Evening journal., 1918-12-19
Want Legislature
TO PROTECT AUTOS
Owners Think Mac Pierson
Plan Would Prevent
Theft of Cars
NEW IDEA IN
TAGS OUTLINED

In all probability new legislation re-
garding automomile ownership will
come before the State Legislature at
its coming session, the principal object
being to stop the systematized theft Of
cars and the sale Of them by the
thieves. Prominent automobiles Of
Delaware are in favor OF the MacPier-
son plan.
There are five million cars In the
United States and the insurance on them
reaches well into the millions OF dol
lars The steel plates used for tags
cost the States much money, while
under the proposed plan it will be pos.
sible TO conserve enough steel annually
that would load hundreds of trucks
with steel which could be used for
other purposes.
Under the Macpherson plan. thief
will be unable to ply his trade. and
the worry over the theft as well as the
expense OF prosecuting the thief would
be saved. The promoters Of the scheme
to stop the stealing OF cars and the
selling OF them when changed say they
are not after anyone but the thieves.
What Is the use OF insuring against
theft of automobiles when the thefts
can be stopped very readily9 1t is ask
ed. But to stop the thefts will require
the cooperation of the manufacturers.
dealers and owners, as well as similar
legislation In each State.
Thousands and thousands OF cars are
stolen yearly and there would not be
so many thieves IL there were co-opera-
ton and thefts of cars would soon be
thing OF the past.
Here is the remedy as pointed out by
autoists:
i-The manufacturers 10 issue an
owners certificate giving full descrip-
tion of the car; name, make, date
manufacturers number, weight.
2-The owner Of the car 10 register the
certificate at the time he makes appli-
cation for license.
3-In case of a sale or offered sale.
the buyer must demand and seller must
produce the manufacturers certificate
as outlined In Section 4. In case the
certificate is not produced, 1t shall be
the duty Of the proposed buyer TO have
the person in charge Of the car arrest
ed at once. 10 will then be up TO him
to produce the certificate before he can
be released.
A man who steals a car In Delaware
would be unable to sell 1t in Pennsyl.
vania or elsewhere so long as he would
be unable to produce the manufac-
turer's certificate. A lengthy term OF
Imprisonment for violation. Of such
regulations would help the enforce
ment Of the law and there would be no
need of insurance against theft the adj
vocates OF the proposed law say.
Stealing Of automobiles Is done for
proflt-either by selling the car or by
obtaining the insurance on the car when
stolen and not recovered.
Car owners agree that they should
pay a State license but ask why so
much steel should be used for tags9
Why not let the owner have the same
tag for the life of the car and continue
when he gets new one, they ask
Their idea for instance is TO have the
figures 400" next year fastened on the
car by screw and every year after,
change the last figures. The tag IS only
for Identification of the, car and the
driver carries the license card in his
pocket, they say. Millions Of tags will
thus be saved and even the States win
be saved expense for all they will
have to furnish each year will be one
figure and the millions Of tons Of steel
used for tags can be utilized to advan-
tage during the coming years of recon-
struction.