Evening star., 1923-03-05
REGISTERING RULE
SCORED BY A. A. A.
Three-Day Limit Declared
Likely to Work to Injury
of D. C. Autoists.
STATES MAY RETALlATE
Official Declares Years Of Effort for
Reciprocity Endangered by
New Regulation.
STATES MAY RETALlATE

Enforcement of the trafic regula-
tion which requires visiting motor
lists to register at police headquarters
within three days after arriving In
the District is liable to cost the Dis
trict Of Columbia the loss of recipro-
cal relations with several nearby
states. according to reports received
at the headquarters Of the American
Automobile Association here.
While the measure is all right In SO
far as 1t affects motorists living in
the District and buying tags from
other states. according to A. A. A. Of
ficials. 1t is a continual source OF en-
barrassment to the bona flde visitor
who comes here for a few days and
through ignorance OF this regulation
fails to register his car at police
headquarters and drives around the
District in unconscious violation of
the law.
Told Visit Must he short.
I'VE have had a number of COM
plants from visiting members. espe-
cially from Pennsylvania" said A. @.
Seller. manager OF the touring and
Information bureau at the A. A. A.
we are informed that the people
from Pennsylvania are being told
that their visit in Washington will be
limited to a short period. after which
1t will be necessary to pay for District
of Columbia license plates. To allow an
impression OF this kind to get abroad
Is altogether wrong. az Pennsylvania
grants full reciprocity to the District.
and the visitor from that state feels
| that he should have the same privilege
| here.
THE American Automobile Asso-
citation has been fighting for years
for national reciprocity which would
with the laws Of his own state or ter
ritory to travel anywhere in the
United States on one tag and we GER
tainly aid not contemplate having
the motorist required to register at
police headquarters shortly after his
arrival in any city. II smacks too
\ much Of Prussianism and the systems
prevailing IN some Of the European
| countries which require visitors TO
give an elaborate account of them
other country.
Pennsylvania Law Praised.
"Pennsylvania has a splendid Law
! on this subject. which law regarding
! non-residents touring In that state Is
as follows: 'Non-residents of this
state shall be exempt from the pro-
visions Of this act as to the registra-
tion Of motor vehicles and the lcens-
ing Of operators for the same time
and to the same extent as like ex-
emptions are granted residents OF
this state. under the laws of the
, foreign country. state. territory or
individual district of their residence.
| At the same time Pennsylvania has a
law which requires the garage owners
| to keep an accurate record of the
names. license numbers and engine
numbers of those who store their
cars over night, and this operates to
q large extent in checking UP stolen
machines.
1--WE feel certain that an example
OF the kind set by the National
Capital will be followed by other
states and we believe that the prfn-
ciple is all wrong and that there is
! sure to be a reaction jeopardizing In
iterchange of courtesy with other
states and creating a general dis
| satisfaction among visitors which will
reflect an unpleasantness that the
people OF Washington do not want.