Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-31

~ not the only alarming con-
n dition In the automotive
industry. Thefts Of motor
vehicles, also ever-mounting, cause
not only grief to the owners and
insurance companies, but prove
tremendous aids to gangster5.
Convinced, after study OF the
trend of recent crime, that use OF
stolen automobiles has facilitated
the operations of the gangSter and
enormously increased the difficult
ties In effecting his capture, the
National Crime Commission re-
1ueSted a committee OF citizens
peculiarly ccnverSant with the
situation to study and report what
practical steps could be taken to
efficiently combat motor vehicle
theftS and frauds.
Committee Is Named.
This committee, not to be con-
fused with the so-called Wicker
sham Committee, comprises j..
Weston Allen, chairman; F. Trubee
Dawson, treasurer; Sam A. Lew
isohn. finance chairman; Newton
D. Baker, Richard Washburn
Child, Mrs. Richard Derby. Col,
william J. Donovan, Gen. James
A. Drain, Hugh Frayne, Oscar Hell
lam, Frank 0. Lowden, Dean Justin
Miller. Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt
and Chester H. RoWel.
In making public the report of
this committee, Mr.. Allen, who
succeeded Mr.. Baker as chairman
of the National Crime Commission,
made the following explanatory
comment:
The advent of the automobile
as a means of transportation fur
nished a new and attractive field
for the criminal, because of the
high value of the automobile, the
ease with which it could be stolen
in the absence of the owner and
the fact that the car itself pro-
vided the means for a rapid get
away. Also fraudulent schemes
were devised for the sale and pur-
chase of automobiles, and all
kinds of frauds were practiced,
with losses to legitimate business
and to the unWary purchasers
running into the millions.
THE National Crime Commits
sion, recognizing the extent Of the
evil, appointed a Special Commit
tee which included those who were,
by years of experience in automo-
bile finance and insurance, eSpe-
cially qualified to study the prob
lem, and who were directly con-
cerned in finding the best means
of preventing the continuance of
industry and to the public.
Uniform Laws Needed.
1.-The report of this Special Com
mittee on automobile theftS and
frauds emphasizes the imperative
need of uniform provision by the
several States for the proper regis
tration of all automobiles for pur-
poses of identification. Such means
of Identification is a prerequisite
local, State and Federal officers in
the detection of thefts and the
recovery of the stolen property.
I'm making public the report of
this Special Committee the COM
mission wishes to put emphasis
upon the value of such action on
the part Of the States to provide
proper means of identification as
an essential to effective Federal
aid in the prosecution of those
engaged in automobile thefts and
frauds in interstate traffic.
The Federal statute known as
the Dyer act,' during the 10 years
since 1t was enacted, has carried
too large a burden in the proSecu-
ton Of automobile thieves and the
recovery OF stolen cars. This
burden has been augmented by the
lack Of adequate means of identi-
f1cation of automobiles, which has
enabled the thieves more easily to
remove the cars to other States.
The responsibility for prosecution
in automobile theft cases should
rest primarily in the State in
which the theft Is committed, and
the States which have been lag
gard in assuming their share of
responsibility should not, by fall
ure to pass appropriate legislation,
continue to avoid the obligation
to protect their citizens from theft
and fraud by providing effective
means for the identification of
cars stolen and the prompt arrest
of the offenders"
UaCa incomplete.
The Special Committee reviewed
the number of theftS and frauds
in cities and by States, but when
computed in the aggregate the
data were so incomplete as to
justify few conclusions. It was
apparent, however, that condi-
tionS, whether improved or aggra-
waited in any community, were not
necessarily the sequence of the
method used to combat the Situa-
ton. Experience, good or bad,
seemed all but accidental. Local
efforts to control the number of
frauds and thefts appeared wholly
inadequate. Concerted action by
all States held out the only means
of remedying the existing situa-
ton.
Attention was invited at this
period of its study to an anti-theft
oct adopted as a model uniform
law in 1925 by the National Con-
ference on Street and Highway
Safety. InaSmuch as uniformity
in action by the States appeared
essential if the number Of theftS
and frauds YVES to be reduced, the
committee considered the history
and experience Of this model law.
The effective working of the law,
resulting in its subsequent enact
ment by nearly one-half Of the
States, and the means employed
under the law to discourage theftS
and frauds has led the committee