New Britain herald., 1929-01-03
WANTS Death CAR
DRIVERS BARRED
Massachusetts Governor Makes
Plea for New Law

Boston. Jan. ) RrProblems
created by the automobile. including
the need for greater safety on high
ways and the necessity for an ade-
quate appropriation to allow the
state insurance department to COM
pile its own data on which to base
compulsory liability rates, were dis
cussed at length in the inaugural
address of Governor Frank G. Allen
before the two branches of the
Massachusetts, legislature here today.
Outstanding in the recommends
tons of the incoming executive was
4 plea for the enactment of legisla-
ton disbarring permanently from the
obtaining of a license to operate a
motor vehicle any driver involved in
a fatal accident. He also urged that
any driver involved in serious ac-
cident in which he was at fault
should have his license revoked for
definite and substantial length OF
time.
Urges Inspections
As another move toward greater
highway safety, he recommended
that periodic inspection Of automo-
bile safety devices be required by
statute and that examination for IL
censes be more drastic in character
with an added provision that sue
cessful applicants at a first test be
required to take another examina-
ton to ascertain if they We're still
in fit condition to drive safely.
Governor Allen declared that
abolition of railroad grade crossings
on the main routes Of railroads and
highways which. he said. had been
at 4 standstill for Is years. ought to
be encouraged and pushed.
Pointing out that at the close Of
the last fiscal year the superior
court had on its docket 61.S22 civt!
cases due largely to pending motor
vehicle litigation. the governor rec
commended that the recently formu-
lated plan for the relief Of the courts
by the judicial council, be made ef-
fective Few claims for legislative
action at the present session are
more urgent" he declared.
Compulsory Insurance
Discussing the fixing of rates un-
der the compulsory automobile
liability law. which have been the
subject OF widespread dissatisfaction
recently, Gov. Allen declared that
the legislature had not provided the
insurance commissioner with suf-
ticient funds to enable him to obtain
the data and statistical knowledge
necessary for him to meet the re-
quirements Of the statutes.
Up to the present" he said. ''the
commissioner has had to depend
upon information furnished him by
the insurance companies. The mo-
tor vehicle owners can never be con-
WINGED that rates based upon data
furnished by the insurance COM
panies are just, reasonable. and nom
discriminatory. They are justitie d
in their opinion that in this i'm
portant matter the records of all
companies both foreign and domes-
tic, should be examined in the Same
manner the law now requires
the comm onwealth to examine its
domestic companies"
Decrying the high cost of murici-
pal government in Massa chusetts,
the governor proposed that the func-
tons of the present division OF ac-
counts, in the department Of cor
porations and tayations. be extended
to include advice to local officials on
all business questions. This could be
done, he said, without interfering in
any way with local self government.
Cost Increases
He pointed out that IN the years
1916 to 1926, the last 10-year period
for which complete figures were
available, the cost of r,uri"ipai gov
eminent in this state had increased
12% per cent.
The governor recommends a con-
tinuation OF the present policy Of
private ownership and public control
for the Boston Elevated Railway for
a definite term. With the extension
OF public control. the stock OF the
road could be renlaced with sccuri-
ties bearing a lower rate Of interest
Reminding the Legislature that Eos
ton was a pioneer in subway con-
struction. he urged program for
the liberal extension OF rapid transit
lines with a portion Of the carrying
costs to be borne by others than the
car riders.