The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-12-20
STEEL LICENSE
PLATES NOT TO
RETURN IN IA

Chicago, Dec. 20 (U.P.) -
Despite rising complaints that SUBJ
stitutes for steel license plates on
automobiles are unsatisfactory, re-
ports indicate that motorists will
have to make them do in 1914.
Most license administrators said
they will conserve War-needed steel
and will continue to use plastic
plates, small metal tabs attached
to old plates and paper windshield
stickers or will issue one metal
plate instead of two.
State budgets have been cut
slightly by use of the cheaper sub
stitutes but authorities have been
deluged with complaints about
them Motorists, police and state
accounting clerks unanimously dis
approved of apper windshield stick
ers which were hard to identify,
showed tendency not to stick and
got lost frequently.
Revenue officials termed the
metal tabs impractical because,
they said, they are difficult for
police to identify and easy to trans
fer to other cars. Georgia authori-
ties said the illegality of placing
tabs on OUT f-state licenses caused
confusion and necessitated issuing
large numbers of new plates.
In many states the plates on
which tabs are fixed are of 1941
vintage. Corrosion, rust, dirt and
dents have obscured license num-
bers, adding to the woes of traffic
police.
Only four states that used tabs
will continue them in 1914. They
are Maryland, Nebraska, Wisconsin
and Texas. Undaunted, Colorado
and South Carolina announced they
will use them for the first time.
Ohio issued 1912 tabs, switched to
windshield stickers in 1943 and will
return to tabs Jan. l.
California announced it would
continue using 1941 plates-report-
ed in bad shape-after the War
Production Board said steel allot-
ments for new ones would be "un-
satisfactory and refused author
ization. Windshield stickers will re-
place tabs used in 1923
Experiments with plastic, fiber
board and masonite met with vary
ing success this year. Arkansas is
sued masonite plates for trucks and
trailers and discovered that it was
too brittle. Virginia gave white
pulp fiber board plates to new car
registrants and found it good
enough to use for all plates next
year.
Illinois, Louisiana, Montana and
Virginia will issue two fiber board
panels per car, but Illinois and
Louisiana trucks will carry steel
plates.
Wyoming announced it will issue
one fiber board or plastic plate and
Utah that it will issue two plastic
plates with decal faces. Idaho will
experiment with plastic panels on
dealer vehicles, but will retain 1912
license plates and windshield stick
erS for other cars.
States which will continue to use
stickers are Alabama, Arizona, Ida
no, Iowa, Massachusetts,, Oregon
and Washington. Washington will
use more "stickum" after using too
little in 1943. South Dakota will
switch from tabs to stickers.
States have obtained enough steel
10 issue one plate include Indiana,
Michigan, Georgia, Alabama, Penn
yylvania, Oklahoma, Kansas and
Nevada. Indiana got it's steel in a
salvage drive for old plates. Geor-
yia issued only one plate in 1912
ind boarded the other plates until
row. WPB released steel Alabama
Nad on hand before the war.
FOR the first time in 20 years, Ne
EeNa will change its color scheme,
Mitching blue and silver for red
ND vuhita