davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1936-10-04
Motor Vehicles

Motor Vehicles
As a Source of Taxation.
TAXATIONISTS" continue to
= have their mouths water for
more and greater taxes on motor
vehicles. In some official and
other quarters there is almost in
cessant demand for increase OF
present taxes or the introduction
of new varieties. Motorists or
carnations and civic bodies have
registered their objection to these
proposals, but they continue to be
advanced.
A brief review of the history OF
automobile taxation locally Is i'm
portant for q fair understanding
of the subject. When the automo-
bile first made its appearance in
the District it, Of course, became
subject to the personal tax law In
the same manner as that law COW
cred horses and carriages and
wagons. AS the early motor cars
were steamers and electrics, the
steamers were required to have
their boilers examined and the
drivers were required to take out a
steam eng!ueer's license after
being duly examined and passed
by the Board Of Steam Engineer
Examiners. The drivers of the
electrics and the early gasoline
cars were not required to take out
any kind of q permit.
As the number OF motor vehicles
grew it was found necessary to
have some kind of an Identification
system At first on application at
the District Building a number
was assigned to each vehicle and
the owner then purchased from
some dealer a leather tag with
metal numbers and this he at
tached to the rear axle.
In 1903 this system was changed
by the furnishing by the District
of the metal tags for the front
and rear of cars. The charge was
fixed at 81 and was designed to
simply cover the cost Of the tag,
its issue and the keeping of the
required records as q means of
identification. This has fire.
quently been referred to as a tax,
but it was never intended as such.
At this same time the police
regulations were amended by the
Commissioners requiring all drivers
to take out operators permits. The
first Of these were issued In August,
1908, and had no time limit and
no fee was required. The present
system Of operators permits for
three-year periods, with the fee of
So, corresponds with the registra-
tion-of-vehicles provision and is
designed to cover only the cost of
the service.
When the gasoline tax was first
proposed 1t was offered as q sub
stitute for the personal tax. It
was said to be much fsirer tax,
as it imposed the burden upon
those who were using the high
ways. Congress ignored the idea
Of this new tax replacing the per-
sonal tax on motor vehicles and
enacted it as an additional tax and
ear-marked the resulting fund for
street and :highway construction
and maintenance. The fund has
always exceeded in amount what
Congress would appropriate for the
purpose for which 1t vas legally
collected.
At various times 1t has been
proposed that there be substituted
Evening star., 1936-10-04
EIGHT AND FORTY

District Of Columbia Salon Departe-
mental, Eight and Forty, will install
officers at the Washington Hotel
next Friday at 8 p.m. Those tn
Evening star., 1936-10-04
Civic Problems, Civic Bodies
Important Fiscal Research Underxay-Motor
Vehicle Taxation Analysis-The Question
of Non.Residents in D. &. Schools.

for the personal tax horsepower
tax. or q weight tax. and In some
instances such taxes have even
been advocated as additional taxes.
Very general community opposition
has heretofore succeeded in pre-
venting the passage Of any Of these
proposed measures.
The weight tax Is regarded by
many as very unfair because it
completely ignores the question Of
use of the vehicle and the further
fact that the heavier the vehicle
the greater its gas consumption
and consequent greater Gas tax.
The horsepower tax is considered
as equally inequitable.
The persistence with which the
motor vehicle. is advanced as q
source Of additional taxation seems
to point to it as the victim If and
when new taxes are required. But
the first step in the solution Of
this part Of our fiscal problem is
to learn just what part of the
Capital burden the United States
Is to bear. Without this knowledge
all questions Of tax revision are
impossible.
Evening star., 1936-10-04
BY JESSE C. SUTER.


