Evening star., 1927-10-03
AUTO INSURANCE
LAW TO Be STUDIED
Chamber of Commerce Group
to Hear Proponents of Plan
Wednesday Evening.


aroused in Washington over the pro
posed enactment of a compulsory auto
mobile insurance law for the District
of Columbia, designed for protection
of persons injured in traffic mishaps
and for restitution for property dam
age, as we'll is for protection of driv'
ers found liable for accidents. plans
went forward today for holding of a
series of public hearings here on the
proposed law.
Proponents of the insurance law on
automobiles will be heard Wednesday
evening, when the first of the hearings
will be held by the subcommittee of
the committee of the Washington
fire protection and public safety, of
chairman.
Will Meet at Chamber Office.
Invitations to attend this meeting
and to present reasons for the enact
ment of such a law have been sent
by the chamber to all local Organiza-
tions thought to be especially inter.
ested and general invitation Is en-
tended to all others interested to be
present.
According to present plans announc.
ed today by Dorsey w. Hyde, jr.,
secretary to the chamber. the hearing
will be held in the offices Of the
chamber in the Homer Building,
Thirteenth and G streets, but IL too
great a crowd of proponents appears
which cannot he accommodated there
the meeting will be adjourned to
larger quarters. The hearing will be
called at o'clock and prior to this
session the members of the subcom'
mittee in charge will meet at the
chamber offices at 7:3O o'clock. it Is
announced by Mr.. Fanciulli, VINO VIII
conduct the hearing.
A series of several meetings is plan
ned in order that all who wish to be
heard may have an opportunity 70
present their arguments. proponents
of the proposed automobile insurance
law will be heard at the first meeting
and at later hearings opponents or the
proposal will he given full oppoftu'
nifty to state their case, it Is said.
Insurance Men Opposed.
The proposed insurance law for au'
tomobiles here, which has been dis
cussed over a period of years. bobDed
TO the fore with renewed fnslstence
early in September at a meeting OF the
chamber committee on police and nre
protection and public safety, or Which
Charles w. Darr is chairman, When
that committee went on record In ia
yor of some form of compulsory au-
tomobile insurance.
The following day local officials OF
the American Automobile Association
several national insurance companies
and the United States Chamber OF
ments i'm opposition to the proposal,
charging that the cost OF such IN
surance was far in excess Of the ben
efits to be derived.
When the Darr report came DeIore
,he September meeting OF the di'
-ectors of the Washington Chamber
Of Commerce a strong sentiment de-
welcomed in favor of the proposed leg
islation. but because of the charge OF
the American Automobile Associa'
tion's executive committee, filed with
the chamber directors by Isaac Cans,
final action was deferred until the
committee could hold hearings ana
adopt a definite recommendation as
to the form Of the proposed insurance
law.
Testimony to BE Compiled.
After testimony taken at the hear
jnrs. which will start Wednesday eve
ming. has been compiled the Darr com.
mittee plans to draft a proposed meas
ure which will be submitted to the
chamber directors for action and If ap..
proved it is expected the suggested
legislation will be forwarded to the
District Commissioners and later to
Congress for action.
The special subcommittee of the
public safety committee of the local
chamber in charge of the hearings is
composed of the following members:
Jerome Fanciulli chairman; Dr. Louis
J. Battle, Charles J. Stockman and
John A. Eckert.