The Washington herald., 1909-03-24
AUTO LAWS PLANNED
Commissioner West Moves for
Police Control.
AGAINST RECKLESS DRIVING
More Stringent Control in the Dis
trict Is PrOpOsed-Safety 10 Life
and Limb Is One of the Main Oh
jects-JurisdietiOn OF the Board
Passed on by Corporation Counsel.

Commissioner West has taken the in
itial step toward placing automobiles
under more stringent police control IN
the District OF Columbia. TWO new regu-
latiors are proposed, which viii serve
TO make a chauffeur think long before
giving free rein" 20 his speeding pro-
pensities.
The first. and most important. Is the
revocation OF a motor license. where T.
is shown that tho operator has endal-
gered life and limb by reckless driving.
Second, the removal OF all out-of-toNn
numbers from a machine. whether owned
Z by a Washington citizen or not. when
within the limits OF the District.
The Board OF Commissioners Is now
considering these Two measures. which
are borrowed from the experience OF va
riOus States. such as Pennsylvania and
New Jersey. The police captains are all
strongly in favor OF them. The corpora
ton counsel has passed upon the boards
area Of Jurisdiction IN the matter, and
a strong public sentiment is back OF
them.
The corporation counsel has expressed
the opinion that the Commissioners have
the right 20 prescribe in a permit the
length OF time for which such permit is
given, and the causes which viii operate
10 revoke it. provided those causes nec-
essarily have reference TO the protection
OF the public Authority for such regu-
lations are found IN the Act OF Congress
approved February o6, 1Ss2-
Fine Not Sufficient.
IT, - - 1900 49, A.
regulation is suggested. One Is that the
present police law against the reckless
driving OF motor cars cannot be enforced
satisfactorily and certain prosecutions
cannot be conducted under Il; the other
Is that a police court fine Is not always
a sufficient safeguard against continued
infractiOn Of the law. The power 10 re
woke permits places a weapon IN the
hands Of the Commissioners. This would
act as a wholesome deterrent 70 reckless
drivers. where the risk Of a police court
fine would not. It is argued.
The law imposing A tax on motor We
hicles OF S3 for two seats and 81 for each
additional seat. recently enacted as a
provision IN tAe District appropriation
bill, will be tested in the courts, Il Is
stated The fzct that the law carries no
penalty for noncompliance creates some
doubt as to its enforcement. but the au-
tOmObilists are so certain OF being able
TO have it declared invalid that the case
will probably be submitted for judicial
action upon its merits
Il is said that II this law is valid. au-
tomobiles will be subjected to a triple
tax. They are now assessed as personal
property. besides which a tax Of 8 is
imposed for permission TO operate. The
wheel tax would be additional.
II motor vehicles can be taxed at
fixed rate per seat. il viii be argued. the
same tax ought to be imposed upon all
other vehicles. as otherwise there would
be an unfair discrimination. Some Of the
members OF the Automobile Club insist
that street cars are motor vehicles. and
that the tax. IL valid. must be imposed
upon every character Of vehicle operated
by a motor.
When the case is Instituted in the courts
the Commissioners will take the ground
that their duty Is 10 execute the VIII Of
Congress