Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-18

IS damaged IN dN'oHlopHS "N'i"o az
for which they are not responsible
win be urged in a report to the Nash'
ington Chamber Of Commerce II its
,ocer,her meeting ~ the Willard Ho-
tel Tuesday evening, il vas announced
last night.
While not favorinS any one parucu.
lar form of indemnity measure for IN
,,,ries or damages caused by automo-
hues. the public safety committee ot
r-hich Charles W. Darr is chairman
viii recommend that the chamber IN,
dorse the principle of the propoSeo
law and that the committee OF lile
chamber on law and legislation oe u
rected to draf such law Win lile W
operation of the public saiely Cum
mittee. ...,o,od
,rdemnitv law was taken by the puo-
lie safety committee following re-
,ort bv its subcommittee, headed ~
Jerome Fanciull. which, during the
mast several months, made a cohpie
hersiye study Of the proposed law Us
effect IN other States where 1t now IS
a., oneration. and which held a series
If public hearings on the propose"
law giving both proponents anu op-
moments Of the measure a tul evening
10 present their sides Of the case
will Hear of Bay state Law.
Unusual significance is attached to
4ba presentation Of the matter 10 the
cha n7her Tuesday evening que 10 the
fac+ that at this session also esIsN
y. Monk. insurance commissioner ~
Massachusetts. who is charged with
administration Of the compulsory IN
6en,nitv law for automobile owners III
that state. will he an honor guest ana
sneaker and viii tell of the operation
Of the law in the Bay State.
The Darr committee IN us report
will propose that the lndemnlTc :, !,
he applied TO property damage as Wen
as 10 personal injuries resulting from
nutop,ohile accidents. In this respect
The nroposed law for Washington
would differ from the provisions Of
tho law now in effect in Massachu-
sets and which has been the pasls
~ much of the study Of the appllcd'
tion of an indemnity measure mere
Pointing to the growing demand TOT
come form Of indemnity against aulo'
mobile injuries at the hands OF
driver who is irresponsible tinanclallN'
+be committee will base justification
Of the proposed law on the fact tnal
The motor vehicle of today Is an n
strument that may cause death or IN,
iurv. as we'll as property damage,
and declare that the public mas a rls en-
70 indemnity due TO the danger 10 llIe
and nroperty arising out OF the opera
ton of automobiles,
Compulsory Term Protested.
Tho committee protests against the
49,. ~ +be term compulsory auto
mobile liability insurance exclusively
a. tbs discussions here of the pro-
,,oSed indemnity law, pointing out
that COMPULSORY insurance Is put one
nj several forms of indemnity In vogue
IN the states which have such IN
denanity law. During the hearllss
conducted recently by the chaIapet
committee il was brought out lIla'
besides the insurance form OF proteS-
tion for persons injured IN autonopiile
accidents. there is provision III me
Massachusetts, law for the postlhs %
q cash deposit by an automoplie oW
nv for the execution of bond by an
eccer+ed bonding concern when
,1,oyld take the place of the insurance
provision. -
While a form of the proposed IN,
demnitv bill has not yet been draIted
for the chamber, il is expected the
Dsrr committee will recommend lHdt
nrovision be made in the measure lot
several forms of indemnity. not favor
ing anv particular one type. IN TINS
connection the Darr committee recon-
mends that any proposed measure
should not interfere with present IN
slIrance practices, except as may De
consistent with the purposes OF the
proposed law.
Hearings on the proposed indemnify
rnea sure were conducted by the SUD-
committee, composed OF Jerome ran
ciulli, chairman; Charles }. Stockihdh,
Rernard A. Baer, Harry NJ. Bedell ana
Tobn A Fckert. The report of this
committee. recommending enactment
IF an indemnity law for Washington,
was approved by the Darr committee
AZ an executive session held Thurs
dav. In submitting the report for the
hearings subcommittee, Mr. Fancluln
enonha sized the point that every effort
was made TO gather all possible lntor-
nation on both sides of the question,
and placed at the disposal of the pub
lie safety group a mass OF evidence
collected during the hsaEpgs ana
other studies made.
Supporters of Law.
Among those who appeared at the
hearings in slIppast % the proposed
law were Judge Isaac r. Hit of Police
Court. Miss Pearl Mccall, assistant
United States district attorney,
Thomas N. Baldwin, superintendent
Of insurance of the District, and Her
bert l.. Davis, auditor OF the District
Supreme Court. Among those who op-
posed the proposed indemnity law
were representatives of the American
Automobile Association. the Washing.
ton Automotive Trade Association ana
a local insurance agent, the committee
points out. while statements pointing
out objections to the law were filed
with the chamber during hearings by
a group Of national insurance com
panies and officials of the Chamber Of
Commerce of the United States.
In unanimously recommending ap-
proyal Of the proposed indemnity law
for Washington. the subcommittee
analyZed their study of the question
and the results of the hearings on the
subject, making the following findings;
The misconception due to the I'M
fortunate designation, Compulsory
Automobile Insurance to cover pub
lie indemnity plan for motor vehicle
operation is responsible for such OPP
position TO the plan is not Dased
on extraneous or selfish reasons.
Propaganda is Alleged.
THE opposition TO the proposal to
obtain legislation Incorporating pub
lie indemnity for motor vehicle opera
ton is represented In the main by or
Ganized and we'll planned propaganda
representing the insurance business
and the automotive industry.
None Of the opposition is directed
at the principle of public indemnity.
The opposition from the insurance
interests appears to be based on a fear
that a public indemnity measure
might take a form that would put
the Government in the insurance bust
ness. The objections from this group