Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-06-13
AUTO CLUBS ARE
HOLLY REBUKED
BY COMMISSIONER
j. B. R. Smith Applies Lash to
the Critics of His
Policy.

TRENTON, June Estate Motor
Vehicle COMMISSIONS j. B. R.
Smith, whom was sharply criticised re-
Gently at the annual meeting of the
Associated Automobile Clubs of New
Jersey for rulings affecting automobile
owners, today issued a statement in
reply. COMMISSIONS Smith was first
criticised for his ruling in which he
Withdrew the eight-day tourist privi-
lege from Pennsylvania and Delaware
motorists on June l, and on his letter
to Robert Hooper, president of the A.
A. A, regarding the attitude of or
gained motorists in his State.
The statement of Commissioner
Smith. in part. follows:
THE attitude of the officers of the
Associated Automobile Clubs is not
surprising. They are the New Jersey
representatives of the American Auto
mobile Association, ar association of
nonresident motorists who are I'M
fortunately unfriendly to New Jersey
laws and New Jersey motorists, though
there are still several of the smaller
motorists clubs of this State affiliated
with them. The representatives of this
organization have persistently en-
deavored to coerce our legislators and
are responsible in a great measure. for
the discriminating legislation and the
persecution of our motorists in other
States.
Opponents of Reciprocity.
They have persistently opposed true
reciprocity with New Jersey. and to-
day refuse to assist in getting legis-
lation in New York hat will enable
that State to r%eciprocate with New
Jersey, thereby putting both New Jer-
sey and New York motorists at a great
additional inconvenience and expense,
for the reason, as they express it, that
they want free privileges without
registration or nothing" If reciprocity
with New York fails and New York
motorists are deprived of the eight
days privilege the blame will lie prin-
cipally with the representatives of this
association, ever as 1t now lies with
them for the inability of Pennsylvania
motorists to enjoy these privileges in
New Jersey and for the unnecessary
a~nnoyances and prosecutions imposed
upon New Jersey motorists by nom
residents during the last year. The
general policy of these representatives
has been such that the big Newark
club, namely, the New Jersey Auto
mobile and Motor Club, containing a
membership at least twice as large as
that of all the others of the State COM
b.ned, was last year compelled to sever
its connection with the central body,
while the Camden and Trenton clubs
have long ceased to have m utilization
with it, and l suspect that when the
real service OF the association to New
Jersey motorists is better understood
there will be still further Withdrawals.
What Withdrawals Mean.
"These Withdrawals must not be
taizen to mean that the withdrawing
clubs either did not or do not now favor
free privileges without registration for
nonresident motorists They labored
just as earnestly and far more intelli-
gently to that end than did their rival
motorists, and l think it quite safe to
say hat they failed because of the I'M
wise and unpatriotic efforts of the rep
r~esentatives of the associated clubs,
whose coercive methods made it impos-
sible for many members of the Legis-
lature to maintain their self-respect
and support the measure, though there
had been prediction pledges sufficient
to pass a reasonable measure"