standing interest during the
= past week. There is great
deal Of important research work
under way for the submission OF
important facts to the director and
Advisory Committee, appointed by
the President, which is making an
INQUIRY into the fiscal relations
between the Federal and District
governments. These studies are
developing information OF value In
establishing the heavy cost to the
District of Columbia IN rendering
various municipal services to the
United States. They also show
material losses in revenue by rea-
son of the exemption OF the varl-
Gus United States agencies from
the usual license fees and taxes
which apply to others.
The Commissioners rejected the
recommendation Of Chief Engineer
Schrom of the Fire Department
that Congress be asked for an ap-
preparation to establish q three
platoon system in that department.
The Commissioners recognize the
reasonablencss Of working the fire
men in three eight-hour shifts, but
the total additional cost in salaries
and uniforms for 528 men OF
s1,l43, ,760 makes such change out
of the question at this time.
The Public Utilities Commission
heard the petition Of the Wash
ington Gas Light Co. for permis-
sion to purchase the assets OF the
Alexandria and Hyattsville gas
companies at total cost OF $l,s1o'-
900. Despite the plea OF the peo-
pies counsel, William A. RooertS'
that the request of the company be
granted. 1t was promptly rejected
bv the commission as not being In
the public interest. Roberts paseo
his plea on the belief that. in the
long run, it would be Of advantage
to the public to permit the pur-
chase at even the exorbitant 1gure
named than run the risk OF having
a giant utility holding company
entering the local field.
Several additional civic bodies
resumed meetings during the week,
but few matters, aside from mme-
diate neighborhood needs, were
considered. Local taxation was
under discussion at some OF these
meetings, with the prevailing SEN
timent against any new or increase
of existing taxes. The Federatlon
of Citizens Associations met last
night for the first time since June.
The call for the meeting was ac-
companied by the usual calendar
of business, covering several pages
of items pending before the Stand
ing and Special Committees. A
number of these items relate to
bills which died with the adjourn
ment of the Seventy-fourth Con-
gress. None of the calendared busi-
ness bears date later than May last.
A report of the federation meet
ing appears elsewhere.
Several important civic jobs are
under. way or just ahead. The
annual roll call Of the Red Cross
is going strong and the member
ship campaign OF the Washington
Criminal Justice Commission is
Just getting off to start. Plans
are well in hand for the annual
campaign for the Community
Chest. The Chest drive this year
will be a joint affair, including
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties, Md; Alexandria City.
Arlington and Fairfax Coun-
ties, Va.
Evening star., 1936-10-04

Vincent Costello Unit No. s will
have installation of officers next
Tuesday at $50 pm. at the American
War Mothers Home, 1927 New Hamp-
shire avenue All members of the
organization are invited.
Evening star., 1936-10-04

The 29th Division Signal Company
led the list of divisional units in
the matter of attendance last month,
according to figures made public here
last week. This unit had o per-
centage of 1856 for the month.
The other division units and their
standings for the month follow Head
quarters Detachment, Special Troops,
93.75; Medical Department Detach-
n1ent, 91.89; 29th Military Police
Company, 91.s9; Headquarters De-
tachment, 29th Division, 91.58; Head
quarters Company, 29th Division,
sS.57; 29th Tank Company, 8497.
Pvt. Ross o. Brewer has been or
dered transferred from the 29th Di-
vision Military Police Company to
the Medical Department Detachment,
Special Troops, 2sth Division.
The following schedule Of foot ball
games of the team representing the
260th Regiment of Coast Artillery was
announced by Lieut.. Col. Burns:
Frederick Athletic Club, at Frederick,
Md. today; Fredericksburg, Va, Oc-
tober II; Quantico Marines, at Guam
tico, Va, October Is, and Fort Nom
roe, at Fort Monroe, Va. October Is.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
TOWNSEND MAY
PICK COAST AID
Sheridan DoWney limited as
Possible Successor
to Clements.
BIZ United Press

By United Press
WASHINGTON, March 26.-A
stocky, hatless, athletic lawyer
politician from the West today
looms as successor to Robert E
Clements, whose resignation as
secretary treasurer of Old-Age Re-
volving Pensions, Ltd, has stirred
the Townsend movement to its
depths.
He is Sheridan Downey of Cal
ifornia, who has been DR.. Francis
E. TownSend'S personal lawyer and
spokesman in the Townsend Glenn
ents peace negotiations and who
will speak for Townsend until the
doctor arrives in three or four days
to testify before the Bell commit
tee.
Mr.. Downey is an eloquent, highly
vocal, left-wing liberal, who polled
125 900 more votes for Lieutenant
Governor than MS running mate
Upton Sinclair, when the latter ran
for CALIFORNIA; governorship in
1894
Book Is Gospel
His book why / Believe in the
Townsend Plan" is gospel among
ToWnsendites.
Downey is assisting ex-senator
Thomas w. HardWick of Georgia in
defending the Townsend Plan in
today's House hearing
With Clements on his way out
plans are afoot to reorganize the
Townsend Plans whole set-up. In
stead of three-man rule, the plan
will be headed by a directorate of
nine, it is said. 1t also will be de-
partmentalized. DR.. Townsend al
ready has enlarged the directorate
to five.
Under new plans The Townsend
Weekly will cease to be privately
owned by Clements and DR.. Town
send and will become an OARP
organ
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
TAX REPORT GIVEN
HOUSE GROUP 0. K.
Advice on Profit, WindfaII
LevieS Accepted.

