Evening star., 1936-03-14
AUTO INSPECTION
/ PLAN IS DEBATED
Federation Group Hears Bill
Scored and Praised by
Motor Clubs.

Champions and opponents of COM
pulSory automobile inspection in the
District fought battle of nearly four
wordy hours last night In the District
Building before the Traffic Committee
of the Federation Of Citizens Associa-
tions. The committee was seeking in
formation upon which 1t will base a
report to the federation either for or
against the pending compulsory in
spection bill now before Congress
The two leading local automobile
Associations presented the chief Of the
opposing arguments on the question,
Richard M Ham, safety director of
the District Of Columbia Motor Club
of the American Automobile Associa-
ton, and Mrs. George Thorpe, also of
the club, supporting the proposed law,
and George E. Keneipp, manager Of
the Keystone Automobile Club, and
Edwin S. Hege, a member of the
Washington Advisory Board of the
club opposing the measure. Richard
Murphy, representing the Washington
Automotive Trade Association. also
appeared in support of compulsory
inspection.
Ham, in championing the pending
bill, which would provide for municipal
testing stations to administer the law.
declared that "it just doesn't make
sense to say that compulsory inspec-
tion fails to promote safety"
Quotes Safety Council.
He read letters from officials of the
National Safety Council and other
organizations indorsing compulsory
inspection laws, on the basis of knowl-
edge gathered in States in which such
laws are in effect.
Twelve States have compulsory in
spection laws of one form or another,
Ham said. adding that generally such
laws have worked very well" He
favored the plan, which is proposed for
the District in the pending legislation,
explaining that this plan protects mo-
torists against unScrupulous garages.
He said that poll of 5000 motorists
In various parts of the country, con-
Quoted by the A. A. A., showed that
of this number, 80 per cent favor COM
pulsory inspection.
Keneipp, branding compulsory in
spection of motor vehicles as unneces-
sary and undesirable. proposed larger
force of rowing police cars" to check
on defective vehicles on Washington
streets and drastic Tightening of ex-
listing laws. Both Keneipp and Hege
contended that the small proportion
OF accidents attributable to mechan-
tcally defective cars does not warrant
the expense and nuisance Of the pro-
posed compulsory inspection.
We don't think" Keneipp said,
shat the proposed compulsory inspec-
ton law for Washington is necessary.
desirable or likely to be productive of
the results desired"
Keneipp said that in every State
which has established a compulsory
inspection system, with the sole ex-
ception of Virginia, the number of
accidents due to faulty cars has in
creased under such inspection New
Jersey, after one year of compulsory
inspection, abandoned the plan, he
said.
But if we must have compulsory
inspection" he said, "the proposed
District plan of municipal inspection
Is by far the best"
In lieu of the proposed compulsory
inspection law, Keneipp made two
proposals:
First the increase of the present
rowing squad" of police cars intended
TO be used in spotting defective cars
and making immediate tests to deter
mine their condition. He said that he
mad been told by Maj. Ernest w.
Brown, superintendent of police, that
3or one-third of the amount which
would be required to install the COM
pulsory inspection system, the Police
Department, through expansion of the
rowing car system, could get every
defective car of the streets"
Would Tighten Laws.
Second, "a drastic tightening" of
enforcement of existing laws. He
said that existing traffic law pro-
Vides that the director of motor vehi-
cles and traffic, through the police,
may inspect lights, brakes, tires, horns,
or other equipment of cars, and may
OAOCA dAAy hCICSIlNC IculONeQ
the street until the defect is repaired.
This law should be strictly enforced,
he said. He also advocated rigid in
spection of resold cars at the time
of transfer of title. This should be |
done by District authorities, he said, |
because of the fact that in general
practice companies dealing in used |
cars cannot afford to employ hieh<
priced mechanics to check cars.
Hege expressed a belief that adop-
tion of compulsory inspection plan |
for the District would result in a
campaign approaching the racket |
phase on the part of equipment COM
panies trying to sell testing equip |
ment."
Thomas j. Llewellyn, chairman of |
the committee, presided. Harry Wen
der and Col. z. Goring Bliss, mem