Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-29
CALLS YEAR 1927 IMPORTANT
TO CAR OWNERS OF AMERICA
Thomas Henry, A. A. A. President, Refers
10 Past Twelvemonth as Outstanding
Period in Achievements of Builders

, however. that only a beginning has
been made.
THE effort to bring about uniformity
In motor vehicle codes, and In motor
vehicle traffic ordinances was one OF
, the important movements of the year.
as far as motordom is concerned
There is no doubt whatever that the
multiplicity and divergence of present.
day motor vehicle laws and traffic prac-
tees continue to be the greatest OBJ
stacle to motoring progress In America.
and is one of the most fruitful causes
Of accidents as well.
The record for the year shows that
many of the Legislatures. with the
backing of A. A. A. clubs, took official
recognition of and acted on the motor
vehicle code recommended by the
Hoover conference on street and high
way safety. Ten States adopted the
code almost in its entirety. while IA
additional States adopted one or more
OF the four sections of the code. This
was quite an impressive record. And
now on the heels of this action by the
State Legislatures. the Hoover commit
tee on municipal traffic ordinances and
regulations of which William E. Metz
ger of Detroit, member of the A. A. A.
executive committee, is chairman. has
come forth with a standardized model
traffic ordinance for cities and munich
palities. The ordinance is tentative.
but it can be said that its trainers
took counsel with the best experts and
took recognition of the practices that
have proven best in actual operation.
The proposed ordinance should COM
mand the earnest attention of every
city and municipality in America.
DIT ;~ nt
have only made a beginning toward
uniformity. 1t is difficult to overesti-
mate the advantages that would result
therefrom. It would save lives, 1t would
mean less strain on drivers Of all We
hicles and destroy the psychological
hazard resulting from the existing be-
wildering diversity OF regulations. II
would facilitate traffic movement and
reduce the huge economic loss due to
traffic tie-ups, it would promote freer
circulation of the automobile and be an
inducement to more motor touring. II
would make enforcement easier-en-
forcement is one of the difficult prob
lens confronting us today-and 1t would
increase the BENEFITS of car ownership
and promote the growth Of our big au-
tomotive industry.
I'm the field of motor vehicle taxation
year was the concentrated effort made
TO secure the repeal OF the hangover
per cent war excise tax on passenger
cars. The recommendation of the
Treasury Department that this tax be
made a permanent levy stirred motor
dom to its very foundation. 1t was not
difficult for the representatives OF the
car owners TO show conclusively that
the Treasury's recommendation was
based on expediency and not on equity
or on sound fiscal principles.
"The House ways and means COM
mittee voted to cut the Federal levy in
half-but when the matter came up FOR
a vote in the House itself a few days
before the Christmas recess. that body
by an overwhelming majority voted for
complete repeal. Should the Senate
do likewise, the elimination of the most
unfair burden to which the car owners
are subjected today and which totals
S66. 900 900 year is one OF the big ac-
complishments that would be credited
to the organized protest voiced by the
car owners themselves through their
national, State and local Affiliations in
1927.
sThe other big tax fight Of the year
conferred around the efforts to prevent
the legislatures increasing the gasoline
levy.
There Ii one big problem toward
the solution of which little II any
progress has been made. that Is the
separation and protection Of dangerous
grades The recent decision OF the
Supreme Court of the United States,
which by implication at least placed
the responsibility at grade crossings
on the motorist has called attention
In a striking manner TO the urgency
OF the matter One or two States.
notably the State Of New York. has
adopted a far-reaching program 10
eliminate grade crossing death traps in
the Empire State. But New York
stands almost alone in this respect.
Here and there bad grades are bling
done away with. but as soon as one Is