Evening star., 1947-04-02
Keneipp Sees No Need
To Extend DeadIine on
Auto License Tabs

franc DIRECTOR GTeOfgc Il. he-
neipp said today he saw no reason
for recommending to the Commits
sioners an extension in time for
motorists to obtain 1947 license tabs.
Mr.. Keneippss decision came in
answer to a charge by the American
Automobile Association that nearly
10000 motorists were unable to get
new tabs-making 1916 license plates
serve for 1947-before Monday
nights deadline because of INSULT
cient personnel ana confusion" in
the Traffic Bureau.
Police reported % persons have
been arrested since am. yesterday
for driving a car with an expired
license. Penalty for this Is a $25
fine. About 100 parked cars were
tagged for failure to display 1947
tab.
For those parked less than IS
hours since the license deadline,
the potential fine was 81; for those
parked more than Is hours 1t was
$40.
Stolen Tabs Reported.
Another source of worry to police
was q number of cases OF stolen
tabs. One reporting such a loss was
Police Pvt. Robert E. Lee, 218 Third
street Sc, who is attached to the
hack inspectors Office. To make 1t
more ironical, the theft occurred at
the police garage. About so thefts
In all were reported.
"Inasmuch as there were no ap-
plications pending at the end OF
business yesterday afternoon and
employees at the tag Office had taken
care of all who appeared at the
windows, I can see no reason for
an extension" Mr.. Keneipp said.
The AAA, through Washington I
Cleveland, manager of the District
division, asserted that hundreds OF
motorists had "stormed our Offices
complaining Of the way the Traffic
Bureau is undermined, of the way
mail inquiries are handled, and ask
ing for an extension of time to per-
NIT them to get the tags so that
they may legally operate their cars
In the District
Congress Partly Blamed.
Mr.. Cleveland charged that Con-
gress was partly at fault by failing
to appropriate to the Traffic Bureau
an adequate amount of the nearly
81 ,000,00 assessed motorists for
licenses and tabs. He called for a
period of grace" for delinquent
motorists to obtain their tabs and
the Traffic Bureau to get caught up
on its records"
Mr.. Keneipp said charges that
insufficient personnel and confu-
sion had created a bottleneck are
"unfounded and cannot be support
ed by fact"
"At no time has the number of
cars registered by the deadline date
exceeded or nearly equalled the
total registration for the previous
year." Mr.. Keneipp said.
At the deadline Monday about
81 900 motorists had failed to re-
register, or "a per dent of last years
total, Mr.. Keneipp added. Last
years percentage was the same,
and in the four years preceding
1916, the highest percentage of re-
registered vehicles was 10.
"As for the confusion charged, the
same system was in effect this year
as has been employed for many
years." he said.
aToYf a ~, a ,r,y II, {k-ir ,x,,f 49,, Lox,.
been detected and discussed with the
Commissioners. They will be dis
cussed with, House and Senate
appropriations subcommittees at the
proper time"
He said the license Office personnel
had worked hard and faithfully
remaining at the windows so long
as any one was in line.
THE tabs were on sale since
February "a and people were warned
repeatedly" Mr.. Keneipp added.
There was no rush before the last
two days, and even If there was
an extension in time there still
would be some who would not get
their tabs
In answer to the AAA charge
that several persons stood in line
as long as AZ hours Monday, In
spector Arthur E. Miller Of the
police traffic division said he and
Mr.. Keneipp made a canvass OF the
line and found the longest time
spent by any one to be least than
two hours.
Some Requests Misaddressed.
One complaint reaching the Traffic
Bureau was that some persons had
failed to receive tabs requested
through the mails.
The fact the bureau ran out OF
return envelopes was believed re-
sponsible for part Of this failure.
Some applicants who did not have
return envelopes mailed. their re-
quests and checks to the collector
Iof taxes.
The collector yesterday relayed to
the Trafiie Bureau 10 such applica-
tions sent to him by mistake, some
lot them dated as far back as Feb
lruary 2s.