The Washington times., 1917-10-23

MAY GRANT
RECIPROCAL
AUTO RIGHT
Districts Retaliatory Law Re-
garding Motor Licenses stirs
Neighbor to Plan Change in
Restrictions.
By BILL PRICE.


Thousands OF District and Mary
land automobile owners will be deep
ly interested in information that the
Maryland legislature, at its regular
meeting in January. will seriously
consider. the granting Of reciprocal
courtesies to District. machine own
ers In the use OF Maryland roads.
The attitude of Maryland, which
has long been Irritating to District
automobilists, is forced before the
Maryland legislature by that por-
tion OF the District appropriation bill
for the present fiscal year which re-
taliates upon Maryland automobilists
so long as Maryland continued on
the course she has pursued for many
years -,'
DIstrIet's License Law.
Beginning January 1 every Mary
land owner of q machine coming into
the District must pay the same
license and registration fee imposed
upon District owners. The shoe
pinches hard for the reason that 3s
per cent OF the automobile tags is
sued in the last fiscal year by the
District automobile bureau was to
Maryland motorists.
II IL estimated that in the year 1918
the automobile collections at the Dis
trict bureau will be fully $16o.o0o, of
which Maryland people coming into
"a ~
considerably more than one-third.
probably 100000. In the last fiscal
year the total collections were S56, AT.
The new law. going into effect jan
uary 1, provides that motor vehicles
owned or operated by non-residents
of the District will not be required
to be licensed or registered II the
State in which the owner or operator
has legal residence extends the same
privilege to motor vehicles owned and
operated by legal residents Of the
District
Maryland Owners Get Worst Of Il.
Maryland owners will get the worst
Of the retaliatory fight now about
to begin for the reason that the new
law soon to be effective here does not
pro rate the fees to be paid for opera
tion OF q machine.
District owners who have been
compelled to pay the Maryland license
and registration fees have been able
to purchase tags at any time during
the year on a quarterly payment
basis-thAt is, II they did not apply
for a license until July they paid
only one-half of the yearly license.
The Maryland owner, at whatever
time OF the year he may wish to come
into the District. must pay the as
sessment for the entire year.
The law, which was not the one
urged by the District Commissioners.
Is equally unfair to District people
who purchase machines during the
coming year. A man buying a car
in November or December OF next
year will have to pay assessment for
the full year.
The fees will be SO yearly for every
machine of twenty-four horsepower
or less; SIS not exceeding thirty horse
power. and SO over thirty horse
power.
Wade Coombs, director OF the Dis
trict automobile bureau, has recon-
mended to the Commissioners that
the horsepower rating upon which the
law is not clear, be upon the A. A.
L. NJ basis. which would make a
Ford license and fee IS each year.
The basis recommended gives a
lower horsepower rating to machines
than stated by the manufacturers.
and District machine owners may
save a little money this way