Evening star., 1920-03-14
DYER LAW AIMED
T0RESTRA|N AUTO
THIEVES IN NATION
Uniform Measures in States
Will Help, Mr.. Tur-
ton Explains.

! In commenting on the Dyer bill
which recently passed Congress and
is aimed against the thievery of au-
tomobiles. W. Eugene Turton, presi-
dent Of the Associated Clubs and A.
A U. legislation committee, said:
| THE average automobilist pays lit
! tie. any, attention to legislation
pertaining to the motor vehicle he
may own and operate. A motorist
hardly realizes that approximately
| $2S.OOO,O0O worth of automobiles are
stolen during the year.
! uniform laws are being worked
out for the states. to be co-ordnated
with the new federal law directed
against the theft of motor cars. 1t is
believed that the near future holds
the most important. actions yet taken
to curb automobile thievery. AS soon
as the stolen car is driven from one
state to another it becomes subject
for federal court action.
This means that the powerful in
| fuence of the federal court will be
| set against the theft of motor cars
and their transportation from one
state to another. The bill which re-
| known as the Dyer measure 1t had
| the support of the various automo-
bile organizations, including the
American Automobile Association.
| and, as before stated, it will undoubt-
| edly serve most useful purpose in
| assisting in the apprehension of au
| tomobile criminals.
| PPovisfOns OF Dyer Bill.
| Briefly, the Dyer bill provides that
| whoever shall transport or cause to
| be transported in interstate or for
| eign commerce motor vehicle, know
ing the same to have been stolen.
shall be punished by a fine of not
more than $4,000 or by imprisonment
of not more than five years. or BOTH
! PERSONALLY, l should recommend
| both. While. to my mind. the pen
atty is not severe enough. it is a long
step in the right direction. This
/ however. makes it more important ia
! get behind the state legislatures to
pass similar measures, making them
uniform or as near so as possible.
With this end in view an act has
been drafted by committee appoint
ed from members of the motor We
hicle conference committee, the pur-
chase and sale of secondhand motor
I.vehicles and parts; providing for the
licensing of the business of dealing
in secondhand motor vehicles; to pre-
| vent the removal, mutHation or al
tering of makers numbers on motor
i
tor vehicles and parts thereof. OF
course, any law of this description
| must contain provisions which will
be looked upon by motorists as bur-
denSome, in a great sense like the
| safety devices which motorists often
| purchase to prevent. thievery and then
| leave them in the automobile un-
| used because it is too troublesome to
| adjust to the part of the vehicle. We
| shall, however, soon learn to execute
the various documents which the law
requires shall be filed. and wonder
very soon how we dared make
| transfer without such instruments
The proposed act makes it a
| felony to steal a motor vehicle or to
| receive or buy one which has been
stolen. the penalty being $1,000 or
Imprisonment for ten years.
= Uniform Tramc Law.
'"There has been prepared also a uni
form traffic law. which. will be of
considerable benefit to motorists whd
indulge in interstate touring, eiimi-
mating the handicap upon them of diff
ferent rules of the road in different
communities. This proposed law is
now in pamphlet form and is being
sent to the motor vehicle depart
ments of the various states.
measures which are being framed
preparatory to submission to the diff
ferent legislatures. the tendency,
however. being to nationalize such
laws as far as possible. Among these
measures might mention the Sweet
Pitman bill now in Congress provid-
ing for reciprocal touring privileges,
the reciprocal insurance measures,
which would furnish motorists ali risk
insurance practically at cost. and last.
but by no means least. the Townsend
bill, providing for construction Of fed
eral roads. >All such measures are
important and need the unstinted sup
port OF the motorists.
."Bills which are being introduced
and which would not only work con-
siderable hardship on motorists. but
would almost take away their rights
as decent respectable citizens, are be-
ing carefully watched, and really be-
lieve that the time has now come
when those rights must be respected.
and it remains only for the motorists
to become strongly organized in or
der to guarantee that fact"