Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-06
HOUSE AIRS MISUSE
OF CONGRESS TAGS
by BOOTLEGGERS"
Simmons Says Special Auto
Plates Useless Except
to Rum Runners.
CLERKS, SCHOOLBOYS
USE THEM, is CHARGE
Can Be Bought in Ten-Cent Store.
Have No Legal
Status.

Abuse of the special privilege given
with congressional automobile tags in
washington was aired in the House to-
day when it was generally admitted
that these special privilege tags are
used by clergs, by boys going to school
and by others to claim immunity
against traffic violations.
Chairman Simmons, in charge Of the
District appropriation bill, said that
these special tags art really worthless
because policemen do not have author
ity to grant special privileges, and said
that they should be abolished.
Used by BOOtleggers.
Here are some Of the most striking
sentences in Representative Simmons
statement regarding the ''congre ssional
automobile tags:
IT have been told privately that one
or two bootleggers in washington oper-
ate under congressional tags and claim
immunity
II am told you can buy them in the
10-cent stores.
Nobody has any authority to issue
them or to take them up.
wrong the way it is being handled.
I'm my judgment they should not be
issued at all
Swing Agrees.
In this opinion he was joined by Rep
resentative Swing, Republican, of Cali
fornia, and other members.
Representative Blanton brought UP
the subject by complaining that these
special Congressional tags are not being
respected, that they are necessary fol-
members on official business to get park
ing space near Government depart
ments. but that they have aroused a
feeling of luminosity among policemen
Calls Tags Menace.
Representative Simmons replied that
II Congress wants to grant special rights
to members of Congress it ought to
pass special legislation to do it, The
policeman, he said, has no right to
give traffic immunity, and he believes
the special Congressional tags consti-
tute a menace.
Representative Blanton said that il
these tags are worth nothing to men,
beers, the District Commissioners ought
to stop the expense of issuing them
Representative Simmons replied that
they have no,legal effect whatever, and
that II Congress passes a special law
authorizing such tags, their use ought
to be restricted to members themselves
while on official business.
Non Members Mostly.
Representative Swing declared that
now these tags are on more cars driven
by people who are not members than
L., aNzd hot
these folks claim immunity which a
member of Congress would not claim
He urged that the congressional tags
be abolished.
Representative Blanton called atten-
ton to "a shame and outrage" inflicted
on Delegate Sutherland of Alaska and
Representative Busby of Mississippi by
policemen for alleged traffic violations
Held Not Needed.
In his arguments that these tags, II
issued at all, should be used exclusively
by members, and only when on oficial
business, he declared that the people OF
the District properly resent special
privilege under which clerks. sons
daughters or wives of members are
driving all over town. He said he him.
self had used a Congressional tag for
two years.
Representative Dyer OF missouri asked
regarding the special diplomatic tags
and Simmons said that they were issued
through the State Department as an
international courtesy. At the same
time he declared that special Army and
Navy tags used by officers should not be
issued. He protested that no member
of Congress will have any trouble re-
garding violation of traffic rules in park
ing around any Government establish
ment II he shows that he is on official
biIyfneSS