Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-08-31
PAINTED LENSES
ARE LEGAL
Automobile Owners Can Change Pre-
sent Auto Lights to Comply s
With the New State Law
On Headlight Lenses.
PROPER FOCUS NECESSARY
in MAKING CHANGES
nator Holdoegel Obtains Views
From State Highway Commits
sion and Secretary State
Ramsey.

Inefe IS no neeu OF an expenditure
of a million dollars by auto owners
of Iowa for new headlight lenses,
according to an investigation con-
Quoted by Senator P. C. Holdoegel,
of Rockwell City.
Senator Holdoegel has ascertained
from the state highway commission
ard from the state auto department
that all that is necessary to do is to
paint headlight lenses in such a
manner as to direct the beams of
light to comply with the law. ANY
auto owner can paint ahd adjust his
own lenses and use them, providing
they meet legal requirements.
"The directly-reflected and undif-
fused beams Of light that rise above
forty-two inches at the distance of
seventy-five feet from the car vio-
late the law" said Senator Holdoe-
gel. "All that is necessary is to lock
up those beams, as you would any
other law violator, which may be
done by painting that part of the
lens thru which they pass.
'It is not absolutely necessary to
use lesnes that have been approved
by the highway commission, where
the use of other lenses comply with
the law
With approximately 5e0,0o0 cars
in Iowa and two thirds of these
equipped at the present time with
lenses that do not comply with the
law, Senator Holdoegel estimates
that II would cost auto OF
the state total of million dollars
if they were required to buy lenses
that cost from SO to Sc per pair. He
declared that the law was not passed
to make money for manufacturers of
lenses, and started his investigation
of his theory that ''home painted"
lenses were legal.
Senator Holdoegel directed an in
quiIy to the state auto department
and to the state highway commission
as to whether lens painted to con-
form to the design of the Ford
Green Visor lens, which has been
approved by the state, and installed
according to instructions of that
design, would pass inspection and be
recommended for approval, even the
it be painted by the car owner OF
other person. Replies confirmed hi;
Interpretation of the law.
Engineers for the state highway
commission reply as follows: "If 6
lens complies in all respects with {
design which has been tested anc
placed on the approved list, it car
be considered to have passed the
inspection of the state highway com
mission, and when properly in
! stalled, should cast a beam Of ligh
complying with the law. As Il
whether the lens was made by tht
car owner or other person woulC
have nothing TO do with the legalit,
of the beam of light. We have testet
the Ford Green Visor lens and founC
that It complies with the law whel
properly adjusted. We see no reason
why anyone could not paint plail
glass in similar manner and thu
comply with the law. Your idea fo
saving the people money is a goot
one"
| Secretary of State Ramsay write
to Senator Holdoegel: II am of th'
opinion that it is not necessary t,
use lenses which have been testet
and approved by the highway com
mission, where the use of othe
lenses comply with the regulation
of the statute"