South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-03-28
IMPROVING LAWS
REGARDING MOTOR
CAR REGISTRATION
California Plan i Abandoned
in Favor of Michigan's
System.
- InIIs ILTnInW-

BH LOUIS LUDLOW
WASHINGTON. March 27.-Ac-
Cording 90 reports received by the
government AZ Washington great
progress S. being made By the states
81 improving their motor vehicle
laws. especially as regard licensing
OF cars. Most states have we'll
defined system OF registration. but
there IS always room for improve
menL California IS the latest 20
make a change.
The Golden state for number Of
-years has been following a plan
that seemed 20 be a good one. A
license number was issued TO a car
owner and that mum Der was perman-
emit Each year the owner would
send his fee to the superintendent
az the motor vehicle department and
a new seal would be issued This
would be attached 10 the plate In a
place provided for that purpose. and
in this way a car could be identified
quite as easily as having "a new or
old license. This plan disposed Of
the costly system of buying new
tags each year and appeared 20 be
all right.
A Better System.
There came a time. however, when
a. was proved that a better system
Of registration could be followed.
Automobile thieves became busy i'm
the state. especially in Los Angeles
and San Francisco. and with the
permanent license plan Il was easy
for the thief 10 beat che game. He
did not have 10 appear personally
for a license or make any thorough
statements as TO ownership. In this
way. once a license had been issued
on a car II was easy 20 obtain new
seals The thieves having a supply
of license plates always on hand
these plates being issued legally
could be used on any stolen car.
\ Tag for Each Car.
Take, for instance, a thief who
was i'm the business of stealing Ford,
Buick or other such cars. lie would
buy a tag for a Ford a tag for a
Buick. and so on. These would be
bona fide purchases which he could
back up at any tiEae by showing the
car he owned. He then would take
the license for his Ford, il ne in
tended stealing a car of that make.
= go out and drive away the car he
wanted, switch his own plates 10 it
and be on his way. Without a com
plete record In the hands Of the
state or the police IL was next 20 i'm
possible 20 detect the theft, because
il would appear from the license
number that the rogue was driving
his own car.
Use Michigan Plan.
California is now switching to the
plan used in Michigan and other
states Describing the permanent
number. which always remained in
the possession Of the original buyer
the state is providing for a new set
Of plates each year. In the event
the car is sold the license goes with
the car instead OF remaining in the
name OF the first purchaser. The
new buyer pays the fee for the re-
mainder Of the year. which is divided
into quarters The man who sold
the car is refunded by the state for
the period ne did not use the annual
license.
Must Tell Of Movements.
Another interesting feature OF the
new law Is that a man who changes
his place Of residence must notify
800 motor vehicle department Of such
change within 10 days. Failure 10
do so constitutes a misdemeanor,
and the guilty party may be prose-
Cuted in court by the state While
this adds a great deal of detail to
the registrar work, IL is a matter
worth considering, for 1t permits of
am immediate check on the owner Of
a car in case his vehicle has figured
in a serious accident. one other
section Of the law provides for the
permanent registration Of operators.
as is done in Michigan Every per
son driving a car IN California must
have one OF these A small fee is
charged for a license.