The Washington herald., 1921-08-06
REP. APPLEBY URGES BILL
FORFEDERAL AUTO LICENSE
Declares His Proposal
Would Relieve Tourist
Motorists From Petty
Annoyances During In
terstate Travel.
by +. FRANK APPLEBY.
Rere.e.tative From New Jersey.

Reresentative From New Jersey.
In response TO requests for a
statement in regard to the bill.
II. r.. 1891. providing for Federal
licenses for automobiles, which /
introdueed in the House Of Repre-
sentatives on July 2Sth. beg to
say tiatSth is one of the few pro-
posals forIincreasing revenue where
a direct return OF far greater value
than the actual tax is provided for
ea"h Individual upon whom the tax
will fall.
am frank to say that / am at a
loss to understand the violent OPP
position OF the American Automobile
Association to my bill, voiced
through an open letter addressed to
Chairman Fordney. Of the Ways and
Means Committee, Thursday. and
can only sttribute IL to q misapDre-
hension of the iptents and purposes
Of its provisions.
Provides for Federal TaE.
The bill has no application to su-
tomobilists operating cars within
the limits of any State or Territory,
and Is mandatory only to the extent
Of recurring all persons operating
SuIOnOpllcb VI
cles Of any kind on the public high
ways in interstate travel TO take
out a special Federal license. which
6cense carries with it a Federal
registration tag to be affixed To and
forming a part Of the State license
tag carried by the vehicle. which
tag shall be recognized BY the au-
thorities OF all the States and Ter
ritories as permitting the owner Of
the automobile to whom the license
was issued to operate his machine
within the confines of any State
or Territory he may be visiting OF
through which he may be passing.
without any additional registration
or the securing OF any other license
os the payment of any additional
tax.
The Federal license will be ISSUED
through the motor commissioners
OF the various States. and Uf the
fee charged 90 per centum will go
to the United States government and
10 per centum to the State through
which the license is issued. The bill
fixes q rate fee Of 40 cents per
rse-power for all vehicles having
pneumatic tires. and a graduated fee
for trucks based on carrying capac-
ity.
Melons Plan Opposed.
Few days after my bill was in
troduced Secretary Mellon proposed
to the Committee on Ways and
Means that a fat tax Of $40 be
levied on all automobiles. This sug-
gestion met with pronounced oppo-
sition within the committee. as II
was thought to be neither fair nor
equitable to compel the owner OF a
light. moderate-priced car to pay
the same tax as that laid against
a magnificent limousine or touring
car. or heavy truck. In discussing
the taX-levying suggestions OF
Secretary Mellon. Chairman Ford
ney is quoted in the press as ad-
vocating the same method of taxa
tion as provided in this bill in a
statement in which he said he did
not think there was any possibility
of levying the taxes suggested by
Secretary Mellon unless IL was the
automobile tax. But IL this tax is
decided upon by the committee IL
will be a graduated tax on horse
power. and accompanied by Fed
eral license obviating the necessity
for State licenses outside Of the
State of registration"
Ny bill is intended to not only
produce revenue. but also to SIM