The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-05
CONGRESS TO REGULATE
 INTERSTATE TRAVEL
By RoLLERicK CLIFFORD.

the Senate, with an assistant and & cleri- cal force. The commissioner is charged iwth formulating rules ana regulations for the inforoement of the act.
 The act provides for registration of all motor vehicles with the commissioner. to- gether with a complete description of the machine, including the name of the man. ufaoturer, the manufacturers number, tho motor power and tho amount of such power stated in figures of horsepower. In addition to this, in order to obtain g. certificate of registration. for which sS Is to bs charged, the name of tho owner and the state in which he resides. to- gether with Q statement that he has complied with the law of his state reg ulating the operation of motor vehicles iwthin the state and the number assigned his machine must be filed with the com missioner. If the application for regis tration is approved, the commissioner will issue a distinctive number to be displayed on the front and rear of the machine, as an Identification mark in accordance with the provision of the laws of the state under which the motor vehicle shall have been previously registered.
 All motor vehioles registered by the commissioner are to be exempt from reg istration laws of states except the state in which the owner lives. A manufac- turer or dealer in motor vehicles Is to pay . fec of s10. The ownsr Of reg istered machine. who sells or lets for hire the machine for a period of over 10 days must notify the commissioner, and tho registration will become null and void within five days after the time specified and the certificate must be returned for cancellation. The purchaser or lessee of the motor vehicles is then required to reg ister the machine anew and pay the fees.
 Tho act specifics that any violation of its provisions forfeits registration fees and all rights and privileges. ana no own- ar thus violating the regulations may ree1ster any motor vehicle for . new cer- tificate until hs has paid penalty of s26 in addition to the registration fees.
 Tho advocates of this legislation say 1t will greatly stimulate the motor vehicle industry and will unquest1onabiy increase travel by such machines. Tho creation of the bureau win provide means for keeping q complete record of all mos tor vehicles used. which will no doubt have q tendency to check wild joy rid ine,' in interstate travel, as the identifi- cation marks are of such a character that tho driver of a motor vehicle would be unable to escape punishment in case of accident
 The revenue derived from the proposed flaw is to be used for the payment of ex- psnses' of tho bureau. any surpfus that may accrue is to be paid into the treas ury. The expenses of the bureau will censist of the salaries of tho conr1nis- sionsr, which is placed at 5000 a year; . seorstary at eac0A and whatever cieri- cal force is necessary ts carry on the work No clerk is to receive salary exceeding t13oo . year.
 Officials of the Department of Com- merce and Labor approved the proposed law on general principals, and assert that 1t will promote interstate travel end com. msrce and give the people cheap trans portation across state lines.
 Members of the committee on interstate and foreign commerce who have examined tho Cocks bill say 1t is needed to meet growing conditions vf interstate motor travel, and that it is not wiss longer to postpone federal regulation of touring cars, which arc multiplying at such rate that the time will soon arrive when they will be operated in competition with short line railroads and trolley cars.
 While the proposed law of rsEular no tor vehicles doe6 not make federal reg istration ccmpuisory. its advocates say it will prove of such vAlue to tho owners of machines that they will gladly wel- come It. and win have their motor oars reristered, thus securing oertidcates that viii save them many petty annoyances while travelling.