Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-21
A. A. A. HEAD URGES
M'LEOD AUTO BILL
Hearings Closed BY House
Subcommittee Studying
Responsibility Move.

Thomas p. Henry, president OF tho
American Automobile Association, an.
officers OF State commissions aad ID
auto clubs in various States tesife {
in favor of the Mel. /
auto safety responsibility measure iof.
the District before subcommittee ot
the House District committee Today
following which hearings ON this meas
ure were closed.
Chairman Stalker of the slbcommii
tee said that he will call the suocom-
mittee into executive conference wlJhlnE
a week to act upon this measure. A.so.
within a week he will announce oats
for hearings on the Mcleod bin pro-
viding for certificate Of title, in which
there Is Nationwide interest.
Describes Drafting Of Bill.
President Henry of the A. A. A. told
how the bill under consideration. wasI
drafted by a committee representing
the United States and the various
parties interested In such legislation in
an effort to get some basis for general
law that would relieve conditionI
which was found to be of primary con-
Germ in all communities. The principal
object is to provide substitute forI
insurance because conpul.
sorry insurance places q heavy burden
on careful drivers. II
The all-important thing now said
Mr.. Henry, els that the American peo-
pie should learn something about what
is going on in the States where the
safety responsibility law has been
enacted. He quoted from dispatches
sent him by officials in these States, all
OF which declared that this legislation
was relieving the unsatisfactory condi-
ton.
Four Principles Involved.
Mr.. Henry explained that the legis-
lation embodies four cardinal principles:
First, q universal drivers license
law; second, mandatory suspension OF
the driving privileges of all persons con-
victed Of serious violation Of the motor
vehicle laws until proof Of future finan-
c1al responsibility has been established.
IN addition to the payment Of penalties
under the State motor vehicle code:
third, for the suspension of the driving
privileges of all persons against whom
hnal Judgment establishing the
drivers negligence has been legally rem.
dered and who has failed to meet the
Judgment. which suspension will be in
erect until the Judgment has been
satisf1ed and a guarantee Of future re.
sponsibility established; fourth, for the
insertion in the drivers license law Of
every State proviSo which would pre-
vent the issuance of permit to any
persons whose right to drive is at that
time suspended in any other State, thus
~ enect providing for the interexchange
OF suspension rulings between the States
reciprocal"
George w. Offutt. chairman of the|
advisory board of the District of Cos
Iumbia branch of the A. A. A., em.'
pnaSized in reply to questions that one|
against whom a Judgment stands for
reckless driving could not, under the
proposed law, drive again until he has|
satisfied that Judgment.
wellington Speaks.
George r. WELLINGTON. chief clerI, of
the State Board of Public Roads. and
executive officer of the motor vehicIe
department in Rhode Island, was in-
troduced as the Oldest auto trafHc of.
ncial, having been continuously in serv-
ice since 1898. He declared thai All
the New England States have some sorI
OF legislation dealing with this gioantid
problem and that the Rhode Island Law
mas gone farther than the Mcleod bill
ana Is more drastic. Financial re
sponsibility has been demanded in NOR
than 5000 cases in Rhode Island sine
July, 1927, and In the last eight month
there have been issued 2,I28 demand
Tor establishment Of financial responsi
bility.
Owen 3. Augsterger os Buffalo, pres
ldent OF the New York Automobile Gu
and chairman of the board tisat drafte
the Dill to serve as q national mode
stressed the fact that the problN1a1. d
who Is execution Is not local
any community but was found BY h
commission to be the paramount ev
Tor automobile drivers in all States, an
there has been q Nationwide dernan
that something must be done to reliey
this loss by automobile accidents.
Mr.. Augsterger explained that th
massachusetts, type Of compulsory auto
mobile insurance Is extreme and drasti
ana has proven politically inexpedien
The A. A. A. and the Omitted State
Chamber Of Commerce have been d
record for years as opposed to such com
pulsory auto insurance. He said Cha
he Mcleod bill is substantially the sam
as the New York law.
Modification Is Proposed.
L. w. Strahley, chairman of the IN
surance committee of the Americal
Motorist Association, declared his or
ganization Is strongly in favor of tn
Mcleod bill subject to several modifica
TONS, one of which is to make plaiI
that the law shall not be retroactive.
Representative Whittsley of New Yori
asked Mr.. Strahley to draft amendment
covering his proposed modification.
Mr.. Qfutt said that he saw no OBJ
lection to the proposals and believe tina
for the sake Of harmony the American
Automobile Association would 20 alon
with the American Motorist Association
TO work out satisfactory law. He mad
this statement after a conference Will
several A. A. A. offlcials.
Herbert L. Davis, former auditor 70
the District courts, spoke In approve
Of the Mcleod bill. and recalled tina
ne had drafted the first bill Of the kim
while In the hospital in 1922 after bein
Injured by a drunken driver.
Warner Bates, secretary Of the Nev
York State Auto Commission, gave I'm
qualified approval to the bill.
Schoolboy safety patrols, sponsore1
by the A. A. A. motor clubs throughl
out the country, similar to those q
the District Of Columbia, have been re-
sponsible for reducing accidents ID
school children from 80 to 100 per cent
It was reported at the annual confer
ence of the Automobile Association here
today.
The reports revealed that there are
$4,000 school boys enrolled in patrols
IN more than 500 cities and towns II
the United States. while this safety
work Is augmented by en- A. A. Al
safety educational program taught By
1000 teachers in public and parochia
schools of 800 cities through lessons
md posters.
Roy A. Young. governor Of the Fed
eral Reserve Board, In an address be-
lore the annual conference Of A. A. A
motor club executives late YESTERDAY
confidence that the easin
Of the Reserve Boards pro
ram will In time triclkle into all forms