Evening star., 1928-05-06

cept the presumption OF careful driving.
Another thought with respect to ma
chimes coming from Virginia and Mary
land is that in a great ajority OF cases
the owners belong to that class OF per-
sons who would ordinarily exercise due
care in driving and who would not be
claSSed as reckless and irresponsible
drivers
1T is said that some of the inSur-
snce companies are disposed to oppose
the bill. The experience of large In
surance companies doing business in
Massachusetts indicates that they are
satisfied with the manner in which the
law is enforced there. With the matter
of rates and terms Of the policy III the
hands of disintereSted competent Of
ficials. certainly no insurance company
need fear it is likely to be unfairly
treated. The fear OF the companies
that this sort of legislation may lead TO
Government insurance is. to my mind,
entirely unwarranted, During the war
the Government went into the inSur-
ance business as matter OF necessity.
The old line companies. however, nave
continued to do business and to pros
per increasingly since that time. nope
the day will never come when the GOV
ernment will enter into any form OF
commercial business
'AStQc from Wal AilNbAc chNC 'CA 'h'>
veterans. the experience OF Government
con6urt Of business even during the
,,eriod Of war was such as not to en-
ronrare renewal of business dealings py
the Government itself. heileVe
President Harding was the authof OIL
the nhrase. More business In Govern
mcnt and less Government In business,
So I feel the insurance companies nave
no need to worry,
Another argument you will hear Is
that this bill would impede the sale OF
secondhand cars, II 1t Will stop ths
sale of ramShackle cars OF the KIND l
Nave described above. more strength to
II So far as the automobile business
generally is concerned, II is the one
business today in which there is the
greatest activity and most prosperity.
Every one connected with financial IN
stitutions will tell you that many more
cars are being sold than the buyers
can afford 10 pay for.
Selfish Interests.
To summarize. We find two groups.
with the public interest and welfare on
the one hand and selfish interests on
the other the one favoring. the other
ouposing this legislation. The cholce
between the two appears to me 10 be
perfectlv obvious and l hope to see an
early and favorable report on H. r.
96Ss"
In order that details of the bill may
be generally understood. Representative
Treadway has submitted resume OF It's
provisions to his colleagues as follows:
The primary purpose OF TINS Dill is 10
provide security, SO that the person
injured. or the estate OF person killed
viii be able to recover against the
nvercRnr ny driver
Motor vehicle insurance measures
have had the attention of ~ State
Legislatures during the past two or
three years. and several States have
passed legislation on the subject
Massachusetts was among the first 10
do so and 1t has comprehensive auto
mobile insurance law. This law has
been in operation for more than year,
with results generally conceded IN
Massachusetts, 10 be satisfactory. A
Massachusetts, registration plate Is q
guarantee that any person injured by
the operation OF the car so registered
will not find the owner judgment
proof
This bill follows closely the Massa-
clluSetts legislation. The basic prin-
ciple of the bill, which is simple, may
be stated as follows: No person shall
be entitled to register his car In the
District without first procuring a policy
or bond to satisfy any claims for per-
sonal injury or death caused by the
operation Of his car. whether by him.
self or by some one else with his express
or implied permission. Automobiles
owned bv the Government and bX a
State or by the District OF Columbia. or
bv the diplomatic or consular officers
| OF a foreign country, are not subject to
~ Ia, NF
I required to furnish the policy or bond
! as a condition to registration in the
1 District The security covers death
/ and personal injury only. II does not
cover property damage such as damage
| CONTINUED on seventh Pace