Evening star., 1933-01-29
ROAD TRANSPORT STACKING
BY HEAVY TAXES IS PROPOSED
A. A. A. President Hopes Benefits Will
Come From Conference of Railroads
and Highway Users

ing through the State to purchase State
tags, may lead to a more chaotic con-
dition than exists now and cause such
generalization as to deprive the ship
pers of the advantage Of truck trans
portation. Practicability, rather than
theory, should govern regulatory action
The passenger car owners do, and
will insist, that commercial vehicles pay
their full and fair share of the cost of
highway construction and maintenance.
am, Of course, aware OF the fact that
commercial operators advance the
claim that they are paying their fair
share now. and I am equally aware of
the claims Of the railroads to the effect
that they are not paying enough. These
conflicting claims do not help us to-
ward a solution that will be fair to the
public in general and to the passenger
car owners who contribute so heavily
to highway construction and upkeep.
Need Scientific Formula.
What We need today is the develop
ment of a reasonably scientific formula
that will provide a yardStick between
the cost of constructing and maintain
ing roads adequate for general passen-
ger car use and roads necessary for the
heavier types of vehicles used solely for
w
cost, whatever the differential in wear
and-tear, should and must be levied
against those users in whose interest it
Is incurred. If it should turn out that
trucks and busSes in some States and
in some instances should pay more than
they are paying now, SO be it, How
ever, these super-taXes should and
must be based on use" They must
not be indiscriminate levies with merely
punitive or a rate-equaliZing theory
behind them. This latter conception
underlies much of the commercial We
hicle tax legislation inspired by the
railroads and, in my Judgment, is
wholly unsound in theory and indefen-
sible in practice.
The highways of the United States
were constructed at the cost of billions
Of dollars by the people themselves.
They built them because they wanted
better and cheaper transportation than
they had had heretofore.
No man familiar with conditions can
be oblivious to the plight of the rail-
roads. There can be no doubt as to the
key position of the railroads in the
American industrial scheme. There is
very general accord that everything
possible should and must be done to put
them on a sound foundation from a
financial and operating standpoint.
| The only question is how this shall be
brought about. That the railroads
should have greater freedom to 60 for
ward with the consolidation Of lines,
with the elimination of useless branch
lines, that they should have relief from
onerous requirements, that they should
enjoy greater freedom in rate adjust
ments, that they should have reason
able opportunity of operating bus and
truck lines as feeders to rail lines and
for store-door delivery, all this, in my
opinion goes without saying.
The fact, however remains that the
railroad problem cannot be solved by
placing motor transport in shackles,
and 1t is toward this end, unfortunate
ly, that so much of railroad activity
has been directed in recent years.
Attitude Indefensible.
1t is not the contention of the Amer
lean Automobile Association that the
railroads are not paying enough taxes
Every industry today is feeling the
weight of the tax load, and the rail-
readers are feeling it in common with
the others. Our contention is that
highway transport is paying an enor-
nous tax bill and that the propaganda
| of another transportation agency,
namely, the railroads., encouraging a
heavier tax on highway users. is in
defensible 1t is unwise from the
standpoint of the railroads tn mselves.
Should motor vehicle revenues fall be-
low road requirements. property would
| have to make up the difference and as
| large property owners, they would be
the first to feel the pinch.
In conclusion, sincerely hope that
| the series of conferences now under
| way-I refer particularly to the con-