Evening star., 1924-01-27
BETTER CONDITIONS
FOR AUTO|ST SEEN
N. M. A. Report Predicts I'm.
provement Through New
Endeavor.

That automobile owners may expect
big improvements in motoring con-
uitions as result of organization
was made plain Yesterday in report
of the National Motorists Association,
showing that its local officials are
now active forming a personal con-
tact with government department
heads in the interest of autoists.
The common belief that everything
in the way of cooperation With the
government has been effected is shat
tered when it is shown in the report
that shortly after organization of the
National Motorists Association. in
1922, it's national representatives
found themselves to be the first
deputies of organized motorists to
make contact with the internal rev.
enue bureau Of the Treasury Depart
ment for the purpose OF considering
reduction III, or possible elimina-
tton of, the war tax on automobiles
and automobile accessories.
since its organization the National
Motorists Association has found the
field wide open for progress in behalf
of car owners" declares Fred III.
Galley. executive secretary. This is
- Particularly encouraging feature OF
the work because it means that the
surface of motoring reform has been
scarcely scratched.
Progress is slow.
The rnotorist is 200 often inclined
to the belief that because progress
has been slow in the work of imprOV-
ing conditions for motoring the pos
HtbilitieS of owner organization have
been largely realized. But the Ma
-ional Motorists Association, upon its
Il;
ability of the motoriSt to get what
he wanted was due very largely to
lack of cooperation with important
governmental and private interests
upon which the fate OF motoring nor
maliy hangs.
"The National Motorists Associa-
tion is surprised to ind that in car
rytng the motorists recommendations
to the proper authorities its efforts
are not only warmly praised but ad-
mitteu to be pioneer attempts ut yS-
sential operation.
The National Motorists Association
motor vehicle lighting committee, for
instance, was the first national auto
mobile club urgauI2HtiOu to coop
crate with the United States Bureau
Of Standards to make Il national ac-
tiHity Of the important subject of
headlight devices.
IF il had not been for the watch
SulnesS of the National Motorists AS
Eociation there probably would have
been passed an amendment to the
agricultural bill on federal aid ap-
propriations, which would have pre-
vented thirty-four states from recciV-
ing good roads funds during 1928.
and possibly 1924. because of exist
ing statutes having limited periods
OF registration reciprocity.
The motorist hardly appreciates
the fact that very littl" can be ac-
"onpliShed in automobile urganiZa-
tion work unless the cooperation of
!, ,t-fT u. 4
automobile club can exert a good
communal or national influence. but
II it hopes for real results, and its
members desire useless laws repealed
and good legislation enacted, il must
go directly to those parties or de
partments that are in control
Because this policy r. only just
being followed-SinCe the National
Motorists Association IS only IN it's
second yCar-resuits are just begin
ming to materialIze and motorists are
Just beginning to realize that the
motor clubs are on the right road
toward making their efforts register.
step Clearly Revealed.
This step Is clearly revealed in the
policy of the National Motorists As
down the many fly -by-niglt organi-
&atiuns which, in return for Il mem-
bership fee, promise to give motorists
Eli manner of mechanical, towing and
legal service which in all probability
, would never materialize in a single
instance.
This situation has existed for
number of years, despite the efforts
of the legitimate clubs TO run the
ErafteTS out of business, but virtually
nothing was accomplished. The Ma
tionsl Motorists Association promptly
raw that the situation was one for
the Postoffice Department to handle,
and accordingly offered its services