Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-02-06
CARDEALERSFEAR
! NEW TRAFFIC BILL
Proposed Director Seen Mere
Figurehead-$2 Permit
! Found Objectionable.

Declaring that Confusion worse
confoundsd" would result from the
passage in its present form OF the
now trafic bill for the District now
before Congress, members OF the
washinRton Automotive Trade Asso-
cation in special meeting today went
on record as vigorously opposing GER
tain provisions Of the measure.
While the principle underlying the
bill, particularly that of a director of
trafic, was heartily Endorsed, the au-
tomobile dealers pointed to sections
of the proposed law which would
leave the District in a traffic muddle
rather than extricate it from the
present situation.
Exception to the bill was taken on
the grounds that, while providing
that tho director of traffic shall have
power ito make reasonable reguia-
tons with respect to brakes, lights
horns, mufflers and other equipment
the speed and parking of vehicles,
registration of motor vehicles etc,
it virtually reduces the director to
the status Of a fgurehead. inasmuch
as the bill specifically provides for
regulations governing speed, park
Ing, registration and the like.
Features Found Objectionable.
The dealers further cited the fol-
lowing features of the bill as being
unreasonable and distasteful to the
motoring public:
First Issuance of operators per-
mits yearly at a cost of 81 each, in
stead of the perpetual permit now OBJ
tanning;
Second. Setting the maximum rate
of speed at rs miles an hour. in spite
of the fact that arterial highways
are contemplated which might make
a higher rate of speed desirable and
necessary.
Third. Requiring garage keepers
and service station operators to re-
port cars brought in which show evil
dence of having been involved in an
accident.
The yearly operators permit at a
cost Of So, 1t was pointed out, would
not only impose an unnecessary addi-
tional expense upon the already tax
ridden motorist, but would also add
another source of nuisance and an
noyance to him as we'll as multiply
the duties devolving upon the District
traffic officials. Assuming that 100000
permits would be issued annually,
which was said to be conservative
figure, 1t was pointed out that the
District government would be get
ting annually 100000 more of the
motorists money, when considerably
less than that sum would provide
adequately for a competent director
OF traffic and his organization.
Speed Limit Criticized.
The desirability of arterial high
ways for expediting traffic is indi-
Gated in the bill. yet the speed limit
under any circumstances is set def
nitely at rs miles an hour, with the
driver, at that rate, assuming the re-
Sponsibility that he is not operating
his vehicle in reckless manner Ex-
perience in other large cities having
arterial highways, the dealers said,
has shown that a higher speed limit
on such thoroushfares is not only
desirable, but absolutely necessary, IL
traffic Is to move efficiently and ex-
peditiously away from the centers Of
congestion
II garage keepers and service sta
ton operators were required by law,
under penalty Of fine of $25 to 800,
TO report all cars brought into their
shops showing evidence of having
been In an accident, the District
police force would have to be in
creased fIve-fold, one Of the dealers
said. Cars are brought into shops
every day with bent tenders, pushed
In radiators. bruised hub-caps and
other defects, yet they are not the
result of accidents which should de-
mand the attention Of the police or
the time of the courts. 1t is explained
Representative Rathbone, who intro
duced the bill in the House, in ex-
planning 1t to representative Of the
trade association. said the 81 yearly
Zee for an operators permit was in
serted In the bill as a source of rev.
enue. He also said the authority Of
the traffic director could not go be-
yond those regulations specifically
provided for in the bill, such as the
yearly 81 operators permit fee, rate
OF speed and reporting by garage
keepers and service station operators
of cars damaged in accidents.
1t was pointed out that the auto
mobile licenses were reduced to 81
because of the imposition of the gas
tax, and to impose 50 permit fee
would put a majority OF the owners
back to the same position they were
prior to the tax on gasoline. besides
having still to pay cents a gallon.