Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-05-16

Obligations of Citizenship
Avoided When License
Is Only Address.

trailers and one economist Is bold
enough to perdict that one-half of the
population of the United States will
have taken up the mode Of life within
the next 20 years.
60 GREAT is the doubt about the
size of the role trailers are play
ing the Census Bureau at Washington
is starting a count of the output OF
the industry during 1896. This will
embody the first authentic yardstick.
In the meantime, the nation is
taking very serious notice of the
sociological implications of the phen.
omenon and many agencies are striv.
ing to put their finger on just what it
portends for the American of to-
morrow. 1t presents many problems
and Legislatures of virtually all the
States are graphing with them. The
imperative need of intelligent and
effective regulation and control of the
industry and its consuming public is
quite apparent.
To begin with, some means must
be found to identify and classify the
component members of the vast army
Of trailerers. Those closest to the pic
ture at this stage throw up their hands
in despair when asked to describe
them. Where does generalization lead,
they moan. when trailerers range all
the way from plutocrats in rolling
miniature palaces down to tin-ca1
tourists subsisting on most meagef
rations and buying their gasoline by
the pint?
Trailerers may be divided. however.
into two great classes-those whose
only home is just beyond the exhaust
OF their automobiles and those who
go gypSying only over week ends or
for comparatively short trips or vaca.
tons. The former constitute the
principal problem. Without fixed
abode they are not amenable to all
the ordinary obligations of citizenship
and the feeling grows that both for
their own good and for the public
welfare this problem cries for solution.
Approach to it must be made
through some effort to understand
the impelling motive that has created
this class Of Americans. Trailering
received its first real impetus almost
coincident with the start of the
great depression when there were
many who found in the trailer and
travel an answer to their economic
needs. Thousands who thus were led
into the nomadic life are still seeking
that pot of gold at the end Of the
rainbow.
4 MOTHER great segment Of the
trailer army consists of middle
aged folks with moderate assured
incomes and without the necessity Of
working who find in the trailer their
first escape from lifelong, humdrum
environment and an opportunity to
gaze upon things far removed from
their wonted spere.
Then comes the trailer class to
which the conveyance is a semi
luxury to be awaited OF when the
spirit urges, and finally the modern
drummer" who finds in the trailer
an almost ideal perambulating display
room for his wares.
In general, all these contribute to
the problems the lawmakers must
solve. Sporadic efforts have already
been made but real regulation will
not be achieved unit. there is at least
general uniformity in measures adopt
ed by the family of States. These
measures will deal with such questions
as taxation, registration, weight and
size. sanitation and safety inspection.
parking.
Significant information in respect
to numerous phases of trailering has
been elected through a Federal Gov
eminent survey conducted in Yellow
stone National Park during the last
season and regarded as an excellent
index. 1t shows:
The largest number OF trailerers,
double that Of any other class, COM
prised business people; the second
professional, and the third retired
persons. Laborers were fewest. Ale
most 10 times as many used their
trailers for vacation purposes only as
used them the year round. Tho
majority had owned trailer less
than year; only about one-sixth
had had one more than year. The
largest number had four persons in
the party. and the next two and tho
next three.
This survey showed wide variation
in the cost of trailers, but coaches in
| the $500 and $500 class led. with those
in the S700 and $500 bracket next.
There were some costing only about
500 but also reporting were few
trailers priced at more than $500.
Less than third of one per cent Of
these tralerers tried to cover more
than 400 miles day. The largest
group contented themselves with 800
and the next largest, zoe.
Fifty cents night was found to be
the usual trailer park fee and Of all
trailer park facilities In which the
nomads were interested electricity