By United Press
WASHINGTON, March 26-The
House Ways and Means committee
voted today to accept its tax sub
committees recommendations for a
first year $799,0O0,OOO tax bill as the
basis for public hearings to start
next week.
The subcommittee report present.
ed proposals for 1891 ,000,0 900 tax
on corporate undiStributed profits
and the s1OO,0OO,OOO "windfall' tax
on uncollected AAA processing
levies.
Left out as basis for considera-
ton in hearings was the processing
tax suggestion made by the Presi-
dent in his message to Congress.
1t was revealed for the first time
that the sub-group was recommend
ing that railroads be placed under
the new graduated corporation sur
plus tax, but be allowed to retain
their present privilege of making
consolidated returns.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
Wheeling and Marietta Are
Reported Menaced by New
Flood Crest
HUNDREDS LEAVE HOMES
Pittsburgh Rivers Recede;
Rigid Quarantine CIamped
on COvjnutOn.
BY United Press

Wheeling, w. Va; Mari
eta, o., and other commu-
mites of the upper Ohio Val
ley were menaced by a new
flood crest today, while cities
Of the lower valley anticipated
a lowered river level.
Hundreds of refugees from last
weeks devastating floods fled their
homes again in the Wheeling dis
trict, where the river, already above
flood stage, was rising steadily.
The Monongahela and Allegheny
Rivers were receding at Pittsburgh,
ending, for the time, new flood
threat there
The rising Ohio halted rehabilita-
ton work in the upper valley.
Intense suffering from the flood
crest that wrecked many communi-
ties of the upper valley last week,
continued in the vicinity of Cincin-
natl. The town of Covington, KY,
was under an iron quarantine
against spinal meningitis, which was
reported to have caused two deaths.
Residents of Indiana communities
prepared for the Ohio crest when
it reaches them.
Cold weather reduced the pos
sibility of extensive damage from
swollen streams in Wisconsin and
Minnesota.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
REPEATS PROMISE
TO FRANCE, BELGIUM
Eden Insists That There Be
No Military Alliance.

By United Press
LONDON, March &c. - Foreign
Secretary Anthony Eden assured
the House of Commons today that
Britain would be strictly loyal to
her solemn pledge to help main
tain the security of France and
Belgium.
At the same time, he insisted that
there is no military alliance of Brit
ain with those two countries.
He appealed to Fuehrer Adolf
Hitler to make constructive pro-
poSals to the Locarno powers so
that the Rhineland dispute could
be adjusted amicably. Shortly after
his speech, Prime Minister Stanley
Baldwin was understood to have
asked Joachim Won Ribbentrop,
German diplomat, to take a per-
sonal message to Hitler, urging him
TO submit practical proposals for
ending the crisis.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
Legal, Says Judge
Tim es Special


COLUMBUS, Ind, March 90
Circuit Judge George w. Long to-
day defended the appointment Of
his son Charles as county welfare
director, denying that it violated
the nepotism provision of Indiana's
new Public Welfare Act
THE board made the appoint
ment, not T." he asserted, but
don't think there is any question of
it's legality"
The appointment was announced
here Immediately after the new
Welfare Board, named by the judge,
had met and organized.
Base on Word Cor"
On the word cor" in Section 81,
Article 3, of the act, Judge
Long based his contention that the
appointment was not violation OF
the laws safeguard against the en-
ployment of relatives.
The board, one OF the first an
nounced in Indiana, is composed en-
tirely of members of the former
county Board of Children's Guard.
ians. In reality, the old board, abol.
ished by the Welfare Act, viii
change its name and assume thu
added responsibilities imposed BY
the new legislation.
The judges son is "a. He is {
graduate of Benjamin Harrison
Law School, Indianapolis, and fol
the last year has been employed
here in the office of his father
in-law, Prosecutor John E. Summa
Turn to Page Threel
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
JUDGE
SAYS OF SONS
WELFARE JOB
Denies Any Violation of
Anti-Nepotism Clause
in Security Law.
ACT CLEAR, SAYS COY
Relationship Is to Be
Determined, Asserts
State Executive.

