Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-16
MOTORISTS JOIN .
IN A MOVEMENT
AGAINST BUREAU
Charge For Registering Ma
chimes Against Theft Is
Not Popular

Greater storms are appearing or
the sea on which the Chiefs of Po-
lice Association of Pennsylvania is
sailing its clearing house for the re-
covery of stolen automobiles scheme
The Pennsylvania Motor Federation
following an agitation for action or
| its part, by the Harrisburg Motor
Club has declared war on the ambi-
tious plan.
Plans are being made to warn ev-
cry automobile owner in Pennsylva-
MIA against registering their car with
the clearing house, as the chiefs oil
police are endeavoring to have them
do. Every organization in Penn
sylvania, affiliating with the Penn
sylvania Motor Federation, is being
warned now by it's officials, advising
them TO post their members against
| following the solicitations of the or
ganization. The Pennsylvania Mo-
torist, the magazine of the American
Autom obile Association, read by the
greater number of auto owners in
Harrisburg, and a great influence
among them, has been asked to
open its columns against the plan.
Paul c. Wolff, secretary-treasurer
OF the Pennsylvania Motor Fedora
ton, writes to officials of the Har-
risburg Motor Club. in response to
their plea for action on. its part, as
follows: 70
Il have written the American Mo-
torist asking them to publish an arti-
Gle in the next issue relative to the
Chiefs of Police Association move
ment and will send a communica-
ton to the secretary of each Fede-
ration club. fully agree with you
in your attitude with regard to this
scheme" 4. o.. .-...s.
Motorists Disapprove- ..
The plan of the Chiefs of Police
Association provides that automo-
bile owners throughout the state pay
81 for the purpose of registering
their automobiles with the clearing
house as q safeguard against having
|
But local motorists most heartily
disanprove of the plan, al
ready inaugurated by the associa-
tion. Letters are being mailed TO
auto owners all over the state in
viting registration. They say:
The state Highway Departments
automobile division has on file in its
offices the same information as the
police chiefs association requests its
registered members to send in. The
automobile division has a double
card indexing system for each ma
chine. One card has the motor
number. When a car is stolen-if
the division is notified of the theft
the fact is noted on a special pink
card attached to the motor number
card. When an application. is made
for registration of a stolen machine,
which has already been registered
with the automobile division, the
fact is Immediately patent that the
machine is stolen. The motor num-
bers are filed according to the make
| of car, of course.
| Motor clubs point out that mas
much as during the year just end
/ ing, the first year the stolen-car
system has been worked by the state
Highway Department, the automo-
bile division has aided in the recov-
cry of near 100 stolen machines OF
various sorts. there is no need what
ever for the Association for the Re-
covery of Stolen Automobiles"
particularly at 81 per registration.
It is suggested that the police
chiefs are hardly the proper people
| 70 hack the organization, inasmuch
as it might be argued that they could
club car owners into sending In
their. dollars. If a police chief were
to suggest to a car owner that he
send Salong his dollar and be regis
tered. the car owner, 1t is urged
might feel that If he were to refuse
his dollar it would be quite useless
for him to expect real action from
a police chief to whom he had re-
fused registration and dollar. Mo-
torists say that this sort of an atmos'
phere is not the proper atmosphere
with which to surround police chiefs