Evening star., 1932-03-13


A. A. A. Credit.
It appears at the present time
that many of the discriminatory
tax burdens against the automo-
tive industry and its customers
will be abandoned for the pres
ent, at least. Credit Tor tnls Is
due largely to the efforts OF the
American Automobile Assocla-
ton.
In a coast-to-coast broadcast
conducted recently under the
auspices of the American Auto
mobile Association, representa-
tive men and women from every
section of the country served DEF
mite notice on officialdom every
where that recurring tax raids on
the motorists must cease.
All told, Is speakers partlcl-
pated in the protest, including a
Salesman, rancher, FARMER, a
mechanic, an editor, a physician
two educators, a woman driver,
a state road official and a tour
ist. The symposium was con-
Quoted over the facilities of the
National Broadcasting Co., with
San Francisco, Chicago, WaSnlng-
ton and New York as the key
points in the rally.
1.-The protest, representing the
viewpoint of the average car own
er, was specially addressed 10 tne
Congress Of the United States oe-
cause of the Nationwide appre-
hension that special Federal mo-
for taxes may be super-imposed
on the structure of topheavy, dis
criminatory and outrageous levleS
now enforced by the State and
municipalities" Thomas P. Henry
of Detroit. Mich, who made the
closing argument for the motor
lists, said. ,., sa
cials," declared Mr.. Henry, now
have before them what amounts
TO complete summariZatlon OF
the rising indignation OF the mass
of car owners against being mace
the scapegoats of political greed
and governmental extravaganza.
Serious Handicaps Seen.
"This protest clearly proves
that unfair motor taxes are prov
Ing a serious handicap to the
farmer who depends on the mo-
tor vehicle to market his prod
ucts: that they are adding to the
cost of education; that they are
Increasing the cost OF sickness;
that they are competing VIA
sacrifices in household budgetS, I,
that they are adding to the cost
of selling; that they are AFFECT
ing the standard Of living OF the
working man; that they tend to
diminish tourist travel, and that
entry of the Federal Government
into the field would intensity
racketeering in gasoline taxes and
jeopardize hundreds OF millions OF
dollars of road bonds issued by
the States.
with an increase in Federal
taxation now in the ofting, our
people are most anxious tnat
Congress should demonstrate Its
will and its ability to trim ex-
penditures, which have Increased
by leaps and bounds from year to
wear, even in the face OF a huge
cut in the Nations income. -.
"The American people, with
their usual patriotism in the race
of an emergency, will respond TO
the appeal to bear higher taxes.
But unless Congress does It's part
and cuts expenses, and thereby
sets a much-needed example 70
state and local governments
everywhere. there will be a day
of reckoning-and it is not 1ar
away! ,
"Our Legislatures have broken
faith with the motorists. Many
of them have scrapped an i'm
'portant principle. I refer to the
principle that special motor
Vehicle taxes are justified only for
road use. Our lawmakers raised
the gasoline tax rate until tax
evasion has become Nationwide
racket. A special Federal gaSo-
line tax would put the seal OF ma
tional approval on vicious prac-
tice.
"We must get back to a sound
foundation. We must see to II
that only the State can levy spe-
cial motor taxes. We must in
sist that these taxes be used only
for road purposes and not a cent
for general tribute. We must have
a guarantee that the rate OF these
taxes bears a fair ratio to road
benefits, not to motorists alone
but to other elements and inter
ests as well. Otherwise, the en-
tire motor tax structure will as
suredly break down"
List of Speakers.
The speakers in the A. A. A
protest, in the order of their
talks, were: Ernest N. Smith
executive vice president of the
American Automobile Association
E. F. Jones of San Francisco
Calf, a salesman; John Leonard
of Cupertino, Calf, a rancher;
James A. German of San Fran
cisco, a motor touring enthusiast;
DR.. E. B. Mcdaniel of Portland
Greg, sidney -. WdIQOn Ol Oe-
troit, Mich, chairman Of the A
A. A. National Taxation Commit
tee; Maj Roy F. Britton, presi-
dent of the Automobile Club o1
Missouri; ]. B. McManus, a school
superintendent of La Sale Coun-
ty, Ill; Samuel s. Lewis. secretary
Of highways for Pennsylvania,
John A. Park, publisher of the
Raleigh, N. c., Times; Helen
Springman, a school teacher oi
Lorton, Va; Fred Brenckman
Washington representative of the
National Grange; Edward P
Dunn, shop foreman Of Walling-
ford, Conn.,; Katherine Sullivan
OF Trenton, N. j., and Thomas p
Henry, president of the A. A. A.