Evening star., 1928-06-03
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.
THE long fight against the
1 wartime excise tax on au-
4 tonaobileS has ended. With

IL J0nlODlIeS mas enQed. WIFI
a the afflxing of the presiden.
tial signature Tuesday, the battle
waged for 10 years resulted victor.
iouSly for the private owners, the
dealers and the manufacturers
The final result is to be hailec
with delight everywhere. Auto
mobiles are no longer a luxury
and for 10 years the country has
been at peace.
Thursdays Automotive Daily
News, a trade publication printed
in New York. has the following
editorial comment:
I'm voting the repeal of the
wartime excise taxes on motor
vehicles, Congress has just righted
an injustice of long standing
These excise taxes, which were
levied to meet a grave emergency
during the late unlamented war,
have long since been removed
from every other form of trans
portation except the automotive.
"A number of influential news
papers throughout the country
have taken the occasion to regret
the passing of the automobile tax.
In a recent issue the New York
World remarked: On the other
hand. there were very good rea-
sons for retaining the automobile
tax. It is not burdensome and yet
is highly productive; the car owner,
moreover. obtains a direct benefit
in return through ths Federal
contributions to improved high
ways. In dropping this tax Con-
gress was influenced more by po-
litical than by fiscal considera-
tions.'
Tax an Injustice.
I'VE had hoped that Congress
was Influenced by an honest de-
sire to right palpable injustice.
The fact that the automobile tax
was profitable and easily collected
is not the question that Congress
had to decide. The real question
was, Is the automobile tax an in
justice?' We believe that Con-
gress rightly decided that it was
unjust.
Secretary Mellon was the first
person to advance the argument
that because the Federal Govern
nent was spending money for
roads the motorists as a class
should pay special tax TO pay
for them. The argument holds
about as much water as would one
to impose a special tax on farmers
TO pay for the maintenance of the
Department of Agriculture. If
motorists should pay a class tax
TO cover the investment of the
Federal Government in roads,
then parents of school children
should pay a special tax to county
or municipality to cover the cost
OF building and operating schools.
However. refutation Of the op-
positions arguments is needless
now. but one thing the motoring
community Of America can learn
from the lifting of this tax, if the
Worlds idea that Congress re-
pealed the levy for political rea-
sons is really true. This is the
fact that the motoring vote is now
recognized by politicians as some
thing TO be reckOned with and
feared. Organize the motoring
vote properly and the politicians
National, State and municipal,
will give careful consideration to
its reasonable demands for jus
tice."
A. A. A. Statement.
The American Automobile Asso-
ciation. in the fight almost from
the outset, has issued the follow
ing statement:
President Coolidge's approval
Tuesday of the 1923 revenue bill
means the final elimination Of the
hangover war excise tax on pas
senger automobiles, and, under an
agreement by manufacturers, the
benefits will be Immediately
passed On 10 the purchasers Of
new cars, saving them over $65,-
900 600 annually.
Thomas p. Henry, president Of
the A. A. A., who personally car
RED the fight 10 Congress and ap-
peaged before the House ways
and means and Senate finance
committees To urge repeal Of this
levy, declared that ii LIS one Of the
most sweeping victories that has
yet been WOE in behalf Of motor
car owners.
The significance Of the victory,
Henry continued, LIS the fact that
Congress ignored attempts Of
Treasury officials 70 have this levy
continued On a permanent peace
time basis and possibly use IL s.
an entering wedge for other spe-
cisl taxes Repeal Of the Federal
automobile levy is landmark In
The campaign 10 secure fair taxa
ton for the already oyerDurdened
cag owners of the Nation.
Since the excise tax on auto
mobiles was placed i'm effect under
the revenue act Of 1917, car 0ws1~
ers have paid a total o. 81 iy063.-
505 Is6 into the Federal Treasury
Motorists were ready and willing
70 bear this burden under the
emergency war times. but with
me ending Of the World War and
the gradual repeal of other special
1eY3es the car owners were quek
10 demand relief from an un-
Necessary and unjust burden.
Began Fight in 1923.
The 4. A. A. began the fight
for Federal tax relief IN 1923, sna
The result yaS partially ATTAINED
sn The revenue act Of 1924, when
Congress cut the tazee On tires,
parts and accessories from s PEI
cent 70 2fz per cent, and also en-
exnptEc aaotoF truck chassis hay
ing z wholesale value of 81 900 Or
gnleY anE al truck bodies pgsce0