Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-10-11

been raised by many individual drivers
not AFFILIATED with any organization.
Opponents declare that there are
two reasons against change in the
present taxation. One is that weight
tax would be an unfair one, and the
other is that an additional revenue
at the present time is unneeded. At
present, they point out, the present
personal property tax is based on the
price Of the car and its age. In case
of a weight tax heavy car, regard
less Of its worth, would be annually
taxed at high rate even if it became
eight years old. 1t is understood that
the present revenue from auto taxes,
including the personal property tax.
the cost Of permits, license tags and
gasoline levies is sufficient to meet
the requirements of the city. Also, it
IL feared. additional revenue would be
sure to bring about diversion of the
funds.
Some District officials see the only
argument the other way, in the fact
that a heavy car does as much dam
age to the city streets regardless of its
age or worth. The same officials ad-
nit, however, that there Is no existing
need for more revenue.
1t does seem that the motoriSt al
ready has more than his share of the
tax burden.
Promotion of highway safety
through education of highway users
N courteous and proper driving
methods, enforcement of simple and
uniform statutes and construction of
safe highways financed by reasonable
automotive taxes was recommended to
the National Safety Council here to-
day by Baird H. Markham, director
Of the American Petroleum Industries
Committee.
Speaking before the petroleum sec
ton of the councils twenty-fifth an
nual safety congress. Mr. Markham
declared that few highways really are
safe because in their building We
have been forced to compromise with
other objectives." Although the high
way user is heavily taxed to finance
safe highways, he said, much of the
revenue is being used for other pur-
poses, with the result that highway
development fails to keep pace with
motor vehicle registrations.
He pointed to the deadly parallel
CT growth between the amount of
highway funds diverted to other pur-
poses and the number of highway
fatalities" adding that excessive tax
rates and taxation of highway users
for general revenue purposes not only
have made the motorist "the Nations
tax goat" but have contributed to
highway dangers by making motor
vehicle operators financially less able
to maintain their vehicles in safe op-
Grating condition.
He warned against making safety
an excuse for increased highway ex-
penditures and for making highway
costs unnecessarily expensive.
THE safe highway is not always
the expensive highway" he said.
"Highways can be both safe and mex
pensive, and taxation can be both
reasonable and remunerative by
proper planning and spending"
The most significant features from
the point of view of color treatment
Of cars on view at the annual French
Automobile Salon, which opened in
Paris last week, are the increased
use Of brown alone and in the use of
grayish tones of blue, green and
brown, according to Philip H. Chase,
color specialist of color advisory
service. Black, however, still leads
rs the predominating color. Com
posite browns containing gray and
even beige are prominent. Maroons
are still of very reddish hue.
In the performance of colors-
black leading with approximately 20
per cent of the exhibits-blue follows
closely with 19 per cent, then come
gray, green, yellow. maroon, beige,
brown and red. Although brown Is
well down the line in percentage it
represents a noticeable increased use
Of that color over previous recent
years, and is one of the outstanding
features of the exhibit.
Metallic colors are very much on
the increase in European cars, the ex-
hibit indicates. These metallic colors
are notable, especially in blue, green
and brown. Cars generally are fin
ished in one color, therefore increas-
ing this years proportion OF color
tenders. However, in place of con-
trasting colors, narrow stripes are ap-
pearing again on the belt line.
The lowers this year present a va
fiety Of shapes, some of them more or
less exaggerated, with practically no
stripping, although containing metal
characterization. Aerodynamic prin-
ciples are applied conservatively and
with better results in appearance and
comfort. However, Peugot shows one
model he calls the "1940" car. It is
extremely aerodynamic in shape.
Signs of order are beginning to ap-
pear in the trailer industry, which,
overwhelmed by rapid development
in the last IL months, previously had
little time to do anything except keep
up with the demand for its product,
according to the North American
Newspaper Alliance.
The first step toward standard
specifications, guarantees on work.
manship, agreements on sales fran
chises and similar details are seen in
the organization of the Trailer Coach
Manufacturing Association. Carl
6chelm of Peoria, ILL.,, is president of
the new group. When the board of
directors of the association meets in
November, officials expect to have
ready program to conform to the
needs of a growing industry.
Meanwhile, engineers are giving
fresh study to the problems of design
and equipment provided by the trailer
and to its effect on automotive power
ing. The Society of Automotive En-
gineers already has announced plans
for q committee to fix suitable
standard for the couplings by which