Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
Tags Cause Most Arrests.

Most of the arrests, he said, were be-
cause the automobiles did not have Mary
land license tags. or a license for a
chauffeur, where the owner was not driv-
ing the car. or because the license tag on
the rear of the machine was not fastened
so as mot to swing.
The arrests because of the manner in
which the tags on the rear of the ma
chine We're fastened was the subject of
greatest protest from those arrested On
this point Constable Shaw said last night:
The law regarding the fastening Of
'license tags on machines is explicit. 1t
reads: One of such plates or markers
(meaning license tags. shall be display ed
conspicuously on the front of = the ma
chine and the other on the rear of such
vehicles; the one on the rear to be fast
ened not to swing
The automobile law further says that
a violation of this section regarding the
fastening of the tags is punishable by a
fine not to exceed $50.
. Doing Duty as he Sees It.
Il think 1 know the automobile laws
by heart. 1t is not up to me to say
whether the laws are too strict or
whether some of the sections are ridicu-
lous; my sole duty as constable is to ar
rest persons for violation of the automo-
bile laws or any other passed by the leg.
1islature.''
Automobiles say that in Baltimore at
least so per cent of the tags on the rear
of machines are swinging by straps. and
yet no arrests are made. MI. Shaw was
told. - = : : 'ss;s So . -.----=-s--
Il do not know anything about what is
done In Baltimore he said, "but have
the law in black and white and am sup
posed to enforce it in this county. Per-
sonally / favor a scheme of reciprocity
hafu ha int nf mr.
Maryland regarding licenses. but that is
matter for the governor of the state or
the legislature to settle"
Mr.. Shaw admitted that he was paid in
proportion to the number of arrests he
made. but added that he would enforce
the law with the same strictness If he
We're working on a salary. He said that
some automobilsts he had arrested from
time to time for having only one license
tag on the machine, admitted that they
received two tags from the state auto
mobile tax collector. and that they had
used the other tag on another machine.
Minor Laws May Be Tested.
Mr. Shaw was asked why if he lived
at Glen Echo he worked particularly in
Chevy Chase last Sunday, and he said
because he knew that there would be
more Automobiles breaking the law in
that section Of the county. He also was
asked why he happened to have a JUS
tice Of the peace with him. He said 1t
was to expedite business as otherwise
he would have had to take each autOmo-
bilist arrested to Glen Echo to put up
collateral
Mr.. Shaw remarked that of the
twenty men arrested Sunday who put
up S. bond he understood that only
one had appeared the next day. al
though many of them said that he had
held them up on a technicality.
AS a result of the arrests of last
ISunday there is movement among the
lautomobiliSts to test the legality OF
some of the minor laws. particularly
! that concerning the fastening of tags,
| in the courts. At least one Of the
cases will he fought through the
courts, it is understood. 1t has been
| suggested that the automobile owners
| of Washington organize, with a view
| of having a better understanding with
| the Maryland authorities.