Evening star., 1932-04-07
TRUCK MILEAGE TAX
ARRESTS DROPPED
Maryland Authorities Reverse
Stand After Ritchie
Calls ParIey.

Maryland motor vehicle authorities
have dropped plans to institute whole
sale arrests of contract truckers fall
ing to comply with the common carrier
tax pending court. decision on ap-
plicability of the tax law.
This was announced this morning by
Jerome Fanciulli, secretary of the Com
mercial Motor Vehicle Owners Associa-
ton of the District, following a tele-
phone conversation with the Office of
the commissioner of motor vehicles for
Maryland, in Baltimore, by whom the
trucking offensive had been launched.
The Maryland authorities, it was
said, changed their stand following
conference called by Gov. Ritchie, at
which Attorney General Lane OF Mary
land also was present.
Correspondence Released.
Fanciulli had taken up the matter
with the Maryland executive, and in
announcing the adjustment this morn
ing, made public the exchange of cor
respondence with Gov. Ritchie.
The settlement was announced after
13 Injunction suits had been filed in
Maryland by trucking interests to stay
the law. Ten of these were filed yes
terday. a
Only about three or four, covering
various phases of the tax law, will be
tried, it was. said by Fanciuln.
Temporary injunctions were granted
in each instance, and hearings to make
these permanent will be on April is.
Fanciulli, as spokesman for the Dis
trict, Virginia and North Carolina
truckers, conferred late last week with
representatives of Maryland and Penn
afterward wrote to Gov. Ritchie on
behalf of all, outlining the situation,
which he blamed on antiquities in the
Maryland law.
He told the Governor that wholesale
arrests would only bring on tag war,
such as has featured similar occasions
in other States, and that Maryland in
dustrles would suffer, inasmuch as
much of the products of the States are
distributed through this region on nired
trucks.
Test Cases Filed.
He added also that court action al
ready had been instituted in a few
cases as a test of the law, and that
these would serve the same purpose as
wholesale arrests, which would only
lead to additional litigation.
The letter asked either that the
Governor halt the threatened action,
or grant a hearing to the truckers.
In reply, Gov. Ritchie agreed as to
confusion surrounding the law, but ex
planned that in invoking it, Col. E.
Austin Baughman, commissioner of
motor vehicles, only seeks Ito treat
truck lines which come into Maryland
from other States in the same way that
he treats truck lines which go from
Maryland into other States"
II do not myself see the need, for
the present at least, of wholesale arrests
and possible interference with business" +"
the Governors letter continued, land
I hope that some way can be worked
out which will avoid this and have the
whole question settled promptly and in
an orderly manner"
Requested Conference.
Gov. Ritchie said he has asked Col
Baughman and the attorney general
to get together on the matter Tuesday.
Today's announcement was the result.
The proposed tax of a fifth of
cent per ton mile would particularly
affect District truckers who operate
extensively into Maryland in the in
terest of local business establishments,
and would also increase the tax now
paid by the contract trucks operating
in Maryland.
This phase does not enter into the
matter, however, according to Fanciulli,
who said that what the truckers fear
is that the law would force them to
become common carriers and that their
business could not be operated on such
basis.