Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-10-06
AUTO RECIPROCITY
FARLEY PROPOSED
Conference With Traffic Of
ficiaIs of Virginia Considered
by District Heads.

A "get-together" conference between
Virginia and District Of Columbia au-
thorities as a means of preserving au.
tomobile reciprocity relations between
the two jurisdictions may be proposed
by local officials, it was indicated to.
day at the District Building.
Commissioner Dougherty today
called Traffic Director w. II. Harland
into conference in connection with
Harland's official report on the contro.
versy submitted to the Commissioners
yesterday. The report declared that
the traffic laws will require the Dis
trict to do unto Virginia as she would
like to be done by"
Prior TO the conference in Mr.
Dougherty's Office Mr.. Harland ex
pressed the belief that a parley be-
tween high officials of Virginia and
the District might avert the impend
| ing reciprocity war" which justices
of the peace Of Fairfax County are
threatening to precipitate by launch
ing a District of Columbia tag cru
SADIE next Monday.
Harland Suggests Conference.
Mr.. Harland suggested that if Gov.
Byrd. Attorney General Saunders and
| Motor Vehicle Commissioner Hayes of
Virginia could meet on common
ground with the District Commits
sioners, the corporation counsel and
the local traffic director, satisfactory
solution could be found to the present
problem.
Local traffic officials are extremely
reluctant to retaliate in any tag war
fare, but they nevertheless are desir-
Gus of guarding the rights of local
citizens to the extent authorized by
law. Direcor Harland advised Com
missioner Dougherty yesterday that
the local laws provide for reciprocity
with the States and territories to the
extent of reciprocal privileges ex-
tended to residents of Washington. If
Virginia abridges these privileges. as
she Is threatening to do in the case
OF temporary residents and com.
mercial vehicle owners, then the Dis.
trict must compel Vjrginians who
come here temporarily to live or who
drive their trucks here on business to
comply with the Capitals registra.
ton and permit laws.
The transportation committee of the
local Chamber of Commerce discussed
the situation at a meeting yesterday
afternoon, and adopted resolution
urging postponement of warfare"
until a determined effort Is made to
iron out the differences. A subcom-
mittee was appointed to work for such
an end.
Hayes Explains Stand.
Action followed reading of a letter
to the chamber from Commissioner
Hayes, saying:
REST assured that nothing will be
done which will upset the reciprocity
relationship between Virginia and the
District, if the District officials will
do their part. There are hundreds
Of auto owners living in Arlington
County. who use District tags. These
owners work in Washington and are
not entitled to District tags, and if the
traffic officials of Washington will CO.
operate with this department we can
soon clean up this situation and every
thing will be Sitting pretty"
Commissioner Dougherty said to.
day that the District is willing to co.
operate to the best of its ability, but
that the responsibility for arresting
Virginia residents who fail to obtain
Virginia tags must rest with the au-
thorities of that State. Local traffic
authorities realize that some persons
not entitled to District tags may have
obtained them by giving fictitious Az
dresses here, but there is at present
no way of checking up on such viola
lions of the traffic act.
If plan now before the Commits
sioners is adopted. all tags would be
sent through the mails to applicants.
If this procedure is followed, it Is ex.
planned, many of the persons who
give improper addresses will be ex.
posed