Appointment of Charles Long, son
of Circuit Judge George w. Long
as Bartholomew County welfare di-
rector, was criticised here today as
a violation of the anti-nepotism
provision of the recently enacted
Public Welfare Law.
Wayne Coy, State Welfare di-
rector, who received this morning
an announcement of the appoint
Ment by the welfare board, whose
members Judge Long in turn hao
appointed, said 1.-The law certainly
seems to be clear IN its provisions
against appointments of relatives Of
principals"
Mr.. Coy said he would investi-
gate the relationship between the
two Longs before he takes action.
Jacob Weiss, president pro tenn
of the Indiana Senate, said the
appointment is in violation of the
anti-nepotism provision. of the law
and is therefore void.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
CONSERVATIVE FIGHT
FACES NEW DEALERS
Opposition May Bore From
Within Party Ranks.

ny CUtiPU HFtS5
WASHINGTON, March 26.-Con-
sentative Democrats who prefer not
to bolt the New Deal may bore
from within the party this year in
their campaign against Roosevelt
policies which are particularly dis
tasteful in the. East.
Natural leaders in any campaign
to modify the New Deal would in
clude Senator Carter Glass Cd.
VaD, Senator Harry F. Byrd Cd,
Va, Senator Royal S. Copeland
Cd, N. ", Senator Willard E.
Tydings 3D., Md and a recruit or
two from the House of Representa-
tives. So far only Senator Tydings
has made any public statement in
dicating an effort will be made at
the Democratic National Conven-
ton to change the New Deal
course.
Senator Glass and other congress
Sional Democrats who were sharply
critical of many New Deal measures
in 1884 and 1895 have been heard
from less frequently in this presi-
dental year. Senator Josiah w
Bailey Cd, N. c., who was one OF
the most eloquent defenders of the
Constitution against alleged New
Deal entertainments, is reported by
visitors in the Carolinas to be
whooping it up for Roosevelt among
his own constituents.
Political observers have noted a
tendency among office-holding
Democrats 70 edge toward the 1886
Roosevelt bandwagon. Talk OF bolts
and walks" is confined largely To
those Democratic leaders not at the
moment in office. A notable excep-
ton is Gov. Eugene TaImadge OF
Georgia.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
HOFFMAN SEEKS
AID OF W|LENTz
Prosecutors Duty Is tc
Arrange JafSie Grilling,
Executive Holds.

By UHtted Press
TRENTON, N. j., March 90
Gov. Harold G. Hoffman side
tracked virtually all other state
business today to pursue an in
vestigation of the Lindbergh kid
mapping case he hopes will save
Bruno Richard Hauptmanns life
next Tuesday.
With only 48 hours remaining
before the Court of Pardons con-
veneS to say the last word in the
case-life or death for the Bronx
carpenter-Gov Hoffman demanded
aid OF Haupmann's prosecutor,
Atty Gen. David T. Wilentz.
He rejected DR.. John F.. Condon's
proposals for discussion of the
case in writing, and told Mr.. Will
entz that it is his duty to arrange
for the blistering cross examination
to which Gov. Hoffman wants DR.
Condor to submit.
Gov. Hoffman admitted yesterday
that he does not have legal power
to reprieve Hauptmann again and
interference by Justice Trenchard
was considered most unlikely.
R. w. Hicks, one of the investi-
gators, was en- route by airplane
and train to Trenton from Cuba to-
day with probably the best clew
Gov. Hoffman has found. Hicks
said he had located a German in
Havana through whom Isidor Fisch
Hauptmann's former associate, had
attempted to sell "hot" money soon
after the kidnapping.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
SEVERE DUST STORM
MOVES over KANSAS
Observers Predict 1t Will Be
Worst of Year.

