The Republican., 1925-09-24
A. A. A. OPENS WARFARE
ROADSIDE COURT OFFICERS
Called One of the Greatest Evils
That COnfrOnts the American
MOtOrist Today.

As the result of an exhaustive sur
vey Of the operation of roadside
courts and speed traps throughout
the United States, the American
Automobile Association has issued a
declaration of war against the sys-
tematic graft that is mulcting motor
lists of millions of dollars and Great
ing an intolerable nuisance on the
highways Of the nation,
According to an announcement
from A. A. A. National Headquarters
here, investigation has clearly pro-
ven that fully ninety per cent Of the
roadside courts and the speed traps
now active are operated for revenue
only and not for the enforcement of
motor vehicle regulations.
"Your average Justice of the Peace
and the constable and the deputy con-
stable working with him have only
a remote interest in the enforcement
of law and the administration of
Justice" Thos. P. Henry President of
the A. A. A. said, after reviewing
the evidence of graft on the high
ways.
Motorists in practically every part
of the country are suffering from
this form of highway banditry. the
A. A. A. declared, offering at the
same time to open to the public its
records of thousands of incidents
where motorists during the present
touring season We're the victims of
a system of enforcement For Reve-
nue. Only"
"In the great majority of cases"
said President Henry, "the justices
of the peace who operate these courts
are not only ignorant of the law but
in great many cases tney are violat-
ing the statutes of their states in i'm
posing fines and taking money in the
manner they do"
President Henry cited numerous
instances to show the extremes to
which the practice of gouging the
motorists at the hands of speed trap
artists and wayside courts has been
carried
In one instance in North Carolina
court and speed trap were converted
into family institution. The father
as justice of the peace holds the court
and the son as constable catches the
motorists and hauls them before his
father. The spoils thus kept in the
family are part of it used to pay
hired men for running the farm.
One justice of the peace in Ohio
took in $3,500.00 from fines on mo-
torists in two months. The justice Of
the peace got $1,G00.00. The same
amount went to the constable making
the arrest, while only slightly more
than $4,000 found its way into the
county treasury.
Hundreds of similar instances
could be cited said President Henry.
"There has been nothing like it since
the Federal Baron held his court on
the crags and dtadels guarding the
ancient lanes of travel. The prac-
tice of arresting motorists on our
highways, bringing them before a
justice of the peace and fining them
has become so fragrant as to consti-
tute national scandal.
"Just as soon as a stretch of road
is paved, fee grabbing constables and
deputy sheriffs start a drive on So
called 'speeders.' That they only do
it for revenue is certain because be
fore the paving of the roads no one
was ever arrested, although a speed
of 90 miles an hour on an unpaved
road is more dangerous than speed
of 40 miles on a paved road.
1--WE have virtually no enforcement
of motor vehicle laws by justices Of
the peace. Regardless of whether he
is a fragrant violator or whether the
violation is trivial, every motorist is
fined the costs of court, which arc
nothing more or less than the fees
split between the justice, the con
stable and the deputy. Under such
a system law-abiding citizens are
often compelled to pay blood money
for the use Of the highways"
Presiden Henry called attention to
law passed by the State of Califor-
MIA declaring speed trap evidence in
competent to secure conviction.
"This is q very proper and progress
sive piece Of legislation and if other
states adopted it. the problem would
be largely solved. In most cases the
constable is out to encourage viola
tion. He wiz sneak often in the
~bSshes with astop watch while he