The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-04
MARCH 4. 1881
OWNERS
join FOES OF
HIGHWAY CHIEF
Director Brown Blamed for
Regulatory Bill As
SembIY Passed.

Director John ]. Brown Of the
state highway department, whose
office would be abolished by a bill
now pending in the senate, faced
"a new enemy today in the Motor
Truck Association of Indiana.
Members of the association, which
is composed of commercial and in
dustrial truck feet owners, laid pas.
sage of the bill limiting length,
weight and loads Of trucks directly
at the door of Director Brown.
Browns two-year oratorical at
tacks on motor trucks has resulted
in the outlawing of millions of dol
lars worth Of motor trucks and
serious Gripping of industry through
passage of the bill" c. w. Abraham.
indianapolis. secretary-treaSurer of
the association, contends.
Bill in Governors Hands
The bill awaits the signature of
the Governor, the senate having ap-
proved house amendments Tuesday,
contrary to recommendations of a
committee asking that the bill be put
in conference for agreement.
Senator Frank S. Southworth
(Rep., Marshall and st. Joseph
fought senate approval on the
grounds that the senate measure
was too stringent originally and
was made more so by the house
amendments.
II wouldn't object to limiting the
length TO fifty feet and making the
regulations standard with surround
ing states" Southworth stated. But
this measure puts Indiana in class
by itself and viii seriously hinder
interstate truck traffic"
Senator John L. Niblack (Rep..
Marion), prepayment of the bill.
fought to keep the house amend
ments, and the Southworth motion
not to concur was defeated, % to Is.
If the Governor signs the bill it
will impose an axle weight limit of
10000 pounds, gross weight limit
OF 10000 and maximum length OF
40 feet. It provides for fines rang
ing from 500 to $500 for 'infractions
Of the law.
House amendments provide for
use Of reflector lights on trucks and
BUSES not having clearance lights
after nightfall md makes the law
effective Jan. l, 1882. The fines
were also increased to present levels.
Thanks to Director Brown, Indi-l
ana will now become trap and OBJ
struction for interstate trucks in
stead Of the gateway to the entire
middle west, If the bill becomes a
law" Abraham asserted.
Scope of Business Cited
Declaring that 81 per cent OF ALI
HooSier livestock, 30 per cent of the
milk supply and 10 per cent of the
retail merchandise is moved by mo-
tor truck, he expressed surprise that
Brown, as director of the state
highway commission, is not more
thoroughly conversant with the facts
OF motor transportation.
Under the inspiration OF Brown.
If not under his leadership, the rails.
roads have come out into the open
for the first time with their fight for
legislation to curtail truck opera
tion," Abrahams declared.
1T is a well-known fact that
Brown once was secretary to
Governor Leslie and has written
many of that executives papers,.
Undoubtedly he inspired the
Governor to recommend to the Iegis-
lature that truck regulation meas
ureS be enacted. Thus the motor
truck interests have been over
whelmed by prejudice and selfish
interests and stabbed in the back
BY the highway department.
1.-THE bill not only regulates
trucks, it crucif1es them. In addi-
ton, 1t persecutes progress and in
dfYcfr1y