Evening star., 1915-01-08
COMMISSIONER ROE
TO ENFORCE AUTO LAW
Maryland Official Stops Here on Way
to Rockville to Call on
His Deputy.

Commissioner of Motor Vehicles Har-
ry A. Roe of the state of Maryland is
in Washington today investigating a
statement alleged to have been made
by R. Peyton Whalen, sheriff of Mont
gomery county. Nd, to the effect that
he had Instructed his deputies to re-
frain from enforcing the automobile
license law until after January Is.
Commissioner Roe arrived at 1880
o'clock this morning from Baltimore
and Immediately went to the Office OF
Deputy Commissioner 8. G. Coale, in
the Metzerott building.
In conversation with a reporter for
The Star who met him on his arrival,
he said that he came here for the ex-
press purpose of seeing that the law
was enforced and that he came backed
with an opinion of Attorney General
lating to the enforcement of the Mary
land automobile law.
Section Of Law His Basis.
The section of the law upon which
the attorney general bases his opinion
and upon which Commissioner Roe in
tends to act is as follows:
"And whenever it shall happen that
any city. town, village or community
shall make to said commissioner a
complaint in writing that said motor
vehicle or traffic laws, or any of them.
are being habitually or generally vio-
lated in any such locality t shall be
the duty Of said commissioner forth
with to assign and maintain at such
locality such number of said motor
cycle deputies as in his opinion is
necessary to enforce said laws, and in
all such cases said deputies shall have
power to make summary arrests with
out warrant and cause the Offenders to
be brought to trial.
No Authority to Extend Time.
Commissioner Coale, in a statement
today, said that his attention had been
called to an article in a Washington
paper, bearing the signature of Sheriff
Whelen of Montgomery county, which
article he referred to Attorney General
Poe for his opinion.
In reply to Commissioner Roe's COM
munication the Attorney General said
in reply: Mr.. Whalen Is without au-
thority to grant the extension which
he attempts to do in his communica-
ton. The law on this subject Is per
fectly clear Licenses for the year 1914
expired at midnight December 81, 1914.
Any one now driving an automobile In
Maryland without having a Maryland
registration tag for the year 1919 at
tached to his automobile. should be
promptly arrested by the police au-
thorities of any county within which
he is operating his machine.
Asks for Cooperation.
Commissioner Roe has asked for the
cooperation of the sheriff and police
department of the state OF Maryland
to see that the law is carried out. He
said today: "If the sheriff In Montgom-
cry county persists in his attitude. l
shall send my deputies there to see
that the law is enforced. l have no
authority whatever, neither has the
sheriff, to extend the time b'"ond that
which is laid out IN the la''. Decem-
Der 81, 1914"
Accompanied by several deputies.
whom he brought over from Baltimore
this morning, and aided by two more
whom he ordered TO report az the Of
morning until his arrival, Commission
er Roe started for Rockville. Nd,
where Sheriff Whalen has headquar-
ters. The trip was made IN Commis-
sioner Roes automobile.
Will Not Make Arrests.
Sheriff Peyton Whaler today declared
that notwithstanding the statement of
Attorney General Poe. as given in this
mornings Baltimore and Washington
naners. he will not enforce the automo-
bile laws or make arrests of Wash
ington motorists not provided with
1915 license tags until after January
Is. Sheriff Wi.alen further stated that
he will not instruct his deputies to
make arrests of persons driving autos
not bearing the 1915 license tags until
after the 18th of this month
Sheriff whalen stated that he did not
think the attorney general or the state
automobile commissioner had any au-
thority to issue orders to him.
Last year." said the sheriff today.
ION competent advice I did not begin
the enforcement of the automobile law
until January Is, allowing District mo-
torists two weeks in which to obtain
their new license tags.
.'This believed to be only fair to the
many Washington motorists who use
Montgomery county roads. This year 1
intend to follow the same course.
Neither l nor any Of my deputies will
make arrests for failure to display
1915 license tags until after January
15. unless am directed to do SO by the
Judge Of the circuit court or the states
attorney"