Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-10-06
An Unfair Charge.

Though the declaration of the com.
missioner Of motor vehicles for Nir-
einia that District Of Columbia motor
lists using Virginia highways must
bear license taSs of that State is not
entirely specific as to vehicles deliver
ing goods, it is plain that there is TO
he no such thing as general automo-
bile reciprocity with the District Of
Columbia. The commissioner bases
the announcement TO the District Off
Gals upon the ruling Of the attorney
general of Virginia in a recent case
In Fairfax County. a wholesale vio-
lation of the law by Washingtonians
is charged, and the entire blame for
the condition is laid upon the District
In the following terms:
'If the District authorities would CO.
operate with Virginia and break up
the wholesale violating of the secur-
Ing Of District tags by legal residents
Of Virginia there would be no more
trouble"
Just how does the Virginia COM
missioner arrive at the conclusion that
the responsibility of taking census
OF the motor-owning population OF
the Old Dominion rests upon the Dis
trict of Columbia? If the officials Of
adjoining Virginia counties and cities
make no attempt to hold bona tide
residents to account, should the Dis
trict Of Columbia employ an army OF
motor license sleuths to follow up all
applicants for tags to learn whether
they are residents Of Virginia?
The charge Of a wholesale violation
Is as untrue as ii is unfair. Undoubt-
eddy Virginians in considerable mum.
Der Illegally use District tags. But
how great is that number compared to
the many hundreds of Virginia motor
owners who daily bring their cars to
Washington and park them in the
public streets for eight to ten hours
out of every twenty-four? A check.
up on District licenses in Virginia
overnight as against Virginia licenses
parked" on the streets OF Washing.
ton all day would show a vastly great
er number OF the latter.
Another phase of the question which
the Virginia officials have apparently
failed to consider is the detriment to
Virginia's own interests. During the
year 1927 campaign has systemati-
cally been conducted by the Industrial
interests to develop northern Virginia.
During the latter part OF 1925 the
Northern Virginia Bureau was organ
lied for the purpose Of co-ordnating
the three areas including Alexandria.
Arlington and Fairfax counties in
campaign to "tell the world" why
northern Virginia is a desirable place
in which to live, to work and to in
vest. Through widespread publicity
It has been sought to interest Wash
ingtonians particularly in the indus
trial. residential and financial advan.
tages afforded by northern Virginia.
Surveys showing exhaustive research
taxation and population growth have
been made public. setting forth in at
tractive terms the wonderful oppor-
tunities afforded in the "low-taxed"
areas.
What with the heavy income taxes
imposed upon residents Of the State
whose salaries are not earned within
its borders, plus the tax upon incomes
earned within the State by persons
living in the District of Columbia or
elsewhere. plus burdensome real
estate taxes, plus a multiplicity OF
other taxes, certainly the Virginia Of
fcials and the struggling industrial
enterprises are continually working at
cross-purposes. The rule of conduct
seems to be, Let not thy right hand
know what thy left hand doeth." This
latest blow to the development boost
ers is not calculated to win the ap-
prevail Of the Virginia people.