Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-11-23
OYER LAW FIXING five YEAR PENALTY
OVMOTOR CAR THEFTS NOW IN EFFECT;
RESTRICTS MOVEMENT Of STOLEN CARS
Interstate Transportation Of Stolen Automobiles
eral offense Measure Fostered by National Automobile
Association Ten Laws Passed at Recent
Special Session Of Congress.

dealers and trade bodies and to the
trade papers and newspapers. With
these letters 10000 copies of the law
VIII be distributed. The association
asks the district attorneys to enforce
the law, the newspapers to so explain
the seriousness of the situation that
public sentiment will respond favor
ably to every conviction for automobile
stealing and the trade to take every
step to see that the information nee
essary for conviction is furnished by
the dealers to the United States au-
thorities and that convictions where
merited shall be followed by suitable
penalties.
The motor theft act was made a
possibility because of the work of Rep
resentative Leonidas G. Dyer of st.
Louis, chairman of the house Judiciary
subcommittee and of Representative
Cleveland A. Newton of st. Louis, who
supported Representative Dyer's every
move in passage of the measure. When
it is realized that in a special session
of congress. called to discuss the peace
treaty, high cost of living, railroad
legislation, strikes and prohibition, and
when it is further considered that not
I.lore than 10 laws of a general nature
have been passed in that congress and
one of them the motor vehicle law, the
Importance of the measure can be
gathered.
William Baer, assistant circuit at
torney OF ST. Louis, briefed the many
authorities on the constitutionality OF
the measure.
TEXT OF BILL
This is the law as passed by the SEN
ate and house Of representatives. 1t
became operative October "a despite
the presidents failure to sign It on
account of his Illness:
To punish the transportation of stol-
en- motor vehicles in interstate or for
elgn commerce.
Be 1t enacted by the senate and
house of representatives of the United
States of America in congress assem-
National Motor Vehicle Theft Act.
Section O. That when used in this
act:
(a) That term motor vehicle" shall
include an automobile, autom obile
truck, automobile wagon, motor cycle
or any other self propelled vehicle not
designed for running on rails:
OBJ The term Interstate or foreign
commerce" as used in this act shall in
clude transportation from one state
territory, or the District of Columbia
orto foreign country, or from for
| cign country to any state, territory OF
| the District of Columbia.
| Section g. That whoever shall trans
port or cause to he transported in in
| terstate or foreign commerce a motor
vehicle, shall be punished by fine o.
not moro than $4,000. or by inlprison.
n.ent of not more than five years Oh
! 10th.
Section. L. That whoever shall. will
the intent to deprive the owner of the
possession thereof, receive, conceal
store barter, sell, or dispose of an!
motor vehicle, moving as, or which i!
a part of, or which constitutes inter
state or foreign commerce, knowing
the same to have been stolen, shall b,
punished by a fine of not more thai
$4,000, or by Imprisonment of not NOR
than five years, or both.
Section 5: That any person violat
ing this act may be punished in an.
district in or through which such mo
tor vehicle has been transported o
removed by such offender.