Evening star., 1925-04-25
AUTO TAG PROTEST
is SENT TO FLORIDA
Motor Conference at Rich.
mond Points to Abuse of
Reel procaI Privileges.
Bys stan Corr.spondent.

BY Stan CorrNspondent.
RICHMOND, Va, April 25.- A
strong protest was dispatched last
night to the State of Florida on the
! issuance of temporary automobile
| tags following the night session of the
| Eastern Conference of Motor Vehicle
Administrators, which has been meet
| ing in this city.
With II States. the District of Co
| lumbia and two provinces in Canada
! represented, the conference, by unani-
nous vote decided to bring forcibly
| to the attention of Florida the situa-
! ton which has confronted Northern
| States since motorists have attempted
! to use tags good only in Florida for
| touring purposes.
| Prior 10 the business meeting a
| banquet was rendered the visiting
| commissioners by Commissioner of
/ Motor Vehicles James Hayes of Nir-
ginia. Al the banquet the two new
| members of the conference-M. O.
/ Eldridge, director of traffic of Wash
| ington. and William G.. Taylor. Sec
| retary OF State of Delaware-were
| officially welcomed by the conferees.
! To bring an end TO the abuses of re-
| ciprocaI privileges of the various
/ States by motorists. who for so cents
have obtained Florida temporary tags
! for two months. the conference, in a
| telegram to Frank Miller. president of
/ the Florida Automobile Club, asked
| the immediate discontinuance of any
! but yearly tags, pointing out that
after this year no other Florida tag
would be honored in the Eastern
| States.
Question Is Paramount.
The Florida tag question was the
I of no Cd iStf frN,-c
! and was the first matter TO be taken
| up when the conference went into eX-
| ecutive session. Although the Dis
/ trict of Columbia had decided to let
| tourists pass through this year with
out molestation, the States of Virginia
| and Maryland have been arresting
| them by the wholesale. 1t was only
| on strong representation by the ar
rested motorists that they had been
misled in the buying of the temporary
licenses that the various States decid-
ed that the blame rested primarily
| with the Florida authorities and that
summary action should be taken.
In the same telegram the admins
| traitors also pointed out that it would
be extremely desirab BILE II Florida would
adopt the pra actice in other States and
issue two license plates instead of
only one.
/ Various problems confronting the
motor vehicles authorities We're tax.
en- up at the conference, including
headlights. brakes and issuance of op-
orators permits.
On motion of Col. +. Austin Baugh.
man. commissioner of motor vehicles
of Maryland, the conference decided
to look seriously into the question OF
making Ford drivers who wish to
change TO gear-shift cars take addi.
tional examinations for their operat
ors' permits, it being held that there
is vast difference between the opera
ton of car on the Ford type and
other gasoline vehicles.
Multi-Colored Lights. Ban.
A resolution was unanimously
adopted banning multi-colored lights
on all motor vehicles in the States
represented. Members of the confer
ence were of the opinion that any but
the standard driving lights were con-
fusing.
In q short address Mr.. Eldridge told
of the new traffic code that had been
drafted for Washington and which
will go into effect on May 8. He said
that the most serious problem that
confronted him in his new office was
that of parking. The new regulations
he asserted. were largely drafted from
l
conference and would conform close
ly with those in surrounding States
The Washington traffic director was
appointed on the brake test commit.
tee of the conference and will be in
touch with other members of the
committee when the brake law goes
into effect in the District.
Those attending were: Mr. Baugh.
man, Benjamin G. Eynon. presiding
officer and commissioner of motor We
hicles OF Pennsylvania; George E Ball
of Maine. commissioner; John E Grit
I'm, New Hampshire, commissioner
Aaron Grout, Vermont. commissioner;
Alfred w. Devine. deputy commission
er, of, Massachusetts,; Robbins w.
Stoeckel, Massachusetts,, commission
er; Malcolm Rudd, Connecticut. com
missioner; Charles Harnett. New York,
commissioner; Mr.. Taylor, d. NJ
Schroeder, Maryland, deputy commits
sioner; Mr.. Hayes. William L. Dill
New Jersey. commissioner, and Mr..
Eldridge.