Evening star., 1923-12-29
Reciprocity, With House
Amendment, Is Declared to
Be Highly Undesirable.
INDIGNATION OF DISTRICT
MOTORISTS is INTENSE
Attitude of Maryland Roundly
Scored in Report of M. and
NJ Secretary.

Indignation over the amendment to
the gas tax bill, providing for reciproc-
ity with Maryland, is high among resi-
dents of Washington. Affecting 100000
motorists, and practically every citizen
of Washington directly or indirectly, it
has been proposed to retain the per-
sonal property tax on automobiles, de-
spite the fact that the gas tax would
bring in as much revenue as is at pres
ent collected.
Feeling among District motorists is
so high that many believe much VIII
be accomplished if the bill is Killed.
The fact that because of the amend
ment desirable legislation had been
changed into an undesirable measure,
and that motorists will be taxed out
of all proportion to necessity, leads
local owners to regret that the propo-
sition had ever been put up to Con-
gress.
The Merchants and Manufacturers
Association, the National Motorists
Association, and the Washington
Board of Trade and the American
Automobile Association are = among
the organizations which view with
motorists an additional 100000 per
year in motor taxation.
The American Automobile Asso-
citation has gone deeply into the mat
ter and detailed statement was is
sued and printed in The Star re-
facturers' Association, in a statement
from Charles j. Columbus, secretary,
issued today, says, that in its amend
ed form the bin would not only con-
stitute an unwarranted nnaneiaI
hardship on local motorists, but
would be a circumstance most hu-
initiating to the District of Columbia.
Columbus Makes Statement.
Pursuant to instructions of the
board of governors of the Merchants
and Manufactursrs Association meet
ing December 4. have made an in
vestigation OF the proposed automo-
bile reciprocity law for the District
OF Columbia and respectively submit
the following report" said Mr.. Co
lumbus.
"The only community in America
that the state of Maryland has i'm
posed upon is the District of Co1um-
bia through the persistent denial of
the right to travel over Maryland
ways " lnO pCOpiC VI lhC DIo-
trict Of Columbia. This privilege has
been and is freely granted to the
citizens of all states.
THE discrimination is based on the
fact that the District of Columbia
county roadways do not measure up
to the standard Of Maryland or of
many other states.
THAT this is unfair discrimination
of the first order is proved by the
fact that the citizens of the District
of Columbia are in no sense RESPONSE
bic for this lack of highway stand
ard, but that in this, as in all other
matters, we are dependent upon the
will of Congress.
THE carrying of an extra tag on
automobiles and the securing of an
additional license and the charges in
cident to the same have proved a
hardship both mental and financial.
1t has likewise hurt the pride of the
people of the District of Columbia to
realize that our fellow American citi-
zens in Maryland have seen fit to set
up barriers against the movement of
our people in and through Maryland.
Despite this most uncomplimen-
tary situation as it affected the peo-
pie of the District of Columbia, the
desire to eliminate the discrimination
was so great on the part of our
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