Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-14
PENALTY IS DELAYED
Districts ''Get Even" Auto
Rules Effective Jan. !, 1914.
ARE AIMED AT MARYLAND
Commissioners Hand Down Ruling
on Increased License Fees for
State Drivers.

Maryland owners of automobiles who
already have District licenses will not be
compelled until January /, 1914. 10 pay
the increased rates for such licenses
which We're recently promulgated. accord
ing to a decision arrived at today by
the Commissioners. when they declared
that the new regulations are not retroac-
tive.
Tomorrow. under the new REGULATE
was to have been the day for the penalty
clause to become effective.
The regulations were intended to be a
lesson to Maryland authorities for as
sessins exorbitant license rates against
drivers of Washington cars, but under
the decision Of today that the new regu-
lations Of the District are not retroactive
this lesson will not begin to be effective
for some months.
Escape for Eleven Months.
Under the decision reached. only resi-
dents Of Maryland applying for a new
license between now and the beginning
of the new year will be required to
pay the new license fee. which ranges
from S. to $25. To date about 1900
Maryland automobiles have obtained
quired perpetual fee of 80. and they
will not be disturbed for a period of
nearly eleven months.
According to H. NJ Woodward. secre-
tary of the automobile board. only five
licenses have been issued under the new
regulations which were adopted by the
Commissioners January 16. In view of
the decision reached that the rules can
not be considered retroactive, the amounts
paid for these licenses. it is stated, will
be returned.
Purpose of Adoption.
The Commissioners adopted the regula-
even with Maryland. That state has
refused to enter into reciprocal relations
with the District of Columbis with re-
spect to the issuance of automobile Ii
censes. and is charging Washington
drivers Of motor cars who enter Mary
land licenses annual fees ranging from S.
to $25 the amount being determined &C
cording to the horsepower Of the cars.
1t is stipulated in the regulations that
all District licenses obtained by auto
mobile owners of other states shall be Is
sued under the same conditions and RACES
that govern the issuance by those COM
of licenses to Washington
autOmODiliStS.
At the time of the PRONUNCIATION of the
regulations 1t was stated that they were
to become effective Immediately. although
the penalty clause could not be enforced
for thirty days after their publication in
a local newspaper
Definite Decision Reached.
The question of whether the regulations
should be considered retroactive has been
under consideration by the Commission
ers, and it was only yesterday that
definite decision in the matter was
reached
The selection of January l next as the
date when Maryland motor car owners
operating under the old District license
fee system will be required to pay the in
creased amounts was because of the fact
that that is the day when Maryland's
new license year begins.
Inasmuch as one Of the requirements OF
the regulations. is that the issuance OF
licenses to residents Of other states shall
be under the conditions that obtain in
those states for the issuance of licenses to
Washington motor car owners. 1T was de-
cided to adopt January l, 1914, as the
date for assessing the higher rates
against the Maryland Automobiles who
already possess District licenses.
instructions were issued by the Com
missioners today to Secretary Woodward
explaining the application of the new
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