Evening star., 1921-04-06
AUTO RULE IS HELD
BAR TO TOURISTS
A. A. A. Fights Regulation Re-
quiring Registration of
Visiting Motorists.

That the new traffc regulation ol
the metropolitan police department
requiring visiting motorists to regis.
ter with the department on arrival
in this city will stop touring through
the city. is unfair to motorists in
general and is directly adverse tt
all arguments of the District in its
effort to secure reciprocity frort
Maryland are some OF tho conten
tons Of the American Automobile
Association in its fight to abolish
this provision from the regulations.
No other American city has taken
such drastic step, il is pointed out
by A, G. Batcheider. executive chair,
man OF the association. and only one
other state has such a regulation. but
for an entirely different purpose.
California has the visiting motorist
registration rule. but the law was
put into effect solely for the purpose
of catching automobile thieves oper-
atinE in that state and is worked in
cooperation with the California
mounted police, which maintains pa
trols on all roads leading in and out
OF the state.
Purpose Of Regulation stated.
The main purpose of this regula-
pyactiee of some Washingtonians
who. maintained residence In other
states from using their home state
TAGS on their cars.
The pivot of the whole situation. in
the opinion of officials of the associa-
ton, rests on the fight between the
District and Maryland for reciprocity.
Many OF the motorists who now are
driving into this city with out-of-
town tags in reality possess District
hrrf IL 20,
on their cars when driven into Mary
land the drivers will promptly be ar
rested.
This fact and the expense of buying
nome state tag, District tag and
Maryland tag undoubtedly has de-
TERED many motorists from display
ing the District tag i'm conjunction
with tags from their home state.
As pointed out by the association.
the law is evidently to stop this prac-
tive, but. IN doing so, it works against
the very thing that practically every
motorist is arguing for-one tag for
the forty-eight states OF the Union.
May Deter Visits to Washington.
when news OF the Districts po-
lice-regi stration requirement gains
circulation throughout the country"
said Mr.. Batchelder. lit Is more than
probable that it will have a deterrent
OBJECT upon motor tourists contem-
8
leans are quick to resent an unfair
and unfriendly attitude, and while to
some the regulation may seem 70 be
Of small Importance, its effect will
be far reaching and tend TO cause
Washington to be cut out OF many a
road itinerary.
IF the real intent Of the require
ment is to sift out those car owners
living in Washington for q more or
less extended period in every year
persons who procure home state reg
istrations in order to avoid paying
tribute to Maryland-this purpose
could be accomplished much more
easily by putting into effect such an
Interpretation of nonresident az ex-
lists in Massachusetts,
Law I'm Massachusetts.
''In Massachusetts, nonresident APP
plies to residents Of states or ceun-
tries who have no regular place OF
abode or business In the common
wealth for a period Of more than thfr-
ty days in a calendar year In other,
words, one who had q regular place OF
abode in the District of Columbia
would be compelled to take out an
annual registration for his motor car.
However. the District authorities
might care to consider that not q few
people secure registration plates from
their home states simply because OF
the unfair attitude Of Maryland. which
sooner or later will be corrected by
the passage OF the Sweet-Pittman
bill"