Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-14
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.


lumbia will not be required in
the near future. Well phraSed
protests against any raise have
brought about temporary post
ponement of the matter at least.
Public opinion throughout the
country is continuing to register
its opposition to higher levieS on
the motoring population, and de-
handing that money now raised
by gas taxes be used for highway
improvement exclusively.
With the depression of business
still felt in no small degree in the
automobile industry and the
added drain on the public through
hard times it seems untimely to
add any burdens.
Action Strongly Endorsed.
Representatives from the Ma
tional Automobile Chamber of
Commerce and the American Pc
troleum Institute strongly in
dorSed the action of the Ameri-
can Automobile Association rep
resenting the users in protesting
any further impoStS on the mo-
tortSt, either in the form of regis
tration fees or gasoline taxes, and
with a demand that all special
automobile taxes shall be used
exclusively for highway purposes.
This action was taken at a Joint
meeting held recently.
1t was agreed that every form
OF transportation supplies a Spe-
clal form of service, and that the
public should be permitted to use
the service best suited for its
needs, and each form should
make progress on its merits.
The oil and motor industries as
represented at the gathering op-
posed any attempt to level the
advantages of all transportation
agencies through punitive regu-
lations or burdenSome taxes.
Belief was expressed that taxes
on the motoriSt in some States
are reaching a point where they
become a deterrent to the in
creased use of the motor vehicle
by car owners.
Roy D. Chaplin, chairman of
the Hudson Motor Car Co., was
chairman of the meeting, repre-
Senting the motor manufacturers,
with Walter G. Teagle, president
Of the Standard Oil Co. of New
Jersey, the leader from the oil
group.
The meeting voted to continue
the fuel research work conducted
by the Bureau of Standards at
washington in cooperation with
the American Petroleum Insti-
tute, the National Automobile
Chamber of Commerce and the
Society of Automotive Engineers.
During the last seven years this
research has brought many i'm
portant developments that have
added to the economy and eff
cheney of motor vehicle operation.
The oil executives expressed
their readiness to cooperate with
the general promotion work which
the National Automobile Chamber
OF Commerce is doing in foreign
countries where its representa-
tives are lecturing with moving
pictures on highway transporta-
ton, Stressing its Importance to
each nations prosperity. More
than so countries have been
visited.
Chapin's Comments.
up to this time there has been
no great protest against fair reg
istration fees and limited gasoline
taxes" said Mr.. Chaplin. when
the funds are expended for high
way improvement. Motorists, I'M
der Is different forms of taxes, |
VIII pay an average of $33 in 1890 !
as compared with $2056 in 1929, |
an increase of 81 per cent, accord |
ing to figures of American Auto |
mobile Association.
In the last 10 years motor
vehicle levies have been increased
more than 500 per cent as COM
pared with an increase of about |
$50 per cent in motor vehicle reg
lStration and about the same in
crease in expenditure for high
ways.
"Of late there has been too
many demands to increase these |
taxes and too many attempts to /
divert the funds to other pur-
poses. In some States the motor |
funds are used, or planned to be !
used, for such things as public |
buildings, local schools. CITY !
streets, port expenses, sea wall !
and flood damage.
Motor cars are now articles of |
almost universal use" continued |
Mr.. Chaplin, with the owners |
paying heavy special taxes as
motorists, while at the same time .
they are the biggest payers of .
other forms of taxes.
Diversion to other uses of .
money paid by them as motor .
taxes is accordingly particularly
uniustifiable.
Buses and trucks paid more
than $3.50 100000 in 1929 in special |
fees for use of the highways out |
Of a total contribution Of 1925
100000 from all motor vehicle |
users. The average truck tax for
the country in 1929 was 1888.
while the average common car
rier truck fee was $459, and the
average bus fee was SAT- In
stances can be cited from MANY
states Of special common carrier
fees for trucks and buses in ex-
cess of $1,000 per vehicle per year.
More than 81 per cent of all
the cars registered are in towns
OF 10000 or less. We estimate that
70 per cent Of the cars registered
sold originally for less than
s.. 200.
''This year motorists will pay
MOTOR DoN'TS) 4