Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-10-19
AUSTIN REPORTS ON BIC SESSION OF
NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE DEALERS

Cd in Congress and will i:eep the var
ious dealers interests protected by
I counteractive legislation, introduced
through proper channels.
The committee will have head Of
flee at New York. II bill is intro
duced referring particularly to the
Dealers Association, the committee
will collect all facts on the proposition
and refer them to the organiza ton af
fected. Likewise the interests Of all
2, the other component automobile deal
ers associations will be protected.
This committee was heartily favored
TO PROTECT DEALER
Ono of the greatest achievements of
the organization during the past year,
according to Austin, has been the so
far favorable action on the amendment
to the Volsted bill This bill, Austin
states, makes it federal offense for
any person t, transport liquor in any
vehicle whatever. The bill is known
as the National Dry act. The portion
which authorizes the seizure of an
automobile or other vehicle in which
the contraband liquor is discovered,
was opposed by the organization be-
cause of the fact that the dealer, often
times, is the only one who suffers If
a man buys an automobile on time
payments, and then transports liquor
before his title is clear the dealer to
whom he owes the remaining payment.
will be the one punished.
| The organization succeeded in get
lting passed in the House of Represen-
tatives a bill authorizing an amend
ment to the effect that II a dealer can
prove any title to the confiscated ma
l-l l.. I, = No. laA
err who has violated the law loses all
title to the car under provisions of the
amendment.
The conference delegates believe the
chances for the passage of the amend
ment in the Upper House are good,
laccording to Austin.
FAvoRS TOWNSEND ACT
/ The association believes that one of
the most important issues now before
the automobile world is the Townsend
bill, providing for the expenditure by
the government of 425,000,000 in the
construction and maintenance Of trunk
highways north and south and east
and west throughout the United States.
The bill provides for the formation
Of a commission of three members, ap-
pointed by the president with consent
and advice of the Senate. This com
mittee then will distribute the appro-
priation so as to give each state in
the Union north land south and -ea st
-and-west highway-all government
owned and maintained roads.
In forming these highways the gov
eminent committee viii reserve the
right to appropriate any state road by
paying the state for 1t. This feature
of course carries with it provisions
that the state highway is already up
q ~, I'D I'd r,P nonStrnrfinn
tablished by the government.
The states are permitted to maintain
separate highway systems off the main
trunk lines If they so desire. The gov
ernment must maintain and the indiVid
lual state concerned will police the en-
tire system planned.
Establishment of this system, which
will link every state in the Union with
every other one by direct national high
way, will shorten the transcontinental
routes considerably The elaborate
grid of roads proposed by the bill Will
make it possible to go from Maine to
Washington, touching only the north
ernmost states of the Union.
The National Automobile Dealers
Association is of the opinion that this
road plan becomes necessary with the
expiration OF the federal aid law, per-
hitting the government to donate GER
. tain funds to the states for highway
: maintenance This law expires in 1921
The new bill will take the chief burden
of road builHing off the hands of the
: states and at the same time allow them
freedom to develop their local sys-
: TENS. The states, under the propos- "a
LEGISLATION, may suggest roads ana
routes to the government. but they
have no power to force federal action
on their recommendation.
: Another bill which was discussed
thoroughly by the directors was the
: Over bill, or national motor vehicle
theft act. This bill provides that any
person stealing an automobile and
: bringing 1t into another state win be
prosecuted II caught. Under the pres
ent laws IL the authorities of the state
into which the car has been taken do
not care to take action the dealer from
: whom the machine was taken Will lose
all chance at recovery.
RECOURSE FOR DEALER.
Under the new law, upheld by the
iassociation. he Ia prohibited from steal
: ing the car and from transporting II
as we'll II the dealer Is unable to get
sufficient evidence to convict the man
with the car of stealing 1t he still has
has recourse to the transportation Pre-
vision of the act
In reviewing the need for such a
bill as the Dyer measure, Mr.. Austin
stated that a canvass OF twenty-one
cities In all parts of the United states
showed 32s,0oo,000 worth of car losses
by theft 30 far this year. While Mr.
Dyer introduced this bill into congress
and 1t il known by his name. the act
was really formulated In the offices
OF the IN. A. d. A.
III The delegates went on record az op.
: posed. to the siegel bill providing thai