Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-10-02

Questions of outstanding importance
to all who make, sell and buy auto
mobiles will be among the first prob
lens laid before the Seventeen Con-
gress for consideration when it con-
Venes early i'm December of this year.
In the fate of the measures which will
be proposed for adoption or general
consideration and survey, both the In
dividual motorist and the industry
have a most vital interest, since they
touch certain matters of fundamental
significance, either from one point of
view or another.
It is understood upon authority
which can be given full credence that
legislation will be proposed at the
coming session designed ~ halt what
is termed "the toll bridge evil" and it
is clear at the present time that such
bills which may be introduced in this
connection will have the, support of
strong groups in all sections of the
country. The Bureau of Public Roads,
1t seems certain, will take definite
steps to bring the matter before the
next Congress in concrete form.
While there seems but little doubt
that there also will be strong opposi-
ton to any attempts to limit private
toll bridge construction, 1t also is clear
that motordom as a whole will present
a united front in support of legislation
which will look forward to. the ulti-
mate freeing of the highway system
from the last remnants of feudal priv,
lege. State highway officials. motor
clubs, probably the automotive in.
dustry itself and certainly the Bureau
of Public Roads all apparently will
Join hands in behalf of free and I'm.
trammeled roads system.
Excise Tax Reduction.
Whether or not the toll-bridge prob.
lem will receive its due measure of
attention at this session may be open
TO question, but its fundamental sig.
nificance must be recognized, and
when 1t finally appears before Con
gress much can be expected to hap
pen. The fact is that congressional
attention is very likely this time. and
that more of Importance will transplre
in this particular and precise connec'
ton than ever before.
Another matter of the highest i'm.
portance to the owners of motor cars
will be the industry's urgent request
that the excise tax OF pcr cent on
passenger cars be removed Senator
Reed Smoot of Utah, chairman of the
Senate finance committee. has indi.
CateQ tfldt ne would look kindly upon
O. proposed reduction of this tax to
III per cent, which would mean quite
q relief to motor car purchasers. The
hope of the motor industry is. OF
course, that this tax may be elm.
mated entirely. but should that be
impossible at the present session. and
the reduction is available, naturally
the latter will be seized upon eagerly.
The history of motor vehicle taxes
during and since the war has been
exceedingly complicated. but it seems
certain that the last phase of the
matter now Is being entered upon
Thus the Seventeen Congress may
hold important and far.reaching de-
1elopments in this respect.
Question of Ecsu'atio".
Passing from taxes to bus and
truck regulation is following Il II =
ural sequence in going from the clos
ing chapters Of one involved problem
to the opening lines of another per
haps even more involved That tbs
matter of bus and truck regulation
will come before the session is prac
.tically assured. However, what will
occur is a matter of sheer specula
ton and speculation is not the safes,
procedure But, from what has gone
before, some conclusions may bs