By United Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo, March 20
A severe dust storm swirled over
south central Kansas and the Texas
and Oklahoma panhandles today
and was moving swiftly northeast
ward.
Weather observers predicted it
would be one of the worst dust
storms this year.
At Topeka, KaS., huge dust clouds
partially obscured the sun. Visibil-
ity was limited to one mile. At
Wichita, the brown fog enveloped
the city. At Anthony, Kas.. air
plane pilots reported zero ceiling
and visibility The dust clouds were
so thick that motor car headlights
were turned on and residents used
handkerchiefs as breathing masks.
The storm arrived in Kansas City
at TO- Observers predicted it will
reach Iowa and Illinois by tonight
and diSSiDate itself before morning.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
BlLLMAN Is RETAINED
AT LOCAL GOLF LINKS
Park Board Makes Decision After
Petition is Presented.

Park Board members today decid-
ed to retain Nick Billman as green's
keeper at Sarah Shank golf course.
after the Rev. Arthur Brady. Gar
field Baptist Church pastor, pre-
sented a petition signed by 200 golf
erS requesting this action.
Another group at the course
sought to have Billman removed
several weeks ago.
A proposed project calling for an
outdoor theater in Holiday Park was
killed by the board today for lack
of funds. 1t was to nave cost $500.
900. The city asked PWA to carry
half this cost, but received no au-
thorization for the project.
The board also gave permission
to the State Planning Board to
place a marker at Northwestern-av
and Golden Hill-dr, pointing to the
grave of James Whitcomb Riley in
Crown Hill.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
NaziS Prepare for Poll
BIZ Uniicd Press


BERLIN, March 26.-Election
propaganda was dinned INCREASINGLY
into the ears of Germany's 67,00O,-
600 people today.
1t was the beginning of the eli
mactic stage of the campaign for
Sundays election, nominally one to
name a new Reichstag but actually
intended to show the world that
Germans are united behind Adolf
Hitler. Ballots will have no place
for an unfavorable vote BY order,
voters are to put cross in a circle
to show their preference for the
unopposed government candidates.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-26
UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
FACING NEW PERIL:
STATE TO ESCAPE
Lack of Rains Has Helped
Indiana Situation, Say
River Men.
AURORA RESIDENTS FLEE
125 Families Are Compelled
to Seek Refuge in
Public BUILDINGS

A second flood, originating
in the upper Ohio River near
Pennsylvania, will not mate
rally affect southern Indiana
towns, river men said today.
Lack of excessive rains in south
ern Indiana has done much to keep
high waters from inundating bust
ness and residential districts of In
diana cities, it was held.
Aurora's flood crest was believed
reached today at q 60-foot stage.
The Ohio had risen only three
inches in IL hours.
Coast Guard Effects Rescue
One hundred and twenty five
families have abandoned their
homes in Aurora as high waters
forced them to seek lodging in
school and other civil buildings.
Forty United States Coast
'Guardsmen stopped yesterday at
Aurora and moved to the Kentucky
side Is persons stranded on the In
diana shore.
State Road so to Dillsboro was
the only highway open in and out
OF Aurora.
Six families were forced from
their homes at MARYLAND while at
Florence dozen families were COM
PEELED to live temporarily in a school
building.
Patriot Schools Close
Schools were closed at Patriot and
Querans Grove, near Vevay, because
of high waters. Damage was not
extensive at Madison or New Al
bany as flood crests neared.
Evansville reported that a 45-foot
stage by Saturday might invade low
land residential districts and force
about 100 families to leave their
homes. Sixty thousand acres of
farmland are inundated near Evans
vile.
Nearing the $4,000 goal for aid
ing flood sufferers, officials of the
American Red Cross in Marion
County were informed today that
the county's quota had been raised
to $4,000.
Immediate steps were taken to
intensity appeals and achieve the
higher quota.
Contributions totaling $1,000 had
been received by this noon.
This new appeal for support"
said Arthur " Brown, treasurer of
the indianapolis Red Cross chap
ter, lis a call for additional gener-
osity on the part of our people"
(See Editorial, Page Sixteen)