss of the privileges or led
eral registration. Considering the great
advantages to motor vehicle users OF fed
eral registration, such penalty, that is,
the suspension or forfeiture of the right to
federal registration, Is thought sufficiently
severe.
II is argued that the benefits conferred by
facilitating the performance of their duties
by peace officers. in supplying quick and
ready means of Identification in case a nom
resident motorist violates the laws of the
state through which he may be travelling,
together with obviating present confusion
resulting from the multiplicity of number
signs carried by motor vehicles now neces-
sarily registered under varying state laws,
are many and important.
The act will not affect existing or future
state laws in any way so far as such laws
regulate speed or improper conduct by mo-
florists or chauffeurs on the streets or high
ways; nor does 1t affect motorists or chauf
feurs IN the state where the motor vehicle
is registered. 1t is Intended simply to sup
ply ready means of identification and pre-
vent confusion due to duplicate numbering
when the vehicle is used in foreign state.
Motorists who have examined it are con-
fdent that II It becomes a law II will be
held constitutional and are warm in their
congratulations of Prof. Terrys work
Should II become law IL will remove a
great source of annoyance to the owners OF
motor vehicles, and at the same time lead
to the prompt and certain identification of